Figure 9 



at the Philadelphia Mint. The eagle has an out- 

 sized, curved upper beak and is grasping lightning 

 bolts in the right talon and an olive branch in the left. 

 Below is a panoply of flags and muskets with drum, 

 saber, and cartridge bo.x. The corps designation 

 "us iNF.\N^." is above, and the unit designation 

 "16 reg''^" is below. The "16" appears to have been 

 added with separate die strikes. The specimen is 

 pierced with two pairs of holes on each side for 

 attachment. 



This third pattern was also struck in brass and 

 silvered for wear by officers. Several fragments of 

 such a plate were excavated at Sackets Harbor; 

 these, although of the third pattern, are the product 

 of a die different from that used in striking the piece 

 described above. 



DRAGOON CAP PLATE, 1 8 12 



USNM 62054-M (S-K 1807). Figure 10. 



This is an almost exact duplicate of the 1800 

 dragoon plate except that it is struck in pewter. 



"white metal," the color used by the infantry and 

 dragoons. It is rectangular with clipped corners 

 that are pierced for attachment. No detailed de- 

 scription of the 1812 plate has ever been found, but 

 several identical specimens are known attached to 

 dragoon helments made by a contractor named 

 Henry Cressman. The name "Cressman" is stamped 

 on the lower side of the visor alongside the initials of 

 an inspector named George Flomerfelt, who is known 

 to have been employed by the Army as an inspector 

 in Philadelphia during the period. Henry Cressman 

 is listed in the Philadelphia directories from 1807 

 through 1817 as a shoemaker. From 1825 to 1839 he 

 is listed as a military cap maker. 



*l On January 12, 1814, Irvine wrote to the Secretary 

 of War as follows: "I send herewith an infantry cap 

 plate which, with your permission, I will substitute for 

 that now in use. The advantages of the former CA'er 

 the latter are that it is lighter, neater, and will not 

 cost half [the] price. The present plate covers the 

 greater part of the front of the cap, is heavy in its 



14 



