Figure 30 



plates, it cannot be dated later than 1825. Since no 

 naval uniformed Militia units are known for the period 

 1815-1825, and since the plate is obviously not a 

 device of the regular Navy, it must be assigned to the 

 Marine Corps. In studying this plate, however, we 

 must recognize the possibility that the maker may 

 have been designing and sinking dies in the hope of 

 having a sample accepted and approved for issue 

 rather than actually executing a contract. The plate 

 is struck in rectangular brass, and the corners are 

 marked for clipping. The design, within a wdde oval 

 with raised edge, consists of an eagle above a trophy cf 

 arms, flags, and a shield. The right talon grasps a 

 fluke of a fouled anchor, and the left talon holds the 

 pike cf a stand cf colors. Reproductions of this die 

 strike were made prior to its acquisition by the 

 National Museum, and specimens outside the national 

 collections should be considered with caution. 



^ The 1821 uniform regulations were significant in 

 several respects: cap plates were eliminated as dis- 

 tinctive insignia of the various arms; the color of 

 certain items of dress and equipment remained the 

 sole distinction; and the rules regarding nonregulation 

 dress were more precisely stated than before. The 

 cap plates were replaced by eagles, measuring 3 



inches between wint- tips, and the number of the 

 regiment was cut in the shield. Regulations tersely 

 stated that "all articles of uniform or equipment, 

 more or less, than those prescribed, or in any manner 

 differing from them, are prohibited.""- General 

 and staff officers were to wear black sword belts with 

 ■'yellow plates"'; artillery officers were to wear white 

 waist belts with a yellow oval plate Iji inches wide 

 and with an eagle in the center; infantry officers were 

 to wear a similar plate that was white instead cf 

 vcllow. Cockade eagles for chapeau de bras were to be 

 t>old and measure \%, inches between wing tips. 

 .Since enlisted men were no longer authorized to wear 

 swords, they had no waisi belts. 



CAP AND PLATE, THIRD ARTILLERY, I82I 



IJSNM.66601-M.. Figure II. 



Although several "yellow"" eagles that can be 

 attributed to the 1821-1832 period are known, this 

 brass specimen on the bell-crowned cap is the only 

 one known to the authors that has the prescribed 

 regimental number cut out cf the shield. The button 

 on the pompon rosette — which appears to be definitely 

 original to the cap, as does the eagle — carries the 

 artillery "a,"' thus the a.ssignment to that branch of 



Figure 31 



'- General Regulatioiu, pp. 154-162. 



23 



