WAIST-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY OFFICER, IS2I-IS35 



USNM 60455-M (S-K 211). Not illustrated. 



Nearly identical to the infantry ollicer's plate al)o\e. 

 this buckle, in brass, has the artillery "a" on the 

 eagle's breast shield. 



1 Although the regulations for this period do not 

 mention shoulder-belt plates for enlisted men (officers 

 had none as they wore their swords on their waist 

 belts), it can be assumed that they were worn. The 

 two specimens described below must be dated later 

 than 1812-1821 because of the belt attachments. 

 The earlier specimens had rudimentary bent-wire 

 fasteners, but these, more refined, have two round 

 studs and a hook soldered to the plate proper. 



SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, C. 1 82 1 



USNM 604316 (I-K 471). Figures 70, 71. 



This plate, of silver on copper, is plain o\al and 

 slightly convex. 



Figure 70 

 SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1 82 1 



USNM. 604315 (S-K 471). Not illustrated. 



This specimen is identical to the preceding one 

 except that it is in plain brass. 



K The 1832 uniform regulations brought some well- 

 defined changes. General and staff officers were to 

 wear gilt waist-belt plates "having the letters u s 

 and a sprig of laurel on each side in silver," and the 

 bottom of the skirts of officers' coats were to bear 



dislincti\'e devices — a gold-embroidered star for gen- 

 eral officers and officers of the general staff, a shell 

 and flame in gold embroidery for artillery officers, 

 and silver-embroidered bugles for infantry officers. 



WAIST-BELT PLATE, GENERAL AND STAFF OFFICERS, 

 1832 

 USNM 664. Figure 72. 



The plate and the belt to which it is attached 

 formerly belonged to Capt. Charles O. Collins, an 

 1 824 graduate of the Military Academy. The belt is 

 of patent leather, as specified for undress wear, and is 

 1 H inches wide. The plate is cast in brass and has 

 raised edges. Rather than having "a sprig of laurel 

 on each side," it has a wreath of laurel enclosing the 

 letters "u s," in Old Ena;lish, in silvered metal 



Figure 72 



39 



