CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1830 



USNM 60252-M. (I-X 10'). Figure 120. 



The diamond-shaped plate was in vogue with 

 Militia units during the late 1820's and the 1830"s. 

 Examples of such plates for the Washington Grays 

 (Philadelphia) and the Philadelphia Grays are 

 recorded in U.S. Military Magazine.^°^ This brass 

 plate, possibly made for a particular unit from stock 

 dies, is a typical example of the endless variety 

 possible with the use of a few dies. The blank was 

 struck with a die for the center device of eagle and 

 horn, but the irregularity of the spacing of the stars 

 shows that they were added later by hand. Similar 

 plates may be found with essentially this same device, 

 but placed on small shields or backgrounds of other 

 shapes. 



CAP PLATE, C. 1835 



USNM604851-M (,S-K996'). Figure 121. 



The eagle and horn devices were sometimes sepa- 

 rated by the manufacturer to produce this type orna- 

 ment — open with cord and tassels. Struck in brass, 

 it differs in form and detail from the silver horn 

 adopted by the Regular infantry in 1834 as a cap 

 plate. 



Several Militia units of the late 1830's and 1840's 

 used a horn as an additional ornament on the rear of 

 the cap, notably the State Fencibles (Philadelphia) 

 and the National Guard (Philadelphia). On the rear 

 of the leather cap of the State Fencibles were "two 

 broad rich stripes of silver lace, starting from the 

 same point at the top and running down, forming 

 an angle, in the center of which is a bugle ornament 

 . . . ." ""' The cap of the National Guard has been 

 described as being "of blue cloth . . . and in the rear 

 a plated bugle ornament." '"" 



*i In the following series of rather sinailar plates, four 

 different dies are used for the center ornament, per- 

 haps made by as many different die sinkers. The 

 relatively large number of these plates still in existence 

 suggests that they were worn very extensively. Those 

 with silver finish were used by infantry; the gilt or 

 copper ones by artillery and perhaps by staff officers. 

 All specimens are currently fitted with plain wire 



Figure 120 



'05 April 1839, pi. 5; June 1839, pL 11. 



'06 U.S. MUitary Magazine (March 1839), p. 3 and pi. 2. 



'OJ U.S. Military Magazine (October 1841), p. 32. 



Figure 121 



63 



