fasteners and plume sockets, both of which may or 

 may not be original. 



CAP PLATE, INFANTRY, C. 1825 



USNM 6027 1-M QS-K 29'). Figure 122 . 



The floral-bordered shield outline of this silver-on- 

 copper infantry plate is known to have been used 

 also with the rifleman's eagle-horn device in the 

 center. The panoply of arms and flags used as a 

 background for the center device, which is charac- 

 terized by the long neck of the eagle swung far to 

 the right, links it closely to the plate of similar type 

 worn during the period 1814-1821. Because of its 

 large size, it is assigned to the post-1821 era of the 

 bell-crown cap, contemporary with the riflemen's 

 large plates. The 13 5-pointed stars were added 

 with a hand punch. 



Figure 122 

 CAP PLATE, C. 1825 



USNM 60298-M (^S-K 56). Figure 123. 



This brass plate is a duplicate of the preceding, 

 lacking only the hand-applied stars. The crispness 



Figure 123 



of detail indicates that it was one of the very early 

 products of the die. 



CAP PLATE, C. 1825 



USNM 60269-M (S-K 27). Figure 124. 



The second variation of the series is a product of 

 perhaps the best executed die of the group, with 

 unusually fine detail in the eagle's wings and with 

 neatly stacked cannon balls at the bottom of the 

 center device. It includes other excellent detail not 

 found in other dies: an eagle-head pommel on one 

 sword, a star pattern made of smaller stars in the 

 cantons of the flags, and crossed cannon, rammer, 

 and worm behind the Federal shield. It is struck in 

 brass. 



CAP PLATE, C. 1825 



USNM 60297-M QS-K 55). Figure 125. 



A tall, slender, rather graceless eagle with broad 

 wings and erect head reminiscent of the Napoleonic 

 eagle is the outstanding difference in this third ex- 

 ample of the series. The floral border lacks a finished 



64 



