lations for the Regulars. This often led to odd and 

 unusual cap shapes and trimmings and bindings on 

 clothing, and to somewhat garish horse furniture in 

 in some mounted units. 



The illustrated cap and plate is very similar to the 

 ones worn by the Boston Light Infantry'^" about 

 1839-1840 except that the upper or "mortar board" 

 portion is beige instead of red and the plate is a full 

 instead of a three-quarter sunburst. The mortar 

 ijoard form is that introduced by the Polish lancers 

 in Europe in the early years of the 19th century and 

 worn by most European lancer reigments of the same 

 I^eriod. Lancer units in the British Army adopted 

 this type cap in 1816 when they were first converted 

 from light dragoons.'-' The large, brass, eagle- 

 on-sunburst plate was obviously patterned after the 

 one prescribed for the Regular dragoons in 1833. 



COCKADE EAGLE, INFANTRY, C. 1836 



USNM 60377-M QS-K i33). Figure 155. 



As an example of more than a dozen known variants 

 of the eagle, this silver-on-copper specimen is illus- 

 trated to show the general form and size of Militia 

 cockade eagles that became distinct types in the 1830's 

 and continued until about 1851. All such eagles 

 were obviously stock patterns. 



COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1836 



USNM 604960-M (S-K 1104'). Figure 156. 



This gold-embroidered cockade eagle with a wreath 

 of silver lame about its breast appears to have been 

 patterned directly after the eagle on the 1 833 Regular 

 dragoon cap plate (see fig. 38). It possibly is one of a 

 type worn by general officers of Militia. On this 

 specimen, both the eye and mouth of the eagle are 

 indicated with red thread. 



Figure 155 



Figure 156 



COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1836 



USNM 604959-M (S-K 1103'). Figure 157. 



This gold-emliroidered eagle, with wings and tail of 

 gold embroidery and gold sequins, was worn bv staff 



■'» Depicted in I'.S. .MtUlary .\fagazine (November 1839), 

 pi. 22. 

 '=• Barnes, p. 106 and pi. 2(14). 



and field officers, and possibly general officers, of 

 Militia. A duplicate on an original chapeau is in the 

 collections of the Maryland Historical Society in 

 Baltimore, Maryland. Eagle ornaments such as this 

 \vere generally centered on a round cloth cockade 

 about 6 inches in diameter. The eagle's mouth is 

 indicated by embroidery with red thread. Similar 

 eagles of a smaller size are known on epaulets of the 

 same period. 



79 



