Figure i8o 



sucli design arc know n to ha\c bncn used as early as 

 the last year ol' the Revolution.'-" In addition, 

 the "feel" of the specimen is early, and it is included 

 here as a possible Militia dragoon officer's plate 

 since the dragoons of the War of 1812 period generally 

 wore their swords attached to a waist belt rather than 

 to a shoulder belt. 



WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, I8I4-I825 (?) 



USNM 60449-M (i'-K 205'). Figure 182. 



This plate is typical of the early waist-belt plates, 

 which generally were more square than rectangular. 

 It bears the over-all design of the 1814-1821 series 

 of "common" cap plates. Struck in copper and 

 silvered, it would have been appropriate for either 

 infantry or dragoons, as both wore "white metal" 

 trimmings during this period. There are as many 

 die variations known for this type belt plate as for the 

 matching cap plates. 



The wide latitude allowed officers in selecting their 

 own insignia makes it quite possible that this design 

 was worn by some officers of the Regular Establish- 

 ment, particularly those in the high-numbered regi- 

 ments, which were organized during the course of 

 the War of 1812. A third use of this basic design 

 is indicated by a museum specimen at Fort Ticon- 

 deroga, N.Y. : cut into its outline form, it was worn 

 on the side of Militia dragoon caps. 



its breast and a ribbon in its beak. It has been 

 suggested that the eagle-in-canton flag would tend 

 to date the piece after 1820 when many Militia imits 

 had the design in its colors;'^* however, flags of 



Figure 182 



^"'' The national collections contain several such Militia colors. 



91 



