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



USNM 6045 1-M QS-K 207). Figure 183. 



This brass plate is one of several similar examples 

 made of both brass and sUvered copper that differ 

 only in small die variations and the use of either 

 5-pointcd or 6-pointed stars. The arc of 17 stars in this 

 specimen may or may not be significant, because there 

 were 17 states in the Union from 1802 until 1812 

 when Louisiana was admitted. Not until 1816 did 

 the 19th state, Indiana, come into the Union. After 

 thinking in terms of and working with 17 stars for a 

 10-year period, die sinkers may well have overlooked 



when uniform regulations were vague and seldom 

 enforced, it is more probable that it was a Militia 

 item of about 1821-1835. The reason for this is 

 that the eagle-on-cannon device was adopted quickly 

 by Militia units when it was discarded by the Regulars 

 in 1821, and the overall design of the plate itself 

 follows the pattern adopted by the Regulars in 1821 

 (see fig. 68). Several artillery organizations of the 

 Massachusetts Militia wore the discarded button 



Figure 183 



Figure 184 



pattern (eagle-on-cannon with the word "Corps" 

 below) until the 1840's,'-^ and this plate would have 

 been an ideal match. 



The whole is cast in brass, the inner ring rather 

 crudely so. The outer ring is embossed with zig-zag 

 fretwork enclosing a circle of 5-pointed stars; the 

 rcctana;ular belt attachments have a floral design. 



the inclusion of a star for Louisiana. Buttons for the 

 Regular rifles made after 1812 but before 1821 show 

 an arc of 17 stars. '^* As in the case of the preceding 

 plate, there is a good possibility that this one was 

 worn by Regular officers in 1814-1821. It is also 

 probable that the pattern was made and sold to 

 Militia for manv vears after 1821. 



WAIST-BELT PLATE, MILITIA ARTILLERY, C. I82I- 

 1840 (?) 



USNM 60453-M (S-K 10 f) . Figure 184 . 



While this plate could ha\e been worn b)' an officer 

 of the Regular artillery in the period 1814-1821 



"8 Johnson, vol. 1, p. 61. 



WAIST-BELT PLATE, MAINE, C. 1 821 



USNM 604123 iS-K 279). Figure 185. 



This plate, struck in copper, contains the basic de- 

 vices of the State of Maine seal enclosed by a curled 

 ribbon border embellished with 5-pointed stars. The 

 specimen is more square than rectangular, a charac- 

 teristic of waist-belt plates of the early 1800's. It 

 was probably worn by Maine Militia no later than 

 the 1 820's, possibly a few years earlier. The method 

 of attachment also is indicative of this early period: 

 the heavy vertical wire is brazed to one end of the 

 reverse, and the L-shaped tongue to the other. This 

 plate obviously was a stock pattern. 



'-'Johnson, vol. 1, pp. 161, 162. 



92 



