gold emljroidcry, with sequins, on black wool clolh. 

 As the palmetto tree is the basic device of the South 

 Carolina seal (see pp. 81 and 83), this specimen must 

 be attributed to the Militia of that state. 



^ Most Militia cartridge-box plates made in the 

 decade after 1841 were oval, following the pattern of 

 the Regulars. While a few of these varied from the 

 prescribed sizes, most were almost identical in both 

 size and shape to those of the Regular Establishment, 

 but with strictly Militia ornamentation. The exact 

 years in which these plates were produced cannot be 

 determined, but it is reasonably sure that they were 

 supplied to Militia for some years prior to the opening 

 of the Civil War. Not included here are similar types 

 known to have been made for units born of the war as 

 the Pennsylvania Fire Zouaves, Pennsylvania Home 

 Guard, Pennsylvania Reserve Brigade, and the Ohio 

 Volunteer Militia. Cartridge-box and waist-belt 

 plates often are identical except for the methods of 

 attachment. The plates for cartridge boxes have two 

 wire loops imbedded in the backing (see fig. 90), while 

 those for waist belts have one or two round, or some- 

 times arrowheaded, prongs on one side of the reverse, 

 and with a narrow tongue on the opposite side bent 

 parallel to the plane of the plate (see fig. 91). 



CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, C. I84I 



USNM 60400-M (i'-K 75(5). Figure 195. 



This brass, oval cartridge-box plate, with its eagle on 

 a panoply of arms and colors, closely matches in size 



Figure 195 



the 1841 Regular cavalry's plates for carbine cartridge 

 boxes and the infantry's waist belts. Although plates 

 of this design were worn as waist-belt plates, the two 

 looped-wire fasteners on the reverse of this specimen 

 clearly indicate its use on a cartridge box. This was 

 undoubtedly a stock pattern. An oil painting of 

 Capt. George Bumm, Pennsylvania State Artillery, c. 

 1840, shows the subject wearing a waist-belt plate of 

 this same design.'" 



CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, C. 1 84 1 



USNM 60401-M QS-K 157'). Figure 196. 



Slightly smaller than the preceding specimen, this 

 brass plate bears the eagle design popular from 1821 

 to 1851. Fitted with looped-wire fasteners, it would 

 have been a stock pattern for cartridge boxes. 



CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, MAINE, C. 1850 



USNM 60354-M QS-K 606). Figure 197. 



A frequently misidentified plate is this brass-struck, 

 lead-filled oval with the raised letters "vmm" for 

 Volunteer Maine Militia. It is also known in a 

 smaller size. The reverse is fitted with the two looped- 

 wire fasteners normal to such plates. 



Other prewar oval plates bearing raised letters are 

 known for the Alabama Volunteer Corps (AVC), 

 North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), State of 

 New York (SNY), and New Hampshire State Militia 

 (NHSM). Many such plates recently have been 

 reproduced for sale, and more probai:)ly will be made 



13' Old Print Shop Folio, p. 216. 



96 



