American Military Insignia 1800-1851 Part 26

Although members of the artillery of the Regular Establishment wore the crossed-cannon device on their shakos, they never wore it on waist- or shoulder-belt plates. Thus, this cast-bra.s.s plate must have been a stock pattern sold to many Militia units. The outer ring is missing.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 604107-M (S-K 263). Figure 207._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 207]

This specimen, roughly cast in bra.s.s and gilded, is unusual because the Militia rarely used the letters "U S" on any of its equipment. The pattern does not conform to anything prescribed for Regulars and the quality does not come up to standards required by the Regular Establishment; hence it must have been worn by Militia. It would have been a stock pattern. There is the possibility that it might have been worn by diplomatic personnel, but its poor quality makes this unlikely.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850

_USNM 604387-M (S-K 534). Figure 208._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 208]

The over-all design of this plate, which is cast roughly in bra.s.s and gilded, reflects the growing ornateness of the Victorian era.

Obviously a stock pattern, it would have suited the fancy of several units and cannot be identified further than "for Militia." The design of the eagle is unusual in that three arrows are carried in the right talon--although it is possible that this is intended to reflect the belligerency inherent in the period of the War with Mexico--and there is a single large star in the canton of the Federal shield.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 604458-M (S-K 605). Figure 209._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 209]

The generalities that apply to all "stock pattern" insignia are equally valid in referring to this bra.s.s-struck plate with a 5-pointed star as its sole ornament. Dating its period of design poses no difficulty, for it contains the panel with wreath inside an edging border characteristic of the 1840's. The star device would have been appropriate for Militia units of Maine ("North Star"), Texas ("Lone Star"), or for dragoon units that took the star as a distinctive insignia. Although it may have been worn by Texans, it is doubtful that it was made originally for them. The design enjoyed a long life, and plates of this general pattern were struck well into the 1880's.

The major difference between earlier and later specimens is that the early ones were struck on rather heavy sheets of copper-colored bra.s.s, with fasteners consisting of a tongue and heavy wire loops brazed to the reverse. The later plates have a bright bra.s.sy color, are struck on thin bra.s.s, and have the loop and tongue soldered rather than brazed.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 604108-M (S-K 264). Figure 210._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 210]

The lack of a mane on the beast on this plate marks it as a tiger. The best known and most affluent Militia organization with the nickname "Tigers" was the Boston Light Infantry, although a number of others also were so-called. The craftsmanship and general elegance of this gold-plated bra.s.s specimen suggests that it was worn by an officer, though an occasional volunteer company was so richly endowed that all its members, officers and enlisted men alike, wore expensive devices.

The bench-a.s.sembled manufacturing technique, gaudy embellishment, and lack of a distinct Victorian touch date the piece about 1840. The tiger's head is applied.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 604104-M (S-K 260). Figure 211._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 211]

The full-flowing mane on the beast on this plate identifies it as a lion. The device would have been appropriate for wear by the Albany Burgesses Corps, which, when founded in 1833, almost immediately adopted the lion's head as its distinctive insignia. The unit continued to wear this plate for about half a century. While that unit's cap plate (fig. 170) is much more formal and is without a lion's head, its b.u.t.tons contain the lion--with head turned to half-right--as a princ.i.p.al ornament. While it is probable that the original die for this cast-bra.s.s plate was sunk for the Albany organization, the manufacturer would not have hesitated to offer it for sale to any interested Militia unit.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 60479-M (S-K 235). Figure 212._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 212]

The raised letters "W G" on this cast-bra.s.s and gilded plate would have been suitable for many Militia units of the period. We can only suggest that it may have been worn by members of a "Washington Greys"

or "Washington Guard" from Pennsylvania or New York. A round plate with an outer wreath would have been more appropriate for officers than for enlisted personnel.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, WASHINGTON GREYS, C. 1850

_USNM 604137-M (S-K 293). Figure 213._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 213]

The waist-belt plates shown in the _U.S. Military Magazine_[132] for the Washington Greys of Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, while indistinct, are definitely not of this pattern. Thus, this bra.s.s plate with its sunken letters filled with black enamel must have been worn by yet a third unit with such a name. Additional specimens in the national collections have the company letters "G" and "K."

[Footnote 132: April 1839, pl. 5; June 1839, pl. 10.]

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 604294-M (S-K 450). Figure 214._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 214]

This oval, convex, bra.s.s plate, with two studs and a hook soldered to the reverse for attachment, very probably was originally a shoulder-belt plate. The letters "W L G" incised on the obverse are very patently the added work of an engraver of no great talent. The letters doubtless stand for Washington Light Guard, and, since there were several Militia units of that designation, it seems possible that one of the less affluent units bought the plates and had them engraved locally.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, CITY GUARDS, C. 1840

_USNM 604386-M (S-K 533). Figure 215._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 215]

There were City Guards in Charleston, South Carolina, New York City, Philadelphia, and possibly in other places. Thus it is impossible to determine just which of these units wore this cast-bra.s.s plate. The ornamented outer oval is typical of the 1840's.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, NATIONAL GUARD, C. 1850

_USNM 60206-M. Figure 216._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 216]

A number of Militia units carried the designation "National Guard."

The unit that used this particular plate was from New Jersey, for scratched on the reverse is "Sergeant O. Clinton, October 9th, 1851, 1st Reg Hudson Brigade, NJSM"; However, the adjutant general, State of New Jersey, was unable to give any information on such an organization. The specimen is cut from rolled bra.s.s with sunken letters filled with black enamel.