American Military Insignia 1800-1851 Part 28

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 226]

This plate, which is of bra.s.s with a cast, white-metal likeness of Washington applied with wire fasteners, may well have belonged to either the Washington Greys of Philadelphia or the unit of the same designation of Reading, Pennsylvania. Prints of these two organizations in _U.S. Military Magazine_[136] show profiles on the shoulder-belts plates, although the plate of the Reading unit is depicted as being oval.

[Footnote 136: April 1839, pl. 5; June 1839, pl. 10.]

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 604337-M (S-K 493). Figure 227._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 227]

This bra.s.s plate with its wire-applied devices obviously belonged to an Irish-group Militia unit. The Huddy and Duval print of the Hibernia Greens of Philadelphia[137] definitely depicts an Irish harp on both the shoulder-belt plate and the cap plate, but the motto "ERIN GO BRAGH" is not included. The specimen would have been suitable for several Militia organizations, such as the Irish Jasper Greens of Savannah, Georgia, and the Montgomery Hibernia Greens. Its devices are wire-applied, and it possibly was a stock pattern.

[Footnote 137: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (January 1840), pl. 27.]

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840

_USNM 604340 (S-K 496). Figure 228._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 228]

This plain bra.s.s plate, having wire-applied pewter letters "S L I" is believed to have been worn by the Salem Light Infantry of Ma.s.sachusetts.

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, NEW ENGLAND GUARDS, C. 1840

_USNM 604343-M (S-K 499). Figure 229._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 229]

Letters signifying the New England Guards are embossed on a shield of white metal that is attached to this bra.s.s plate, which has scalloped corners. Although the officer depicted in the Huddy and Duval print of the New England Guards[138] wears a waist belt rather than a shoulder belt for his sword, the soldier standing in the background is shown with crossed shoulder belts. Thus, this plate may have been an item of equipment for enlisted personnel rather than for officers.

[Footnote 138: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (November 1839), pl. 21.]

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, Ma.s.sACHUSETTS, C. 1840

_USNM 604342-M (S-K 498). Figure 230._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 230]

Although the white-metal arm and sword on wreath device wired to this large bra.s.s plate immediately identifies the origin of the specimen as Ma.s.sachusetts, the considerable heraldic license taken by this insignia-maker is only too evident. When the Ma.s.sachusetts State seal was first adopted in 1780, the blazonry of the crest was given as follows: "On a Wreath a dexter Arm cloathed and ruffled proper, grasping a Broad Sword...."[139] The designer has placed the arm in armor and replaced the "broad sword" with a scimiter-like, edged weapon. The use of the crest of a state seal or coat of arms to indicate the state was common usage, with the eagle-on-half-globe of New York providing an excellent example. This plate would have been appropriate for wear by any Ma.s.sachusetts unit, and is thus considered to have been a stock pattern.

[Footnote 139: ZIEBER, pp. 143-144.]

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1840

_USNM 604454-M (S-K 601). Figure 231._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 231]

The silver palmetto tree identifies this as a South Carolina plate.

The letters "L" and "A" are subject to several interpretations, the more probable being "Light Artillery." The devices are attached with simple wire fasteners, and the basic bra.s.s plate can be considered to have been a stock item adaptable to any number of units.

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1845

_USNM 60357-M (S-K 113). Figure 232._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 232]

This bra.s.s, lead-backed badge bears no devices that would a.s.sist in identifying it as to unit, and its general composition would have made it appealing to more than one Militia organization. It is considered a stock pattern. The stars-on-belt motif, forming the border of the oval, is very unusual, as are the 14 arrows in the eagle's left talon and the star beneath its beak. The center eagle device is applied with simple wire fasteners.

-- Following the War with Mexico, many State Militia, especially those in the south, began using their state coats of arms as the princ.i.p.al devices on their waist-belt plates. The plates for officers followed the earlier pattern for Regulars, a round device clasped within an outer ring. Plates of enlisted personnel more often were rectangular, but there were many exceptions. The following series includes examples of both types.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, ALABAMA C. 1850

_USNM 604221-M (S-K 377). Figure 233._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 233]

The old Alabama State seal with a representation of a map of the State hung from a tree trunk, as depicted on the inner ring of this cast-bra.s.s waist-belt plate, became obsolete after the Civil War when the "reconstruction" government changed the device to that of an eagle resting on a Federal shield. Some years later, however, the original seal, in somewhat modified form, was readopted. Although made in the early 1850's, plates of this type were worn by personnel of the Confederate States Army throughout the Civil War. Many plates of this same basic pattern were made in England and run through the blockade.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, CALIFORNIA, C. 1850

_USNM 604389-M (S-K 536). Figure 234._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 234]

The 31 six-pointed stars in the outer ring of this cast-bra.s.s plate bearing the central elements of the California State seal indicate that it was made after statehood was granted in 1850 but before 1858 when Minnesota became the 32d State. Actually, this design for the arms of the State was adopted in antic.i.p.ation of admission to the Union, on October 2, 1849.[140] The ornate design of this plate is more characteristic of the 1840's than later, indicating that it was made very early in the 1850's.

[Footnote 140: ZIEBER, p. 114.]

WAIST-BELT PLATE, FLORIDA, C. 1850

_USNM 604224-M (S-K 380). Figure 235._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 235]

The palm tree, standing alone, although sometimes mistaken for the palmetto of South Carolina, is representative of the State of Florida.

Thus, this plate is ascribed to Florida Militia, about 1850. The late Richard D. Steuart, of Baltimore, Maryland, an outstanding authority on Confederate equipment and accoutrements, was firm in a.s.serting that this pattern should be ascribed to Florida.