American Military Insignia 1800-1851 Part 12

_USNM 1056. Figure 79._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 79]

This rather elaborate specimen is on a coat worn by John Porter Hatch when he was a lieutenant of infantry in 1845. The body of the horn--which is merely curved rather than looped--is made of silver lame encircled by three ornamented bands of bullion. The mouthpiece and bell are of bullion. The whole is suspended by a rather ornate 3-leaf-clover knot of bands of edged bullion and is backed on blue cloth.

COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, CORPS OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, 1839(?)

_USNM 22702. Figure 80._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 80]

The uniform regulations for the period 1832-1846 carry no mention of coat-skirt ornaments for the Corps of Topographical Engineers, rather only prescribing the "slashed skirt flaps to be embroidered in gold, with oak leaves and acorns" like the collar and cuffs. There is in the national collections, however, a uniform for the Corps that corresponds with 1839 regulations in every way except that the coat skirts carry this ornament--a s.h.i.+eld within a wreath of oak leaves--of gold embroidery. The device appears to be of the same vintage as the other embroidery on the coat.

-- Although the 1832 uniform regulations make no mention of swords for noncommissioned officers, in 1833 the Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee, Ma.s.sachusetts, began the manufacture of a new sword for the Regular artillery. Based on a European pattern, this weapon was the popular conception of the short Roman stabbing sword, or _gladius_. In 1834 this weapon was also authorized for infantry noncommissioned officers.[92]

[Footnote 92: _Regulations for the Government of the Ordnance Department_, p. 64; and HAROLD L. PETERSON, pp. 42-43.]

WAIST-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1833

_USNM 654384 (S-K 531). Figure 81._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 81]

This is the belt-plate a.s.sembly designed for carrying the short "Roman pattern" NCO sword. The plate is of two round pieces joined by an S-hook that is open on one end for unbuckling. Each round piece has a flat loop for attachment to the white buff belt. The right-hand round piece has an eagle with head to the left, wings drooping, three arrows in the right talon, and an olive branch in the left talon. The left-hand piece has crossed cannons and the letters "U.S." The whole is cast in rough bronze.

a.s.semblies of this type were popularly known as "Dingee" belts, because one of the primary contractors for them was Robert Dingee of New York City. The eagle on this plate is very similar to the one on Dingee's contract rifle flasks of 1832.[93]

[Footnote 93: See PATTERSON, p. 8.]

WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1834

_USNM 604111 (S-K 267). Figure 82._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 82]

This plate and belt are identical to the artillery specimen above except that the left-hand round portion exhibits three stacked muskets and a drum instead of crossed cannon.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 83.--Specimen in collection of William E. Codd, Towson, Maryland.]

-- NCO belt plates similar to the two above also appeared in what might be called a staff or branch immaterial pattern, with the crossed cannon and/or stacked muskets and drum replaced by the letters "US"

alone (fig. 83). This pattern apparently was intended for wear by NCO's other than those a.s.signed to the infantry, artillery, or dragoons.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, DRAGOON OFFICER, 1833

_USNM 5664. Figure 84._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 84]

This plate, which formerly belonged to Gen. William S. Harney when he commanded the 2d Dragoons in 1836, is identical to the general and staff officers' plate of the 1832 regulations except that the letters "U.S." have been replaced by the letter "D" in Old English, as prescribed.[94]

[Footnote 94: General Order No. 38, Headquarters of the Army, May 2, 1833 (photostatic copy in files of the division of military history, Smithsonian Inst.i.tution).]

WAIST-BELT PLATE, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1836

_USNM 604114-M (S-K 268). Figure 85._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 85]

The 1835 uniform regulations replaced the rather impractical S-hook NCO belt plate with a "round clasp" on which the branch designation was replaced with the raised letters "U S." Similar in over-all design to the 1821 officers' plate, round with outer ring, these plates were rough cast in bra.s.s and had a stippled surface.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1836

_USNM 604114 (S-K 270). Not ill.u.s.trated._

This specimen is very similar to the preceding plate, but it is of a definitely different casting and is generally heavier in over-all appearance, the inner ring is much more convex, and the letters "U S"

are raised only slightly and spread farther apart.

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, OFFICERS, 1839

_USNM 40886. Figure 86._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 86]

The 1839 uniform regulations specified a shoulder belt (rather than a waist belt) for carrying the sword, with a "breast plate according to the pattern to be furnished by the Ordnance Department." This plate, which was worn by Capt. Erastus Cap.r.o.n, 1st Artillery, an 1833 graduate of the Military Academy, is believed to be that specified.[95] The specimen is rectangular with beveled edges, cast in bra.s.s, and has the lines of a modified sunburst radiating outward. In the center, within a wreath of laurel, are the letters "U S" in Old English. Both the wreath and letters are of silvered copper and are applied. The plate is attached by three broad hooks rather than two studs and a hook.

[Footnote 95: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (April 1841), ill.u.s.trations for "United States Infantry, Full Dress" and "United States Artillery (Captain)."]

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, OFFICERS, 1839

_USNM 604330 (S-K 486). Not ill.u.s.trated._

This plate is almost identical to the Cap.r.o.n specimen above except that the letters "U S," instead of being in Old English, are formed of oak leaves.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, CORPS OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, 1839

_USNM 22702. Figure 87._