American Military Insignia 1800-1851 Part 23

John S. Stiles commanded a section of the Baltimore Union Artillery at the Battle of North Point in 1814.[125] It is probable that John Stiles, originally a member of the 1st Marine Artillery of the Union had transferred his commission to the Baltimore Union Artillery.

[Footnote 125: SWANSON, pp. 253, 382.]

-- An example of Militia officers' shoulder-belt plates of the period 1812-1816 is a solid silver oval plate (fig. 178) engraved with an eagle and elements of the arms of Ma.s.sachusetts within a s.h.i.+eld suspended from the eagle's neck. Being silver, the plate probably was worn by infantry or possibly dragoons. Many such plates were locally made, as was this one, and examination of a number of specimens gives reason to believe that many were made by rolling out large silver coins into thin ovals, which were then engraved and fitted with fasteners on the reverse. The fasteners on all pieces studied indicate that the plates were intended to be ornamental rather than functional.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 178.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

In the Pennsylvania State Museum there is a similar oval plate that was worn by Col. Philip Spengler of that State's Militia in 1812-1816.

Ornamented with an eagle, with the initials "PS" within an oval below, it generally follows the construction of the ill.u.s.trated plate, differing only slightly in size. Since plates of this general type were made locally by hand, each is unique in itself. Identification must depend upon an interpretation of the devices engraved on the face. The initials of the officer for whom the plate was made are often included.

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1812

_USNM 604310-M (S-K 466). Figure 179._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 179]

A second example of a Militia officer's plate is this engraved bra.s.s specimen with the design placed along the longer axis of the oval.

Since there probably were many "Volunteer Rifle Companies," it is impossible to determine precisely which one wore this plate. The initials of the officer may be read either "I. B." or "J. B.," for many of the early-19th-century engravers used the forms of the letters "I" and "J" interchangeably. The two small hooks on the reverse indicate that the plate was for a shoulder belt rather than for a waist belt, and that it was ornamental rather than functional.

SHOULDER-BELT BUCKLE, C. 1812(?)

_USNM 60325-M (S-K 81). Figure 180._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 180]

This bra.s.s buckle, obviously made for a sword hanger, has an eagle in flight above, a 13-star flag below, and four 5-pointed stars on either side. The spearhead on the pike of the flag is definitely of military design, and, in the absence of nautical devices in the engraving, the buckle must be considered an army item.

ORNAMENTED WAIST-BELT PLATE, 1812-1825(?)

_USNM 604121-M (S-K 278). Figure 181._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 181]

Cast in silver and then carefully finished, this rectangular plate with beveled edge is one of the most ornate and beautiful known. In the center is an officer's marquee with an eagle, wings spread, perched on top. In front of the marquee are a field piece with bombs, cannon b.a.l.l.s, and drum; the whole on gra.s.sy ground and superimposed on a trophy of colors and bayonetted muskets. The canton of one color has, instead of stars, an eagle with a s.h.i.+eld on its breast and a ribbon in its beak. It has been suggested that the eagle-in-canton flag would tend to date the piece after 1820 when many Militia units had the design in its colors;[126] however, flags of such design are known to have been used as early as the last year of the Revolution.[127] In addition, the "feel" of the specimen is early, and it is included here as a possible Militia dragoon officer's plate since the dragoons of the War of 1812 period generally wore their swords attached to a waist belt rather than to a shoulder belt.

[Footnote 126: The national collections contain several such Militia colors.]

[Footnote 127: See WALL.]

WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1814-1825(?)

_USNM 60449-M (S-K 205). Figure 182._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 182]

This plate is typical of the early waist-belt plates, which generally were more square than rectangular. It bears the over-all design of the 1814-1821 series of "common" cap plates. Struck in copper and silvered, it would have been appropriate for either infantry or dragoons, as both wore "white metal" tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs during this period.

There are as many die variations known for this type belt plate as for the matching cap plates.

The wide lat.i.tude allowed officers in selecting their own insignia makes it quite possible that this design was worn by some officers of the Regular Establishment, particularly those in the high-numbered regiments, which were organized during the course of the War of 1812.

A third use of this basic design is indicated by a museum specimen at Fort Ticonderoga, N.Y.: cut into its outline form, it was worn on the side of Militia dragoon caps.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1814-1825(?)

_USNM 60451-M (S-K 207). Figure 183._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 183]

This bra.s.s plate is one of several similar examples made of both bra.s.s and silvered copper that differ only in small die variations and the use of either 5-pointed 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 the inclusion of a star for Louisiana. b.u.t.tons for the Regular rifles made after 1812 but before 1821 show an arc of 17 stars.[128] 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 many years after 1821.

[Footnote 128: JOHNSON, vol. 1, pp. 61.]

WAIST-BELT PLATE, MILITIA ARTILLERY, C. 1821-1840(?)

_USNM 60453-M (S-K 209). Figure 184._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 184]

While this plate could have been worn by an officer of the Regular artillery in the period 1814-1821 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 over-all design of the plate itself follows the pattern adopted by the Regulars in 1821 (see fig. 68).

Several artillery organizations of the Ma.s.sachusetts Militia wore the discarded b.u.t.ton pattern (eagle-on-cannon with the word "CORPS" below) until the 1840's,[129] and this plate would have been an ideal match.

[Footnote 129: JOHNSON, vol. 1, pp. 161, 162.]

The whole is cast in bra.s.s, the inner ring rather crudely so. The outer ring is embossed with zig-zag fretwork enclosing a circle of 5-pointed stars; the rectangular belt attachments have a floral design.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, MAINE, C. 1821

_USNM 604123 (S-K 279). Figure 185._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 185]

This plate, struck in copper, contains the basic devices 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 characteristic of waist-belt plates of the early 1800's. It was probably worn by Maine Militia no later than the 1820'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.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1830

_USNM 60329-M (S-K 85). Figure 186._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 186]

This plate, cast in bra.s.s, is typical of the small plates, both round and rectangular, that were worn with light-weight, full-dress staff swords. It is an example of the early, hand-made, bench-a.s.sembled types. The outer ring carries the wreath typical of the period, while the inner ring carries the eagle with its head to the right, s.h.i.+eld on breast, arrows in left talon, and olive branch in right talon. The whole lies within a ring of 13 5-pointed stars; the uppermost five stars are mixed with a sunburst rising from the eagle's wings.