American Military Insignia 1800-1851 Part 6

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 20.--Specimen in Niagara Historical Society Museum, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 21.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 22.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 23.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

There are four different patterns of riflemen's cap plates that can be fairly bracketed in three periods. The large (6-1/4 by 5 inches) diamond-shaped bra.s.s plate with the letters "R.R." (fig. 22) was adopted for wear in the spring of 1812 as replacement for the letters "USRR" that had been worn on the cap since the organization of the Regiment of Riflemen in 1808. It was excavated in the interior of one of the barracks comprising Smith's Cantonment at Sackets Harbor, New York, where riflemen were stationed as early as August 1812. The style of the "R" is very similar to that on the 1812 Artillery cap plate, and the "R.R." designation conforms to that on the b.u.t.ton authorized for the riflemen in 1808. The pattern of the second diamond-shaped plate (fig. 23), also in bra.s.s and almost identical in size, although a ground find, is more difficult to account for, despite the fact that it most certainly falls in the same period. The most logical explanation seems that the riflemen, who considered themselves a cut above the common infantry, became disgruntled with the utter plainness of their plates when compared with those just issued the infantry, and asked for and received, possibly late in 1812, the plate with the eagle and the designation "U.S. Rifle Men." The fact that the plate bears the designation "1 REG{T}"--although there were no other rifle regiments from 1812 to 1814--can be explained by reference to the "national color" of the Rifle Regiment completed in 1808, which bore the inscription "1st Rifle Regt.--U.S." and the standard and national color of the light artillery which were inscribed "The First Regiment of Light Artillery" when there was never more than one light artillery unit in the Army.[66] In any case, accurate dating of the third and fourth patterns definitely places the second pattern in the 1812-1813 period by process of elimination. It was superseded in 1814[67] very possibly for the same reason that the infantry plate was changed--heaviness in both appearance and weight--and replaced by a plate with a "design similar to that of the b.u.t.ton ... flat yellow b.u.t.tons which shall exhibit a bugle surrounded by stars with the number of the regiment within the curve of the bugle."[68] At least three specimens of this third-pattern plate are known. They all are 3-1/4 inches in diameter, and thus are large enough for a hat frontpiece and too large to be a c.o.c.kade device. One of these plates is without a numeral (fig. 24); one has the numeral "1," and one has the numeral "4" (fig. 25). The first and second of these were found at Fort Atkinson, but very probably were not worn as late as 1819-1821.

Portions of specimens of this 1814 plate have also been recovered from an early p.a.w.nee village site in Webster County, Nebraska, indicating their possible use as trade goods after the rifle regiment changed its plates in 1817.[69] The fourth pattern, with an eagle over a horn (fig. 26) was authorized[70] in 1817. Apparently it was worn until 1821, since several examples of it have been found at Atkinson; other examples also are known.

[Footnote 66: See KUHN, pp. 263-267, and DAVIS, pp. 13-14 and pl. 3.]

[Footnote 67: Act of February 10, 1814 (_Military Laws_, pp.

251-252).]

[Footnote 68: Letter dated January 12, 1814, from Irvine to Secretary of War (Records AGO).]

[Footnote 69: See KIVETT, p. 59.]

[Footnote 70: A letter dated July 29, 1817, from Irvine to Secretary of War describes the device; a letter dated August 4, 1817, from the Adjutant and Inspector General (Daniel Parker) to Irvine authorizes the plate but gives no description. Both letters are in Records AGO.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 24.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 25]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 26.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 27.--Specimen in collection of Waverly P. Lewis, Devon, Connecticut.]

The cap plate for the U.S. Military Academy, c. 1815, is ill.u.s.trated (fig. 27) because it completes the cycle for insignia of the Regular Establishment for the period. Apparently it is the work of the same designer as most of the insignia of the period 1812-1815. Scratched on its reverse side is the name George W. Frost, a Virginian who entered the Military Academy as a cadet in 1814 and resigned on March 8, 1816.

The two plates of the U.S. Marine Corps, despite the fact that they are naval rather than military, are included because they fit very precisely into the device design pattern of the strictly army items of the period and because they are unique in their rarity.

CAP PLATE, U.S. MARINE CORPS, C. 1807, DIE SAMPLE

_USNM 58671-N-(1). Figure 28._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 28]

This specimen was extremely puzzling for many years. The design is obviously that of the War of 1812 period, bearing strong similarity to both the 1812 and 1814 infantry plates and the 1814 Artillery Corps plate, possibly the work of the same die sinker. The 1804 Marine Corps uniform regulations specified merely a "Bra.s.s Eagle and Plate," but the 1807 regulations called for "Octagon plates."[71] Thus there was considerable reluctance to accept this die sample as the authentic design. In the summer of 1959, however, the authors, excavating at Fort Tomkins, New York, which was known to have had a small barracks for the use of naval personnel ash.o.r.e, recovered parts of two bra.s.s plates of this identical design, and in the octagon shape--that is, rectangular with clipped corners (fig. 29). The design may thus be precisely dated.

[Footnote 71: See MCCLELLAN, pp. 25, 44.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 29]

The specimen is struck in rectangular bra.s.s with a raised edge. The whole is dominated by an eagle that is very similar to the eagles on the infantry and artillery corps plates described above. The talons grasp the shank of a large fouled anchor; a ribbon, held in the beak and streaming overhead, is embossed with the motto "FORt.i.tUDINE." The whole is on a trophy of arms and flags, and below the lower raised edge is embossed the word "MARINES." The excavated specimens vary slightly in size, but average 3-3/8 by 4-3/4 inches. Reproductions of this die strike were made prior to its acquisition by the National Museum, and specimens outside the national collections should be considered with caution.

CAP OR SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, U.S. MARINE CORPS, 1815-1825(?)

_USNM 58671-N-(2). Figure 30._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 30]

This specimen is known only in die samples. Because of its similarity in design to the 1814 infantry plates, it cannot be dated later than 1825. Since no naval uniformed Militia units are known for the period 1815-1825, and since the plate is obviously not a device of the regular Navy, it must be a.s.signed to the Marine Corps. In studying this plate, however, we must recognize the possibility that the maker may have been designing and sinking dies in the hope of having a sample accepted and approved for issue rather than actually executing a contract. The plate is struck in rectangular bra.s.s, and the corners are marked for clipping. The design, within a wide oval with raised edge, consists of an eagle above a trophy of arms, flags, and a s.h.i.+eld. The right talon grasps a fluke of a fouled anchor, and the left talon holds the pike of a stand of colors. Reproductions of this die strike were made prior to its acquisition by the National Museum, and specimens outside the national collections should be considered with caution.

-- The 1821 uniform regulations were significant in several respects: cap plates were eliminated as distinctive insignia of the various arms; the color of certain items of dress and equipment remained the sole distinction; and the rules regarding nonregulation dress were more precisely stated than before. The cap plates were replaced by eagles, measuring 3 inches between wing tips, and the number of the regiment was cut in the s.h.i.+eld. Regulations tersely stated that "all articles of uniform or equipment, more or less, than those prescribed, or in any manner differing from them, are prohibited."[72] General and staff officers were to wear black sword belts with "yellow plates"; artillery officers were to wear white waist belts with a yellow oval plate 1-1/2 inches wide and with an eagle in the center; infantry officers were to wear a similar plate that was white instead of yellow. c.o.c.kade eagles for _chapeau de bras_ were to be gold and measure 1-1/2 inches between wing tips. Since enlisted men were no longer authorized to wear swords, they had no waist belts.

[Footnote 72: _General Regulations_, pp. 154-162.]

CAP AND PLATE, THIRD ARTILLERY, 1821

_USNM 66603-M. Figure 31._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 31]

Although several "yellow" eagles that can be attributed to the 1821-1832 period are known, this bra.s.s specimen on the bell-crowned cap is the only one known to the authors that has the prescribed regimental number cut out of the s.h.i.+eld. The b.u.t.ton on the pompon rosette--which appears to be definitely original to the cap, as does the eagle--carries the artillery "A," thus the a.s.signment to that branch of the service. The eagle bears a close similarity to the eagles on the 1812 and 1814 infantry cap plates and the 1807 Marine Corps cap plate, and is possibly the work of the same designer.

CAP INSIGNIA, INFANTRY, 1822

_USNM 60364-M (SK-120). Figure 32._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 32]

Early in 1822, the Secretary of War, acting on a suggestion of Callendar Irvine, ordered that all metal equipment of the infantry be of "white metal" in keeping with its pompons, ta.s.sels, and lace.[73]

This specimen, struck in copper and silvered, is believed to have been issued as a result of that order.

[Footnote 73: Letter dated January 4, 1822, from Secretary of War to Irvine (Records AGO).]

-- The 1821 regulations stated that c.o.c.kade eagles should measure 1-1/2 inches between wing tips. In 1832 this wingspread was increased to 2-1/2 inches. Thus, specimens of a relatively uniform pattern and measuring approximately 1-1/2 inches in wingspread will be considered as of the Regular Army, 1821-1832. Similarly, those of a relatively uniform pattern and measuring approximately 2-1/2 inches in wingspread are dated 1832-1851.

c.o.c.kADE EAGLE, C. 1821

_USNM 60371-M (S-K 127). Figure 33._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 33]

This eagle, struck in bra.s.s, has wings extended, head to the right, federal s.h.i.+eld on breast with no stars, olive branch in right talon, and three arrows in left talon.

c.o.c.kADE EAGLE, INFANTRY, C. 1821