American Military Insignia 1800-1851 Part 9

[Footnote 82: Insignia of the riflemen are discussed by Townsend and Todd, pp. 2-3.]

CAP INSIGNIA, OFFICER, REGIMENT OF MOUNTED RIFLEMEN, 1850

_USNM 604854 (SK 999). Figure 51._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 51]

In 1850 the regiment was given a "trumpet" hat device. Officers were to wear "a trumpet, perpendicular, embroidered in gold, with the number of the regiment, in silver, within the bend."[83] This trumpet is also known in metal imitation-embroidery. The prescribed regimental number, which is ill.u.s.trated in the Horstmann publication of the regulations (pl. 15), is not included on the device, probably because there was but one such unit in the Regular Establishment.

[Footnote 83: General Order No. 2, February 13, 1850, War Department (photostatic copy in files of division of military history, Smithsonian Inst.i.tution).]

CAP INSIGNIA, ENLISTED, REGIMENT OF MOUNTED RIFLEMEN, 1850

_USNM 62053-M (SK-1806). Figure 52._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 52]

The same general order that gave rifle officers a gold-embroidered trumpet prescribed for enlisted men a similar device to be of "yellow metal." This insignia lasted but one year for the men in the ranks, being unmentioned in the 1851 regulations.

Shoulder-Belt and Waist-Belt Plates

Oval shoulder-belt plates were worn by American officers during the War of the Revolution, but no extant specimens are known. Highly ornamented or engraved officers' plates for the period after 1790 are in several collections (fig. 53) and others are ill.u.s.trated in contemporary portraits (fig. 54). Just what year shoulder-belt plates were issued to enlisted personnel is unknown, but their use appears to have been well established by 1812. The uniform regulations for that year specified swords for sergeants of infantry to be "worn with a white cross belt 3-1/2 inches wide," but nothing was said about a device on the belt.[84]

[Footnote 84: General Order, Southern Department U.S. Army, January 24, 1813 (photostatic copy in files of division of military history, Smithsonian Inst.i.tution).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 53.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

Normally, bra.s.s or "yellow metal" plates were authorized for the artillery and silvered or "white metal" for the infantry and dragoons, as consonant with the rest of their tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. In actuality, however, white-metal shoulder-belt plates do not seem to have been issued to the infantry prior to 1814, and bra.s.s ones were still being issued in 1815.[85] Most of these plates were plain oval, although a few are known that were struck with devices similar to those on cap plates; and at least one rectangular cap plate, fitted with the two studs and hook on the reverse normal to shoulder-belt plates, has been found. It seems probable that these were officers' plates. Oval bra.s.s plates have been found that are identical in size and construction to the plain ones but with the letters "U.S." embossed on them; however, these are difficult to date.

[Footnote 85: Letters from Irvine in Records AGO: To Colonel Bogardus (Commanding Officer, 41st Infantry), February 16, 1814; to James Calhoun, January 14, 1815; and to General Scott, January 31, 1815.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 54.--Portrait in collection of The Filson Club, Louisville, Kentucky.]

It is extremely doubtful that waist-belt plates were issued to enlisted personnel of foot units during this period. In 1808 enlisted dragoons were authorized a waist-belt plate of tinned bra.s.s and, as far as known, perfectly plain.[86]

[Footnote 86: Letter to the Purveyor of Public Supplies in 1808.]

The 1812 regulations prescribed for the light dragoons a "buff leather waist belt, white plate in front with eagle in relief," and there is the possibility that the light artillery had such. In actuality, there was no call for a waist belt where a shoulder belt was authorized.

Neither civilian trousers nor the few surviving military "pantaloons"

of the period are fitted with belt loops, trousers being held up either by suspenders or by being b.u.t.toned directly to the s.h.i.+rt or waistcoat. No example of the dragoon plate has been found. However, a rather tantalizing possibility exists--a fragment of a pewter belt plate (fig. 55) was excavated at Sackets Harbor, New York, where the light dragoons are known to have served. The 1816 regulations specified for artillerymen "waist belts of white leather two inches wide, yellow oval plate of the same width." It is not made clear, however, whether this belt and plate was for officers only or for all ranks. The unusually striking oval specimen (fig. 56) may be this plate, but its ornateness indicates that this particular design was for officers only.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 55.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 56.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, 1790(?)-1812

_USNM 12804. Figure 57._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 57]

This plate was worn by Peter Gansevoort sometime during his military career, probably after 1790. Gansevoort, between 1775 and his death in 1812, was successively major, lieutenant colonel, colonel, and brigadier general of New York State Militia and brigadier general U.S.

Army (1809-1812). Although distinctly Militia in design, the specimen is included here as an example of the wide variety of such devices worn by officers of the 1800-1821 period.

This plate is octagonal, slightly convex, and has beveled edges. The design is hand engraved on copper, and the whole is gold plated.

Within an engraved border is the eagle-on-half-globe device of New York State. Two studs and a hook soldered to the reverse are not believed to be original.

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY OFFICER, C. 1812

_USNM 604313 (S-K 469). Figure 58._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 58]

This rectangular, slightly convex plate of silver on copper has beveled edges and a small slot in the center for the attachment of an ornament. The ornament is missing, although it can be surmised that it was an eagle. The reverse is fitted with two studs and a hook and bears the hallmark of "W. Pinchin, Philad{a}." William Pinchin is listed in the Philadelphia directory for 1809 as a silversmith at 326 Sa.s.safras Street. The 1810 directory lists only "Widow of," but another William Pinchin (probably the son) appears in the 1820's.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, LIGHT ARTILLERY(?), 1814-1821

_USNM 60452-M (S-K 208). Figure 59._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 59]

The design of this rectangular plate, struck in rather heavy bra.s.s, is the same as that offered as the 1814-pattern cap plate for the light artillery, although it is the product of a different and somewhat more crudely sunk die. The piece is dominated by an eagle with wings upraised, a s.h.i.+eld on its breast, three arrows in its right talon, and an olive branch in its left talon. Crossed cannon are in the foreground, and there is a pile of six cannon b.a.l.l.s in the lower right corner. The whole is superimposed on a trophy of colors and bayoneted muskets. Above is a 5-pointed "star of stars" made up of 20 5-pointed stars.

WAIST-BELT PLATE, OFFICER, ARTILLERY CORPS, 1814-1821

_USNM 60448-M (S-K 204). Figure 60._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 60]

The rectangular plate is struck in bra.s.s on a die of the same design as that used in making the 1814 Artillery Corps cap plate, type I (p.

18). Before the strike was made, a piece of thin sheet iron, slightly narrower than the finished product, was applied to the reverse of the bra.s.s. After the strike, which shows through clearly on the iron, the ends of this applied metal were bent inward into tongues for attachments to the belt, and the remainder of the back was filled with pewter. The edges of the obverse were then beveled to finish the product. It seems very probable that plates such as this were produced for sale to officers.

SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, OFFICER, ARTILLERY CORPS, 1814-1821

_USNM 60247 (S-K 5). Figure 61._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 61]

This is a companion piece to the Artillery Corps waist-belt plate described above. It was struck in bra.s.s from the die of the 1814 Artillery Corps cap plate, type I, again with a thin sheet of iron applied to the reverse before the strike. There is no pewter filling; the beveled edges of the piece together with the adhesive effect of the strike--which shows through very clearly--holds on the back. The plate is fitted with two simple bent-wire fasteners for attachment, indicating that it was intended for ornamental use only. Like its waist-belt plate counterpart, this specimen must be considered an officer's device.