SCARCE NCO EAGLE BREAST PLATE FROM THE ROSE FARM, GETTYSBURG

SCARCE NCO EAGLE BREAST PLATE FROM THE ROSE FARM, GETTYSBURG

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$1,250.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-1835

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These round eagle belt plates were first adopted in 1826 with hooks on the reverse for the bayonet shoulder belt and were made of stamped rolled brass for artillery and white metal for infantry. This was changed to brass for both services in 1831 and when the bayonet was moved to the waist belt around 1842 the plate was redesigned with two loops on the back for wear in a fixed position on the cartridge box sling and those with hooks like this one has were limited to use on the sword shoulder belt by sergeants and musicians carrying the M1840 series of swords. See O’Donnell and Campbell, American Military Belt Plates, pages 274 ff., for a thorough discussion of its development, production, variations, etc.

This is in very good condition, the face olive/gray in tone with well defined eagle carryings arrows and olive branch showing just some light wear and no significant dings or dents to the edge. The lead solder fill on the reverse shows shallow losses around the edge, showing as light and dark gray, with brown stains in the middle from the iron-wire hooks that show deep rust, but are largely intact- a single wire embedded in the lead-solder fill turned up at the ends to attach to one end of the shoulder belt, and doubled and bent in the middle to form a hook to secure the other end.

This bears an old collector’s inventory number and find location in white on the lower reverse: “Ioo7 / Rose Farm.” This was the area of heavy fighting on July 2 as Longstreet delivered a series of attacks on the Union left, progressing from south to north, that battered and then pushed back Union forces advanced by Sickles, and reinforcements sent to his aid. The specific location, the Rose Farm will be familiar to most students of the battle from the remarkable and telling photos taken there several days later showing Confederate dead who had been gathered for burial, but not interred before Lee retreated.

Needless to say, these are considerably rarer than the round eagle breastplate with two loops that was ornamental and worn on the cartridge box sling by most Union infantrymen and especially uncommon with a provenance from Gettysburg.  [sr] [ph:L]

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