These rectangular eagle plates were introduced in 1851 for wear by officers and by enlisted men carrying swords: i.e. cavalrymen, artillerymen, infantry sergeants, etc. These showed the “arms of the U.S.” at center: an eagle with spread wings bearing a U.S. shield on its chest, clutching arrows and olive branch, and holding a ribbon reading, “E Pluribus Unum” in its beak. Underneath was a wreath and overhead was a band of stars with a cloud behind and rays of the sun above. This one is the pattern adopted in December 1863 for use with the slightly wider 2.2-inch enlisted saber belt, retaining a one-piece rather than three-piece wreath and extending the sun rays completely around the central motif. See O’Donnell and Campbell, esp. Plate 662 ff. for details.

This one has unusually sharp details for an enlisted plate, and some thin greenish-white residue in recesses, but a nice mellow patina overall. The back shows some darker stains, but the belt hook is in place and the side loop shows no bends or distortion. The reverse has a small stamped number “357” near one edge, a “bench number” applied during the hand-fitting of the plate with a hasp to keep them together until they could be mounted on a belt.

This is a key piece in any Civil War or US military belt plate collection.  [sr][ph:L]

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