SMALL SIZE M1839 OVAL U.S. BELT PLATE: MEXICAN WAR AND EARLY CIVIL WAR

SMALL SIZE M1839 OVAL U.S. BELT PLATE: MEXICAN WAR AND EARLY CIVIL WAR

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$395.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2025-601

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This is the M1839 oval U.S. belt plate made for the narrow 1.5-inch U.S infantry waist belts of the Mexican War period, but carried over into the early Civil War by many state volunteers. Like the standard Civil War versions, these are made of rolled stamped brass with a raised “U.S.” and a lead solder filled back securing the fastening hooks, but use just a single brass arrowhead stud to secure it on one end of the belt, along with the hook on the other end to fasten and adjust it. See O’Donnell & Campbell, Plates 520 and following for parallels.

This is a very good example, showing just some minor scratches and age spots on the face, good lettering and rim. The brass hook and arrowhead fastening stud are in place and secure in the back. The lead-solder fill has a nice, level surface, with some age darkening also to the hook and stud and to the surface of the lead fill, mainly at either end.

These were listed in the 1839 ordnance manual, described in the 1841 version. They were  first made with iron wire hooks that were found to break too easily and the brass hooks were introduced in 1844. Early on, the waist belt simply retained the shoulder belts for the bayonet and cartridge box but by the time of the Mexican War the bayonet had been moved to the waist belt, which, though narrow, was sufficient to carry the weight, along with the cap box when the army finally got around to general issue of percussion arms. In the meantime the larger plate was also used, but for the dragoon saber belt and the light infantry rifleman’s belt, if they were carrying cartridge boxes on the waist belt rather than shoulder slung powder flasks and ball bags.

This would fit nicely in a Mexican War, Civil War, or general U.S. military belt plate collection, but some of this pattern were maker marked and some not and they also exhibit different letter forms in the die-strikes, making them an interesting sub-category of their own.  [sr][ph:L]

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