W.H. SMITH MARKED EAGLE CARTRIDGE BOX SHOULDER BELT PLATE FOUND APRIL 1960 BY SYD KERKSIS IN A CS CAMP AT FREDERICKSBURG

W.H. SMITH MARKED EAGLE CARTRIDGE BOX SHOULDER BELT PLATE FOUND APRIL 1960 BY SYD KERKSIS IN A CS CAMP AT FREDERICKSBURG

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$525.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-568

This regulation belt plate for the cartridge box sling comes with its original collection envelope annotated by Syd Kerkis, the well-known and respected early relic hunter, collector and author, giving details of where he found it: “Fredericksburg / Apr 60” – the general location and date- “EP / ‘Smith’” – indicating it is an eagle plate marked by Smith – and, “Confed Camp / Hamilton X,” indicating he found it specifically in a Confederate camp at Hamilton Crossing. Hamilton's Crossing was a railroad stop on the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad, anchoring the right of Jackson’s line in the Battle of Fredericksburg and becoming a railhead and supply depot for the Confederate army since Union artillery dominated the rail line beyond that point.

The plate is in very good condition, with good rim and raised details, showing a mostly uniform olive-brown patina, with some dark gray showing through toward the edges and some grayish white on rim, but with no significant dents or dings. The lead solder fill on the back is nice and level with just one small dimple near one of the wire loops, both of which are in place. The fill shows largely as light and dark gray, with some thin brown along the edge. Just left of center in the middle of the plate is the very clear maker’s stamp, “W. H. SMITH / BROOKLYN.“ He worked at No. 44 State St. in South Brooklyn and advertised “brass trimmings for all kinds of military equipments . . .  warranted to stand US inspection.” He appears to have had large U.S. contracts both before and during the war, at least into Summer 1864 (see Bazelon’s Directory.)

These plates were adopted in 1826 with hooks on the reverse for the bayonet shoulder belt and made of 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 plates were redesigned with two loops on the back for wear as fixed ornaments on the cartridge box sling and plates with hooks were relegated to the NCO and musician’s sword shoulder belts. (Some militia versions used hooks at a different angle for wear on the waist belt.) Although in theory the plate was dropped with introduction of the 1864 cartridge box rigs with no plates, the plate remained in use in the field and was not discontinued until the new 1872 sets of accouterments were distributed.

The NPS marker for Hamilton’s Crossing provides the following narrative of activity in the area during the Battle of Fredericksburg: “On the foggy morning of December 13, Jackson's right flank terminated at the crossing and the nearby woods teamed with Confederate soldiers. At about 10am, the fog lifted, revealing the 55,000 soldiers of General William Franklin's wing of the US Army of the Potomac on the fields in front of Jackson's Confederates. As the battle commenced, federal cannon roared from the plains and showered the forest with lead.

Confederate reserves in Jackson's second line moved up along Mine Road through Hamilton's Crossing to aid in the struggle. Henry Handerson of the 9th Louisiana wrote, "we were ordered forward at the 'double quick,' and  .  .  . plunged into the woods in our front, where the shells were bursting with rapidity and considerable accuracy..." The railroad embankment soon became a combat zone of fierce fighting. At the battle's end the Confederates retained control of their line.”

Given that Kerksis recovered this plate from a Confederate camp it was likely removed from a captured or salvaged Union cartridge box rig that saw continued use, but on a Confederate shoulder. This has an interesting find location, a marking by a well-known maker, and provenance to a respected early collector and author.    [sr][ph:L]

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