New York Militia "Washington Greys" Co F Waist Belt Plate
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Item: Excavated New York Militia Washington Greys, Co. F, Enlisted, ca. 1840-1860 Waist Belt Plate.
Construction: Cast brass clip corner plate with applied brass tongue and belt loop bar. (tongue and bar missing) The units name was cast with the plate, with company "F" engraved.
Condition: Good, excavated. This hefty brass plate has an overall very pleasing green patina with a diagonal strip of brown which is a result of having been bent at some point prior to its recovery. It was carefully and meticulously re-bent back into its original shape by the digger. As mentioned above the plate is missing its rear tongue and bar; however the three solder attachment marks are still visible. There are no cracks, breaks, or major bends.
Comments: Excavated Washington Greys plates are rarely recovered. An example of this plate is pictured in the second edition of O'Donnell and Campbell's "American Military Belt Plates", on page 482 as plate 808. According to the authors: the Washington Greys were a "Volunteer company from New York City with roots as far back as 1786. They began to wear plates of this design, circa 1840, when known as the 3rd Regiment of Artillery, and continued until after the Civil War. Re-designated the 8th Regiment, N.Y.S.M., in 1847; the Washington Greys marched to Virginia for three months in 1861. They entered Federal service again briefly during the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns." Other examples can be found in Howard Crouch's book "Civil War Artifacts" on page 200, item #2, and also in "Excavated Artifacts From Battlefields and Campsites of The Civil War 1861-1865" by Stanley S. Phillips on page 11 as item #5. This plate will be an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War plate or general relic collection.
Recovered: by John Ford in the 1970's at Harrison's Landing, VA - Harrison's Landing is located along the James River where General George McClellan camped during the summer of 1862 after the battle of Malvern Hill.
Approximate size: 54 x 73 mm.
- Product Code:
- PC6721
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