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Federal Four-Piece Rifleman's Buckle - Assembled From Three Different Sites

Item: Federal Four-Piece Rifleman's Buckle - Assembled from Three Different Sites
Construction: Male half: cast brass, integral tongue; Female half: brass with applied belt loop bars; Slides: cast brass. 
Condition: Very good, excavated, complete. The parts of this four-piece buckle were recovered by the same digger from three different areas and, while the patinas match fairly well, they vary slightly from smooth brown to light-yellow dirty brown to woodsy brownish green. There are no cracks, breaks or repairs on any of the four parts. There are bends in the four parts ranging from slight to moderate with the most noticeable found in the belt keeper bar on the female half. The fit between the male and female halves is close but not complete. There are no repairs.
Recovered: December 15, 1991 Bethesda Church, VA., January 3, 1993 North Anna, VA. & 1977 Yorktown, VA.
Approximate size: 60 x 71 mm., slide heights: 79 & 82 mm.
Reference: Examples of similar rifleman buckles are pictured and described in the following reference books:

• "American Military Belt Plates" by Michael J. O'Donnell and J. Duncan Campbell, on pages 534 and 535, Plate 903 (solid cast tongue).
• "Civil War Artifacts" by Howard Crouch, page 190, item 3.
• "Excavated Artifacts from Battlefields and Campsites of The Civil War" by Stanley S. Phillip, page 22, item 1.
• "Excavated Artifacts from Battlefields and Campsites of the Civil War 1861-1865 with Supplement" by Stanley S. Phillips on page 25, items 3, 4, 5 & 6.
• "Plates and Buckles of the American Military 1795-1874", by Sydney C. Kerksis on page 72, figure 66.
• "Field Guide to Excavated Federal Plates" by Daniel J. Peters on page 18, plate No. 15.
• "Civil War Artifacts of the Western Campaigns" by Charles S. Harris, pages 28 & 224.

See above pages in additional images.

Comments: According to "American Military Belt Plates" by Michael J. O'Donnell and J. Duncan Campbell on page 534, these buckles were a "French design copied from the 1847 chasseur a pied accoutrements with a frog for the sabre bayonet of the Model 1855 rifle and slides which linked with the 1855 pattern knapsack. Rendered obsolete by the Model 1861 rifle accoutrements, but extensive early war use confirmed by photographs and excavations." On page 535, Plate 903, "Although superseded by the 1861 rifle accoutrements and large US waist belt plates, thousands of these French-style interlocking plates were imported or fabricated at government arsenals. They were authorized by Marine Corps riflemen and several Army of the Potomac regiments were issued these with French-made uniforms."

This Rifleman's buckle was acquired directly from the family of E. V. Smith. Mr. Smith, a lifelong Virginia relic hunter, thoughtfully recorded the plate’s date and location of recovery. This will not only be an excellent opportunity to acquire a complete example but also to obtain relics from three different Civil War sites. It will most definitely be an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War buckle, plate or general relic collection.

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Product Code:

PC11636

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Price:

$275.00

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