_USNM 604747 (S-K 892). Figure 14._
[Illustration: FIGURE 14]
This plate, which is original to the hat to which it is affixed, may
well have been worn by a regular infantry officer during the period
1814-1821. The cap is of the style first issued in October 1813, with
the front rising above the crown.[61]
[Footnote 61: See MCBARRON, "The 18th U.S. Infantry," pp. 48-49.]
The plate, of silver on copper, is rectangular with four scallops top
and bottom. A floral border, 3/16 of an inch wide, that surrounds the
whole, strongly suggests that it was an officer's plate. Within a
central oval an eagle, with wings outspread, is superimposed upon a
trophy of arms and flags; above, on a ribbon, are "E PLURIBUS UNUM"
and 15 5-pointed stars. It is possible that this plate is a Militia
item, but the fact that it appears to be original on a leather cap of
the type worn by Regulars makes it more likely that it is another
example of officers' license in the matter of insignia during this
period. Its attachment to the cap is a variant method: two hasp-like
metal loops, affixed to the plate, have been run through holes in the
hat and a leather thong threaded through them. Most cap plates of
this period were pierced at the corners for attachment by threads.
[Illustration: FIGURE 15.--Specimen in Fort Erie Museum, Ontario,
Canada.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 16.--Specimen in Campbell collection.]
¶ The cap plates issued to the artillery regiments (less the Regiment
of Light Artillery) and the riflemen during the period 1812-1821 are
known, but only a fragment of one is represented in the national
collections. Illustrations of all extant are included to complete the
picture. Two of the 1812 plates issued the 2d Regiment of Artillery
(fig. 15) have been excavated at Fort Erie, Ontario, and are in the
collections of the museum there. A plate of the 3d Regiment (fig. 16)
excavated at Sackets Harbor, New York, is of an entirely different
design. The lower third of a plate of the 1st Regiment (fig. 17),
again of a different design, was excavated by the authors in 1961. In
1814, when the three regiments were consolidated into the Corps of
Artillery, these plates were superseded by one bearing the
eagle-on-cannon device closely resembling the button of the artillery
for the period 1814-1821, which has the word "Corps" inscribed.[62]
Specimens of this latter plate representing two distinct though
similar designs have been excavated at posts known to have been manned
by Regular artillery in 1814 and later (figs. 18, 19). The same
general design appears also on cross-belt plates and waist-belt plates
(see below pp. 34-35).
[Footnote 62: See JOHNSON, vol. 1, p. 45, and vol. 2, p. 10.]