Reference Items
Accoutrements
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1851 Pattern Bridle Leather Cavalry Belt
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This is a bridle leather cavalry saber belt whose rectangular
eagle plate is patterned after the plate specified by General Order 31 of June
1851. It specified a buckle with the
U.S. coat of arms surrounded by a laurel wreath. Most such belts were made from the 1850's
through end of the Civil War. This belt
is unmarked and bears no contractor’s stamp.
The belt is complete with both saber drops and the
shoulder support strap which is often absent; all leather parts match. The bridle leather is dyed black on the
exterior per 1851 Army regulations, with natural color on the belt
interior. The hasp bears a bench mark
"879” with the 9 being a weak strike. The
plate is unmarked.
The right-handed plate has an integral tongue and
one-piece nickel silver wreath applied to the plate entirely below the eagle’s relatively
compact wing tips. In addition to less obvious features such as a more
rounded head on the eagle and a circle of rays outside the wreath, this lowered wreath is consistent with an amended
design published in the Ordnance Manual in November 1861, the revised plates
actually going into production after delivery of a template from the government
in December of 1863. The plate is made
of cast brass with a comparatively flat banner; the eagle’s head is facing to its
right and almost touches the banner. In
place of clouds above the banner, there is stippling around the stars and the
rays surround the wreath. There are thirteen
stars, six above the banner, two above the banner tail, two left of the eagle's
head and three to the right. The swept shield
on the eagle's breast bears stripes in two directions with no stars. The narrow tongue on the plate is
integral to the casting, its thinner tip is bent, intended to fasten to a separate
brass keeper.
Member - Mike Sorenson
Item #: CIV-264
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1839 Pattern Enlistedman's Buff Leather Belt
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Standard
issue 1839 pattern enlistedman’s white buff leather belt. It is equipped with a die stamped US buckle
with a single arrow style hook. It also
has its original white leather keeper. The
belt is 1½” wide and 48” in length, its leather still shows the arsenal knap
and is very supple.
The buckle measures 40mm x 70mm.
Use of the small US oval plate was approved with the regulation of 1839. Although most of these small sized plates were
manufactured in the 1840's and 1850's, many still saw use through the Civil
War. This particular dye pattern shows
thick letters, the "U" with medium boxy bottom, the "S"
with rounded openings. The buckle is configured as a left-handed buckle with
single brass arrow hook behind the "S."
Member - Mike Sorenson
Item #: CIV-263
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Virginia Belt - Captain John Bryant
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This two piece officer’s sword
belt was worn by Captain John Bryant of the 29th Virginia Volunteer
Regiment. It is identified by a period ink inscription on the inside of
the belt that reads: "J T Bryant” in flowing script. Bryant’s
official record shows no middle initial, but review of the Confederate Virginia
roster for possible matches, reveals there are no other possible matches.
Captain John
Bryant was a forty year old Carroll County, Virginia resident when he raised a
company of local men for Confederate service in July of 1861. His
company, known simply as Captain John Bryant’s Company, became Company C, 29th
Virginia Infantry. The company mustered into Confederate service at
Delp’s muster ground, in Carroll County, Virginia on July 25, 1861.
Captain
Bryant led his company until the following May when he was discharged at
Tazewell, Virginia due to his age. He returned home to Carroll where he
died in 1884. He is buried in Captain John Marshall Cemetery in Carroll
County.
Captain Bryant’s
sword belt is in excellent condition. It is one of the few Confederate belts seen that
retains its original sword hangers, both of which are strong and flexible. The leather is supple and retains nearly all of its original finish. All of the
stitching remains complete and tight. The two piece buckle has a die
stamped central disc bearing the Virginia state seal, Virtue standing over a
defeated Tyranny.
Member - Mike Sorenson
Item #: CIV-262
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A privately
purchased Civil War officer's belt on black bridle leather with a unique cast
brass two-piece buckle. The buckle is a
nicely accomplished tongue-in-wreath style winged eagle, finely detailed in a
gilt-brass casting. The eagle faces left
and holds arrows in his left talon, an olive branch in his right. On his breast is a swept shield with
horizontal and vertical stripes, no stars.
Both of the buckle components are unmarked. This plate and keeper are very similar to the
set illustrated as plate 373 in the reference work American Military Belt
Plates by Michael O’Donnell & J. Duncan Campbell.
The leather is soft with minor flaking. The interior of the belt has a leather liner
that is hem-stitched on the outer edges of the belt, the buckle has a leather
rest or billet, also lined. Both saber hangers are
the rounded style, high grade sewn leather around a horsehair interior. The clasps, rivets and parade hook are
uncleaned and show a warm patina.
Member - Mike Sorenson
Item #: CIV-261
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Model 1859 McClellan Saddle
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Shown is an early Civil War Model 1859 McClellan saddle. Regulations for the 1859 pattern called for sweat leathers, stirrup hoods, unspaded "D” rings (which suspend the girth straps) and did not require contractor’s markings. The tree design also featured a more vertical pommel than later saddles. The brass shield on the pommel of this saddle is marked "3" denoting the large 12” size cantle. Also soldier inscribed in the brass shield in block letters is "76 K." The pommel is pierced with a mortise which is protected by a brass plate on the front. The uniform coloration, usage, and condition of all its leather mountings indicate that they are original to each other. The sweat leathers show some use, both have all the stirrup strap loops present, but the sweat leathers are likely added to the rig. The stirrups are solid, with strong wooden frames that have no splits or damage and each is equipped with its hood as per regulations for the Model 1859. The rawhide which covers the saddle tree is complete with no splits on the visible surfaces, and has a pleasant aged, caramel color. The skirts are in full form and supple, and the saddle bag retaining straps are intact on both of the skirts. The quarter straps and girth straps are full length.This saddle is pictured with saddle bags in place. It also carries the correct carbine thimble attached to the offside D ring. The cantle has three coat strap mortises which are protected by brass oval guard plates fastened to the seat with brass nails. The front quarter-straps are attached to the pommel arc with two rivets and a hooked stud at the top center. These saddles draw their name from their original designer, George McClellan who obtained approval from the US Army for his design in 1859. With a few modifications along the way, the McClellan saddle remained in use by the US military until its last cavalry units were dismounted in World War II.
Member - Mike Sorenson
Item #: CIV-258
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Model 1859 McClellan Saddle Bags
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These Model 1859 McClellan saddlebags were made by C.S. Storms of New York City and are strongly marked thus on the flap of the left bag. In 1862 Storms moved from St. Louis to New York City. He had a number of government contracts for a variety of leather accoutrements.
It is unusual to see a pair of bags in this minty condition as they continued to be used by the cavalry and state militias following the Civil War into the 1870s. Subsequently the M1872 brush and shoe pouches were made from disassembled M1859 saddlebags, further reducing their surviving numbers.
Experts believe that today, fewer bags exist in any condition than do specimens of the saddles for which they were intended. This set is complete including both closing straps, tie down straps, and buckles. The interior bags with leather closing thongs are supple and present.
Saddlebags had a wide variety of uses by cavalry troopers during the Civil War. Among them, it is speculated that their original purpose was to carry extra, pre-fitted horseshoes so that a cavalry expedition need not be delayed while awaiting the services of the regimental farrier.
Member - John Beckendorf
Item #: CIV-249
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