Confederate Adjutant General button	The Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway
	Winchester, Virginia USA (changed hands 70 times in the Civil War!) I am a collector buying and selling authentic Civil War Relics
	This page updated   March 02, 2008

The Ridgeway Civil War Reference Archive 
Buckles issued by Louisiana

This is a sampling of relics collected by Harry Ridgeway over the years.  This archive record is for educational purposes only.  Some of the relics listed may be on display at the Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester Virginia, some are no longer owned by the author.  None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to the separate sales catalog for items that are currently offered.

All  items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described.   
Any excavated relics have been recovered from private property with owners permission.    
This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.

P0424     Louisiana two part belt plate, "local" manufacture


 
Crude Confederate sand casting.
Recovered: by Wade Buchannan Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the original
discovery was published in the NST Vol XIV, No 1 Nov - Dec 1996 pg. 10
Tongue keeper 47mm, wreath keeper 47.5mm, wreath 49mm
Ref: Harris, Relics of the Western Campaign, pg. 110.
Ref: Mullinax Plate 269 actual plate photographed 

P1549        Louisiana two part belt plate, "local" manufacture



Crude Confederate sand casting, wreath was copied from a militia plate, tongue was copied from a state plate, very few of these were made.
Recovered: by Howard Crouch, Fredericksburg Va
Tongue keeper 52.0mm, wreath keeper 53.3mm, wreath 51.8mm
Ref: Buckle is published NST Vol II, No 5, pg. 10, July - August 1975 when it was discovered, followed by a detailed article about the camp, Vol III, No. 6, pg. 18.
Ref: Mullinax Plate 274 actual plate photographed 

P0425     Louisiana two part belt plate

 
Crude Confederate sand casting, traces of silvering. This plate depicts a side view of the pelican, it is extremely crude, and somewhat ugly, but it is the only known example. It was found without a wreath, the wreath placed with it is a repro wreath, none have been found with a wreath so we don't know what the correct wreath looks like. There is a small repair to the keeper, upper left section of the keeper was missing when found and has been expertly filled in. Probably other pieces were manufactured but so far none have been recovered. It is equally possible that the maker was unimpressed with the poor quality of his work that he did not want to make any more! At this point there are no clues as to who made this plate, there are no comparable examples of other styles of plates to use for comparison of manufacturing details. The relatively small size of the plate and thin keeper would have rendered this plate impractical to use in rigorous campaigning, this may in part explain its rarity, along with the lack of aesthetic appeal. The plate has been shown to many experts and it is agreed that this is the actual plate photographed in the Mullinax book. The fact that the buckle was found with a piece missing is a positive factor in determining the authenticity but there is no definite way to date the origin of this plate absolutely. No information has been passed down as to the circumstance of the site or the digger, although the general area of recovery is known to have yielded many Civil War pieces. I have further confirmed that Hanover Brass did use this as the master for their reproduction, I have a copy of their repro which is a good bit smaller and even more crude. HB did also confirm that they made up the wreath, so the wreath is pure fantasy but does look good with the plate, therefore the wreath is considered to be a display prop only. 
Recovered: Spring Hill Tenn. 
Tongue keeper 48.6mm 
Ref: Mullinax Plate 279 actual plate photographed, only example known!

P0335     Washington Artillery, "WA" two part belt plate



Plate is made from two part stock prewar militia plate. A skilled craftsman removed the motif, engraving the initials of this unit. The Washington Artillery was a famous and well equipped unit from New Orleans. Each buckle was hand engraved and most show minor variations in engraving style.
Tongue was Recovered: Lignum VA from a fire pit. Note the fragment of melted glass. The wreath was recovered: a mile away by David Gurin. The proximity of the finds and the correctness of the fit of such a rare buckle fuel speculation that they may have had a common owner once. 
Tongue keeper 54.8mm, wreath keeper 54mm, wreath 50mm
Ref: Mullinax, Plate 280 

P0272    Washington Artillery, "WA" two part belt plate


 
Plate is made from two part stock prewar militia plate. A skilled craftsman removed the motif, engraving the initials of this unit. The Washington Artillery was a famous and well equipped unit from New Orleans. Each buckle was hand engraved and most show minor variations in engraving style. This pattern is unusual as the letters were tapped in rather than the more typical engraving. Both halves have a clear bench mark showing three stars.
Found by Steve Baker Pumpkin Ridge, Clearbrook, VA, original discovery was published NST Vol XIV, No 2, Jan - Feb 1987, pg. 6
Buckle was included in a second article Vol 30, No 1, pg. 42
Tongue keeper 54.6mm, wreath keeper 54mm, wreath 49.3mm
Ref: Mullinax, Plate 281 actual example photographed

Item is on display at the Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester, VA.

P0334     Louisiana belt plate, rectangle

Stamped brass, solder filled, brass hooks are soldered.
This somewhat crude plate was believed to have been made in a New Orleans shop before the city fell.
Beautiful example all hooks present
Recovered: Shelbyville Tennessee
Plate measures 55mm X 79mm
Ref: Mullinax Plates 282 to 286 

P1433     Louisiana waist belt plate

Die struck, lead filled, hooks soldered to the lead. Attractive plate, exceptionally sharp detail, all hooks intact, beautiful unmucked with patina. This plate will not be upgraded!!!!
Recovered: Signal Mountain, Chattanooga, TN
Ref: Mullinax (Expanded Edition) Plate 282

P1521     Louisiana belt plate, "local" manufacture

Stamped brass, solder filled,  brass hooks are soldered onto the solder
Beautiful nondug example, all hooks intact.
Ref: Mullinax Plates 282 to 286

P1541     Louisiana belt plate "active pelican" style

Depicts "active pelican" flapping wings, a handsome design. Construction is stamped brass on heavy sheet, brass tongue and keeper bar are soldered.
Beautiful example, all hooks intact
Recovered: Williamsburg Va about 1970.
Plate measures 55.8mm X 83.5mm
Ref: Mullinax, Plate 288 

P0332     Louisiana belt plate, New Orleans style

Depicts pelican surrounded by border with initials, "NO". This has been traced to the famed "Washington Artillery" unit of New Orleans. Constructed of stamped plate, well made, brass hooks were fashioned from sheet brass and soldered.
Hooks missing as expected, attractive example with minor rim nicks
Recovered: central Virginia
Plate measures 57mm X 84mm
Ref: Mullinax Plate 290 

P0807 / M0633     Louisiana waist belt plate, 1850's jeweler made and Pelican flag top ornament!
 

Stamped brass plate was probably made in New Orleans for a local militia unit, this is the only example surviving!!!! Heavily silvered, keeper bar soldered, tongue ripped out which is probably why discarded.
Buckle shows damage, but is only example known!
P0807 Recovered: Penninsula campaign, VA by Steve Rowlett, original discovery of buckle was published in NST Vol XXIV, No 2, Mar - Apr 1997, pg. 19
Plate measures 55.5mm X 77mm
Ref: Mullinax Plate 293 actual example photographed
M0633 The flag top ornament is cast brass, depicting pelican and was found with the buckle, and was likely made by the same New Orleans jeweler. The bird sits at a backward angle, so that when it is mounted on top of a flag staff and the staff held in marching position it will appear upright!
Rarity 10 Louisiana buckle and flag top 

P0271    Louisiana belt plate "sun rays" style

Depicts pelican with sunrays in background. Construction is stamped brass, brazed hooks, these were used by elite Madison Light Infantry.
Top grade example, hooks intact.
Found by Steve Baker, Shepherdstown WV, Gettysburg retreat, near a Louisiana monument! The original discovery was published in the NST Vol XVIII, No 6 Christmas 1991, pg 11.
Plate measures 56mm X 77mm
Ref: Mullinax, Plate 295 actual example photographed

Item is on display at the Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester, VA.

P1522     Louisiana  belt plate "sun rays" style

Depicts pelican with sunrays in background.  Construction is stamped brass, high quality stamping, hooks are brazed, this is variant die from published example.
Beautiful nondug example, all hooks intact.
Ref: Mullinax, Plate 295 rare die variant

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