🥇 BANNER REVOLUTIONARY WAR 9TH REGIMENT CARTRIDGE BOX PLATE!!!

[paleomaxx]

Yup, just sitting pretty wedged between some rocks in an old foundation:



Didn't even need the shovel, I just pulled two of the huge slate slabs apart and it fell out of the crack. Based on the signal I was expecting some iron sheet, and when I first picked it up I thought it was instead brass flashing, but then the light hit the engravings and I saw the 1775!



I don't have all the details on this yet as information seems to be tough to come by on these pieces and odds are this was custom made. The top says Captain and I presume the "ID" underneath are initials. 1775 may be the date of enlistment/commissioning and the Latin motto is partial but what's there reads "Vel Mors Vel Glo-" Vel Mors Vel Gloria was my first guess as to the whole motto which (while not proper Latin) could be translated to "death or glory." The wreath clearly shows "9th Reg" for 9th Regiment. Based on the motto and where this was recovered (Massachusetts) I'm leaning towards this being an American as opposed to British plate. I'm open to discussion though...



This is without a doubt a find of a lifetime for me! I've been hoping to find even a Rev War era military button this year, and I skipped right over that and then kept on skipping far past what my wildest expectations. Not just that, but being kept out of the dirt all these years it's in nearly immaculate condition and all of those detailed engravings are still as sharp as the day the were cut 245 years ago!

It seems almost silly to mention, but there were a handful of other associated finds around the foundation.



I'm positive I wasn't the first to detect this homestead as there were iron bits on rocks and around trees. Very few signals in the ground, but the tombacs and coppers at least confirm that this homesite was likely late 18th century and thus the plate was probably lost by the original owner or a close relative. The 1815 halfpenny token was a first for me and the 1857 flying eagle is in decent shape. The site being 18th century also means the missing piece may be around somewhere, but I didn't have any luck finding it today.

I'd be very interested to hear what people think on the plate, and if anyone can dig up roster information from the 9th regiment. There couldn't have been that many captains and if the initials really are "ID" it would be amazing to attribute this to a specific individual. There don't seem to be many examples of box plates from this time period out there so I'm not even sure if this is a typical layout and if having the motto in there is an unusual addition or a common practice.

Obviously time for more research, but talk about holding a piece of history in your hands...

UPDATE, CONCLUSIVELY ATTRIBUTED!!!

Well this took some serious research and some significant guidance in the right direction from some members of the facebook group suggested by Steve in PA, but I got it! The first break came from a small excerpt in the Twentieth Report of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (1916-1917). That had a little blurb:

Bowen, Jabesh. He was a corporal in Capt. Jonathan Danforth’s company, Col. Daniel Brewer’s Ninth regiment.

Captain Jonathan Danforth would match the initials and was in a 9th regiment so I dug a little deeper. The big break was in the book A History of the Town of Pittsfield in Berkshire County Mass (1844). That had an extensive biography of Colonel Joshua Danforth who had an incredible career during the revolutionary war starting as a clerk and was eventually made a colonel, but most importantly it mentioned that he served with his father's company starting in 1775:

Col. Joshua Danforth, to use the language of the Rev. Dr. Brinsmade, in the sermon preached at his funeral, “was born in Western, [now Warren,] Massachusetts, November 26th, 1759. He was the son of Jonathan Danforth, an officer in the Revolutionary War, who acted a conspicuous part as commander of a battalion in the Battle of Bennington. It was the intention of his father, in early life, to give this son a liberal education and he was qualifying himself to enter College when the Revolutionary struggle commenced. It was then, when the note of war was sounded and the veteran troops of England were pouring in upon our territories, that, at the age of fifteen years, he entered the army in the capacity of clerk in his father’s company. After having served several months in this office, at the same time discharging the duties of Surgeon’s mate, he received, at the age of sixteen, an Ensign’s commission. From this post he was promoted, and in 1778 raised to the rank of first Lieutenant, in which office he continued until 1781, when he was appointed Paymaster, with the rank of Captain.

His first active services were performed at Roxbury, in June, 1775, at the time the British were throwing bombs into that place. When General Washington had ordered the army to remove from that place, and the last regiment had left the encampment, it was ascertained that a part of the baggage had been left behind, and a detachment of men, under the command of Mr. Danforth, was ordered to go and secure it, which was done at great hazard. He remained in that vicinity until March 17, 1776, when, with the main body of the American army under Washington, he marched into Boston, as the rear of the British army left that town. He was in Boston until the following summer, and there in July heard for the first time the Declaration of Independence read to the army, which was called out for that purpose. Soon after this he went to Ticonderoga, and was at the surrender of Burgoyne in 1777. Immediately after this event, the Brigade to which he belonged was ordered to New Jersey, and thence to White Marsh; and on the 19th of December the army took up their winter quarters at Valley Forge, about twenty miles from Philadelphia, which was then in the possession of the British. It was on this march, the historian tell us that “through want of shoes and stockings, over the hard frozen ground, the army might be tracked from White Marsh to Valley Forge, by the blood from their feet.” Colonel Danforth has been heard to say that the suffering of the army from want of food and shelter that winter were incredible.

In 1778 he was in the battle of Monmouth, and the August of the following he went to Rhode Island. He spent the principle part of the year 1780 at West Point and its vicinity. In 1781 he had command, for some months, of a post a few miles from the Hudson near Tappan’s Bay, and was engaged in several skirmishes with the enemy. The army was disbanded in 1783, but Colonel Danforth was continued in the service as Paymaster, to assist in the settlement of the accounts with the soldiers, and was not discharged until the year following.

Pretty amazing, and the mentions of his father's service gave me enough to go on that I finally found a short biography of Jonathan Danforth:

Jonathan Danforth (1736-1802) was a minute man at Bunker Hill and with him were his two sons, Joshua and Jonathan, Jr. He commanded a battalion at the battle of Bennington.

And there you have it! This piece belonged to Captain Jonathan Danforth who was not only at the Battle of Bunker Hill, but had a significant role in the Battle of Bennington and this may very well have been with him at both! Talk about a one-of-a-kind piece of history folks!!!

 

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[Rookster]

That’s what I’m talkin about. Great recovering

 

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[villagenut]

That's just one oustanding,awesome,fantastic find . Wow

 

[Castineman1779]

Since the British 9th Regt of Foot landed in Quebec in late May of 1776 , captured at Saratoga, made prisoners there and returned to England in 1781 fair to say your relic is American. I hope before it goes to Banner, and it will, it is properly ided. My opinion as a trunk plate I hope others can chime in on if they do not agree. On American regimental cartridge boxes or militia types the flap is from 8 to 9 .5 inches in width. If your plate is about 5 or more very large and to light for one. Expect the owner had this made to I'd his trunk. It was Protection from thieves. Gary

 

[gheenoe78]

Incredible find.

Odd location makes me wonder if it was a gravesite marker?

 

[paleomaxx]

Incredible find.

Odd location makes me wonder if it was a gravesite marker?

Fortunately no, the rocks were part of a very distinct square foundation that they built up from the ground as opposed to down into it. This settler decided to build right in the river valley between two ridge spurs and so digging down would have meant their basement flooded out every spring. As it is, the ground around the foundation was almost scoured to pebbles and I imagine that every single spring the snow melt takes away all of the leaves and twigs. Not a great place for a house which explains why it was abandoned after just a few decades, but definitely not a grave.

 

[hogge]

FIND OF THE YEAR!!! INCREDIBLE! CONGRATULATIONS! ...........The Hogge

 

[JeffInMass]

Simply amazing- Congrats! That FE is in great shape compared to what they usually look like.

 

[Iron Patch]

FIND OF THE YEAR!!! INCREDIBLE! CONGRATULATIONS! ...........The Hogge

Good enough it may end up on your list.

 

[ironhorse]

that would be a first candidate for a centerpiece of any collection
great find all around

 

[hogge]

Good enough it may end up on your list.

You know I'm always hoping. LOL

 

[MCollett]

Wow. Now that is amazing. Cannot wait to see how this turns out. This is what metal.detecting is all about. Saving history! Banner!

 

[tamrock]

Whoa that's some history. Congratulations

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Incredible! Look forward to this thread growing legs as far as research goes..

 

[relicmeister]

Congratulations. At first brush you wonder how can MD be the same after finding the find of a lifetime; but then you realize if you could make this find, then ANYTHING is possible, and you’re more stoked than ever to get out there at every opportunity. Did you pinch yourself to see if you were dreaming??

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

The detail on your find is amazing Max, but what really makes it special is the background information you found on the individual!

When I make an interesting find, my first thought is often... now how did this piece end up here?
Was this piece found in a field and put in the wall simply as a keepsake or did the homeowner have a personal connection to Captain Jonathan Danforth?

Whatever the connection of this piece to the homes foundation is... you found something others before you missed!

I'm voting BANNER on your find Max, primarily because your background research has made this relic historically important in US history.

Dave

 

[Castineman1779]

There are few authorities that can give a positive I'd on this relic. One is George Juno who can be contacted at [email protected]. He is not on this site. The other is Don Troiani who often visits tnet. His email is Chainshot @aol.com . I am no expert here but have collected and studied this period for many years and have given u mine by what u wrote about the relic and seeing it. Again at about maybe 5 inches very large for a cartridge box plate and light weight . It would be nice to know,if possible , what it is before going to Banner. Regardless of what it is it is a rare survivor of our American past and a National Treasure. Just saw it is ided and that is great. Congrats. Gary
.

 

[Silvermonkey]

That certainly is a "Once in a Lifetime" kind of find! What an amazing piece of history. Congratulations.

 

[Steve in PA]

Incedible find. Definitely Banner. You should post it on the Revolutionary War Buttons, Plates, and Accoutrements Facebook forum. Some very knowledgeable folks on that forum.

I see you are getting some good feedback from the Revolutionary War Buttons, Plates, and Accoutrements Facebook forum, but may have ID the owner yourself

 

[Trezurehunter]

Outstanding find ! Banner vote is in.

 

[DaveSmith]

Congrats again, my heart rate went up just reading the story, I imagine yours is about to pop!!!