| Description |
Ron Barnes' recovery of a Maryland rectangular sword belt plate has stirred plenty of interest (and envy!) among Civil War buffs. Now securely locked in a safety deposit box, it has brought standing offers far above "book price," but it is the plate's historical value that Ron emphasizes as he recalls how the find came about.
"I was searching a homesite dating back to 1658, so the potential for locating a wide range of relics was definitely there. However, it was the Civil War story associated with it which interested me most. Every member of the family living there in those days supported the Confederacy, and when Yankee soldiers camped on the place and began confiscating food and anything else they could find, the grandfather of the family left by boat in order to avoid being captured."
Ron is also careful to point out that his presence there was fully approved in advance.
"Permission is a must, and I obtained mine in writing through a deputy sheriff who also had written authorization to act as caretaker and hunt on the site. My wife Sharon accompanied me, and while I slowly worked the area with my detector, she scouted around and marked promising locations for inspection. I honestly don't know whether I found the plate as a result of one of her "X marks the spot" suggestions. So, let's just say that I checked a lot of targets, and it was one of them!"
At that moment, neither Ron nor Sharon realized the significance of their find. Later they wondered, had it belonged to the grandfather or perhaps his son? Was it lost as someone fled in haste? Could it have been hidden or cast aside for some reason? In time, research might unravel at least part of the mystery, but for now they had far more questions than answers. And the first order of business was to check it out with a few experts in the field.
"I've had the plate authenticated at several major shows," says Ron. "It's listed in both Kerksis' and Mullinax's books as an R-7 rarity, which means there are estimated to be 75 or less in existence... maybe only half that many. And as you can see, this one is in really excellent condition."
(The books to which Ron refers are Plates & Buckles of the American Military 1795-1874 by Sydney C. Kerksis and Confederate Belt Buckles & Plates by Steve E. Mullinax.)
Predating the Civil War by a decade, the c. 1851 cast brass plate displays the state seal of Maryland in an oval, surrounded by the state motto, Crescite et Multiplicamini (Latin for, "Increase and Multiply.") The elaborate design and exceptional sharpness of detail make it one of the most handsome and highly sought after accoutrement plates of its era. But Ron is proud of it for another reason.
"It's a part of my county's and country's history... one that would likely have remained lost forever or deteriorated beyond recognition had I not recovered it. Now it can be preserved for future generations. That's why I consider it my best find." |
