37TH REGIMENT of FOOT

[Patriot Relics]

Hey guys,

Due to the flooding in SC I was forced to try out some higher ground near Gheenoe78 and I's Rev War honey hole. I've worked the area briefly in the past, but quickly got discouraged by the amount of trash deposited by previous storms. While today was no different, lots of trash did give way to a killer find- Revolutionary War 37th Regiment of Foot button! The button has some edge loss however a faint border is present, 16mm in diameter, heavy lead/pewter composition, with a 37 centered on the front. The reverse has the remnants of a shank and possibly the benchmark of R L?



A bit of info on the 37th: In April of 1776 they joined in the unsuccessful campaign of Charleston, SC in May and June. By 1777 they had joined Howe's main army for the New York campaign, including Long Island and Fort Washington. The closest match in Troiani's book is example p/q pictured below.



Thanks for looking

 

[sutphin]

07 THATS SOME BAD STUFF GOING ON DOWN THERE , WE MISSED IT HERE BUT HAD A LITTLE FLOODING . MAN I WOULD LOVE TO FIND ONE OF THOSE , BEEN ON THE BUCKET LIST ALONG TIME. NICE FIND ..

 

[Gridwalker306]

Cool find, good job on the ID!

 

[Vino]

Outstanding find Jon.
You have a uncanny way of finding these pewter/ lead.
And to find one you can read is fantastic. Way to go on the 37th. Still looking for my reg button..lol.
I might just have yo come down south to get one
George

 

[NEPADIGGER7]

I hope everyone is alright down there that flooding looks horrible! But great find in the mist of all that chaos!

 

[Patriot Relics]

Cool find, good job on the ID!

Thanks J, truthfully when it came out of the ground I just figured it was a lead seal...little cleaning revealed the 37

 

[Patriot Relics]

Outstanding find Jon.
You have a uncanny way of finding these pewter/ lead.
And to find one you can read is fantastic. Way to go on the 37th. Still looking for my reg button..lol.
I might just have yo come down south to get one
George

Thanks George, I chase alot of lower signals that most folks would probably walk by. I do dig alot of small lead and alluminum but every down and then it's something great.

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[pepperj]

Nice save on the button!

You mentioned lower signals ??-02/05's, then there's the 09-11 that have produced interesting results.

 

[Darby]

Very nice button Jon! Glad y'all survived this awful weather! Good thing is with all this rain our heavily hunted sites might be worth hitting again! Good luck and congrats on a super nice find.

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Very nice button man, even in that shape! WTG!

 

[gheenoe78]

Great find John! You'll have a full batallion of British buttons soon! 37th reg buttons don't pop up too often! I think you should share what other reptilian friends you saw back there too cause of the flooding. You won't catch me back there any time soon!!

 

[Patriot Relics]

I hope everyone is alright down there that flooding looks horrible! But great find in the mist of all that chaos!

We appreciate the sentiment Nepa, luckily my home avoided the worst of it.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Nice save on the button!

You mentioned lower signals ??-02/05's, then there's the 09-11 that have produced interesting results.

Hey pepper, most early pewters come in between 12-10 and 12-06 on the CTX

 

[Patriot Relics]

Great find John! You'll have a full batallion of British buttons soon! 37th reg buttons don't pop up too often! I think you should share what other reptilian friends you saw back there too cause of the flooding. You won't catch me back there any time soon!!

Haha thanks Gheenoe, forgot mention the 2 copperheads and 1 cotton mouth who got way to close to the site I was working. The things we do for history...lol

 

[Captain Caveman]

Congratz! Awesome button!

 

[Patriot Relics]

Very nice button Jon! Glad y'all survived this awful weather! Good thing is with all this rain our heavily hunted sites might be worth hitting again! Good luck and congrats on a super nice find.

Thanks Darby, Gheenoe78 and I are hoping to exploit the fresh erosion this weekend.

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks J, truthfully when it came out of the ground I just figured it was a lead seal...little cleaning revealed the 37

If it's a button it's a new variant, which can happen... but if it's dense like lead, along with the fact it's different, and in addition to looking like it does have something on the other side, I think it may be a seal. Sure looks like it could be some type of coat of arms with a crown a the top.

 

[Patriot Relics]

If it's a button it's a new variant, which can happen... but if it's dense like lead, along with the fact it's different, and in addition to looking like it does have something on the other side, I think it may be a seal. Sure looks like it could be some type of coat of arms with a crown a the top.

Thanks for weighing in IP- not sure that I see the impression of anything on the back other than what resembled an R and L on the edge. I have dug lead seals in the past, but the composition and density is slightly off on this one. I did consider a lead seal, but the 37 script is spot on, centered, and the dimensions at 16mm with edge loss closely a line with 16.6mm in Troiani's reference. Is is possible that it is a cast lead alloy button? Not sure if I have come across any documented British or American regiments casting lead buttons. Is the cavalry button you posted on my Loyalist thread of lead composition?

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks for weighing in IP- not sure that I see the impression of anything on the back other than what resembled an R and L on the edge. I have dug lead seals in the past, but the composition and density is slightly off on this one. I did consider a lead seal, but the 37 script is spot on, centered, and the dimensions at 16mm with edge loss closely a line with 16.6mm in Troiani's reference. Is is possible that it is a cast lead alloy button? Not sure if I have come across any documented British or American regiments casting lead buttons. Is the cavalry button you posted on my Loyalist thread of lead composition?

You don't see an outline for a crown at the top on the pic I posted? It's as clear as the "R"

Casting in lead would certainly be an exception, and maybe unlikely for a British button, but I'm sure it's plenty possible. Size doesn't really matter as the buttons vary so much a seal would always fall into range unless it's too big. Continental Light Dragoons are cast in lead, but of course they are the other side so not really relevant. There might be other examples in the book but I don't recall any. I do have an early style anchor cast in lead and with the shank missing it's hard to same whether it was American, or French, but I have seen quite a few dug in France and never a lead one... and lead is closer to pewter, so I guess it might be American.