Connecticut officers button

Digger70pa · Apr 15, 2017

I got out today to a old spot that's getting ready to be developed. I'm glad we did. I found my first Connecticut officers button. Thanks for looking HH Tim.

relic nut · Apr 16, 2017

Sweet button! Glad you could save it. Looks like a great hunt

HH, RN

Dug · Apr 16, 2017

What tells you that it is an officer's button versus an enlisted?

Digger70pa · Apr 16, 2017

Dug said:
What tells you that it is an officer's button versus an enlisted?

Only officers had gold buttons in the union army.

Dug · Apr 16, 2017

Digger70pa said:
Only officers had gold buttons in the union army.

Who told you that malarkey?

A majority of all civil war union buttons were gilted i.e. gold finish.

Digger70pa · Apr 17, 2017

Dug said:
Who told you that malarkey?

A majority of all civil war union buttons were gilted i.e. gold finish.

Mike O'Donnell told me friend at a club meeting years ago. He said only officers had gold buttons.

Dug · Apr 17, 2017

Digger70pa said:
Mike O'Donnell told me friend at a club meeting years ago. He said only officers had gold buttons.

My first question would have been, I'll bite what color were enlisted buttons?

I would suspect that somehow that conversation was taken out of context.

I further invite you to peruse online button collections and see for yourself.

Digger70pa · Apr 17, 2017

I'm just going by what I was told. Mike would give presentations once a year about what they were finding in VA. I remember him saying that only officers had gold buttons. So that's my story & I'm sticking to it lol. General service buttons for enlisted men were brass. No gold. I don't know about Confederate regulations.

Davers · Apr 18, 2017

A Dang Fine hunt Digger70.

About the buttons.
I really don't know that much about Union State types , I suppose all NY buttons were Guilt ed & Well Brass when clean is a Gold Color.

Hmmmm, Maybe He ( Mr. O'Donnell) was talking about GS type buttons? As some have Guilt & Some 'Most' I have seen don't.

Wish I knew more , I just have never found any Union St Button's other than NY, & Don't Buy them ...So I never have really researched them.

I think y'all are both right in a sense.

Anyway Digger Good Saves.

Digger70pa · Apr 20, 2017

Davers said:
A Dang Fine hunt Digger70.

About the buttons.
I really don't know that much about Union State types , I suppose all NY buttons were Guilded & Well Brass when clean is a Gold Color.

Hmmmm, Maybe He ( Mr. O'Donnell) was talking about GS type buttons? As some have Guilt & Some 'Most' I have seen don't.

Wish I knew more , I just have never found any Union St Button's other than NY, & Don't Buy them ...So I never have really researched them.

I think y'all are both right in a sense.

Anyway Digger Good Saves.

Mike O'Donnell specifically said if you dig a guilted button it's a officers button. He's a author contributing editor to North South trader & photographer for that magazine. I'll take his word on this buddy.

Digger70pa · Apr 20, 2017

Mike O'Donnell

Spats · Apr 27, 2017

Is it possible that you misunderstood what Mr. O'Donnell said? The US eagle buttons manufactured during the Civil War were brass for General Service (enlisted) buttons and gold gilt brass for the buttons with letter designating the branch of service (officer's buttons). I'm no expert, but I don't think the state militia buttons adhered to this rule. Maybe an expert will weigh in. In any event, you have found a very nice button.