M.V.M Belt Plate...

[NicktheMainer]

I've heard of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, but this doesn't look like the other plates I've seen...Can anyone give me any info.?

 

[GpSnoopy]

There seems to be some controversy over the M.V.M. plates, as only a few have occasionaly surfaced, and what the first "M" stood for, as well as were they oval or rectangular.

I did find this article refering to the Missouri Volunteer Militia in the following google book - Click---->> The Confederate Army 1861-65

 

[umrgolf]

Found in Maine?

 

[NicktheMainer]

Found in Maine?

Yessah!

 

[GpSnoopy]

Found in Maine?

If you are thinking that it might stand for Maine Volunteer Militia, it appears that Maine's Plates were Volunteer Maine Militia - VMM
http://www.relicman.com/plates/zArchivePlate2Maine.htm

 

[allan]

Whats the back look like ?

 

[NicktheMainer]

Back:

 

[Mainedigger]

Found this link that shows Mass. Volunteer militia and the center of the plate looks just like the one Nick found, but can;t find anything that shows just the oval plate....http://pages.gunsightantiques.com/5052/PictPage/1922847153.html

 

[Mainedigger]

Whats the back look like ?

From looking at the pics Nick submitted it looks like it may have been a two piece plate and the lead(?) backing with the hooks on it fell out?....

 

[NicktheMainer]

Found this link that shows Mass. Volunteer militia and the center of the plate looks just like the one Nick found, but can;t find anything that shows just the oval plate....http://pages.gunsightantiques.com/5052/PictPage/1922847153.html

Maybe the oval plate I found came out of the other part.

 

[Mainedigger]

Found this link that shows Mass. Volunteer militia and the center of the plate looks just like the one Nick found, but can;t find anything that shows just the oval plate....http://pages.gunsightantiques.com/5052/PictPage/1922847153.html

Maybe the oval plate I found came out of the other part.

Nick that could be, however to me it looks like that rectangualr one is all one piece, but the oval center could possibly have been a separate piece?

 

[NicktheMainer]

Found this link that shows Mass. Volunteer militia and the center of the plate looks just like the one Nick found, but can;t find anything that shows just the oval plate....http://pages.gunsightantiques.com/5052/PictPage/1922847153.html

Maybe the oval plate I found came out of the other part.

Nick that could be, however to me it looks like that rectangualr one is all one piece, but the oval center could possibly have been a separate piece?

That's what I mean, the oval part came out of the rectangular part...because the oval plate is pretty small to be a belt plate on its own so the rectangular part would've made it regular sized.

 

[umrgolf]

Found in Maine?

If you are thinking that it might stand for Maine Volunteer Militia, it appears that Maine's Plates were Volunteer Maine Militia - VMM
http://www.relicman.com/plates/zArchivePlate2Maine.htm

no, it has me thinking it stands for Massachusetts Vol. Militia, not Missouri. ive seen the VMM plates

him finding this in Maine makes it almost impossible to be Missouri (or solely used by MO troops)
its possible that these saw dual use for MA and MO, but seems more likely that they were just MA plates...

the only others Ive seen posted on the web were found in VA, and since there were literally CW troops from every state in VA at one point or another, site provenance only proves timeframe.. on the same token a plate like this found in VA makes it almost impossible to say which state the initials stand for

in layman's terms, Yankee relics found in the south are posted everyday.. i've maybe seen 8-10 southern relics found in the north, ever (north of battlesites or confederate or southern activity)

 

[Mainedigger]

Found in Maine?

If you are thinking that it might stand for Maine Volunteer Militia, it appears that Maine's Plates were Volunteer Maine Militia - VMM
http://www.relicman.com/plates/zArchivePlate2Maine.htm

no, it has me thinking it stands for Massachusetts Vol. Militia, not Missouri. ive seen the VMM plates

him finding this in Maine makes it almost impossible to be Missouri (or solely used by MO troops)
its possible that these saw dual use for MA and MO, but seems more likely that they were just MA plates...

the only others Ive seen posted on the web were found in VA, and since there were literally CW troops from every state in VA at one point or another, site provenance only proves timeframe.. on the same token a plate like this found in VA makes it almost impossible to say which state the initials stand for

in layman's terms, Yankee relics found in the south are posted everyday.. i've maybe seen 8-10 southern relics found in the north, ever (north of battlesites or confederate or southern activity)

I agree..it is most likely a Mass militia plate...and as you stated, more Yankee relics are foudn down South for most of the battles were fought there and thus more things were lost there. However it can;t be completely ruled out that is could POSSIBLY be a Missouri plate for it could have been picked up by a Yankee vet and brought home and then lost...however the liklihood of that is slim(but possible) and it is most likely a Mass plate

 

[Mainedigger]

Found in Maine?

If you are thinking that it might stand for Maine Volunteer Militia, it appears that Maine's Plates were Volunteer Maine Militia - VMM
http://www.relicman.com/plates/zArchivePlate2Maine.htm

no, it has me thinking it stands for Massachusetts Vol. Militia, not Missouri. ive seen the VMM plates

him finding this in Maine makes it almost impossible to be Missouri (or solely used by MO troops)
its possible that these saw dual use for MA and MO, but seems more likely that they were just MA plates...

the only others Ive seen posted on the web were found in VA, and since there were literally CW troops from every state in VA at one point or another, site provenance only proves timeframe.. on the same token a plate like this found in VA makes it almost impossible to say which state the initials stand for

in layman's terms, Yankee relics found in the south are posted everyday.. i've maybe seen 8-10 southern relics found in the north, ever (north of battlesites or confederate or southern activity)

Well I agree with you that it is likely NOT a Missouri plate...another possibility of a Missouri plate being found in Maine is that a CSA vet or his family moved to Maine after the war at some point and it was lost then...however not very many CSA Vets or kin were overly enthusiastic about moving in amoungst the Northern Aggressors.... Thus that is a remote scenario, but not impossible. That all said I still think it is more likely that it is a Mass Miltia plate....though I can;t seem to find anything that looks identical to it that would postively i.d. it...

 

[NicktheMainer]

Here's the response I got from Butch Holcombe:

"I do believe it is the soldered on device for a Square buckle for the Mass Vol Militia. The entire buckle was rectangular, and this was soldered on front. I should know for certain in a day or two, It dates about 1865-1880."

 

[Mainedigger]

Here's the response I got from Butch Holcombe:

"I do believe it is the soldered on device for a Square buckle for the Mass Vol Militia. The entire buckle was rectangular, and this was soldered on front. I should know for certain in a day or two, It dates about 1865-1880."

Sounds like an i.d!!! .....I never gave that a thought for I was assuming the square buckles were one piece ones..another example of what assuming does ....

 

[NicktheMainer]

Here are some better pictures!