Bharpring
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2016
- Messages
- 1,451
- Reaction score
- 5,896
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Location
- Savannah, GA
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 3
- Detector(s) used
- XP Deus HF coils, Minelab Equinox 800
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
When in dug this pewter button a few days ago, I had no idea that it had any military history. It looked like the typical civilian old blank or flower button that we dig at colonial sites. Not thinking that I had anything special, I put off cleaning my finds until the next day. After a little cleaning of this button, I thought that I could see some kind of design coming through on the front. However, I think that I can see some kind of design on almost every old pewter button that I find. Almost always I'm disappointed to find its not a military button. Any many of you out there that have dug old colonial pewter buttons know what I'm talking about. So many of the awesome Revolutionary War buttons are pewter. Anyway, here are some pictures of the progression of cleaning this button:
At this point I thought that I saw an "M" and text this pic to a few friends to verify that they also saw something. They all confirmed, but couldn't tell what it was. So more cleaning:
I could definitely see an "M", but I was curious so I continued to clean off the cemented on sand/dirt:
At this point I could see the "SHIRE" at the bottom and knew that it was some kind of British Military button. So the site that this button came from had recently produced a handful of War of 1812 Buttons for myself and a few others, and a Rev War pewter Royal Provincials button as well. This button had the Rev War period look to it in both my opinion and some of my local friends who I would consider button experts. So I posted it on the Facebook Page Revolutionary War Buttons, Plates and Accounterments and continued to clean it more:
At this point I could see that the button had a crown on top, an "L" over an "M" and said "SHROP.SHIRE" at the bottom. A Google search revealed a webpage dedicated to Shropshire Local Militia:
[video]https://thisreilluminatedschoolofmars.wordpress.com/notes-on-the-dress-of-the-local-militia/local-militia-shropshire/?fbclid=IwAR159InRlJegMqLk4XQLwQb2oOlIr7yxa-dq-QHsMqztAW0sbNnCqSrtS_w[/video]
So I knew that the button was a Shropshire Local Militia button made no earlier than 1809. One of my friends posted a pic of the button on the Facebook page British Volunteer and Militia Buttons and got a confirmed identification from of few of the experts that research the militia buttons in England. It turns out that this button is a North or West Shropshire Local Militia Button and is the only known example! The author the webpage mentioned above contacted me and included a picture and write up on this page, which helps to document and confirm some previously missing history in England. So this button was actually dropped by a British Royal Marine that was involved in the occupation of Cumberland Island in 1815 (War of 1812). The Royal Marines recruited volunteers from local militias in Shropshire England and the soldiers would travel to war with their old uniforms. This is how it ended up in Savannah, GA. You can check out the post on Facebook to read more- [video]https://www.facebook.com/groups/117082335639412/[/video]
So here are more pictures of the button:
I will post a video of this find on my YouTube channel in a few weeks.
At this point I thought that I saw an "M" and text this pic to a few friends to verify that they also saw something. They all confirmed, but couldn't tell what it was. So more cleaning:
I could definitely see an "M", but I was curious so I continued to clean off the cemented on sand/dirt:
At this point I could see the "SHIRE" at the bottom and knew that it was some kind of British Military button. So the site that this button came from had recently produced a handful of War of 1812 Buttons for myself and a few others, and a Rev War pewter Royal Provincials button as well. This button had the Rev War period look to it in both my opinion and some of my local friends who I would consider button experts. So I posted it on the Facebook Page Revolutionary War Buttons, Plates and Accounterments and continued to clean it more:
At this point I could see that the button had a crown on top, an "L" over an "M" and said "SHROP.SHIRE" at the bottom. A Google search revealed a webpage dedicated to Shropshire Local Militia:
[video]https://thisreilluminatedschoolofmars.wordpress.com/notes-on-the-dress-of-the-local-militia/local-militia-shropshire/?fbclid=IwAR159InRlJegMqLk4XQLwQb2oOlIr7yxa-dq-QHsMqztAW0sbNnCqSrtS_w[/video]
So I knew that the button was a Shropshire Local Militia button made no earlier than 1809. One of my friends posted a pic of the button on the Facebook page British Volunteer and Militia Buttons and got a confirmed identification from of few of the experts that research the militia buttons in England. It turns out that this button is a North or West Shropshire Local Militia Button and is the only known example! The author the webpage mentioned above contacted me and included a picture and write up on this page, which helps to document and confirm some previously missing history in England. So this button was actually dropped by a British Royal Marine that was involved in the occupation of Cumberland Island in 1815 (War of 1812). The Royal Marines recruited volunteers from local militias in Shropshire England and the soldiers would travel to war with their old uniforms. This is how it ended up in Savannah, GA. You can check out the post on Facebook to read more- [video]https://www.facebook.com/groups/117082335639412/[/video]
So here are more pictures of the button:
I will post a video of this find on my YouTube channel in a few weeks.
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