✅ SOLVED old military buckle??

[johnnycat]

Above the eagle is "E Plubris Unum". Was wondering what service this buckle belongs too.

 

[Spats]

Looks like late Civil War belt plate for enlisted men missing nickel silver wreath and missing portion of loop.

 

[jewelerguy]

civil war Union officer's sword belt plate missing the attached wreath below the eagle and the loop on one side broken off

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Spats is correct, this civil war era yankee sword-belt plate, having an "applied" wreath below the eagle, was for Enlisted-men's ranks in the US Cavalry. The officer version was entirely 1-piece solid-cast brass, including the wreath, and the officer version was worn by officers in all branches of the US Army, not just cavalrymen. As Spats and Jewelerguy noted, in addition to the applied wreath this one is missing most of the rectangular "loop" on the plate's left side, which held one end of the belt. This is known as the Regulation 1851 US Army sword-belt plate. It was issued from 1851 until it was replaced by the Regulation 1874 plate, which lacked the rectangular "loop" on the plate's side, instead using a different method of attachment to the belt.

Here's a photo to show you what your find looked like when a yankee cavalryman wore it during the invasion of Virginia.

 

[jewelerguy]

Spats is correct, this civil war era yankee sword-belt plate, having an "applied" wreath below the eagle, was for Enlisted-men's ranks in the US Cavalry. The officer version was entirely 1-piece solid-cast brass, including the wreath, and the officer version was worn by officers in all branches of the US Army, not just cavalrymen.

I stand corrected. Very cool find, even though it's broken. I'd be over the moon with that in my dirt pile

 

[johnnycat]

Never ceases to amaze me how folks find the "history" of lost items!! Thanks guys! Never imagined what I have.

 

[johnnycat]

Was re-reading my old post and I have an apology to make. It appears that some folks had the impression I found this buckle in Virginia. Actually, I found this at an old, long since abandoned farm in Bishop, CA. According to the maps my brother and I were using, it was indicated that the farm was abandoned in 1906.