US Belt or Box Plate bucket lister

[cmthunder]

Found my first ever US Plate today. Wanted to go to one of my Civil War sites today but had to pick my son up from school in Cecil County Md so had to hit my farm site there. 1694 Farm that had 3 home sites across the road from it that date 1858 or earlier. About 10:00 pull the plate from in front of a tree. I’ve hunted this place a lot. But now with new Equinox 600 I got a screaming signal. Not sure if belt or box plate. I have found 2 Union Infantry officer buttons here also.
Other finds toy gun barrel, nice button, roundball .

 

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[cmthunder]

The box plate would act as a weight on the flap of the cartridge box. On the bottom of the flap/cover, there was a leather strip with a slit in the middle of the strip. This would be pulled down and fitted over a lead or brass finial on the bottom of the cartridge box and would secure the flap when the soldier was not loading and retrieving bullets from the box. While in a battle the strip would be removed from the finial, making it possible for the soldier to open the flap and access the ammunition. The box plate again, would serve as a weight keeping the flap down and preventing the bullets from spilling from the soldiers cartridge box.

Great explanation devidog!
My brother found one of those finials once.
Thanks

 

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[devldog]

Great explanation devidog!
My brother found one of those finials once.
Thanks

Thanks, I hope I explained this clear enough.

 

[birdman]

That's a heart stopper right there. I have one in my collection but it was found by a friend . Still on my list of hopeful finds one day.

 

[cmthunder]

That's a heart stopper right there. I have one in collection but it was found by a friend . Still on my list of hopeful finds one day.

Yes it was! I was totally shocked.