War of 1812 – Brass "Dispatches" Tag & Buttons

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I met up with my buddy pepperj at a site in Eastern Ontario on Friday morning that he had found by researching old maps. He was then successful in getting permission to detect from the landowner, which includes over 900 acres which includes at least five other homesteads in the area!


Good portions of the lands in this area were offered as Land Grants to loyal War of 1812 veterans who served in the British Military. United Empire Loyalists who arrived in 1784 from the United States first settled this area. Townships were often set aside for specific soldiers, for instance Township 8 (Elizabethtown Township - Brockville) was set aside for Jessup's Loyal Rangers. In 1788, western Leeds County was opened for settlement, in the 1790's the rear townships were opened. Settlement was slow until after the war of 1812 when disbanded soldiers and British emigrants settled in the area. A majority of the British emigrants were from Scotland and arrived in 1816. Even more settlement occurred during the 1820's after the construction of the Rideau Canal.


Pepperj made the first find of the day with a beautiful #3 crotal bell with very clear maker’s marks; he then quickly followed that with a War of 1812 button and a Brock Memorial token. Meanwhile, my only find so far was an old brass tag that said, “DISPATCHES TO THE CARE OF THE AGENT NEW YORK”. I’m hoping this tag might have ties to the War of 1812 but I’m not sure. I am very curious as to the history of this piece. It took about an hour of digging square nails before I finally found my first War of 1812 button, then it was button after button!

New Information:
'Agents' are connected with Indian supplies during the 1812 - 1815 years.
This is related to the military and the Agent responsible for delivering goods to the Indians.


I also found a large musket ball, a small cuff button with shank, a beautiful little brass chain and a horseshoe. From what I can make out the maker’s marks on the thin 1812 button reads, “I. McCOWAN - GERRARD - LONDON” (Gerrard Street, London 1810) and on all three of the thicker cast buttons, “DOLAN & SONS — LONDON”. If any of the War of 1812 button experts can assist me in identifying what division of the British Military these button are from I would greatly appreciate it.

I've also included pics of pepperj’s finds from the site, as well as, a brass mailbox door slot and an iron doorknob face-plate, which I found at a site close to my home last weekend.

Thanks very much for looking,
Dave

 

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[ANTIQUARIAN]

You guys had one heck of a run there...Love it when a plan comes together...good to see both of you out!

Thanks for your post buddy!
Pepperj is definitely one of the most generous people I've ever had the pleasure of detecting with!

Dave

Tag!
You're it!
those buttons are nice too

Thanks very much IH!
Hope you're having a great year!

Dave

Amazing finds! Congratulations!

Thanks very much for your post Anton!
Love seeing the finds you've been making this year mon ami!

Dave

I'd take a day like that any day, Awesome hunt!!
Love the Crotal bell, looks bigger then the average bells I find.

It was definitely one of the most exciting days I've had in a long time too!
We had already been on three other sites down the road from here and had very little to show for our efforts.

The bell my buddy dug is big, thick and the details are very clear, must have been lost early in it's career.
Dave

 

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[Z.K.]

What a hunt! I love the finds, research, and camaraderie. Hope it isn't your last outing of the season, but if so you did it in style.

 

[CRUSADER]

Well done, IP IDed the buttons.

 

[Carolina Tom]

Congrats on an excellent hunt, as well as getting to spend time with a fellow TNetter.

Those buttons are awesome. Best of luck to you!

 

[Cletus]

Amazing finds. Congrats !!

 

[pepperj]

Here's the anchor button I got from the site between the two trees on the edge of the field. I know that this is a lazy way of showing a find.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

What a hunt! I love the finds, research, and camaraderie. Hope it isn't your last outing of the season, but if so you did it in style.

I sure hope it's not our last outing here too Mr. Grant!
But if it was, I think we did pretty good eh.

My detecting buddy pepperj found one of your Vermont coppers on a homestead site here in Eastern Ontario a few weeks ago!

Best of luck to you 'Digging in Vermont',
Dave

Well done, IP IDed the buttons.

Thanks for taking the time to post Cru, I know you and your Dad detect from sun up to sun down!

I haven't been posting here much this year, as I'm also a Moderator on the Canadian Metal Detecting site and I spend most of my spare time there these days.

Best of luck to you and your Dad for next year mate,
Dave

Congrats on an excellent hunt, as well as getting to spend time with a fellow TNetter.

Those buttons are awesome. Best of luck to you!

Hi Tom, how's it going my friend!
I was lucky enough to get a call from pepperj last week with the offer to detect with him, he does amazing research!

Thanks for you post Tom and keep on swinging until you can't lift the detector!
Dave

Amazing finds. Congrats !!

Thanks very much for your post Cletus!

Best of luck to you in Virginia,
Dave

Here's the anchor button I got from the site between the two trees on the edge of the field. I know that this is a lazy way of showing a find.

Thanks very much for sharing this buddy, when you told me about it on Sunday I wanted to see what it looked like anyway!
Love the verdigris on it too.

I have a feeling that we've barely scratched the surface of that site and we have to get back there asap!
Let's plan for a revisit as soon as it stops snowing here and after you've had a chance to shovel out your driveway!

Thanks again for this opportunity my friend,
Dave

 

[ARC]

Wow... missed your thread...
One word...

Stellar.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Sweet finds! Congrats!

Thats a large patch of ground you two have to play in.

I like the chain.

Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk

 

[FLtreasure]

Very nice!

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

Incredible find. I don't recall seeing one posted before.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Wow... missed your thread...
One word...

Stellar.

Thank you very much Sir!

Best of luck to you,
Dave

Sweet finds! Congrats!

Thats a large patch of ground you two have to play in.

I like the chain.

Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk

Thanks for taking the time to post on my thread MsBB!
We're hoping to get back there this Sunday for another round, but there's a foot of snow on the ground here.

I'm wondering what the story is about the small link chain, seems like there's part of it missing?

Best of luck to you,
Dave

Very nice!

Thank you.

Incredible find. I don't recall seeing one posted before.

Thanks very much for your post and for your PM sir!

Best of luck to you,
Dave

 

[pepperj]

When you texted me regarding getting together on Sunday Morning I had a real good chuckle, hence the photo of what it kind of looks like around the area this morning. Mind you it'll be 15C and rain next week so we may get lucky yet for a return hunt yet.

 

[Zachbl92]

Looks like a awesome day to me, congrats on all those nice finds. Best of luck there next time!

 

[mangum]

Fantastic finds! That tag is intriguing & definitely a special find.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Looks like a awesome day to me, congrats on all those nice finds. Best of luck there next time!

Thanks very much Zack, best of luck to you as well!
Dave

Fantastic finds! That tag is intriguing & definitely a special find.

Thanks very much for your post mangum!

New information about the tag has recently come to light...
'Agents' are connected with Indian supplies during the 1812 - 1815 years.
This is related to the military and the Agent responsible for delivering goods to the Indians.

Thanks again for your interest,
Dave