Winged Man with Spear - Stamped Brass Battlefield Find

[Mike N Tn.]

I found this item on a Battlefield in Middle Tennessee with the Landowners permission.

Update: I finally found the Angel Belt Plate on page 126 of Stanley S Phillips Relic book Excavated Artifacts from Battlefields and Campsites of the Civil War
You can tell by the two holes drilled into the Belt Plate in the book that a Union Soldier was not going to let go of it and was determined to keep it in service.
I think the Buckle was issued to some Ohio Artillery units. My buckle came from where an Ohio Artillery Battery was positioned at a prominent Battle in Middle TN.


Several of these plates have been found and all in Union Battlefield positions or campsites. on the back of one I have seen is a tongue exactly like on an Eagle Sword
Belt Plate. The tongue would have gone through a keeper. On mine I can see solder marks where the tongue was and on the opposite side are solder marks at the very top and bottom where a loop would have been like on a Eagle plate. The Belt Plate is Silver Plated.

 

[Erik in NJ]

No idea but it looks like a cherub, not a winged man. Valentine?

 

[sutphin]

IT LOOKS LIKE A WINGED ANGEL WITH A FLUER DE LEUS PIKE AND RIDING A SERPENT WITH A WHALE TAIL FIN PRETTY DANG NEAT.

 

[Erik in NJ]

I noticed the fleur-de-lis too. It might be of French origin. It's a cherub. I don't think it's riding a serpent tho. I can't tell what it's sitting on.

 

[Argentium]

Calling all Art Historians ! This is a cool relic - I'm seeing some faint design work out toward the corners too - I'm wondering
if you could brush a bit of the soil off - if there could be some clues there too . Was this a Buckle/ Strap ornament ?

( I'm wondering if this might have been related to a Battlefield Medic ? due to the Angelic/cherubic reference )

 

[Mark Todd]

Perhaps the "angel of death riding on a serpent" a popular motif for 1900 years, from the book of Revelations in the Bible. I agree neat find.

 

[time machine]

This is only a guess could it be the Archangel Michael

 

[Argentium]

The Fleur de Lis looking bit could be a stylized trident -then the fish tail business makes a bit more sense in terms of mythological
Symbolism . I have this feeling like I should recognize this from Ancient Greek /Roman Mythology .

 

[Erik in NJ]

Tales of Brave Ulysses Is he riding a seahorse?

The Fleur de Lis looking bit could be a stylized trident -then the fish tail business makes a bit more sense in terms of mythological
Symbolism . I have this feeling like I should recognize this from Ancient Greek /Roman Mythology .

 

[Mike N Tn.]

Argentium,

Thanks, I also thought it could be related to a Battlefield Medic. The item was found at a Field Hospital on the Battlefield. Maybe it was on a Medical
Bag.

 

[stealthycat]

that's awesome

 

[Garrett424]

Really cool find.

 

[parsonwalker]

Gotta be pretty RARE??

 

[Pacivilwarluke]

Wow! Never would've guessed that! Learn something new everyday! What a great find!

 

[gheenoe78]

Great research! Very cool find. Never seen one like that.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Very nice work on the ID of that plate Does Phillips say anything regarding the interesting motif and what it means? This is an interesting one...would love to know it's background. Certainly Banner worthy in my opinion with the additional research and provenance!

 

[sutphin]

WAY TO GO THERE MR MIKE . NOW WE KNOW WHAT YOUR BUCKLE IS ALL ABOUT. NICE COOL PEICE OF CIVIL WAR HISTORY.