Union belt buckle
Northeastern United States
1861-1865
Measurements
3-3/8 in x 2-1/8 in x 1/2 in
Materials
Brass, lead (fill in back)
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation
Accession Number
2013.9
Inscription
"U S" is cast into the front of the buckle.
Provenance
Probably ex coll. Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner
Comments
The cast oval belt buckle with "U S" cast into the front has three brass prongs projecting through the lead-filled back. Two arrow-shaped prongs attached the buckle firmly to a leather belt. The third, long prong slid through a hole in the belt to attach or detach it. This belt buckle was made for Union infantrymen.
The buckle is not accompanied by specific provenance information, as is an officer's belt buckle, accession no. 2013.8, but was found in the Historic Odessa collection along with the officer's buckle and was likely collected by Mrs. Warner sometime in the late 19th century.
