Note 129 — Insignia of the Uniformed Militia

While this plate could have been worn by an officer of the Regular artillery in the period 1814-1821 when uniform regulations were vague and seldom enforced, it is more probable that it was a Militia item of about 1821-1835. The reason for this is that the eagle-on-cannon device was adopted quickly by Militia units when it was discarded by the Regulars in 1821, and the over-all design of the plate itself follows the pattern adopted by the Regulars in 1821 (see fig. 68). Several artillery organizations of the Massachusetts Militia wore the discarded button pattern (eagle-on-cannon with the word "Corps" below) until the 1840's,[129] and this plate would have been an ideal match.