This is an excellent example of the round eagle breast plate worn on the shoulder belt of the infantry cartridge box. Made of stamped rolled brass, this has a lead solder filled back to secure an iron wire bent to form two loops that pass through narrow slits in the leather belt to be secured by a thong. The face has sharp detail to the eagle holding arrows and olive branch, and a nice medium tone to the brass. The back is level and the loops are in place. The edge is very good, with no dents or dings. The face shows only a couple of small marks from handling over the past 160 or so years and just one or two very tiny age spots.

This pattern was first adopted in 1826 with hooks on the reverse for the bayonet shoulder belt and made of stamped rolled brass for artillery and white metal for infantry. This was changed to brass for both services in 1831 and when the bayonet was moved to the waist belt around 1842 the plate was redesigned with two loops on the back for wear in a fixed position on the cartridge box sling. They were made by a number suppliers during the war. See O’Donnell and Campbell, American Military Belt Plates, pages 274 ff., for a thorough discussion of its development, production, variations, etc. They were finally replaced by the introduction of the 1872 accouterments, though few would have been made after 1865.  [sr] [ph:m]

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