Pickett’s Mill, fought on May 27, 1864, was part of Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign as he attempted to move around Gen. Johnston’s right after being stymied at New Hope Church. The Union 4^th Corps, under Howard, launched a series of brave, but doomed, assaults against entrenched Confederates under Patrick Cleburne. Federal losses were estimated at about 1,400, with a large proportion killed in the vain effort to storm the Confederate lines.

This plate was recovered on the battlefield by Syd Kerksis, one of the legendary early relic hunters and collectors, author of books on military belt plates and Civil War projectiles. The plate is the regulation 1839 pattern oval U.S. belt plate used throughout the Civil War, with the arrowhead hooks introduced in 1862 by some makers and in general use from 1863 on. It is in very good, excavated condition with the face showing shallow corrosion overall with a brown tone to the raised US, portions of the rim and some parts of the recessed area, with light brown and gray overlaying the rest. The rim is very good, showing no dents or nicks. The back is smooth, with gray and light brown color, and with a crisp belt hook and arrowhead studs that preserve the end of the soldier’s leather belt. It comes with Kerksis’s annotated envelope indicating he found it in December 1955 in the lines of the 4^th Army Corps.

This has great provenance both to a signficant battle in the Atlanta Campaign and to a great early collector and scholar.  [sr] [ph:m/L]

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