This regulation M1839 oval US infantry belt plate was recovered near Bloody Lane at Antietam. The face has a medium brown patina at center mixed with grayish white along the edges, in some recesses next to the letters, and a spot on the “U.” There are some shallow scratches and a couple of light dings to the face, but nothing displeasing, and both the letters and the inner and outer rim are well formed. The edge shows three or four small bumps, but again, nothing egregious.

The back shows as a medium brown around the belt hook, with some gray along the edge, and lighter brown around the studs and to that edge of the plate, which is clearly from the leather of the belt, fragments of which are still under one of the studs. The studs are the arrowhead style that was introduced by some makers in 1862, replacing the oval or round studs that other makers, like Gaylord, used for a while longer, referring to them as the “old style” as early as April 1863. The back also has a small collection inventory number “17” in white, as well as a small yellow sticker with the number “15” in red.

The significance of Antietam needs no repeating. “Bloody Lane,” of course, refers to the sunken road in the center of the battlefield that saw heavy fighting in the middle of the day.    [sr][PH:L]

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