Wolf Run Shoals was a strategic crossing place of the Occoquan River. Both sides camped near and picketed the crossing and it played a part in offensive movements by both sides. Confederates had camps on the south side of the river and picketed the crossing until March 1862. Union troops crossed it on the way to Fredericksburg that December. In January 1863 troops of the Second Vermont Brigade camped on the north side and guarded it. When they were pulled out on June 25 to pursue Lee north in the Gettysburg Campaign, Jeb Stuart used it to cross his cavalry just two days later. A modern historical marker at the site states that the last military use of the ford was by Mosby in April 1865.

This regulation belt plate for the cartridge box sling was in the collection of Syd Kerksis, well-known and respected early collector and author. It comes with his annotated envelope indicating he found it in November 1861 at Wolf Run Shoals in the “north camp,” likely meaning simply the Union camps on the north bank of the river.

The face shows largely brown around the rim and on the raised eagle at center, which has nice detail, and a slightly more dusty brown with some gray in the recessed areas. The lead-solder fill on the back is fully in place, level, and shows a light brown in the middle with some gray around the edge. Both loops are in place,one is slightly bent outward. Both are intact, brown, but not deeply corroded.

These plates were adopted in 1826 with hooks on the reverse for the bayonet shoulder belt and made of 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 plates were redesigned with two loops on the back for wear as fixed ornaments on the cartridge box sling and plates with hooks were relegated to the NCO and musician’s sword shoulder belts. (Some militia versions used hooks at a different angle for wear on the waist belt.) Although in theory the plate was dropped with introduction of the 1864 cartridge box rigs with no plates, the plate remained in use in the field and was not discontinued until the new 1872 sets of accouterments were distributed.

This is a good example, found at a significant location, and with a legit provenance to a respected early collector and author.  [sr] [ph:L]

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