Civil War US Belt Plate, dug at Yorktown Battlefield in September 1970

This is another nice piece being offered, it is a Civil War Union “US” belt plate. This is the type with the arrow attachment hooks. The reverse has the full solder and two of the arrow hooks – the attachment tongue broke off, which is why it was discarded. This plate was recovered on September 26, 1970, by E.V. Smith at the Yorktown, Virginia Battlefield.(marked on the back of the plate).

Frustrated in his attempt to outflank the Confederate defenders along the Warwick River at Lee’s Mill on April 5, 1862, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan decided instead to besiege the Rebel lines. He ordered gun emplacements built between the James and York Rivers outside of Yorktown and brought up heavy artillery. On April 16, at Dam No. 1 on the Warwick, Union infantry probed the Confederate defenses, now under the command of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, and were pushed back.

McClellan was convinced he was outnumbered and that any attack would be futile. For two weeks, he planned a massive artillery bombardment preparatory for an infantry assault to take place early on May 4. Before McClellan’s big guns could fire, Johnston anticipated the assault and slipped away from his Yorktown defenses and moved to Williamsburg, where McClellan attacked him on May 5.

This plate has a dusty brown patina and is solid, only a tiny freeze crack in the brass near the bottom center. This plate came directly from the family of Mr. Smith, who was a lifetime Virginia relic hunter. I am sure he was thrilled when he recovered this plate. It is really great when you know exactly when, where, and by whom an artifact was recovered. It comes in the glass top display case pictured.