A very unexpected Revolutionary War button. Some cool relics.

[Aureus]

Got a very unexpected find today. An early example of British 67th Regiment of foot Revolutionary War period button. The unusual part is that the Regiment itself didn't serve in North America at that period. After consulting Insignia of Independence (Troiani,Kochan) it seems like other examples of the 67th Regiment Revolutionary war buttons were found at Lake George N.Y. and in South Carolina. Also, I believe VMI Digger found a different pattern in February last year.



It appears some man from the 67th Regiment of foot were drafted to serve in other regiments in the ill fated Burgoyne's Army during his march on rebellious colonies.

Additional info: 04/20/2017

Just received some very interesting info today from a gentlemen with extensive knowledge about Revolutionary War drafting (D.H.)

''About 80 men were drafted from the 67th Regiment of Foot in February 1776, to augment regiments going to Canada; all of the regiments that were on Burgoyne's campaign received large numbers of drafts like this. The muster rolls of the 67th Regiment do not enumerate which regiments the men went into, except for one company roll that indicates all of the drafts went into the 20th Regiment. From other sources, I know that all of the drafts from the 11th Regiment went into the 62nd Regiment, and all of those from the 32nd Regiment went into the 9th Regiment, so I assume that all of those from the 67th went into the 20th''.

Again, it does not prouve 100% that the button was dropped by the soldier himself but it's a solid proof I believe that at least 80 of them participated in the Burgoyne's campaign.


Very cool and unusual find to say the least.

I also include the pics of other relics found.

Possible musket parts.



Victorian 5 Cents coin 1874



Early Victorian glass button.



Thanks for the comments.

 

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[bill_wabo]

Cool finds Aureus, I think the 67th Regiment of Foot served in province of Quebec from 1840 to 1842. Great historic find you made, as usual Cngrats and Good luck in your next hunt pal.

 

[RelicHunter97]

Great relics, and love the glass button! I've found two similar to that, always love finding them!

 

[Iron Patch]

Because of the history, or lack thereof, you can't really call it a Rev War button having been found in Canada.... well you can but that's connecting the dots the way you want to connect them, and maybe not necessarily what is correct. That's because like you say the regiment wasn't in North America/The Rev war, and you can't say the person didn't go directly from Britain to Canada. It's one of those things because of the history context matters more. That said, I like it all the same as it's a good early regt. button in nice condition.

 

[Aureus]

Cool finds Aureus, I think the 67th Regiment of Foot served in province of Quebec from 1840 to 1842. Great historic find you made, as usual Cngrats and Good luck in your next hunt pal.

Thank you.
Yes they did. I have found this hat badge from that period a year ago.

But the button is definitely 1760-1775 period. That's the unusual part.

 

[pepperj]

Nice save on the button.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congratualtions on the very nice finds!

That button is killer!

 

[Aureus]

Because of the history, or lack thereof, you can't really call it a Rev War button having been found in Canada.... well you can but that's connecting the dots the way you want to connect them, and maybe not necessarily what is correct. That's because like you say the regiment wasn't in North America/The Rev war, and you can't say the person didn't go directly from Britain to Canada. It's one of those things because of the history context matters more. That said, I like it all the same as it's a good early regt. button in nice condition.

Thanks man. But in the same logic I couldn't call any of my Rev.War buttons and relics Revolutionary War period. Found in Canada they could have came directly from Britain as well. Being in Montreal, close to Burgoyne's route and knowing at least a few 67th Regiment soldiers were in his Army I think the chances that this one came from a Revolutionary War soldier must be similar to those other Revolutionary War buttons I occasionally find. But yes, anything is possible. I'm not trying to connect the dots the way I want to, it just would make much less sense to me to find an out of a place 1770's button on Burgoyne's route (with the information on others found in US) and assuming it just came from a random settler. But I do agree, there's no proof of it being lost by a Rev War soldier.

 

[Steve in PA]

Great Rev War button. Congrats

 

[CRUSADER]

Great button.

Snap.

 

[Oddjob]

That glass button is really cool, but that 67 is something special.

Got my banner vote.

 

[luke_00]

Awesome button!

 

[screwynewy]

Great button! To me this is similar to someone finding a gold coin on a beach somewhere that was turned into jewelry. The fact is that it might be a gold coin but it was not lost during the period that the coin was in circulation which for me takes a lot of the excitement and interest away from it. This button while it was probably manufactured during the Revolutionary period and even issued to a soldier it was not likely lost by a soldier during the Revolutionary War. It was more likely a souvenir lost years later by a relative or who knows who. Yes it is a Rev War button but it does not have the mystery and interest that a button found in an area of known Rev War activity. That's just my $.02

 

[Aureus]

Great button! To me this is similar to someone finding a gold coin on a beach somewhere that was turned into jewelry. The fact is that it might be a gold coin but it was not lost during the period that the coin was in circulation which for me takes a lot of the excitement and interest away from it. This button while it was probably manufactured during the Revolutionary period and even issued to a soldier it was not likely lost by a soldier during the Revolutionary War. It was more likely a souvenir lost years later by a relative or who knows who. Yes it is a Rev War button but it does not have the mystery and interest that a button found in an area of known Rev War activity. That's just my $.02

Thanks.
I have found many Revolutionary War relics in the past in the same area. I don't see why you believe it's a souvenir and it might have been lost at a different period. I mentioned in my post it was on Burgoyne's route.

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks man. But in the same logic I couldn't call any of my Rev.War buttons and relics Revolutionary War period. Found in Canada they could have came directly from Britain as well. Being in Montreal, close to Burgoyne's route and knowing at least a few 67th Regiment soldiers were in his Army I think the chances that this one came from a Revolutionary War soldier must be similar to those other Revolutionary War buttons I occasionally find. But yes, anything is possible. I'm not trying to connect the dots the way I want to, it just would make much less sense to me to find an out of a place 1770's button on Burgoyne's route (with the information on others found in US) and assuming it just came from a random settler. But I do agree, there's no proof of it being lost by a Rev War soldier.

Not the same logic at all. If you find a 53rd Regiment button that dates to the Rev War period, and the Regiment fought in the war, you can make a reasonable assumption that soldier was with the regiment when it fought.... therefore making it a Rev War button. For Loyalist it's conclusive, because they were raised purposely for the war. But when you find a button in Canada for for Regt. that didn't fight, even if it dates right, the history of the unit is basically a strike against you. To me suggesting it was lost based on Burgoyne's route and not by a settler is what is not logical and connecting the dots to fit the history you want. As I said I like it all the same, but is what it is, and if I had dug it I'd say the exact same thing. I think the only real way to make a case is based on what you found with it, and where, and maybe who settled there... or what the site was, and what it dated. Will still not provide an answer, and we can certainly differ on whether we call it a Rev War button. Do keep in mind even with some 67ths being dug in America Don T. didn't think enough to include them in the section with the units that served. That's for a reason.

 

[Iron Patch]

By the way if it's at the spot you found the other Rev War buttons, and it's not something like an area that dates back to the 1760s and known for early button finds... then I'd say there's a very good chance that soldier did fight in the war. But the circumstances make it different. A few years ago there was early buttons being found in NS, and even though the regiments fought, the buttons most likely weren't Rev War even though it says so in the book... and that is because they were likely lost before 1775. It makes a difference.

 

[Aureus]

Not the same logic at all. If you find a 53rd Regiment button that dates to the Rev War period, and the Regiment fought in the war, you can make a reasonable assumption that soldier was with the regiment when it fought.... therefore making it a Rev War button. For Loyalist it's conclusive, because they were raised purposely for the war. But when you find a button in Canada for for Regt. that didn't fight, even if it dates right, the history of the unit is basically a strike against you. To me suggesting it was lost based on Burgoyne's route and not by a settler is what is not logical and connecting the dots to fit the history you want. As I said I like it all the same, but is what it is, and if I had dug it I'd say the exact same thing. I think the only real way to make a case is based on what you found with it, and where, and maybe who settled there... or what the site was, and what it dated. Will still not provide an answer, and we can certainly differ on whether we call it a Rev War button. Do keep in mind even with some 67ths being dug in America Don T. didn't think enough to include them in the section with the units that served. That's for a reason.

I understand. And I'm not trying to make it into a Revolutionary War soldiers button at any price. It might have been a settler. But as I said in a previous reply the fact that I have found multiple Revolutionary War buttons in the past in the same general area is a sign that some type of camp or some soldiers movements might have taken place. What's sure is it dates to the mentioned period, it is found in the area where other military relics of the same period were found. The rest I really don't know, as for the majority of my finds. I did call it an unusual find for that reason. Let's just say it's a 1770s button. That's it.

 

[Iron Patch]

I understand. And I'm not trying to make it into a Revolutionary War soldiers button at any price. It might gave been a settler. But as I said in a previous reply the fact that I have found multiple Revolutionary War buttons in the past in the same general area is a sign that some type of camp or some soldiers movements might have taken place. What's sure is it dates to the mentioned period, it is found in the area where other military relics of the same period were found. The rest I really don't know, as for the majority of my finds. I did call it an unusual find for that reason. Let's just say it's a 1770s button. That's it.

Depending on the date and history of where you dug the previous Rev War buttons, it's possible that they may not be true Rev War buttons, if they were lost before the war... which is possible for the earliest ones. But the reason they are accepted is because the Regiments fought in the war, and most people don't really think of many buttons being lost before 1775 (and there's no way for them to know) ... but it is very possible, and like I said we had this happen on this very forum. When you find a button in Canada or any other country than the U.S., there's some educated guessing that has to happen, and my point is that 67th holds less probability of being a Rev War button than many others you have found. Does it eliminate it, or course not, but the general consensus among collectors will be it's a nice button, but not real interesting. The one I mentioned from Lake George is better, but that's only because of where it was found, and the much higher probability it was lost from a soldier who served in the war.

 

[Iron Patch]

Don T. put the Lake George one in the book. I suspect he would not have put yours based on the location it was found. There's a difference,

 

[screwynewy]

Thanks.
I have found many Revolutionary War relics in the past in the same area. I don't see why you believe it's a souvenir and it might have been lost at a different period. I mentioned in my post it was on Burgoyne's route.

Sorry if I appear to be claiming know anything about this button. I was just basing my comments on other more knowledgeable posters thoughts about the button and making a comparison that I thought was relevent. I know the feeling of making a find and believing in your heart that it is something even though others provide solid reasons that it might not be. I hope for you and the button that it is a legitimate Rev War soldier drop that somehow ended up under your coil