Anyone know the exact function of this button?

[Squirrel322]

I dug this Indian service button but it’s back has two wire coming out of it?

 

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[Retired Sarge]

IMO it appears to be a cuff button that the shank broke off, and the owner/user attached a homemade attachment to it to continue using.

Or

Maybe for attachment to a cap. Look at military caps and you'll see the chinstrap is attached to the cap by way of cuff sized buttons. Later styles used screw back buttons.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

U.S. Indian Service uniform button - This is a relatively rare US Indian Service button two-piece brass construction.
These were usually back marked "Waterbury Button Co." c1880 — 90.

Nice find,
Dave

"The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the U.S. Department of the Interior. It was responsible for the administration and management of 55,700,000 acres of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American Tribes and Alaska Natives. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is one of two bureaus under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs: The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education, which provides education services to approximately 48,000 Native Americans.

Indian agents brought the commodities, or supplies up to the reservation, and ran the trading posts, making profits and shady deals when they weren't supervised. Part of their scam was supplying alcohol to Natives, marked up for profit of course. Bishop Henry Whipple actually visited with President Lincoln to complain of the conditions, but the Dakota war (uprising) broke out before any improvements could be ordered from Washington. The service was an agency set up to carry out treaty obligations and run the reservation system within U.S. policy.

The BIA’s responsibilities once included providing health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives. In 1954 that function was legislatively transferred to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, now known as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where it has remained to this day as the Indian Health Service. These were the buttons worn by the uniformed services of Indian Reservations such as Agents, Medical personnel, and Police."

 

[DCMatt]

It is a kepi chin strap button.