Brass "New York Dispatches" Tag

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I found this old brass tag along with four Royal Regiment of Artillery buttons last week. The tag read's, “DISPATCHES TO THE CARE OF THE AGENT NEW YORK”. I’m hoping this tag might have ties to the War of 1812, but I’m not sure. I am very curious as to the history of this piece, as I found it on a War of 1812 Land Grant homestead site in Eastern Ontario.

Good portions of the lands in this area were offered as Land Grants to loyal War of 1812 veterans who served in the British Military. United Empire Loyalists who arrived in 1784 from the United States first settled this area. Townships were often set aside for specific soldiers, for instance Township 8 (Elizabethtown Township - Brockville) was set aside for Jessup's Loyal Rangers. In 1788, western Leeds County was opened for settlement, in the 1790's the rear townships were opened. Settlement was slow until after the war of 1812 when disbanded soldiers and British emigrants settled in the area. A majority of the British emigrants were from Scotland and arrived in 1816. Even more settlement occurred during the 1820's after the construction of the Rideau Canal.

Any thoughts on it's history / use would be greatly appreciated,
Dave

New information about the tag has recently come to light...

'Agents' are connected with Indian supplies during the 1812 - 1815 years.
This is related to the military and the Agent responsible for delivering goods to the Indians.

 

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[ANTIQUARIAN]

UPDATE

I just received this information from a friend.


"The brass tag is very interesting. Never seen one of those before. I assume it’s for a locked and sealed “dispatch box” of the kind used to send company, official, state or military documents. Orders, instructions, regulations, proposals, budgets, accounts and such. The olden day equivalent of a “diplomatic bag” if you will. Usually these were sent by ship from office to office and senior commanders – especially those in the navy operating far from their chain of command would also have their own box containing confidential orders. This one was used by Samuel Tucker who commanded the Continental Navy’s frigate “Boston” during the American Revolutionary War. Looks like he might have captured it from a British vessel.

I wonder if the tag is for military, government or commercial use? And whether it’s British or American? If it’s British it would have to be 1783 or earlier because that’s when the British withdrew from New York. More likely American I would have thought and probably for commercially sensitive documents".

[Picture from Old Bristol Historical Society website]

 

[romeo-1]

That's a banner find if proven war related...great find!

 

[Mud Hut]

That is beautiful..I do know that! What a fantastic piece of history!

 

[pepperj]

I have spent a bit of time researching the tag without anything conclusive results Dave. Really thought that somebody would have an idea or two by now. Awesome find Dave.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

That's a banner find if proven war related...great find!

Thanks very much for your post and for your words of support Patrick!
Dave

That is beautiful..I do know that! What a fantastic piece of history!

Thanks for your interest MH!
Now if only we could find out what it's original use was.

Best of luck to you,
Dave

I have spent a bit of time researching the tag without anything conclusive results Dave. Really thought that somebody would have an idea or two by now. Awesome find Dave.

Thanks for your research efforts here Jim!
Hopefully some of the other Tnet members will offer up their theories on this piece.

Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I have spent a bit of time researching the tag without anything conclusive results Dave. Really thought that somebody would have an idea or two by now. Awesome find Dave.

Thanks very much for the new information about the tag pepperj.

'Agents' are connected with Indian supplies during the 1812 - 1815 years.
This is related to the military and the Agent responsible for delivering goods to the Indians.

 

[Bramblefind]

Hi - super find! I think there is also the possibility of this tag being civilian in nature. Circa 1820s-1850s or so newspapers show the various packet shipping lines advertising that goods can be forwarded with "care and despatch" "by addressing them to the care of the Agents" in New York.

This may have been attached to a trunk etc. that was forwarded ahead on a journey. Then left with the shipping agent in New York as seems to be the common practice on that time.

This is from an 1830 New York City newspaper -

 

[pepperj]

Hi - super find! I think there is also the possibility of this tag being civilian in nature. Circa 1820s-1850s or so newspapers show the various packet shipping lines advertising that goods can be forwarded with "care and despatch" "by addressing them to the care of the Agents" in New York.

This may have been attached to a trunk etc. that was forwarded ahead on a journey. Then left with the shipping agent in New York as seems to be the common practice on that time.

This is from an 1830 New York City newspaper -

Great piece of information Bramblefind. Just makes me wonder if this was a common practice why hasn't there been more of these tags dug up? First one I've ever seen or posted up which makes it a pretty cool recovery. Information bits like your's helps others go down roads less traveled in the research, and that I thank you.