Civil War Era buttons found in New Mexico Desert

[bigfish]

Story: My wives grandfather (what a great man) took me metal detecting in two different places with him in the New Mexico desert south of Albuquerque but north of Las Cruces ( I now that leaves a lot of ground but hey I want to go back to these places and find some more treasures). One was near an old fort that had all but been ate up by the desert. I found my first button and the larger of the two in the dry stream bed about 1/4 mile from the fort. The second and smaller button was found the next day at a rock out-crop that overlooks the railroad. Story has it that the soldiers used to use the area because it was high up and afforded them an excellent view to watch for Indians.

Description:
Larger Button: Very dark patina over the whole button, Eagle front, Eagle has open mouth, with an olive branch in one claw and 3 arrows in the other. On the back it says " EXTRA *** QUALITY " in a circular pattern shank is broken off.
Smaller Button: Almost has an aluminum (pewter maybe) appearance (MXT gives me a 50 VDI). Detail is not as crisp in this one. The eagle looks similar but just not quite the same. This button has a more homemade feel to it if that makes sense. The back is concave this is a solid metal button and the shank is beefy but bent over a little

So now you know the general location and description. Hopefully my pictures upload...fingers crossed and post.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

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[bigfish]

Sorry here is a picture of the back of the small pewterish button.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Bigfish, both of your buttons are US Army regulation issue for the Infantry.

The smaller one dates from the US 1821 Regulation for infantry buttons, and was "officially" in use until 1854, though the ones already on a uniform were still being used at the start of the civil war. Your specimen, which is indeed made of pewter, is the very earliest of the 1821-model Infantry buttons. (Around the early 1830s they were made of brass.) The fort you found it at probably wasn't there in the 1820s, so your button was apparently on an older uniform somebody was wearing at the fort. You don't mention its size, but in the photos it seems to be the cuff-size version.

The larger one you found is the Regulation-of-1854 model, called a US Army "General Service" button, made specifically for use by Enlisted-men of all branches (artillery, cavalry, infantry, etc.). Under the 1854 Regulation, it is distinguished from Officers' buttons by having a "plain" shield (no letter in the shield -- the letter version was strictly for Officers.). The version you found continued in "official" use until the design of the eagle was changed in the 1870s. But as with your model-1821 button, it continued to be worn on older uniforms well-into the 1880s. Though the backmark on your specimen is simply "Extra Quality," it was most probably manufactured by the Scovill Manufacturing Co. in Waterbury CT.

 

[bigfish]

CannonBall,
Thanks for the info I had no idea that they were that old. The smaller one would be what I would call cuff sized. Thanks again for your prompt help!!! Can't wait to let my wives grandpa know what we found.
Bigfish

 

[Daedalus]

Nice buttons , I have to wonder how many more are out there in that area .
And how many other items are laying around to be found . Hope you find more
things to post .

 

[bigfish]

Daedalus,
I also found some old brass some spent bullets that look like they are from a muzzle loader mini-ball esq. On a side note I will be up in Alaska the middle of next month if you are going to get there earlier than expected let me know. And if you are ever down in the south-west over the next couple of years while we are stationed there let me know. I have some good NM leads that we can go hunt.
Bigfish

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Maybe Camp Cody.


B

 

[bigfish]

No I have never been to Camp Cody, but maybe someday.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Do it soon - New Mexico is trying to take it over to sell it as private property.


B

 

[TXDIRTFISHER]

How did your detector do in all that iron?

 

[bigfish]

I dug a bunch of trash that is for sure. But my MXT did very good overall. The fort area was trashy in spots but that just encouraged me. It wasn't like a vacant city lot junky but it wasn't clean... The spot over looking the RR tracks was a tough place to get a beep. There just was not as much activity there as at the fort.

I found the larger button in the creek bed near the fort. The reason I was working the creek is because I noticed a lot of black sand and was hoping to see if I could find a little picker or nugget down there. I was starting to get discouraged towards the end of the day when I hadn't found anything super cool. I was happier finding that old button though! Gold is great but the history that you feel holding something that old for the first time after it was lost for 100+ years...