🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Mystery item from early-mid 1800s (possibly military)

[bcbirdman]

Found this a few weeks ago at an old homesite that dates to at least the mid 1800s. Have found some early 1800s flat buttons there and a large cent, for context.

It says "Chillicothe 5" and I am 99% sure it has a Bald Eagle clutching arrows in its left leg (which is unfortunately located at the break in the material so the head and right side of body are cut off). It also has a small circular hole on one end (seen in the third image). One more small detail is that on one end (the eagle side) it is slightly wider and tapers down to a slightly narrower width (the end with the hole).

Does anyone have any ideas? The eagle makes me wonder if it might be something military, but could not find anything online relating to "chillicothe" other than a few different cities in neighboring states with that as a name. Ohio, for example, used to have Chillicothe as its state capital back in 1803-1816. For reference, I'm located near Terre Haute, Indiana so pretty far away, but that is the most significant reference I've found.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[Retired Sarge]

There is a city in Illinois named Chillicothe, and another one in Missouri.

I agree it does look like an eagle on the one edge.

 

[Gare]

In the first picture on the left it looks like something is holding 3 arrows maybe just 2

 

[invent4hir]

With the hole in the one end, it look like part of a tag or strap.

 

[ticndig]

As mentioned above,, we see a federal eagle, the name of two cities and a hole indicating it's a strap or tag.
with all these in mind My guess is it being related to the postal service.

 

[Jack873]

Does anyone have any ideas? The eagle makes me wonder if it might be something military, but could not find anything online relating to "chillicothe" other than a few different cities in neighboring states with that as a name. Ohio, for example, used to have Chillicothe as its state capital back in 1803-1816. For reference, I'm located near Terre Haute, Indiana so pretty far away, but that is the most significant reference I've found.

Chillicothe, Ohio is where they built Camp Sherman in 1917 during WWI.

Camp Sherman, Ohio - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio

Camp Sherman, Located in Chillicothe, Ohio was one of eight military training camps announced as being now ready to receive new recruits on 1 September 1917. Four additional camps would be ready wi…

marionveterans.home.blog