✅ SOLVED War of 1812 Hardee Hat pin?

Jlefebvre

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Jul 6, 2020
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Cool find, maybe someone can give you a more definite answer, versus speculation on my part.

I cannot for the life of me find an example of this badge. It looks like the eagle is on an anchor, which would make it Naval related, maybe a Navy Cadet.

But I cannot narrow it down to exactly who and when though, other than a possible Naval connection.

20210520_234216.jpg
 

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The shield has five stars and looks like some of the insignia from 1812 period but the eagle does look odd. I also thought it was clutching a sword or scabbard. I’ve searched everywhere and cannot fine a match. This was found on a 1700 property in mid coast Maine. 10 feet from it was a civil war uniform button.
 

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That's an awesome hat badge. Very nice condition...

I looked for US military related emblems with an eagle and an anchor. Not much out there excepts Marines.

The only other example I found was a Civil War era button from the "Revenue Cutter Service" which ultimately became our modern day Coast Guard.

Circa 1860:

US revenue cutter service.JPG
 

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Here is the back. I’m at work so no cleaned up picturesAAE52FA7-293C-4760-A0BF-2B5C412D4AAE.jpeg
 

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The eagle still has bits of felt attached to the rear, possibly from a service hat
 

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I'm thinking pre CW hat badge. In general, hat badges were not uncommon at all. I haven't seen this type before. I also see an eagle over an anchor.
 

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Here is a mid-19th Century Navy Petty Office badge:

1588186891726.jpg
 

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Did more reading. Now I'm thinking - not a hat badge.

Here is a thread on USmilitariaforum that discusses metal rank badges worn on the sleeve of Navy Petty Officers around the time of the Civil War:

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/fo...prentice-badges/&tab=comments#comment-2405594

Included in the thread is this badge:

post-125168-0-83834600-1507923952.jpg

There seems to be some debate as to when these were worn but not much question about who wore them. I'll admit, the more I read the confusinger and confusinger it got. :icon_scratch:

I suggest you post you item over on the other forum and reignite the debate.
 

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From history.navy.mil:

1852 navy uniforms.JPG

The boatswain can be identified as a petty officer by the presence of the eagle and anchor device of 1841 with the star above it, prescribed in 1852. It would not be until 1866 that a system of rating badges would be introduced, so we can determine this man’s rating only by the all-covering petty officer’s device, worn on the right arm and the boatswain’s pipe.
 

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I may be looking at this wrong but I don't see an anchor. I see a sword hilt.
 

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I may be looking at this wrong but I don't see an anchor. I see a sword hilt.

What looks like a Sword Cross Guard is the Anchor Stock, what looks like a Sword Blade is the Anchor Shank, above the Anchor Stock is the Anchor Ring, what looks like part of the Sword Guard or Knucklebow is the Anchor Line. I originally thought the same thing when looking at it last night, then I realized it was an (sword), I meant anchor.....


ETA: Fixed my typo, I put sword as the last word instead of anchor. Leading to confusion that I was stating it was sword, when all the information above showed I meant anchor.
 

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I may be looking at this wrong but I don't see an anchor. I see a sword hilt.

Not a sword.

PO badge compare.JPG

It's a mid 19th C Petty Officer's rank badge. Eagle on a fouled anchor. But the bottom portion of the anchor is missing.

PO blouse 1860s.JPG
 

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Thanks for the info on that site. I found something similar and if you look at the top of the anchor and it’s chain it’s very similar to the one I have.
 

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