Belt Keepers - How Common?

[LioZac0261]

Just wondering: how common were brass belt keepers? I know they were standard issue, but on both sides? What about late in the war?

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

The brass keepers were only utilized on mid to late war waist belts for Federals. They began to appear by early 1863 (perhaps a trace earlier in some places) to replace the leather loop keeper that had been the standard prior to the war. I have yet to see any type of Confederate copy of the device. They were indeed quite common and turn up in relic hunts and digs in late war Federal camps with some frequency.

[Jim Mayo]

I used to hunt a section of CS trenches in Petersburg where the action was constant. The trenches were constructed in June/July of 64 and never occupied by US troops. I was always amazed at the number of brass belt keepers found in these trenches. I think when a US belt became available the first thing the CS troops did was to remove the keeper.

[lincolnsguard]

There were a lot of Federal troops who did the same thing. Off goes the keeper.

[Dkjarnagin]

A FYI on Federal belts

In 1855 is the first date when waxed leather comes in as a substitute for blackened buff. This belt like all the belts since 1839 have tight loop.

On September 1, 1862 bids for contracts there is a change in the material of the belt and the first grain leather belts are required. These are still the tight looped belts as before. One other change happens and that is the hooks in the back of the belt plate are reversed. There is no such thing as a sword belt plate. The puppy foot back is still retained.

In 1863 there is a new looped belt. You will have to wait to find out about it but it was issued.

Late in 1863 the belt with a brass clip first appears. The first clip is different than the later clips and there are a few odd ones floating around, like the scalloped end version.

In 1864 a new version of the clip appears. This is the one most people see in original belts.
The belt plates also change as well in 1863 with the dropping of the stud back (puppy foot) to the arrow backs for contractors. Arrow backs were allowed for arsenals since 1855 and there are both found under the “S” and under the “U”.

If you are having trouble understanding what I mean by the type of belt you can follow this link.

http://www.jarnaginco.com/original%20waistbelt.htm

David Jarnagin
djarnagin@bellsouth.net

[Bill2ndWis]

So with this information being given more then likely the men in the Iron Brigade in September, 1862 would not have had the brass belt keeper? Am I correct with understanding this information?

[flattop32355]

So with this information being given more then likely the men in the Iron Brigade in September, 1862 would not have had the brass belt keeper? Am I correct with understanding this information?

One can only say for sure with a primary source that states such. I'm guessing that what type belt keeper they had was not a hot topic of discussion at the time, so some speculation is in order, based on whatever information is available, and should be based upon the broadest possible information possible. That said, "no" is a good bet.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

Indeed...

IIRC, it is believed that Allegheny Arsenal had a jump on the general widespread issuance of arrow hooked plates.

So, in theory, if the IB happened to receive an issuance that traces back up the supply distribution system that were these "newer' pates, then they might have.

However, a side question would be if the hooks first went on the older large "flat" U.S. oval plates or the newer small "convex" ovals...

Curt

(Memory Test: Didn't Horse Soldier in G-burg have a early looped belt and large flat plate attributed to a battlefield pick up from an Iron Brigade sight at Gettysburg 5-6 years ago??)

[lincolnsguard]

So with this information being given more then likely the men in the Iron Brigade in September, 1862 would not have had the brass belt keeper? Am I correct with understanding this information?

That is a good assumption, with valid history and provenance to back it up.

[Bill2ndWis]

I think with the opinions stated that for my next belt I'm going to go with one that does not have the brass keeper as the unit I am with is Company B, 2nd Wisconsin Vol. Inf. Reenactors. Thanks for the great info!!