This plate, struck in copper and silvered, is round with an outer ring. It is attached to a white buff belt. The plate proper contains an eagle with wings outspread, shield on breast, olive branch in right talon, and three arrows in left talon. The whole is within a ring of 24 5-pointed stars. The outer ring is decorated as a wreath, and the narrow rectangular belt attachments are embossed with a floral pattern. The 24 stars place this specimen between 1822 and 1836. Similar buckles are known in yellow metal for either staff or artillery and containing 24, 26, and 28 stars, indicating that they probably were worn until the rectangular eagle-wreath plate was prescribed in 1851. WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY OFFICER, 1821-1835 _USNM 60454 (S-K 210). Figure 69._ [Illustration: FIGURE 69] This specimen is offered as another possibility for the 1821 regulation plate. It is identical in size and similar in design to the preceding plate. The plate proper contains an eagle with wings spread, a breast shield containing the letter "I," an olive branch in right talon, and three arrows in left talon. There is no outer ring of stars. The outer ring of the buckle is decorated with a wreath, but the rectangular belt attachments are plain. The 1821 regulations called for eagle buttons of "yellow" and "white" metal with the letters "A" and "I" (for artillery and infantry) on the eagle's shield, and the belt plate may have been designed to conform. There is also the possibility that this plate, as well as the one described below, was designed to conform to the 1835 regulations which prescribed a waist belt with a "round" clasp.[91] [Footnote 91: _General Regulations for the Army of the United States_, p. 222.] WAIST-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY OFFICER, 1821-1835 _USNM 60455-M (S-K 211). Not illustrated._ Nearly identical to the infantry officer's plate above, this buckle, in brass, has the artillery "A" on the eagle's breast shield. ¶ Although the regulations for this period do not mention shoulder-belt plates for enlisted men (officers had none as they wore their swords on their waist belts), it can be assumed that they were worn. The two specimens described below must be dated later than 1812-1821 because of the belt attachments. The earlier specimens had rudimentary bent-wire fasteners, but these, more refined, have two round studs and a hook soldered to the plate proper. SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, C. 1821 _USNM 604316 (S-K 472). Figures 70, 71._ [Illustration: FIGURE 70] [Illustration: FIGURE 71] This plate, of silver on copper, is plain oval and slightly convex. SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1821 _USNM 604315 (S-K 471). Not illustrated._ This specimen is identical to the preceding one except that it is in plain brass.