This is a second form of Militia riflemen's plates. Struck in brass, it differs from the preceding primarily in the placement of 17 5-pointed stars along the upper half of the shield, between the borders. Other small differences show that the basic die was not that used for the preceding specimen. The most obvious difference is the legend "E PLURIBUS UNUM" carried on the ribbon behind the knotted cord of the horn, an element not present in the other. A third form, not illustrated, substitutes a floral border for the plain border around the edge of the shield and contains no stars as part of the design. Still a fourth form, also not illustrated, has the same center device of eagle and open horn placed in a longer and narrower shield, with 23 6-pointed stars between the borders. ¶ These various combinations of devices give a good clue as to the method of manufacture of stock patterns, and indicate the use of several different dies and hand punches. The blank metal was first struck by a die that formed the plain or floral border and cut the outline of the plate. Next, a smaller die containing the center device of eagle and horn was used. Then the stars, and sometimes elements of the floral border, were added by individual striking with a hand punch. This latter method is clearly revealed by the comparison of several "identical" plates in which the stars or elements of the border are irregularly and differently spaced. CAP PLATE, RIFLEMAN PATTERN, C. 1825 _USNM 60398-M (S-K 154). Figure 118._ [Illustration: FIGURE 118] This plate is called "rifleman pattern" because it is silver-on-copper and is the only known example of this type of insignia made for wear by infantry, or possibly for Militia riflemen whose trimmings were, incorrectly, silver. There are several conjectures about this cut-out device made from a die of the preceding series of shield plates. It may have been made after 1834, when the open horn with cord and tassels was adopted by the Regular infantry as a branch device. It is equally possible that it was submitted to a Militia infantry organization by some maker as a sample during the 1820's and when selected was silvered to conform with other trimmings. In either case, it illustrates how a single die could serve to make many different variations from a basic design. CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1825 _USNM 60304-M (S-K 61B). Figure 119._ [Illustration: FIGURE 119] The very unusual construction of this brass plate for riflemen indicates that it is possibly one of the earliest of the composite plates. Within a wreath of crossed laurel boughs is a small center circle with raised edge to which has been soldered the eagle and horn device struck in convex form. CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1830 _USNM 60252-M (S-K 10). Figure 120._ [Illustration: FIGURE 120]