The waist-belt plates shown in the U.S. Military Magazine[132] for the Washington Greys of Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, while indistinct, are definitely not of this pattern. Thus, this brass plate with its sunken letters filled with black enamel must have been worn by yet a third unit with such a name. Additional specimens in the national collections have the company letters "G" and "K."
WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840
USNM 604294-M (S-K 450). Figure 214.
Figure 214
This oval, convex, brass plate, with two studs and a hook soldered to the reverse for attachment, very probably was originally a shoulder-belt plate. The letters "W L G" incised on the obverse are very patently the added work of an engraver of no great talent. The letters doubtless stand for Washington Light Guard, and, since there were several Militia units of that designation, it seems possible that one of the less affluent units bought the plates and had them engraved locally.
WAIST-BELT PLATE, CITY GUARDS, C. 1840
USNM 604386-M (S-K 533). Figure 215.