Undoubtedly made as a stock pattern by several manufacturers, these plates continued in use for at least 15 years after they first appeared about 1825. Although U.S. Military Magazine illustrates many large cap plates for the period 1839-1841, none has a shield outline. This may indicate a decline in the popularity of the design, but it must be remembered that Huddy and Duval presented the uniforms of only a small cross-section of the Militia of the period.
CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1825
USNM 60267-M (S-K 26). Figure 117.
Figure 117
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.