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MILLS .38 CALIBER PISTOL CARTRIDGE BELT W/ A
MODIFIED PATTERN 1886 “WHITTEMORE PLATE” EXCAVATED AT
FT. YATES, DAKOTA TERRITORY – A TRUE ONE OF A KIND
FRONTIER SOLDIER MODIFIED PIECE: This is
definitely one of those “one of a kind” pieces of
soldier modified equipment that rarely surfaces on the
open market. This belt plate is a standard Pattern 1886
“Whittemore” Belt Plate, intended for use with the Mills
Woven Rifle Cartridge Belts that was cut down (see
comparison photo below) to fit on the narrower Mills
Woven Pistol Cartridge Belt.
This plate, hand cut on
lines above and below the "US" so that the extensions of
the “H” shape of the plate were removed, was recovered
from a trash pit at the site of Ft. Yates located at the
time of its occupancy in the Dakota Territories. The
edges of the cut are roughly done, still showing
evidence of the tool marks and little or no effort was
made to finish off the edges. The result is a hardier
belt plate, more capable of withstanding hard field use,
than the thinner stamped 1872 type plate produced by
Mills for these pistol belts.
This modified plate has
been mounted on a tan Mills Woven Pistol Cartridge Belt
with both brass captive ends and all 45 cartridge loops
present. Keeping with the unique character of the
unique plate, this belt was issued and saw some service,
evidenced by some minor wear at the bottom of those
loops at the front of the belt and the imprint of the
lead bullets in the weave of the material along the
bottom line of the loops. The brass captive ends of the
belt are both stamped with the Mills identification
information and the patent dates.
This plate and belt
make for a very special set, unique due to the efforts
of the soldier or officer who wore it and with a
definite connection to one of the historic forts on the
frontier of the Northern Plains. For the collector of
Mills Belts or Frontier soldier items, you’ll seldom
have a better opportunity to add such a piece to your
collection.
SOLD
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