Cast I buttons ANV?

[4VADRUMMER]

Gents, I hope to hear from some of the uniform experts on the forum by posing this question. In all my 20+ years of researching issued confederate garments I have never encountered an original ANV issued jacket with Cast block I's on it. Furthermore I have only been able to document cast I's being dug in Virginia at pretty much exclusively post 1864 sites which leads most to the conclusion that these buttons arrived in theatre via Longstreet's Corps when they returned from service with the AOT. Two things I'd like to know, 1) is there any known documentation, such as purchase orders or receipts showing a purchase of these buttons by the Richmond Clothing Bureau, 2) are there any original Richmond Depot jackets with cast block I's on them.

I've read most of the previous threads covering this subject and no one has really answered the question.

[brown]

Re: Cast I buttons ANV?

Not exactly what you are looking for, because I have not seen an ANV jacket with cast buttons, but don't rule out that some of those dug buttons were on uniforms transferred from Georgia to Richmond, which happened several times.

Also, from the diggers I've heard from, cast I buttons are:
-still rare in 1864/5 sites,
-dispersed beyond where Longstreet's men would have been in the months following their return, &
-more often pewter than brass.

[Jimmayo]

Re: Cast I buttons ANV?

Also, from the diggers I've heard from, cast I buttons are:
-still rare in 1864/5 sites,
-dispersed beyond where Longstreet's men would have been in the months following their return, &
-more often pewter than brass.

Sorta agree with most of the above. I guess it depends if you talk to modern diggers or diggers from 20-30 years ago when buttons were recovered in greater numbers everywhere giving a better picture of what was being used. Being afflicted with O.L.D. and in the latter group IMO recoveries of cast brass block I buttons were very common in the Western theater. More common there than recoveries of the two piece block I.

Come East in 1864/65 sites and the ratio is reversed. Cast brass I buttons are found but in much fewer numbers than the two piece I buttons. Would not consider them scarce. Generally cast white metal buttons are not recovered as often as the cast brass buttons in late war Eastern theater. I have found the cast brass I buttons in CS lines from the Howlett Line to Hatchers Run suggesting there were quite a few different groups of soldiers using them other than Longstreets men. Could never seem to find one at Cold Harbor.
The one below showing the back came from McIlwaine Hill near Pamplin Park. It was found in the rifle pits retaken by McGowan's sharpshooters just before the breaking of the lines in 1865 at Pamplin. The steel mill sits right where the button was found. The other came from near Crater Road in Petersburg and could have been lost at any time during the seige since units were constantly being moved into and out of the lines as situations warrented.

If you want to muddy the waters more one could consider where the commonly named 2 piece Tennessee puff back I buttons originated from. These are also found in both areas. Don't know who coined the name.