Confederate "R" buttons

Rusk County Avengers

Captain
Muster Stunt Master Stones River / Franklin 2022
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Location
Coffeeville, TX
Quick question, does anyone have any idea of how much use these "R" buttons saw? I've often heard and read of them being found in Virginia, but I'm curious if anyone else knows more. Perhaps someone can say where they dug them to narrow down provenance....

The most common Confederate button was without a doubt the US General service button, I'm just curious about the rifleman "R" buttons today.
 
The CS R buttons were early and 99.9% imported from England and intended for CS marksman or sharpshooters. When the blockade tighten up there weren't many more imported as there were other vital imports the South needed besides button. There are 2 areas they have been dug the most VA and SC as they were seacoast states with big ports.
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You wouldn't happen to know if they were run into other ports would you? Galveston had a thriving trade with Britain into 1865, and I've seen some people spout off these buttons were all Trans-Mississippi. Something I've doubted as I've not seen or heard of them dug west of the Mississippi.
 
They majority of these buttons that have been dug were in VA & SC. You would think that if the R or any other import came thru Galveston they would have been some found in Western Theater camps. You can learn a lot about what was imported to where by archaeological finds.
 
Now I'm curious where the myth I've heard of "R" buttons in the Trans-Mississippi. "CSA" buttons, T. Miller's, Federals, we got those, but I've never seen "R" buttons.

It'd be neat if "R" buttons could be connected with Rifle regiments. There was plenty of those.
 
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