Military Road Find in Dakota Territory

Sharing an unexpected find even thou this Military Road was in use from the mid-1850's thru the 1880's. Last year my research led me to a camp site that produced a variety of relics from pre-Civil War thru the Indian Wars.
My 2023 detecting season started with a bang on Sunday April 23.
Further research after the find, has revealed that not only was there Military activity at this location for over 30 years, but also there was a former Civil War Officer that lived on or near this site for 2 years in the mid 1870's.
We can only speculate as to how this belt plate got here. All I know is it was a thrill to find it.
I agreed to give the finds to the landowner for permission to hunt the land. Pictures and the satisfaction of knowing my hours of research were correct is good enough for me.
Never expected to find a CW era belt plate in DT... would love to hear who the experts think this belt plate is connected to...CW Union Officer or Calvary.
Is there any way of knowing for sure?
It will become the center piece of the frame the landowner will put together when I finish the hunt.
Appreciate your input.

Schod03

Who it belonged to will remain a mystery but it is an officers plate because the wreath is cast into the buckle not applied to it. It is also a mid to late war plate because the back has a wide tongue. Civil war buckles were worn post war too, not everyone changed to the M1872 plates. Officers furnished their own uniforms so it's possible with the massive surplus he opted for this one or just carried it through the different wars.

Hey man- that is a sick find. If you don't mind me asking where roughly was this in DT. I run some of the bigger reenacting events and groups here in North Dakota.

Follow up on this belt plate find…the number stamped on the back is 242.
I knew there was a receiver buckle that the plate hooked to, but was not sure what they looked like.
A recent return visit to the area where the belt plate was found turned up the receiver. It is broken, but clearly marked 242. Found about 100 feet from where the belt plate was found.
An added bonus to finding the receiver was seeing what they looked like…turns out I had found one back in 2021 on this same Military Road about 40 miles away. It is complete and marked 60. I will be returning to that site in hopes of finding a belt plate marked 60..and also will be trying to find the broken piece off 242.

Schod03 said:

Follow up on this belt plate find…the number stamped on the back is 242.
I knew there was a receiver buckle that the plate hooked to, but was not sure what they looked like.
A recent return visit to the area where the belt plate was found turned up the receiver. It is broken, but clearly marked 242. Found about 100 feet from where the belt plate was found.
An added bonus to finding the receiver was seeing what they looked like…turns out I had found one back in 2021 on this same Military Road about 40 miles away. It is complete and marked 60. I will be returning to that site in hopes of finding a belt plate marked 60..and also will be trying to find the broken piece off 242.
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Great find! It's so hard to dig a complete buckle with its keeper let alone going back and finding the actual keeper.