Confederate script R buttons.

[oiffirefighter]

Does anyone know of a company that makes or sells Confererate script r rifleman's button replicas?

 

[captaindrew]

Not that I'm aware of, I've never seen any around and if Button Baron doesn't have them (they don't, I checked) they probably don't exist. That was/is an extremely rare button and not much of a demand for reproductions I wouldn't think. What are you working on? The script R buttons were made and England and run through the blockade and would have been an expensive private purchase even back then. @UCVRelics could probably teach us more about those.

 

[UCVRelics]

@captaindrew is spot on with the R button being RARE. There were only 4 English makers, W. DOWLER, H T & B, VAN WART SON & Co and Smith Kemp Wright. Below is a Van Wart I have. Also the link below has repop R buttons.

Confederate Rifleman Uniform “R”Buttons Waterbury, CT – Shop

 

[Frederick14Va]

Not aware of or have seen any Script R buttons reproduced. The venture tends to be expensive to have them made and would have to sell LOTS of them to make the expense worthwhile. The demands for such are typically quite low since even the originals were a bit rare.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Does anyone know of a company that makes or sells Confererate script r rifleman's button replicas?

@oiffirefighter if you let us know what you want them for perhaps we could suggest a historically accurate alternative.

 

[oiffirefighter]

@oiffirefighter if you let us know what you want them for perhaps we could suggest a historically accurate alternative.

would like to use them in a sharpshooter impression

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

The 1st Battalion South Carolina Sharpshooters were raised in the Summer of 1862 to help defend Fort McAllister.

Mahone's Sharpshooter Battalion | Regimental Histories

Here is an article in SHSP on the sharpshooter battalion organized in Mahone's Virginia Brigade, Anderson's Division, Third Corps, ANV. I posted a few excerpts from this in another thread but I thought it would be a good addition to the Regimental Histories forum. For those that don't know, in...

civilwartalk.com

"Later in early 1864 Gen. Lee issued orders that every brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia organize its own sharpshooter battalion. There were a few previous attempts to organize sharpshooter battalions in the army, mainly in Robert E. Rodes' Division, but those being more on an independent basis the idea now was to officially organize a sharpshooter corps in every division. Sharpshooter battalions were organized at the brigade level with 3 to 5 companies but could also operate at the division level in conjunction with others in the division as a sort of "demi-brigade" if necessary."

What period is your impression @oiffirefighter and to what unit are you attached?

 

[oiffirefighter]

The 1st Battalion South Carolina Sharpshooters were raised in the Summer of 1862 to help defend Fort McAllister.

Mahone's Sharpshooter Battalion | Regimental Histories

Here is an article in SHSP on the sharpshooter battalion organized in Mahone's Virginia Brigade, Anderson's Division, Third Corps, ANV. I posted a few excerpts from this in another thread but I thought it would be a good addition to the Regimental Histories forum. For those that don't know, in...

civilwartalk.com

"Later in early 1864 Gen. Lee issued orders that every brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia organize its own sharpshooter battalion. There were a few previous attempts to organize sharpshooter battalions in the army, mainly in Robert E. Rodes' Division, but those being more on an independent basis the idea now was to officially organize a sharpshooter corps in every division. Sharpshooter battalions were organized at the brigade level with 3 to 5 companies but could also operate at the division level in conjunction with others in the division as a sort of "demi-brigade" if necessary."

What period is your impression @oiffirefighter and to what unit are you attached?

time frame would be late 63-65, it would be Mahone's sharpshooter Battalion

 

[captaindrew]

time frame would be late 63-65, it would be Mahone's sharpshooter Battalion

This was made up of had picked men of Mahone's Brigade regiments. They would've been mostly supplied by Richmond so they would be wearing the same issued clothing as the rest of the brigade. They were giving the harder duties like skirmishing and covering the flanks, "shock troops" if you will. A good quality standard mid to late war ANV impression is what you want to strive for. Plus it's the most practical, you can fall in with that at just about any event, any unit, with the exception of very early war period event with strict guidelines.

 

[UCVRelics]

Not aware of or have seen any Script R buttons reproduced. The venture tends to be expensive to have them made and would have to sell LOTS of them to make the expense worthwhile. The demands for such are typically quite low since even the originals were a bit rare.

Waterbury Button Co made some.

 

[Frederick14Va]

Waterbury Button Co made some.
View attachment 503084

I think he was asking about Script-R's. I knew that a few sutlers have Block-R's

 

[Bentonville]

Not that I'm aware of, I've never seen any around and if Button Baron doesn't have them (they don't, I checked) they probably don't exist. That was/is an extremely rare button and not much of a demand for reproductions I wouldn't think. What are you working on? The script R buttons were made and England and run through the blockade and would have been an expensive private purchase even back then. @UCVRelics could probably teach us more about those.

Thanks for letting me know about this site. I promise I won't tell my wife.

 

[captaindrew]

Thanks for letting me know about this site. I promise I won't tell my wife.

They have a lot of nice stuff and are really nice people. They have a shop in Gettysburg if you're ever in the neighborhood.

 

[Bentonville]

They have a lot of nice stuff and are really nice people. They have a shop in Gettysburg if you're ever in the neighborhood.

I'll be headed that way this summer. Its a stop for sure.

 

[History hoarder63]

Does anyone know of a company that makes or sells Confererate script r rifleman's button replicas?

@captaindrew is spot on with the R button being RARE. There were only 4 English makers, W. DOWLER, H T & B, VAN WART SON & Co and Smith Kemp Wright. Below is a Van Wart I have. Also the link below has repop R buttons.

Confederate Rifleman Uniform “R”Buttons Waterbury, CT – Shop

View attachment 503052
View attachment 503053
View attachment 503054

I don't recall ever seeing a dug Script R. Lots of Block R's but never a script.

 

[Tolzer]

Hello from Kentucky! New member here. A friend suggested this Civil War site. Very nice indeed!

I was researching a couple of buttons and need some assistance.

I was able to identify the gilt button as: Alberts CS 222 Rifleman, page 378. It states that Pitt & Co. were not known to make buttons for the Confederacy. If this is the case, who did they make this button for?

I am unable to identify the silver toned button. Appears to be a Rifleman, two piece, made by Scovill, Waterbury?

 

[captaindrew]

Hello from Kentucky! New member here. A friend suggested this Civil War site. Very nice indeed!

I was researching a couple of buttons and need some assistance.

I was able to identify the gilt button as: Alberts CS 222 Rifleman, page 378. It states that Pitt & Co. were not known to make buttons for the Confederacy. If this is the case, who did they make this button for?

I am unable to identify the silver toned button. Appears to be a Rifleman, two piece, made by Scovill, Waterbury?

View attachment 527718

View attachment 527719

Welcome to the forum, paging @UCVRelics he's the one I'd ask with a button question

 

[UCVRelics]

Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. Scovill never made buttons the CS Army. The Scovill R button can be several different things but not a CS Riflemans button. The Pitt button is a post war repop

 

[Tolzer]

Thanks much for the info!

I do have Alberts "Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons, Bicentennial Edition. By the way, this is a great reference book!

So, I cannot find anything on these buttons?

 

[Tolzer]

Solved: The buttons with the horn and number are 1870s-80s French Infantry Regiments.