Revolutionary War shoe buckle, c. 1775, dug Wilmington, NC

This is another nice piece being offered, it is a Revolutionary War shoe buckle. It is made of brass and measures approximately 3” x 2 1/4”. There are some floral designs which would be typical of what an officer might wear – both American and British (see pictures). This buckle was dug near a plantation site next to the Cape Fear River, Wilmington, NC.

The Wilmington Campaign of 1781, the last important Revolutionary War campaign in North Carolina, was directed toward removing the British enclave in Wilmington that had supported Loyalist depredations throughout the Cape Fear Valley and jeopardized the state government.

In January 1781, a small British force commanded by Major James H. Craig occupied Wilmington, primarily to establish a supply base for the invasion of North Carolina by Lord Charles Cornwallis. The port became a haven for Cornwallis's battered army after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. In August 1781, General Griffith Rutherford, who had been exchanged after nearly a year as a British prisoner, gave the state a commander who could mount a campaign against Wilmington (see map).

As the force moved toward Wilmington, the Loyalists were dispersed. Two days later Rutherford sent his entire force into Raft Swamp to flush out Loyalists and deny them a refuge. Overall, this is a very nice piece, with great detail. It comes in the glass top display case pictured.