6th Infantry North Carolina State Troops belt buckle. Sand-cast brass. Soldered narrow brass belt hooks, one detached, one missing. 3 x 2 1/8 in. 

Gavin 123; Kerksis 382; Mullinax 307-311; Pritchard, p. 49.

A rare example of the only Confederate regimental belt buckle. When organized in May 1861, the entire regiment was outfitted with these buckles before they marched to Virginia. The unit was the beneficiary of private funds, possibly from their commander, Colonel Charles Fisher. Kerkis relates that "legend has it that these plates were manufactured in the railway shops in Greensboro, North Carolina." (p. 388) 

Mullinax notes: "Most had black enamel painted on the face behind the letters." (Confederate Belt Buckles & Plates, pl. 307). This example shows some remnants of black enamel, particularly visible at the edges of the letters.

This example has one hook intact, with its partner missing. The opposite hook is present but detached. Gavin details: "the hooks were not strongly attached, which frequently resulted in breakage and caused the plates to be discarded. A number of these plates have been found in the Confederate winter camps near Fredericksburg which were occupied in 1862 and 1863...finding these plates has proved a very accurate source of information on tracing the specific locations of this regiment during the war." (Gavin, pp. 162-163)

A hard-fought regiment of the Army of Northern Virginia, the 6th North Carolina fought in all the major engagements of the Eastern Theater. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate]  [Relics, Militaria, Accouterment, Equipment, Uniforms]