Ridgeway Civil War Research Center
A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
Civil War Buttons

by Harry Ridgeway

Button2000-Federal-Engineer-000
 Federal engineer button.
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun.
Research Center: Button2000-Federal-Engineer-000 . Reference: Albert EG...., Tice EG...

Details click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Button2000-Federal-Engineer-000.html

Button2021-Federal-Engineer-000
 Federal engineer, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun, one part button.
Federal engineer, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun, one part button. One part button.
Research Center: Button2021-Federal-Engineer-000 . Reference: Albert EG4. Reference: Tice EG203.

Details click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Button2021-Federal-Engineer-000.html

Button2021-Federal-Engineer-Scovill227
 Federal engineer, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun, one part button. Backmark-Scovill227
Federal engineer, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun, one part button. Backmark: "SCOVILLS / (dot) WATERBURY (dot)" rm between solid rings, ca 1830s. One part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm.
Research Center: Button2021-Federal-Engineer-Scovill227 . Reference: Albert EG4. Reference: Tice EG203. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 65.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-000
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun.
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Two part button.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-000 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215.

Details click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Button2031-Federal-Engineer-000.html

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD145
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-EvansD145
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "D. EVANS & CO. / ATTLEBORO MASS" dm inner ring of dots, depressed shank well can give the impression of an inner ring, ca 1860's, transitional backmark, manufacture continued after the Civil War. Two part convex button, coat size, 20mm to 21mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD145 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 56, item 02. Plate B-2, 13.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD210
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-EvansD210
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "D. EVANS & CO. ATTLEBORO (dot) MASS" dm on a ribbon reading clockwise, flower at bottom, ca 1850's to 1860's. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD210 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 56, item 07. Plate B-2, 18.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD230
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-EvansD230
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "D. EVANS & CO. / (star) EXTRA (star)" dm inner solid ring, ca 1860's, transitional backmark, manufacture continued after the Civil War. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD230 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 56, item 20. Plate B-3, 04.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD250
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-EvansD250
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "D. E. & CO / (star) EXTRA (star)" dm inner ring of dots, ca 1860's, transitional backmark, manufacture continued after the Civil War. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-EvansD250 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 56, item 24. Plate B-3, 05.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Fraser110
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Fraser110
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "J.W. FRASER / (dot) NEW YORK(dot)" dm two inner solid rings, probably manufactured ca 1840's. Two part button, large coat size, 22mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Fraser110 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 122, item 03. Plate B-14, 2.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Horstmann300
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Horstmann300
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "HORSTMANN & ALLIEN / (dot) NY (dot)" rmdc, ca. 1860. Two part convex button, coat size, 19mm to 21mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Horstmann300 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 131, item 11. Plate B-17, 02.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Horstmann330
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Horstmann330
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "HORSTMANN & ALLIEN / (dot) NY (dot)" dm between two solid rings, inner ring of rays, ca. 1860. Note that the length of the inner rays may appear to vary, this may be a variation of the shank well and not die design. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Horstmann330 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 131, item 10. Plate B-17, 07.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Horstmann530
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Horstmann530
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "HORSTMANN BROS & CO / (star) PHIL (star)" dm between two rings of dots. ca. 1860. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Horstmann530 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 131, item 04. Plate B-18, 04.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Robinson630
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Robinson630
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "R & W. ROBINSON / (star) EXTRA RICH (star)" dm between one outer solid ring, and two inner solid rings, ca 1840s. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Robinson630 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 53, item 05. Plate B-1, 16.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Robinson650
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Robinson650
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "ROBINSONS / (dot) EXTRA (dot)" dm between rings, ca 1840's or 1850's.. Note inner ring is sometimes obscured by brazing debris around the shank. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Robinson650 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 53.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Schuyler250
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Schuyler250
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "SCHUYLER HARTLEY & GRAHAM / (star) N -Y (star)" dm inner ring of short hyphens, probably D Evans manufacture ca 1860's, transitional backmark, manufacture continued after the Civil War. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Schuyler250 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 139, item 08. Plate B-15, 9.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill315
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Scovill315
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "SCOVILLS / (dot) EXTRA SUPERFINE (dot)" rmdc, depressed ring around the channel gives the impression of additional rings, manufacture 1840's. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill315 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 65, item 31.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill390
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Scovill390
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "SCOVILLS & CO. / (graphic) SUPERFINE (graphic)" dm, solid outer ring, two solid inner rings, ca 1840s to 1850s. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill390 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 69, item 20. Plate B-5, 11.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill710
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Scovill710
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "SCOVILLS & Co (dot under the o). / (dot) EXTRA (dot)" dm, between two solid rings, (outer ring may be obscured in the crimping. Backmark apparently was designed during the 1840's, however most use seems to have occurred during the 1850s and 1860s during the era of Scovill Manufacturing, the Scovills & Co name from an earlier period was used as a way to abbreviate the name to fit the space on a small button. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill710 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 69, item 15.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill830
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-Scovill830
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G CO. / (dot) WATERBURY. (dot)" dm, between rings of dots ca 1860s. The primary difference between the overcoat and coat version of this backmark seems to be spacing, both otherwise employ the same punctuation. This is a backmark commonly used by Scovill, no doubt they cut more than one die of this pattern. In addition, some buttons will appear to have a well or slight depression around the shank, others are flat. When the well is present, it can give the impression of a second inside ring. This is likely a variation caused during assembly. The depth and width of the dividing dots also seems to vary, the punctuation dots can seem to be commas or vice versa, this likely was caused by variations of the amount of wear on the die when it was used, debris, and pressure differences, but is not believed to be a difference in design. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-Scovill830 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 71, item 26. Plate B-6, 18.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-WaterburyButtonCo210
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-WaterburyButtonCo210
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "WATERBURY BUTTON CO. / (star) EXTRA (star)" dm between two rings of dots, backmark is transitional, manufacture 1860's and continued after the Civil War. Three part officer button, coat size, 22mm to 23mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-WaterburyButtonCo210 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 82, item 17. Plate B-9, 04.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-WaterburyButtonCo230
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-WaterburyButtonCo230
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "WATERBURY BUTTON CO. / (star)" dm, only made in small size, ca.1860. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-WaterburyButtonCo230 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 82.

Button2031-Federal-Engineer-WaterburyButtonCo314
 Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Backmark-WaterburyButtonCo314
Federal engineer button, eagle with Essayons, fort and rising sun. Button was issued to Engineer officers. Backmark: "WATERBURY BUTTON CO. / (dot)" dm, letters without serifs, no rings, manufacture after the Civil War. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm.
Research Center: Button2031-Federal-Engineer-WaterburyButtonCo314 . Reference: Albert EG6. Reference: Tice EG215. Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 82.


This is the "Ridgeway Civil War Research Center", a research tool for educational purposes only, and is provided at no cost to the reader. Some of the relics listed are retained in the author's collection, most reside in other collections and are not owned by the author. None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to relicman.com sales listings for items offered for sale. This is a work in progress, I list items as I get to them, there are many patterns that are not listed yet, this list will be regularly updated as I get pictures and descriptions for more items. I will also correct mistakes, so if you see any please tell me. All items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described. Any excavated relics have been recovered from private property with owners permission.This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.

Most information on this page is from:
Uniform Buttons of the United States 1776 - 1865, by Warren K.Tice.
Dating buttons; A Chronology of Button Types, Makers, Retailers & Their Backmarks, by Warren K. Tice.
Directory of American Military Goods Dealers & Makers, by Bruce S. Bazelon and William F. Guinn.
Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons, Bicentennial Edition, by Alphaeus H. Albert.
Pictures are generally by the author, unless otherwise indicated.


Ridgeway Civil War Research Center,
A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
Buttons
Research center, buttons, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Button0000-Index.html.

Research center, buttons, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Button0000-Index.html.

Ridgeway Civil War Research Center,
A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
Button backmarks.
Research center, button backmarks, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Backmark-000.html.

Research center, button backmarks, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Backmark-000.html.


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Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway,
Civil War buttons, Relicman sales catalog.
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and now a word from our sponsor.....

Civil War buttons, Relicman sales catalog.
Sale listings click: http://relicman.com/buttons/RelicmanSalesButton1.html

Sale listings click: http://relicman.com/buttons/RelicmanSalesButton1.html