Waco Belt Buckle
By John Sexton · Originally published February 2018 · p. 25
Dear Chris, It was a pleasure talking to you on the phone and I will not mention the digging site you just found in Texas. The plethora of objects you sent photos of, span a large range of time from the Civil War era coin to the early 20th century. I would be most interested in seeing what else comes from site, once you have a better metal detector. The only item of real value is the odd belt buckle with the star. What an interesting find! It may solve an old mystery of whether “Waco Guard” attribution to this particular belt buckle is indeed truly Civil War era. These buckles are occasionally seen in collections and are pictured in several references as “Waco Guards” based on 1963 text by William Gavin, Accoutrement Plates North and South, 1861– 1865, plate 143, page 176, attributing an identical buckle to a Waco, Tex., soldier, although not footnoted as who the soldier was. The construction of this buckle is different from any other Confederate manufactured accoutrement plate with such an unusual riveted belt hook. The late Confederate buckle authority, Steve Mullinax in his 1991 text Confederate Plates and Buckles, states on page 162, plate 295: These plates have been attributed to the Waco Guards of Texas, but this connection has not been proven. Some authorities believe this is a post-war plate because of the rivets used to attach the tongue. Others simply omit this buckle from their texts. Your recently excavated example found less than 30 miles from Waco adds emphasis that these buckles are indeed wartime and associated at least in proximity to Waco as Gavin sates in his early text. The “Waco Guards” were an elite Texas unit, Company A, 7th Texas Infantry. They had distinct buttons of which one example sold at Baldini Auctions, Nashville, Tenn., lot 257, Oct. 16, 2016, for $5,535.00 including commission. When General Hiram Granbury who originally commanded the 7th Texas was killed at Franklin, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864, his coat still retained a “Waco Guards” button. The last example of your buckle sold in auction was at James Julia Auctions, Fairfield, Maine, March 2011, lot 2392, from the well-known Fred MacDonald estate of Houston, Texas. MacDonald amassed many Texas items. The buckle sold for $1,150.00 including commission. This buckle, like all others known previously, was non-dug. I know this first ever excavated example, if it can be proved to be from a military site, will increase the acceptance and value of subsequent buckles sold in the future. John is an certified appraiser with International Society of Appraisers specializing in Civil War memorabilia. He authenticates and evaluates other rare and valuable historic items as well. His website is www.civilwardealer.com. He is coauthor of the book Confederate Bowie Knives (2012) by Jack Melton, Josh Phillips and John Sexton, that was published by Mowbray Publishing Inc. Send “Ask The Appraiser” questions and photographs to [email protected].
Distinctive Waco Guard button sold at Baldini Auctions (https://www.liveauctioneers. com/item/48058624_nonexcvtd-texas-waco-guard23mm-coat-size-button)
