QUARTERMASTER GENERALS FINEST

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Yeeeeehaaaaawww!!! I've waited a LONG TIME for this button to come my way...… and as of yesterday this ultra rare button has a new caretaker!!!  Tice's LA 270 Albert's LA17...... Voltiguers D' Orleans (Voltigeurs of New Orleans); convex, two - piece.  Scovill made these silver plated buttons during the 1840's.  In 1861, the Voltigeurs were incorporated into Stonewall Jackson's Regiment of Louisiana Militia Infantry Battalion as the 1st Company, under Colonel J. B. G. Kennedy's 5th Battalion home guard command.  The group took part in the Battle of Belmont.  On Febuary 9, 1862 four new companies were added to create the 21st Louisiana Regiment.  The Voltigeurs were probably present on Island Number 10 where they built batteries, and then went to Fort Pillow.  Later, the army sent the men to Florence Mississippi, where they fought a skirmish.  After marching to Tupelo, General Bragg ordered the regiment disbanded in July, 1862.  Two of these rare buttons have been found at Virginia campsites.....this being one of them.  The device is a flaming bomb and hunting horn at the center of a plain field, with the inscription "VOLTIGEURS D' ORLEANS" in an arc along the edge.  The copper face is silver plated,  25mm.  Backmark reads " *SCOVILLS * / EXTRA SUPERFINE" rmdc.  I have been waiting a long time for this button to find it's way into my collection!  This button has ties to VMI being that Stonewall Jackson was an instructor there.  In fact, at one point, this button was almost purchased by VMI to be placed in their honorary museum.  This button was found in the mid 90's in Varina Virginia and was published in North South Trader at that time.  It is just as it was dug..... never having been cleaned.  It retains over 90 percent of it's thick silver gilt and has a stand out shank!  Perfect in every way!!! This button has always captivated me and I don't know how many times I have looked at that magnificent picture over the last 25 + years!  It is an honor to own such a rarity amongst Confederate Civil War State Regimental buttons!!!