This is a CS two piece Leech & Rigdon buckle on a Union officers sword belt. This mating of a Confederate buckle and a Union belt was performed at the Leech & Rigdon facility in Columbus, Mississippi. Brigadier General Josiah Gorgas, commanding officer of the Confederate Ordnance Department, issued Circular N0. 7 from his office in Richmond, Virginia on 18 January, 1863. It directed that all battlefields under Confederate control were to be scavenged to reclaim all usable material. This belt is a perfect example of that circular in operation. A Union officers belt, along with tons of other material, were shipped to the Briarfield Arsenal in Columbus, Mississippi, where the current Leech & Rigdon buckle was applied. This particular belt has been examined by J.R. "Butch" Myers of Richmond, Virginia. In a hand written letter he states that this is a Union officer's sword belt was made prior to 1862, as there is no rivet to reinforce the suspension mount. It is his opinion, after examining the belt, that the thread used to sewn the buckle on is Civil War period. Mr. Myers signed and dated the letter in May, 2009. A small booklet that contains photographs of the belt, a photocopy of Confederate Ordnance Circular No. 7 and the letter of examination written by Mr. Myers will come with the belt rig. The belt itself is made of high quality black bridle leather. The belt has an overall length of 38", with a width of 1 3/4". The leather is still very supple and pliable, showing just a little crazing where it has been displayed around a wooden form. All stitching on the belt is as tight and unbroken as the day it was sewn on at the Briarfield Arsenal. The brass adjustment hook and saber hanger both have a beautiful light chocolate patina. The CS two piece buckle has just a slightly darker chocolate patina. The buckle measures 48mm x 79mm, with a wreath height of 43mm. This belt rig is strong enough to be displayed on a mannequin. If you are a Confederate buckle collector, this one will really stand out in your collection.

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