Home >> Collecting >> Antiques

How to Identify Kentucky Cavalry Buttons

Kentucky had units of artillery, cavalry and infantry that fought on both sides of the Civil War. They fought in the uniforms of their country and their state or served in irregular units such as the Home Guards and Independent Scouts. Soldiers in the Civil War sought uniform buttons of soldiers from different states and units as souvenirs. Among the buttons collected were Kentucky cavalry buttons, which are still collector's items today.

Things You'll Need

Civil War buttons
Magnifying glass

Instructions

- 1
  Look for two men shaking hands on the front of the button. This image, the state seal of Kentucky, appeared on its soldiers' uniform buttons. If the button has "United We Stand" around the edge of the front, it indicated the button was an officer's. You can verify the design of your button at Relicman.com.
- 2
  Identify any other letters on the front, such as an "I," "A," or "C." A "C" on the button will indicate that is a cavalryman's button. "I" and "A" stand for infantry and artillery, respectively.
- 3
  Look at the back of the button for markings that show the manufacturers. Manufacturers of Kentucky buttons were Extra Quality by Scovill, Horstmann New York, Scovill Manufacturing Company Waterbury, Steele and Johnson, Superfin Paris, Waterbury Button Company and Superior Quality.
- 4
  Check for "KMI" or "WMI" on the front of the button. These stand for Kentucky Military Institute and Western Military Institute and indicate the buttons are from cadets. These buttons may or may not use the state seal on the front of the button. Some cadet buttons show an eagle or a state flag.

Antiques