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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BRandM, post: 2192374, member: 22729&quot;]I took a quick picture of&nbsp; the coin that I believe was used for a dog tag.</p><p><br /></p><p>Charles Buxton enlisted in Co G of the 1st Heavy Artillery, 11th Vermont Infantry when it was organized on August 11, 1862 in Bellows Falls, VT. He entered as a Captain and was promoted to Major just days before he was killed at Winchester, VA. on September 18, 1864. Military records indicate that he was &quot;shot through the head&quot; and died instantly. He was 30 years old and left a young wife at home.</p><p><br /></p><p>Interestingly, Buxton kept a diary from May 12, 1864 until his death four months later (diaries were another form of body identification carried by soldiers). The diary was found in his uniform pocket on the battlefield and returned to his widow, Sophia. When she died the diary disappeared but resurfaced in about 1920 found in the drawer of a desk sold at auction. Eventually, it made it&#039;s way back to a relative of Buxton&#039;s who donated it to the Vermont Historical Society, where it resides today. </p><p><br /></p><p>Buxton was a harness maker before the war, and in addition to my counterstamp, a second, unholed example is documented. This one was apparently meant to advertise his business, but I believe mine was suspended on a chain or something else and carried as military identification in the event of his death. The hole is heavily worn, suggesting that it saw rough use.</p><p><br /></p><p>I researched Charles Buxton for nearly a year, and solicited the opinions of a number of researchers and historians as to the authenticity of the piece. Some felt that it was a legitimate military dog tag, while others didn&#039;t. I&#039;ll probably never be absolutely certain it was used as one, but my detailed investigation has pretty much convinced me that it was.</p><p><br /></p><p>Bruce[ATTACH=full]426103[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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