McQueen

I have recieved the PDF file of the button in question that you sent to Jim Martin.

To me this Eagle button with the outspread wings and shield on the Breast of the Eagle is what I understand to be a Union Pattern Button. It is hard from the picture to determine the size of the button whether it is a cuff, or vest size button, or if it is a larger coat size button. I would say that from the fact that you had the button made into cufflinks that it is the smaller of the two sizes, a cuff, or vest button. It is my understanding that the smaller cuff/vest size buttons are the more rare example.

This being a Union style button would also fit with it being from a Philadelphia manufacturer.

Now then as for these buttons being from a Confederate Uniform there may be any number of possible explainations for that.

First of all before trade became restricted between northern and southern state, it is possible that a quanity of these had been purchased from the Philadelphia manufacture for the states use.

Second they may be a battlefield pickups, most likely to replace lost buttons on his own uniform.

Third any number of these may have been captured from the various arsenal occupied by the Confederates at the beginning of, or during the War, and shipped to the various Confederate depots for remanufacture.

Fourth, and to my thinking the most logical is, it was not uncommon for Confederate Soldiers to pickup various pieces of Union Uniforms from battlefields for their own use such as a nice vest, coat, or pair of pants.

In this case maybe a nice union officers vest to help him stay warm during the winter, by looking at the quality of the button in the picture. Civil War soldiers on both sides didn't usually carry around a lot of unnecessary trinkets. What they carried usually had a purpose, or a use.

PS Thanks Jim for sending the picture.

Just my opinion, I am no expert. I would suggest having a qualified appraiser having a look at it.