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  #1  
Old 28-11-17, 06:08 PM
garry thomson garry thomson is offline
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Default Cape of Good Hope I.D

Hello chaps, can you help with Identifying the following buttons. They were found at the site of the battle of Blueberg, in the Cape of Good Hope in 1806.
Thanks Garry.
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  #2  
Old 28-11-17, 09:18 PM
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Arthur R Arthur R is offline
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That's an interesting assortment, Garry.

If they are relics of the battle, then the two with the word 'Francais' may be connected with the 'French marines' who formed part of the Cape forces. They were the officers and men of two French ships which had been wrecked at the Cape.

The button with the monogram VOC and the anchor would have come from the Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie ('Dutch East Indis Company') which governed the Cape from 1652 to 1795.

The buttons with the shield showing the three cannon would be from the British Board of Ordnance, so perhaps one of Gen Baird's staff officers. The button with the star of the Thistle might relate to one of the Highland regiments (71st, 72nd or 93rd) in the battle.

For the record, the units in the battle were :

Cape
22nd Batavian Republic Infantry
Hottentot Ligte Infanterie (sic)
Waldeck Regiment (German mercenaries)
9th Batavian Republic Jägers
Light Dragoons
5th Artillery
Javanese Artillery (Cape Muslim men)
Horse Artillery
French 'marines'
Burgher cavalry
Train (supply and transport etc)

British
Royal Navy seamen
Staff
Royal Artillery
24th Foot
59th Foot
71st Foot
72nd Foot
83rd Foot
93rd Foot
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  #3  
Old 29-11-17, 07:02 AM
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Please add pictures of the reverses of these buttons (in the same order).
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  #4  
Old 29-11-17, 01:55 PM
garry thomson garry thomson is offline
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Thanks for the interest chaps.I am part of a team doing a dig headed up by the Archeology department University of Cape Town and Western Cape local Government of the battle site. Items found so far, include Buttons,coins, musket balls, cannon balls, grape canister shot, parts of muskets ext. Fortunately it falls within the Blouberg nature reserve 18 kilometers north of Cape town and has been declared a National heritage site.The small button Has S d F on the front, our thinking is could it be the Sutherland Fencibles, who were incorporated into the Sutherland highlanders around that time. Also the Highland regiments left from Cork which could explain the Donogol button. Interestingly ti was the first time the the Highland regiments came together as a Brigade (Highland Brigade). Unfortunately the buttons are back in the collection I will try and get pics of the back.
Garry.
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  #5  
Old 30-11-17, 04:45 AM
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Hi Gary,
Nice to hear that the archaeologists finally got to dig this site. I spoke many years ago with the chief archaeologist at National Heritage and they were planning on doing a dig but main concern been the layers of cape sands covering the original site. I have also identified similar buttons dug up by Heritage at other sites in the cape (mainly old homesteads).

The VOC button (top row button 5) has a small anchor above and roped border. I believe this related to the naval forces of the VOC.

Buttons (1, 3, 4 top row) and (5 bottom row) are all French I believe and are probably quite easily re-searchable.

Buttons (1 middle row and 2 bottom row) are Royal Artillery (ordnance arms)

Buttons (4, 5 middle row and 1 bottom row) are English and again probably easily identified.

Buttons (2 top row and 2, 3 middle row) I believe are high end clothing buttons worn by Dutch officials. These may or may not be military related.

Button (4 bottom row) I believe is also Dutch or Batavian forces. The coat of arms should be re-searchable for a clearer ID.

Regards
Steven
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  #6  
Old 30-11-17, 09:59 AM
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Hi Garry
Just to add a "postscript" to what has already been said. Button 4,(second row) viz, 8th Kings Royal Irish Light Dragoons ; The 8th LD arrived at the Cape on 19th Novr 1796 and departed 4th June 1802, therefore took no part in the first invasion (or indeed the second).
I am a bit puzzled by button 5 (second row) ... does it say "Dominica" above the crown or is it "Donegal" ?

PS: Just to add to Arthur's list re British Regiments involved in the second invasion; 20th Lt.D, 38th Foot, & a detachment of HEIC Recruits, although admittedly the first two ( viz 20th Lt.D & 38F) were landed at Saldanha Bay (4th Jan 1806) and so did not take part in the subsequent fighting.

Last edited by Jeff Mc William; 30-11-17 at 04:59 PM.
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  #7  
Old 01-12-17, 10:09 AM
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Maybe a little bit off topic:

Quote:
9th Batavian Republic Jägers
I know it is very common to use this monster of a construction in English literature: Jägers.

But please be aware of the fact that the German word Jäger has the plural Jäger (no change!).

Also, why use a German word in an English text on a Dutch subject?

In Dutch the word is jager and the plural is jagers.

BTW, IMHO the highest number in use by a Jager unit in the Dutch forces around this time is 4e Bataljon Jagers. Thus I am not sure what unit this is.
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  #8  
Old 01-12-17, 05:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wmr-RHB View Post
In Dutch the word is jager and the plural is jagers.
The umlaut was courtesy of the forum software's autocorrect function.

Quote:
BTW, IMHO the highest number in use by a Jager unit in the Dutch forces around this time is 4e Bataljon Jagers. Thus I am not sure what unit this is.
The unit number was definitely 9. Here's the first page of the list of officers, as published in the official almanac in 1805 :



It may have been a unit raised for colonial service.
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  #9  
Old 01-12-17, 06:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arthur R View Post
The umlaut was courtesy of the forum software's autocorrect function.
It shows how this wrong way of using it has found it's way in the spelling correction software.

BTW, I doubt it is the forums software (I have no problem whatsoever to type jager and jagers), but the software of your operating system/desktop environment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arthur R View Post
The unit number was definitely 9. Here's the first page of the list of officers, as published in the official almanac in 1805 :



It may have been a unit raised for colonial service.
Thanks a lot for that list. Some homework for me to find out where that 9th fits
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  #10  
Old 01-12-17, 06:40 PM
garry thomson garry thomson is offline
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Thanks for the excellent input and advice chaps. The small button has Donagol Volunteers on the front.The 8th Kings Royal Irish button was found at what we now believe was the field hospital. Bearing in mind that they are both Irish and that the Scottish regiments were based in Cork in 1805. It could be possible that they rejoined and kept part of their old uniform or even went as auxiliary personal. Can anyone confirm the 104 button? We think it could be the Argyle Militia, who were disbanded round about 1800. We have a print of The HET GEZIGT VAN DE CAMP OF DE KAAPSHE VLANTE AAN LIESBEEKS RIVIER AAN DE KAAP DE GOEDE HOOP 1804. which shows the 9th Jagers encamped 3rd on the left.According to our information, which was taken from dispatches and the Cape Archives 202 Jagers took part. Thank you for the spelling information we also have spelt it wrong on a few occasions.
Garry.
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  #11  
Old 02-12-17, 08:13 AM
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Still hoping you can show us the backs of these buttons.
I'll give you a clue on row 3 item 4:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utrecht

It was common at the time to recruit experienced men for military services overseas. A 1799 law allowed Militia soldiers to transfer to the regular forces and serve abroad. Many did not get new uniforms issued and went in their original uniforms.
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Old 08-12-17, 10:18 AM
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This may help too. A silver Duit 1755 Utrecht (VOC) Dutch East India Coy

Utrechh silver Duit 1755 VOC Rev.jpg

Last edited by Jeff Mc William; 08-12-17 at 05:03 PM.
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  #13  
Old 09-01-18, 04:34 PM
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I stumbled into some information about the 9e Bataljon Jagers.

Apart from the four battalions I knew, there where five more.
After the Peace of Amiens these were raised.
The 5th - 8th were for the West Indies and the 9th for Kaap de Goede Hoop.
The 9th was created from light companies of several Marine regiments raised about the same tine.
After the renewal of the war and the actions painted above they were repatriated during 1805 and disbanded (dispersed throughout the infantry).
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