c. 1779 Revolutionary War Period, Massachusetts 7th Regt. French-Made Imported Ordinance Cast Pewter Button with shank, supplied by official alliance and government contracts (1778-1783), Used Fine.
France secretly funneled muskets, uniforms, tents, and gunpowder to the Americans through a fictitious company, Roderigue Hortalez et Cie, organized by Pierre de Beaumarchais, together with Spanish support, critical supplies kept Washington's army in the field through 1777. After the Franco-American alliance, France began fulfilling formal Congressional clothing requisitions. The most historically important of these was a Congressional order dated April 30, 1778, for 100,000 suits of clothes, including buttons "cast solid, with a strong eye or shank". A later, successful delivery arranged by Colonel John Laurens in 1781 brought substantial quantities of French-made buttons. This Ordinance example being a Massachusetts state Regimental button with French die-cutting characteristics distinguishable from later American manufacture. A rare button with clear details with obvious wear from use as shown.

[American Revolution, Revolutionary War, Franco-American Alliance] [Continental Army, French Military Aid, Massachusetts] [Uniforms and Equipage, Buttons, Militaria]