American Militia Belt Rig With Cartridge Box and Bayonet Circa 1790-1815

Dating roughly 1790-1815, this belt rig has both its cartridge box and originalbayonet and scabbard. The waist belt is 1 7/8 inches wide and measures about 41inches long. It is set up to fasten on the inside with two small straps sewn about 15inches from one end of the belt that would buckle into two small buckles on theother end to secure it, the belt itself passing over the buckled straps and beingsecured on the other side by two floating loops. One of these loops is positionedbetween the arms of the bayonet frog, which are sewn in place near the end of thebelt. This would indicate the belt either used no belt plate or one that was merelyornamental and slid over the end of the belt. The waist belt also has two smallvertical chapes holding buckles on the top, indicating the belt used a shoulder strapof some sort.The bayonet is a short, large bore carbine bayonet measuring a full inch in diameterat the muzzle with a socket 2 7/8 inches long and 13 ¼ blade. The mortise is cut foruse on a bottom or a top stud, only the section cut for the bottom stud having thelast forward leg of the slot. The bayonet has many spots of standing rust but goodedge and point and would clean well. The scabbard is full length and pretty solid,though a bit soft.The cartridge box flap measures about 8 ½ inches across and extends down about 7inches from the line of the rounded top to the bottom of the scalloped edge. Theexterior is decorated with four brass tacks at center. It uses flat metal hook and haspto close. Two belt loops mount it on the waist belt. The twenty-four hole block is setup 7-8-9 and the slides are angled. The holes are bored for a very small caliber,measuring only about .54 inch in diameter. Thus, despite the bayonet, it wasprobably carried in a rifle company.One of the inner fastening straps is missing. The other has a mouse chew near itsbase and is tentatively hanging on. One of the small buckles on the other end ismissing. This is a rare militia rig.