“To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”
The Sons of Cincinnati is a society of Revolutionary War Officers who wanted to preserve their fellowship. The Society is named after Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus who held the highest political office in the Roman Republic. He served as a Magistrate of sorts who was empowered by the state to deal with any military state of emergency for war. Lucius assumed his lawful dictatorial control of Rome to meet an instance of war and then after the battle he immediately returned the control back over to the Roman Senate. The Society of Cincinnati was the brainchild of Major General Henry Knox who served faithfully under George Washington. The first meeting of the Society was held in May of 1783, at the Verplanck House in Fishkill, N.Y.. The meeting was chaired by Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton. The Societies motto reflects a deportment of the time and the ethic of selfless service. Their motto: Omnia reliquit servare rempublicam Meaning, “He relinquished everything to save the Republic.” The Society had three goals: 1) To preserve the rights so dearly won; 2) To promote the continuing union of the states. 3) To assist members in need, their widows, and their orphans. George Washington was elected the first President General of the Society. He served from December 1783 until his death in 1799. The second President General was Alexander Hamilton. Upon Hamilton’s death the third President General of the Society was Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. The society’s constituted 23 proud members who were notable military and political leaders of the era, including 23 signers of the United States Constitution.
General Nathan Green, Sons of Cincinnati Badge, Mt. Vernon, Virginia
The Sons of Cincinnati was known for various Ribbon Medals depicting various eagles. This crude style disc? with a GW Monogram was presented by Mr. Hawley 8 years ago as an “Unknown GWI Button.” His motives are unclear since he owns the only known 3 dug specimens, but there is some very minor circumstantial folklore that a handful of officers may have kept an unidentified disc in their pockets as a keepsake. I give it very little to no weight. When I had confronted Mr. Hawley on SEVERAL occasions, he could not provide any evidence of this. Nor would he divulge where they were dug….. He would flippantly say it was at a General’s home but would not give the location or the name for verification. Why? In the interest of public knowledge and history I would have been happy to promote the find with all relevant information. Plot thickens as time moves forward through other button transactions for historical purposes.
What I do know for a fact, is that the young woman in Florida who was going to sell me one of these changed her mind after Mr. Hawley underhandedly talked to her, and all of a sudden “blindsided me” for an unusual CASH ONLY DEMAND after it was already agreed upon to do by PayPal or check. This unnatural demanded for $2,000.00 in CASH through the mail caused many alarms to go off as to the true nature of Mr. Hawley’s friendship with myself, and providing proper information and education to the public from Isabela’s site platform, and under my name. Mr. Hawley, purposefully kept GWI button collectors for years thinking it was an “Unknown GWI button” on Isabela’s website for GWI buttons. One has to ask why and what are his true motives in the mask of friendship?
Whomever contemplates buying these in the future, they are Stained with everything against the Society, and a blemish on the good hearted charitable membership. I give this NO Value other then a monetary gain by a metal detectorists greed for profit.
“Isabela’s War Eagle”
GWI 25-A ISABELA’S WAR EAGLE WITH GW MONOGRAM: The round disc’s planchet is solid silver. The Size is approximately 28mm. The button’s pattern depicts a Spread Eagle facing Right in the center of the button. Unlike later date George Washington Inaugural Buttons, the Eagle’s head is “Not” turned towards the Olive Branch to symbolize peace. The eagle’s head shows a military orientation over the arrows. Emblazoned across the Eagle’s chest is a crude style lined Federal Shield. In the Eagle’s left talon is a Long Stem Olive Branch with Six Petals. This could be a Scottish Tribute! In the Eagle’s right talon is a Small Bundle of Arrows pointing upward to the right. Slightly above the shield, and flanking each side of the eagle’s neck is a script “GW” Monogram. Circling the edge border is 63 Raised Border Dots. The high relief pattern is set on a plain flat field with a raised dotted edge.
