| The picture shows a view of all (20) United States Army Corps Of Engineers Officer Essayons Uniform Buttons in this lot. There are (8) larger buttons and (12) smaller ones included. The years that these button are from are unknown. They are all made of brass. "All Army personnel, except for officers of the Corps of Engineers, used the General Service Button. Engineers retained a traditional button that was first used prior to 1814 and bears the motto "Essayons." The motto "Essayons" means "Let us try" in French." These buttons are made by different manufacturers and have different markings on the backs. Two larger ones are marked: WATERBURY BUTTON CO. There are two smaller ones that are marked: MADE IN ENGLAND There is one larger one that is marked: HILBORN HAMBURGER INC. N.Y. One larger button is marked: SUPERIOR QUALITY
MADE IN ENGLAND Two larger and five smaller buttons are marked: SUPERIOR QUALITY One larger button is marked: N. S. MEYER INC. N.Y.C.
FIRE GILT One larger button is marked: N. S. MEYER INC. N.Y.C. Five smaller buttons are marked: N. S. MEYER INC.
NEW YORK
ACID TEST To judge the sizes the buttons measure about 7/8'' and 5/8''. These appear to be in near mint and mint condition as pictured. Below here is some additional background information that was found online: ''Corps of Engineers'' ''The Engineer mission is to execute mobility, survivability, sustainment engineering and topographic battlefield functions in support of the combined arms team. On order, fight as infantry.'' ''Continental Congress authority for a "Chief Engineer for the Army" dates from June 16, 1775. A corps of Engineers for the United States was authorized by the Congress on March 11, 1779. The Corps of Engineers as it is known today came into being on March 16, 1802, when the President was authorized to "organize and establish a Corps of Engineers ... that the said Corps ... shall be stationed at West Point in the State of New York and shall constitute a Military Academy." A Corps of Topographical Engineers, authorized on July 4, 1838, was merged with the Corps of Engineers on March 1963.'' ''The Corps of Engineers' oldest and most time honored insignia is the Essayons Button. Designed by Colonel Jonathan Williams, a former Chief of Engineers and the first Superintendent of USMA, the button has not changed in basic design since its first definitely known use during the War of 1812. It is still the required button for the uniform worn by Army Engineers. The button is officially described as: An eagle holding in his beak a scroll with the word, "Essayons," a bastion with embrasures in the distance, surrounded by water, and rising sun; the figures to be of dead gold upon a bright field. In 1902, when the Army adopted "regulation" buttons, the Corps of Engineers retained its own distinctive Essayons Button in recognition of the distinguished traditions which it symbolized.'' ''Many types of organizations have been developed to perform the various engineer missions in a theater of operations. Engineer units range in size from small specialized teams consisting of only two individuals to large commands. Their missions include combat, combat support, combat service support, and support of civil-military operations. The basic philosophy of organization in a theater of operations is to tailor engineer units to the needs of the supported command. The wide variety of engineer organizations provides that flexible capability. The basic TOE unit of the engineer system is the battalion. Although engineer battalions normally have a fixed organization, they may also be tailored for specific requirements. Battalions are employed when it is desirable to assign a unit with the complete control of a task or an area.'' | 
