These military buttons were recovered by Kansas Historical Society archeologists during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County. The smaller button is a General Service button manufactured of brass with a line shield on the front, indicating it was in use from 1855 to 1884. The larger button depicts a left facing eagle with a recessed plain shield that has an "I" for Infantry in the center and a faint back mark partially readable of "BUTTON CO." Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.