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Originally Posted by Gustav
Looks like a monogram of the four kings (Rex) of Prussia with the name Friedrich Wilhelm.
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Wow. Thanks Gustav!
The escutcheon was excavated near Maryland along with parts from what would seem to be a Brown Bess Musket (see attached photos). This leads to all kinds of interesting speculation. And it is a perfect post for July 4th.
Frederick William I (Friedrich Wilhelm I, 1688 – 1740) was the father of Frederick the Great (1712 - 1786). Great Britain formed a strong alliance with Frederick the Great, and a coalition with combined forces during the Seven Years' War (1756–1763).
Several German states contracted to provide soldiers to the British Army. Almost 30,000 fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War. It is estimated that half of these came from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, hence the name these soldiers became known by, “Hessians”.
Frederick William I is also credited with codifying the Prussian military traditions that when merged with the traditions of British by Baron Von Steuben, "help build the foundation of what was to become the United States Army". see:
Guardians of the Republic: History of the Non-Commissioned Officer Corps of the Us Army By Ernest F. Fisher, page 31, and 32