Secession Badges

[rebelfirefighter07]

Looking through the book Georgia's Confederate Sons Volume 1 I saw a couple examples of soldiers wearing Secession Badges. How common would this have been among soldiers and the general population early war? I've never seen or heard of anyone wearing one as part of their impression but thought that I might try and add one to my early early war impression if it was appropriate.

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: Secession Badges

Here is the link to a short article I wrote several years ago concerning southern secession badges: http://www.cjdaley.com/newsletter/Mar06.htm

[yeoman]

Re: Secession Badges

I'm deleteing my post as it walked over Mr. Koenigs post, my apology.

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Badges

During the winter of 1860 thru the Spring of 1861, there was a Secession Badge craze all over the South and North! The, "Cockade of Disunion" was said to have been worn by every, "man, woman, and child," in South Carolina for sure, and the same statement exists for Mississippi and Louisiana. The Cockade was adopted by the pro-secession, "Minute Men". These were the units raised in response to the para-military "Wide-Awakes" of the Republicans. Several Military Companies wore the Cockade into service in 61'.

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[BuglerJay]

Re: Secession Badges

Re: reenactment use - there were Secession badges made up for a lot of NC troops for the 125th of 1st Mannassas. Several units got together and made up havelocks and other stuff that was known to have been worn only in the early phases of the war. Frankly, I thought the Secession badges were kind of hokey - looked more like the blue ribbon cockade for a prize-winning watermelon at the state fair than anything 1860-ish, but it was kind of neat that some took the trouble to do it.

Cheers!

Jay Callaham (centennial veteran!)
aka "BuglerJay" - currently unattached.

[col90]

Re: Secession Badges

I thought the Secession badges were kind of hokey - looked more like the blue ribbon cockade for a prize-winning watermelon at the state fair than anything 1860-ish, but it was kind of neat that some took the trouble to do it.

.

I spent a research day at the MOC a couple of weeks ago, and one thing I asked to be pulled out were all their secession badges. I photographed over 20 secession badges, many from South Carolina, most of which were made from palmetto. There were several that were from ribbon, and only one was blue ribbon...so they really did vary. There were no two exactly alike, although many of the SC palmettos ones were done in varying shapes of the palmetto tree. I'd love to try my hand at making one of those, since they really were lovely.....

Colleen Formby

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Secession Badges

Is any approved vendor currently making these? I know Chris Daley did but I doubt he still is.

[yeoman]

Re: Secession Badges

Sir and Ma'am, with reading Mr Koenigs article and looking around this popped up so I'll bring it here. It is listed as a "Confederate Secession Badge" worn by Southern sympathizers to demonstrate their patriotism and support for their new nation. This badge is in the form of a hand-stitched silk First National Confererate flag, measuring about 4" long, 1 3/4wide, with elevin stitched crosses representing stars and gold braided cord at top ending in two gold tassels. This flag was meant to hang on the wearer's chest, secured from the white bone or qwill attached at top.
This found at http://www.railsplitter.com/sale10/political.html (#534) and the image is http:www.railsplitter.com/sale10/images/749.jpg
I found this interesting, here it is.

[BuglerJay]

Re: Secession Badges

Can you post photos of the more interesting ones, Colleen? It would be interesting to see. What were the approximate dimensions of most of them? Thanks.

Jay Callaham
BuglerJay
Bugler at Large (unattached)

[Mcguire]

Re: Secession Badges

Is any approved vendor currently making these? I know Chris Daley did but I doubt he still is.

There was a gal on Szabo's forum selling these. Try this link.

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12997&highlight=secession+cockades

[rebelfirefighter07]

Re: Secession Badges

I spent a research day at the MOC a couple of weeks ago, and one thing I asked to be pulled out were all their secession badges. I photographed over 20 secession badges, many from South Carolina, most of which were made from palmetto. There were several that were from ribbon, and only one was blue ribbon...so they really did vary. There were no two exactly alike, although many of the SC palmettos ones were done in varying shapes of the palmetto tree. I'd love to try my hand at making one of those, since they really were lovely.....

Colleen Formby

What were the different color varieties?

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Badges

From Our "Women in the War" p.469. Summer of 1861, Charleston, S.C.

"The boys and men all wear cockades of blue ribbon with a brass button in the center, and a rhyme of the period was;

"A BLUECOCKADE AND A RUSTY GUN,
WILL MAKE THE YANKEES RUN LIKE FUN!'

" Whole Companies from our State wore cockades of Palmetto made to imitate the tree or in Stars. Generally these were the work of some young lady."

Seems the ladies made up those Palmetto cockades. The handy work of the fair maidens of South Carolina.

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[col90]

Re: Secession Badges

What were the different color varieties?

Truly, the vast majority of their collection are the ones made from Palmetto, and every one different. Of the ribbon variety, there was dark blue, light blue (not faded..that was the original color); white; red; and red and white. Most had a button in the center, although there were also tiny pine cones; a star with two tassels on it, and what appears to be a tiny buckle.

This is not in the collection of the MOC, but there is a great quote concerning one from Arkansas that describes it as being on a dark blue ribbon background, then light blue, then a "floss of cotton", and a red corn kernel in the center...I'll dig up that citation and post it.

COlleen

[col90]

Re: Secession Badges

I am not at liberty to post any pictures of the collection at the MOC that comes from behind the scenes, but these are on display in the public area, and you are allowed to take pictures in the museum now.

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ockades%20MOC/

Let me know if the link does not work.

Colleen

[col90]

Re: Secession Badges

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, May 9, 1861, p. 2, c. 1
Neat and Appropriate.—We have received, from a young lady in
Burrowsville, Searcy county, a tasteful presentation in the shape of a
rosette. It is so simple and pretty that we will endeavor to describe
it. A grain of corn is fastened, by means of a hole drilled through it,
to a floss of cotton, spread so as to form a circle; this is also
attached to a light blue circle, and the whole to a deep blue, of the
usual size of a rosette. By using a grain of red corn, we have the
colors of the Confederacy flag; red, white and blue, while the corn and
cotton are emblematical of the Confederacy. The design and execution
are both excellent.—The present was sent with a patriotic note from the
true hearted donor. In the revolution of '61 as in '76, the women are
on the side of truth and liberty and, if need be, will show themselves
to be heroines as did their foremothers. God bless them and the
Southern Confederacy.


Colleen