Corp badges

[SCTiger]

Comrades:

For your excellent consideration, I found this table on Corp badges in a second hand book "The Complete Civil War" by Philip Katcher/Cassell printing /2003.

US Army Corps Badges 1863-65

Corps Badge Adopted I]notes[/I]

I Sphere 21 March 1863

II Trefoil " "
III Lozenge " "
IV Equilateral
triangle 26 March 1864
V Maltese Cross 21 March 1863
VI Greek Cross 21 March 1863 Light Div. Green
VII Crescent/star 6 Jan 1865

VIII Star w /six rays never officially adopted

IX Shield with figure
9 in centre crossed
with a foulded anchor
& cannon 4 October 1864

X 4 bastioned fort 22 May 1864
XI Crescent 21 March 1863
XII Star 21 March 1863
XIII None Adopted
XIV Acorn 26 April 1864

XV Transverse Square
cartridge box with
motto " 40 rounds" 14 Feb 1865

XVI Circle with 4 Minie'
balls, points to center
cut out of it Never officially adopted

XVII Arrow 25 March 1865

XVIII Cross with foliate
Sides June 1864

XIX 4 pointed star 18 Feb 1863 Gulf Divisions

XIX fan-leaved cross
with octagonal
centre 17 November 1864 Middle Military Div.
XX Star 26 April 1864 4th Div. Green
XXI None Adopted
XXII Quinquefoliate shape Not offiicial
XXIII Shield 25 September 1864
XXIV Heart 18 March 1865
XXV Square 20 Feb 1865


Also since these were "adoption" dates, the troops probably weren't supplied that very day with new corps badges, unless they had been wearing them "unofficially.' I have seen quite a number of Corps badges at pre 1863 events.

Also from the same book:

"The Union Army eventually fielded 25 corps, each designated with a roman numeral, i.e., IX Corps. On 21 March 1863 each member of a corps in the Army of the Potomac was assigned a unique insignia to wear on his cap, front or side or left breast so that he could be identified easily on the battlefield. the practice spread until by the end of the war most Union corps had some unique insignia. These cloth or metal badges were generally red for the first division, white for the second division and blue for the third division. Corps with added divisions used green for the fourth and orange for the fifth divisions."

[flattop32355]

Re: Union Corps Badges when to wear them

General Hooker was the one who formalized the use of Corps badges after he took over the AOP from Burnside, to improve identification, but also to up the esprit of the troops. I don't believe it was a common practice until the 11th and/or 12th Corps were transferred to the West that it became usual for those troops to adopt such insignia.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Union Corps Badges when to wear them

General Hooker was the one who formalized the use of Corps badges after he took over the AOP from Burnside, to improve identification, but also to up the esprit of the troops. I don't believe it was a common practice until the 11th and/or 12th Corps were transferred to the West that it became usual for those troops to adopt such insignia.

Dont forget Hooker went with those corps when they went west.

[pvtRB_4thOVI]

Corp Badge question

I am researching corp badges so i can put an authentic one on my forage cap, but have run into a few problems. My unit belonged to the 2nd Corps, 3rd Division .I haven't seen many good examples of 3rd Division (blue) ones. the ones i have seen are sky blue, but i am still unsure of the shade of blue used. The 2nd corps ones i have seen pictures of are all red or white. If anyone has any info about what material, color to use, etc. or anything else I would appreciate it. i have some wool felt that is similar to royal blue, but considerably darker.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Corp Badge question

There was somebody making really good repro 3rd div 2nd Corps badges abóut 6years ago. I will see if I cannot find who it was.

I found referance of the 14th Indiana (Carrolls brigade) being issued corps badges just before Chancellorsville, but have found no referance to them being issued any after that. You can intrepret this one of two ways. They were only issed them once, or they never bothered writting down issueing them again :tounge_sm

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Corp Badge question

There is indeed a man making correct corps badges. Contact me off the forums and I'll give you his e-mail address!

Here is an example of his work; this is a II Corps 1st Div. badge he made using a copy of an original document provided by Don Troiani. The document apparently had various versions of different badges (sketches or actual cloth samples I do not know) but he uses the "final" designs for his badges. The attached photo is an example of the larger March 1863 variety of II Corps badge.

Brian White

[Jimmayo]

Re: Corp Badge question

Here is a little blue for you. Since many corps badges were sutler provided there may have been various shades of blue used. There are some more examples (not blue) on the following page. If memory serves me correct, this one was painted. You could always opt for a brass or silver badge.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/relics.html

[dirtnap]

Re: Corp Badge question

The book "Civil War Battle Flags of the Union Army and Order of Battle " contains the corps badges of the 1st through the 25th corps in color. If you can find a copy at your local library or book store. It is a compilation of two volumes reprinted in 1997 by Knickerbocker press, they were originally printed in 1885 and 1887. The two volumes were essentially companion books to the OR's.

Paul Leonard
1st AL US artillery

[billwatson]

Re: Corp Badge question

Love that compound corp badge, trefoil atop the diamond, on jim Mayo's page. Would that be 70th NY, Excelsior Brigade, originally second division, third corps, then second division, second corps? If so, that is a late-war example of an infantry horn on an extremely veteran regiment.

[pvtRB_4thOVI]

Re: Corp Badge question

Thanks for all the help. I'll definetly have it right now!

[Mutt]

Re: Corp Badge question

Hum, ok, so I know we have examples of originals and tons of original images with fellas with corps badges on their caps, hats, frocks n fatigues. Something that hasn't really been mentioned and that I think should be considered especially in corps badges is the personnal touch and preference of the soldier. Yeah, he may have the exact smae badge as some of his pards or the whole company even. Especially witht he aforementioned sutler sellin em off. But he may also, and orginals prove this (I'll have my bud post bout his metal detector findings if ya want or I'll quote him), make his own out of scrap metal or cloth. It may big big or small or not shaped perfectly. He may even take a sutler bought one and alter it. They're all possibilities in my mind.

It' s great to have an original to model a repro after, ideal even. But I think a little leeway can be given in reproducing corps badges. Just too many soldiers in the war to deem one style of a badge as simply "correct" or "uniform" or anythign like that. Now correct in materials and how you make it, ok that makes sense and is great. Just think bout the discussions on the federal uniform and how it never really stayed uniform due to preference, need, or what have you. Uniformity and the correct army regs of dressing went down as the years dragged on. Dress hats were battered and thing altered like mad.

Anyway, jsut food for thought. I love corps badges :) Great topic all.

Regards,

[DougCooper]

Re: Corp Badge question

Contact BJ Zircle at Giltwire@aol.com. he knows corps badges, and makes super reproductions off of the numerous originals he has owned or examined.

[Robert Braun]

Re: Corp Badge question

An original Third Division III Corps badge worn by a man in the 124th NYSV of Ward's Brigade was nothing more than a square of sky blue kersey cloth.

The square was worn on end, in the form of a lozenge, on the man's cap. Happily, both the original badge and an image of the man wearing it, survived.

Bob.

[Rich Mason]

Re: Corp Badge question

Check out this link to look at a nice original private purchase corps badge.

http://members.tripod.com/~howardlanham/link83.htm

Rich Mason

[markj]

Re: Corp Badge question

Greetings,

Check out this nice, enlarged image. It clearly shows an officer sporting what is probably an enameled 2nd Corps badge:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2225054750&category=125&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:1

Regards,

Mark Jaeger