American Civil War Corps Badges
Corps badges in the American Civil War were originally worn by soldiers of the Union Army on the top of their army forage cap, left side of the hat, or over their left chest pocket. The idea was suggested by Major Geneneral Philip Kearny.[1] During a battle he reprimanded officers that turned out to not be under his command.[1] To prevent that from happening again, he ordered the men in his division to sew a 2 inches (51 mm) square of red cloth on their hats.[1] This idea was adopted by Major General Joseph Hooker after he assumed command of the Army of the Potomac. This was so any soldier could be identified at a distance.
Corps badgesEdit
Maj. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, Hooker's chief of staff, was assigned the task of designing a distinctive shape for each corps badge. Butterfield also decided that each division in the corps should have a variation of the corps badge in a different color. Division badges were colored as follows:
- Red — First division of corps
- White — Second division of corps
- Blue — Third division of corps
These were used in the United States' Army of the Potomac. These rules were adopted by other Union Armies, however it was not universal. For example, the XIII Corps never adopted a badge. Also, the XIX Corps had the first division wear a red badge, the second division wear a blue badge, and the third division wear white.
For Army corps that had more than three divisions, the standardization was lost:
- Green — Fourth division of VI, IX, and XX Corps
- Yellow — Fourth division of XV Corps (reportedly Orange was also used for a 5th Division Badge)
- Multicolor — Headquarters or artillery elements (certain corps)
The badges for enlisted men were cut from colored cloth. Officer's badges were privately made and of a higher quality. Metallic badges were often made by jewelers and were personalized for the user. The badges eventually became part of the Army regulations and a great source of regimental pride.[2]
Corps badges galleryEdit
Union Army, I Corps, 1st Division Badge,
Union Army, II Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, III Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, IV Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, V Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, VI Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, VII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, VIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, IX Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, X Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, XI Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, XII Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, XIV Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, XV Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, XVI Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, XVII Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, XVIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, XIX Corps, 1st Division Badge
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Union Army, XX Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, XXII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, XXIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
Union Army, XXIV Corps, 1st Division Badge
Union Army, XXV Corps, 1st Division Badge
Corps flags, Army of the PotomacEdit
I Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
II Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
| Corps Hqr's | Artillery Brigade | Quartermaster |
III Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
IV Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
V Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
VI Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
IX Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
| 4th Division |
XI Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XII Corps, Army of the PotomacEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
Corps flags, other Union armiesEdit
VII Corps, Dept of ArkansasEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
VIII Corps, Middle DepartmentEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
X Corps, Department of SouthEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XIII Corps, Army of the TennesseeEdit
No badge was designated for the XIII Corps.
XIV Corps, Army of the CumberlandEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XV Corps, Army of the TennesseeEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
| 4th Division | Headquarters |
XVI Corps, Military Division of West MississippiEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XVII Corps, Army of the TennesseeEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XVIII Corps, Army of the JamesEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XIX Corps, Middle Military DivisionEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XX Corps, Army of the CumberlandEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
{Note:XX Corps Badges same as the old XII Corps; the XX Corps was consolidated from the XI and XII Corps}
XXI CorpsEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
| Headquarters |
XXII Corps, Dept of WashingtonEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XXIII Corps, Dept of Ohio & Dept of North CarolinaEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XXIV Corps, Dept of VirginiaEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XXV Corps, Army of the James, Dept of TexasEdit
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
Brigade badgesEdit
I Corps, Army of the Potomac
Related pagesEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Flags, Uniforms & Insignia". The War for States' Rights. Archived from the original on 25 February 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- ↑ John D. Billings, Hardtack and Coffee