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 (kepi), left side of the hat, or over their left breast. The idea is attributed to Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny, who ordered the men in his division to sew a two-inch square of red cloth on their hats to avoid confusion on the battlefield. This idea was adopted by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker after he assumed command of the Army of the Potomac, so any soldier could be identified at a distance.
Maj. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, Hooker's chief of staff, was assigned the task of designing a distinctive shape for each corps badge. Butterfield also designated 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. For the most part, these rules were adopted by other Union Armies, however it was not universal. For example, the XIII Corps never adopted a badge, and 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, while 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.[1]
Contents
Corps Badges
-
Union Army, I Corps, 1st Division Badge,
-
Union Army, II Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
IIIcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, III Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
IVcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, IV Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
Union Army, V Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
VIcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, VI Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
Union Army, VII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
VIIIcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, VIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
Union Army, IX Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
Xcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, X Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
XIcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XI Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
Union Army, XII Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
XIVcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XIV Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
Union Army, XV Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
XVIcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XVI Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
XVIIcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XVII Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
XVIIIcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XVIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
XIXcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XIX Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
Union Army, XX Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
Union Army, XXII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
Union Army, XXIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge
-
XXIVcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XXIV Corps, 1st Division Badge
-
XXVcorpsbadge.png
Union Army, XXV Corps, 1st Division Badge
Corps Flags
I Corps, Army of the Potomac
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
II Corps, Army of the Potomac
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
|
File:IIcorpsbadgehq.png
Union Army Corps Hqr's, II Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:IIcorpsbadgeart.png
Union Army Artillery Brigade, II Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:IIcorpsbadgeqm.png
Union Army Quartermaster Badge, II Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
| Corps Hqr's | Artillery Brigade | Quartermaster |
III Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:IIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Flag, III Corps
|
File:IIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Flag, III Corps
|
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
IV Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:IVcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Flag, IV Corps
|
File:IVcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Flag, IV Corps
|
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
V Corps, Army of the Potomac
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
VI Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:VIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Flag, VI Corps
|
File:VIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Flag, VI Corps
|
File:VIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Flag, VI Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
VII Corps, Dept of Arkansas
|
File:VIIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, VII Corps
|
File:VIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, VII Corps
|
File:VIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, VII Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
VIII Corps, Middle Department
|
File:VIIIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, VIII Corps
|
File:VIIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, VIII Corps
|
File:VIIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, VIII Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
IX Corps, Army of the Potomac
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
| 4th Division |
X Corps, Department of South
|
File:Xcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, X Corps
|
File:Xcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, X Corps
|
File:Xcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, X Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XI Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:XIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XI Corps
|
File:XIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XI Corps
|
File:XIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XI Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XII Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:XIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XII Corps
|
File:XIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XII Corps
|
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee
No badge was designated for the XIII Corps.
XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland
|
File:XIVcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XIV Corps
|
File:XIVcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XIV Corps
|
File:XIVcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XIV Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XV Corps, Army of the Tennessee
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
|
File:XVcorpsbadgehq.png
Union Army Headquarters Badge, XV Corps
|
||
| 4th Division | Headquarters |
XVI Corps, Military Division of West Mississippi
|
File:XVIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XVI Corps
|
File:XVIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XVI Corps
|
File:XVIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XVI Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XVII Corps, Army of the Tennessee
|
File:XVIIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XVII Corps
|
File:XVIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XVII Corps
|
File:XVIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XVII Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XVIII Corps, Army of the James
|
File:XVIIIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XVIII Corps
|
File:XVIIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XVIII Corps
|
File:XVIIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XVIII Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XIX Corps, Middle Military Division
|
File:XIXcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XIX Corps
|
File:XIXcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XIX Corps
|
File:XIXcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XIX Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland
|
File:XIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XX Corps
|
File:XIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XX Corps
|
|
| 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 Corps
|
File:XXIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XXI Corps
|
File:XXIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XXI Corps
|
File:XXIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XXI Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
|
File:XXIcorpsbadgehq.png
Union Army Headquarters Badge, XXI Corps
|
||
| Headquarters |
XXII Corps, Dept of Washington
|
File:XXIIcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XXII Corps
|
File:XXIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XXII Corps
|
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XXIII Corps, Dept of Ohio & Dept of North Carolina
|
File:XXIIIcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XXIII Corps
|
File:XXIIIcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XXIII Corps
|
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XXIV Corps, Dept of Virginia
|
File:XXIVcorpsbadge.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XXIV Corps
|
File:XXIVcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XXIV Corps
|
File:XXIVcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XXIV Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
XXV Corps, Army of the James, Dept of Texas
|
File:XXVcorpsbadge1.png
Union Army 1st Division Badge, XXV Corps
|
File:XXVcorpsbadge2.png
Union Army 2nd Division Badge, XXV Corps
|
File:XXVcorpsbadge3.png
Union Army 3rd Division Badge, XXV Corps
|
| 1st Division | 2nd Division | 3rd Division |
Cavalry Corps
Brigade Badges
I Corps, Army of the Potomac
|
File:Icorps1div1brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 1st Division Badge, 1st Brigade
|
File:Icorps2div1brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 2nd Division Badge, 1st Brigade
|
File:Icorps3div1brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 3rd Division Badge, 1st Brigade
|
|
File:Icorps1div2brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 1st Division Badge, 2nd Brigade
|
File:Icorps2div2brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 2nd Division Badge, 2nd Brigade
|
File:Icorps3div2brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 3rd Division Badge, 2nd Brigade
|
|
File:Icorps1div3brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 1st Division Badge, 3rd Brigade
|
File:Icorps2div3brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 2nd Division Badge, 3rd Brigade
|
File:Icorps3div3brigade.png
Union Army I Corps, 3rd Division Badge, 3rd Brigade
|
See also
References
- ↑ John D. Billings, Hardtack and Coffee
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.. |
