1861 Patriotic Elmer E. Ellsworth Memorial Pin 

Description

1861 Patriotic Elmer E. Ellsworth Memorial Pin 

A striking and seldom-seen Civil War patriotic mourning pin honoring Colonel Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth, one of the Union’s earliest and most celebrated martyrs. Ellsworth, commander of the famed New York Fire Zouaves and a close personal friend of President Abraham Lincoln, was killed on May 24, 1861, while removing a Confederate flag from the Marshall House in Alexandria, Virginia. His death electrified the North and made him one of the first national heroes of the war. 

This die-struck gilt brass pin features a bust portrait of Ellsworth in military uniform beneath crossed American flags. The example retains traces of its original hand-painted patriotic enamel decoration in red, white, and blue, a feature that dramatically enhances its visual appeal. The side ribbons bear the memorial inscriptions “Ellsworth” and “Our Hero,” while the lower scroll reads “Mourned” (part of the mourning sentiment incorporated into the design). The reverse retains its original straight pin attachment. 

Patriotic memorial jewelry and insignia produced immediately following Ellsworth’s death were among the first pieces of Civil War mourning memorabilia offered to the public.  

An exceptional survivor of 1861 wartime patriotism 

Inventory Number: POL 430