8th Corps Badge / SOLD

8th Corps Badge - Inventory Number: INS 336 / SOLD

Use of this badge is complicated by confusion between the 8th Corps, which technically was under Lew Wallace and guarded the B&O Railroad in 1864 and George Crook’s “Army of West Virginia,” which consisted of three divisions, functioned as a corps in Sheridan’s Army of the Shenandoah, and was sometimes called the 8th Corps. It seems to be this latter organization that made use of this badge. A July 16, 1864, letter quoted by Phillips in his book on corps badges refers to the corps as having been taken over by Crook, being sometimes referred to as “the Army of the Shenandoah,” and matter of factly stating, “the badge of the 8th Corps [is] a six pointed star.” In any case, Phillips lists these badges as “unofficially adopted,” finding no official order authorizing them, but noting the description above and their appearance in an 1865 photograph of commercially available badges. This is a very simple commercial silver badge with a pin in place on the reverse. The badge shows light scratches and age toning.

Comes housed in 6 x 8 riker display case with red velvet and descriptive card.

Inventory Number: INS 336 / SOLD