Rhode Island Regimental Badge “Bull Run July 21 1861” F.R.I.D.M - First Rhode Island Detached Militia

Rhode Island Regimental Badge “Bull Run July 21 1861” F.R.I.D.M - First Rhode Island Detached Militia - Inventory Number: INS 332

The first piece is a silver bar that meas. approx. 1 6/16 inches long by 5/16 of an inch wide. The surface of the face is stippled with a chased border Engraved on the face is “BULL RUN-JULY 21ST, 1861” in two lines flanked by an ocean wave scroll. Engraving is filled in with blue enamel. Reverse has “T” bar pin and a gold suspension bar is affixed for a ribbon that is now missing.

The drop is a silver shield chased and adorned like the bar. At center is a blue enameled crossed cannon barrel and rifle surmounted by an engraved spread-winged eagle with a blue enameled anchor above it with the word “HOPE” done in blue enamel as well. Beneath the central design is a riband with “F. R. I. D. M.” in blue enamel. First Rhode Island Detached Militia. Reverse has “T” bar pin.

In the days following the outbreak of war, Northern states scrambled to assemble small militia groups into regiment-size units, recruit additional volunteers and uniform them all in a cohesive manner. Rhode Island was no exception with the added problem of having no official state uniform for its troops. Ambrose Everett Burnside, former major general in the state’s militia, returned from his job as a N.Y. City banker and stepped up to the task of equipping and organizing the troops.

On April 20, just five days from Lincoln’s call for 75,000 troops for three months service, the First Rhode Island Detached Militia departed for Washington D.C., led by Col. Burnside himself. On July 16 the unit left camp outside the capital with the bulk of the Union Army and five days later met the Confederate forces at Manassas, Va. Here the Rhode Islanders were in the thick of the fighting and in the calamitous retreat “maintained a soldierly calmness and preserved its ranks unbroken” until it returned to its camp. With its term of service expired, the unit departed for home on July 25 and was officially mustered out of service on August 2.

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

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Inventory Number: INS 332