National Republican., 1888-02-26
GRAND ARMY BADGES
Probably the Most Complete Col scti"n
In the Country.

Assistant Aliutant General John Came.
ron, of the q. \. r., Department of the
Potomac, has singulnrly interesting and
curious collection composed exclusively
of Grand Army of the Republic ba lgcS,
which i. now ON exhibition al the fair in
progress ut the Light Infantry Armory
4 ranged in eases ON each side as wings to
the Grant booth are badges oi gold, silver,
bronze, iron, white metal, and velvet. The
q. A. r., now reaching in round numbers
lVOOOO men at thcirannual reunions in va
riuus parts ofthc country, notably III the
national encampmcntS which have been
held at indianapolis, philadclphia,t tinCin-
natl, Washington. Boston, Cleveland, New
Haven, Harrisburg, Chicago, Providence,
Springfield, Albany, Dayton, Baltimore,
Denver, Minneapolis, Portland, san Fran
cisco, and st. Louis, have badges to lcsig-
nate the cdcpartmcntstOw which they belong,
These departments are thiry-cight in num-
her, classified as Department of Arkansas,
California, Colorado. Connecticut, Dakota,
Delaware, Nc.
Many of the veterans have attended the
gatherings since 1856 and look for the
badge to seek their old comrades belong
ing to the ones outside their own. In All
ditiun to the national cncampmentS are
the annual department ones, which are
held inside the limits of the department.
The post badges are largely worn upon
these occasions. Ii is an interesting study
to notice the various specimens carefully
selected by each department., al
thought the CulOrs are confined To
regulations, the national being yellow or
bull; the department, cherry or red, and
| the posts, blue Many other colors are
often blended to give striking effects.
| The badge used by the Department ol
/ Ohio, for instance, at san Francisco, Is ui
red velvet, highly embroidered in gold
| bullion, and iringcd with horse chestnut or
/ buckeye pendant. The national badge.
| for delegates at San Francisco presented
the citizens of that generous city,
| is, Us may he imagined, both uniqu,
and interesting. Dnc Is of solid gold
the q. \. r. STARRED, white, and blue
ribbOn-Surmuuntrd 10y Il bear. This was
given To Il few prominent comrades. I'll,
same is reproduced in silver another i
Il silver medal, coat-oi-urnls gold ana Sil
yer, and of smaller sizes; also, wovcl
silk badge with q. \. X. badge and bear
silver pendant. Colorado shows its coat
uf.arms in silver, the badge being pre-
suntcd to each delegate by Gen
Ilamill. of Colorado, II rich mine owner
who opened and closed Il mine iu
the material. Connecticut has yellow
badge. with nutmeg attached; Kansas
grlsSloppcr and Sunilowcr in metal; Mas
SachuSctts, lis bean pot in bronze; Mime
sofa, Il large silver medal, state coat Il
arms; New Mexico, silver cactus; Oregon
elegant ribbon badge, SlrmOuntcd by
beaver; Rhode Island, silver Little NccI
clam pendent to ribbon; Colorado again
ribbon, with beetle Montana, rihho
| and cowbrll; Texas, its Lone Stal
: Pennsylvania, its Liberty Bell, key
= stones in bronze and silver, and man
other badges. Virginia is not iurgoltc
with its coat of arms, Dakota, Floridi
Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, kcl
y mcky, Maine Maryland, Michigan, NJ
: hrskn, New Jersey, New York, WaShnl
T. ington, Tennessee, Georgia, Utah, We
t mont Washington territory, Wisconsin
West Virginia are all well represented
b various forms of art and brauI
: Missouri has its Blair post med
Il in bronze and coat of arms; It's 81
e yer and bronze medals of Lnga
:; miniature knupsacks, and contents
! addition to these are the q. y. X, raj
, badges of national, department, and po'
e The regular badge has u prominent pIa,
Sons of Veterans, WOmans Relief Corr
e Ladies Loyal League, and II hcwildrrll
array in fact, of hndgcs Of rcgimental
Il unions, &C &C., can here he seen, W.
II worthy of more than passing dcSrrptio