The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-03-09
THE HISTORY OF CORPS BADGES.
General Butterield Explains the Origin Of
the Different symbolic

the Different Symbols
New York World.
Gen. Daniel Butterfeld, who invented
the corps badges used by the Army of tho
Potomac. has just gwen his reasons tor
choosing the various emblems. In answer
TO an inquiry he says that the desirabiIity
of such distinctive marks occurred TO him
early in the war. He discussed the sub
ject with General Mcclellan and Others.
While General Butterheld was chief pf
staff of the Army of the Potomac General
Hooker approved the plan.
Tho selection az design for the First
Corps" ne continues. was simply the frst
thing thought OLA disc had no particular
reason or cause. A patch or lozenge was
reserved for the Third Corps, as Kearny's
division was of that corps. that the
mark he had put on his men need not be
changed. and that incident fixed the color
of the mark for the First Division. red;
the white for the Second. ana blue for tho
Third. following naturally as national
colOrs.
For the Second Corps the trefoil was
chosen as sort OF shamrock. there being
many troops of Irish origin or descent in
that corps. and i wished the marks TO be-
come popular with the commands
In the Fifth Corps in my old brigade
was my old regiment. the Twelfth New
York. which had commanded as militia
regiment before the war. 1 had decorated
many of it's officers and men with bronze
and gold Maltese crosses for efficient and
-.
so / reserved the Maltese cross for them
for that reason.
The badges or marks of tho other corps
named herein were chosen by me for no
reason other than TO have some pleasing
form or shape. easily and quickly distin-
guished from the Others. and capable OF
aiding In the esprit de corps and eleva-
ton Of. the morale and discipline of the
army desired 10 establish. which at that
time, generally speaking, was simply abom-
Unable. assertions occurring by the thou
sands. aud money and clothing being sent
for the purpose. which we seized and held
at headquarters, delaying the money and
keeping back the civilians clothing TO pre-
vent its use for desertion.
Through these measures with others,
the morale OF the army and It's tone were
restored. and improved 10 very high
standard. higher, think. than it had been
before or after.
with corps marks or badges other than
those have here referred 10 bad no part
IN designation, except in the Fourteenth
Corps. Gen. George h. Thomas. The Cen
eral and my self had served as brigade COM
manders in Patterson's column in 1861. aud
were personally we'll acquainted. When
we took the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps
from the Army of the Potomac 10 relnfor,e
the Army of the Cumberland after
Chickamauga General Thomas first saw
and liked the idea of our corps marks and
badges. He directed General Whipple. his
adjutant-peneral. TO prepare one for the
Fourteenth General Whipple had MANY
designs OF a geOmetrical form. but General
Thomas did not seem to like them aud told
him TO send for me and consult
me. l saw his forms and told
him that. had l commanded the Four
tenth Corps. which stood as firm rs an
oak at Chicamauga, as IL was then spoken
OF, would give them the acorn for badge
IN honor of their bravery. General Thomas
said: That is what We will do; let il be
the acorn With this exception. beyond
the corps have mentioned. had nothing
TO do with the tho designation of forms
and marks, save that the idea and custom
arose with me and was followed by others"