Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-06
THE CORPS BADGES
REPRODUCED IN FLOWERS IN
THE PUBLIC PARKS.
Beautiful Designs Easily Distinguish
ed and Interpreted by the
Veteran Visitors.

The beautiful floral emblems with which
several of the public parks throughout the
city decorated have a meaning to the
survivors of the great civil war that can
hardly be understood by this generation
They represent the badges which designat-
ed the twenty-four army corps into which
the United States army was divided during
the last two years Of the war Ihese
badges were worn on the caps of the men.
and were delineated upon the canvas COW
ers of the ammunition. supply and baggage
wagons of the various corps. They were
emblazoned upon brigade division and
corps headquarters flags in the national
colors-red for the first division, white for
the second division and blue for the third.
1t was a happy thought that gave to the
soldiers something tangible to fight and to
Gle for Before the corps were distinguished
by badges hundreds of thousands sacrificed
their lives in defense of their flag and coun-
try, but there was not the fierce rivalry
that animated the soldiers of one particular
corps in competition with another when
they stood in line of battle. While all were
fighting in common cause under the stars
and stripes, each soldier felt special pride
in his corps. The badge that designa ted it
became an object of veneration and affec-
ton. Thus, upon the consolidation OF the
11th and 18th Army Corps into the 10th, In
October OF 1865, the soldiers of the 18th
fought hard to retain the corps number,
and were only appeased when allowed to
retain the five-pointed star that had repre-
sented the 18th in its gallant career In the
Army Of the Potomac.
The Triangle and Acorn.
The former Goth and 2lst Corps in the
Army of the Cumberland, commanded by
Major Generals McCook and Crittenden,
had no badges, and when consolidated in
October, 1863. into the 4th Army Corps,
the triangle designated Its badge.
The acorn represented the 14th Corps, and
these three, the 4th, 14th and Goth Army
Corps, together with the Cavalry Corps
composed the Army of the Cumberland in
the Atlanta campaign, commanded by
Major General George H. Thomas. The
badge of this army is fve-pointed star,
upon which rests triangle, surmounted by
acorn.
1t is difficult to describe all the corps
badges in words, but for the benefit of those
who may wish to know the meaning of the
symbols, traced in foliage, which ornament
the public parks, the following description
is given:
The LIST Army Corps Is represented by
sphere; the I'd, by a clover leaf; the 3d. by
a diamond; the 4th, by triangle: the 9Th,
a Maltese cross; the 9th. Greek cross;
the 7th a star and crescent: the Sth, a six
pointed star; the 9th. crossed cannon and
anchor; the 10TH a cross patopce; the nth,
a crescent; the 18th. five-pointed star;
the 14th, an acorn. the 18th, a cartridge
box, forty rounds" the 10th. a circle BIZ
sected diagonally; the 18th, an arrow; the
18th. a cross with foliated ends; the 10th.
a square bisected diagonally; the 10th.
five-pointed star; the I'D, a class medal;
the 23d. shield; the oath. a heart; the 18th,
q square with diagonal lines crossing at
center; Signal Corps. crossed flags; Sheri-
dams Cavalry, crossed sabers; Engineer
Corps, crossed oars, anchor, and castle;
United States Veteran Volunteers, eight
points leading from oval center. in fern of
sunburst.
There are several other designs emblem
attic of lesser organizations, but the above
represent all the numbered corps, with the
exception of the Dist, which had no badge,
and the 18th, which appropriated a por-
trait of Grant on an oval background.