Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-05-13

| acts Of bravery The stars in the
two badges are very much alike.
Under Commander-in-Ch Chief Earn
| shaw chosen in 1880. there were
; slight changes made in the shape of
! the star and the form of the eagle,
which made the badge just like the
pic ure at the head Of this article.
Badge for c. A. r. Officers.
At the 18th national encampment
| in May, 1873, the following direction
was adopted concerning the official
badge:
THE official badge is to consist of
a miniature strap and plain ribbon to
which shall be pendant the bronze
star OF the membership badge; that
this strap be one and One-half inches
In length, one-half inch in width,
cnameled, with border one-siXteenth
of an inch in width. OF gold or gilt,
an on it the insignia OF official posi-
ton in the Grand Army OF the Re
public, making use Of the familiar
star, eagle leaf and bar Of the old
service, substantialIy as determined
by the national council OF administra-
ton and announced in Circular No. 6,
I Headquar ers Grand Army OF the Re
public, January 4, 1863; except that
for aides-de-camp to the commander
i'll chief there be substituted a silver
eagle, and for aides-de-camp to de-
Dartment commanders a silver leaf;
for the words, General Commander
read Department Commanders that
the field in enamel be. for national
and department officers, black; for
pest officers dark blue.
THAT the ribbon be one and one
half inches in length in the clear, and
enc and onefOurth inches in wild and
in color, for national officers. buff, for
department officers, cherry red, and
for post officers, light blue.
THAT this badge be worn consptcu-
cusly on the left breast of the coat.
THAT, to distinguish officers Of diff
ferent depar ,ments. a miniature shield
in gold or gilt, with the coat of arms
of the state, may be worn pendant to
the strap"
At the next national encampment it
was decided that post officers may
wear the rank strap Of the highest OF
flee they have held in the grand army
the same to be cIasped about the
proper ribbon and just below the
eagle of the membership badge, to
which the whole should be pendant.
tI,l
ment at San Francisco, two more
corps badges were added to the
twenty-four on the reverse side, and
just back Of the bronze eagle there
was put a campfire design-a coffee
kettle hanging over fire. The badge
as thus completed has been duly pat
onted for the exclusive use of mem
bers. in good standings OF the Grand
Army of the Republic
The Button Badge.
At Minneapolis, in 1884, a resolution
was adopted looking to the prepara-
tion of a design for q button badge.
Such design was later presented and
adopted. This is the little bronze
/ button so familiar in these days on the
left lapel Of the coats Of Grand Army
men.
Made From Captured Cannon.
| For several years before 1854 he
metal OF these badges came from guns
bought Of various societies 70 which
they had been givetn by congress tor
! monumental purposes. but since then
| captured cannon have been purchased
from the government for this pur-
/ pose. These guns have been select
ed from those stored at Governors Is
land. and were made by Noble Broth
ers, Rome, Georgia; Quimby and
Robinson. Memphis: John Clark. New
Orleans: and \ B. r. Bros, Vicks-
burg. Some of these are presumably OF
English metal =.
To prepare this metal Tor badges
the gun is put into lathe and cut in
to sections. These pieces are then
melted. cast into small pigs, re-melted
and refined to get out OF it every trace
of iron or lead Twenty per cent OF
copper and zinc Is then added to
make the metal so it will not break
in further work upon it. A rough
form OF the star is then cast in sand
This blank is freed from sand and
again annealed, and the fire coating
is removed by acid baths, after which
it is thoroughly rinsed to remove all
traces of the acids. which would
otherwise destroy the dies. The piece
is then placed between steel dies and
put under pressure OF about four or
five times. every piece being cleaned
and annealed after every operation
The edges, which have been expand
ed under the heavy blows. are trim,
med by machinery. and the piece Is
again put into the press TO bring every
part into relief. The outline is ther
perfected by special machinery. the
] edges are filed by hand the swiveIs
are inserted. the star numbered. and
the initial of the mander-fn-C Chief
OF that term added. The badge is
then ready for the final finish by a
special process. which is adopted to
the peculiar quality of metal in eact
gun. All this IS for the star in the
badge. The eagle from which it is
hung by the ribbon is subjected tc
the same general process, but it re
quires much less pressure in the
!, stamping machine.
Just think, comrades, how much