The Army Civil War Campaign Medal was established on January 21, 1907, by War Department General Orders Number 12 for issue to those who served with Union forces.

Effective Dates

This medal was awarded for qualifying service between the inclusive dates of April 15, 1861, and April 9, 1865 (extended to August 20, 1866 for service in Texas).

Criteria

Awarded for military service between April 15, 1861 and April 9, 1865; or in Texas, to August 20, 1866.

Order of Precedence

The Civil War is the earliest military service recognized by a campaign medal; therefore, this medal is worn before all other Army campaign medals.

Devices

The only device authorized for the Civil War Campaign Medal was the Silver Citation star, a five-pointed star three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. When authorized for gallantry in action during the Civil War, the Silver Citation Star could be worn on the ribbon of the Civil War Campaign Medal. Only six Silver Citation Stars were retroactively authorized for gallantry in action during the Civil War. They were awarded to the following individuals:

Conn, Charles G., 1Lt, Michigan Volunteer Infantry Goldthwait, George F., 1st Sgt., 31st Maine Infantry Harris, William T., Private, 179th New York Volunteer Infantry Kress, John A., Lt Col, 94th New York Volunteer Infantry Wheeler, Alar M., Capt., 21st New York Volunteer Infantry Willi, William, Bugler, Missouri Volunteer Infantry

Designer and Sculptor

The Civil War Campaign Medal was designed by Francis D. Millet (1846-1912).

First Recipient

Civil War Campaign Medal No. 1 was issued to Major General Charles F. Humphrey on May 26, 1909.

Description and Symbolism

Obverse

In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, the head of Lincoln surrounded by the raised inscription, WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE WITH CHARITY FOR ALL.

According to Millet, "The head of Lincoln was selected because it is the only thing which can be used on the medal without offense to the sentiment now happily prevailing over the whole country in regard to the Civil War, and the portrait of Lincoln must be acceptable to everybody, particularly when accompanied by the noble phrase which so tersely and accurately expresses his attitude during the war."

Reverse

In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, the words THE CIVIL WAR over a bar, under which appears the dates 1862-1865; the central theme is surrounded by a wreath composed of a branch of oak on the left and laurel on the right, joined at the base by a bow. The oak represents the strength of the Union and the laurel represents victory.

Ribbon

This medal has had two ribbons. The first was used from January 11, 1905, to August 12, 1913. It consisted of two sets of red, white and blue stripes of equal width, separated in the center by a white stripe (the blue stripe forming the outermost edge of the ribbon). These colors were selected because they represent the national colors. The second ribbon consisted of equal widths of blue and gray, representing the two sides of the conflict: the Union (blue) and the Confederacy (gray).

Numbering

The medal was initially manufactured by the Philadelphia Mint and was serially numbered with an No. Later strikes were numbered with the M.No. prefix. Subsequent strikes were made by various manufacturers and were numbered without prefix.

1. Description: A bronze medal, 1 < inches in diameter, with the head of Lincoln, nearly in profile, facing sinister, surrounded by the words "WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE WITH CHARITY FOR ALL". On the reverse are the words "THE CIVIL WAR" and below this are the dates "1861-1865", surrounded by a wreath formed by a branch of oak on the left and a branch of olive on the right with the stems joined at the bottom by a conventional knot.

2. Ribbon: The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and equally divided with 11/16 inch Navy blue #1 67179 and 11/16 inch gray 67200.

3. Criteria: Service between 15 April 1861 and 9 April 1865, or in Texas between 15 April 1861 and 20 August 1866.

4. Components: The following are authorized components and related items:

a. Medal (regular size): MIL-DTL-3943/190. Not currently available in the supply system.

b. Ribbon: MIL-DTL-11589/25. Available commercially.

c. Streamer: MIL-DTL-11589/25 and MIL-DTL-14650. The gray portion of the streamer is on top for organizations with Confederate service and the blue portion is on top for organizations with Union service.

5. Background: a. The concept of campaign medals for the Army was first approved by the Assistant Secretary of War and announced in General Orders 4, War Department, dated 11 January 1905 which states "by authority of the President, campaign badges with ribbons will be issued as articles of the uniform to officers and enlisted men in the service to honor services which have been or shall hereafter be rendered in campaigns". This order further states that "announcement will be made by the War Department designating campaigns for which will be issued and defining the conditions of the award". The subject of campaign medals was considered; however, the Judge Advocate General of the Army, in his opinion, concluded it was not proper to issue "medals" except by authority of Congress, but it was proper for the President to authorize the issue of "badges" as part of the uniform.

b. The first badges authorized under the above order were the Spanish Campaign Badge, Philippine Campaign Badge, and the China Campaign Badge by General Orders 5, War Department, dated 12 January 1905. General Orders 12, War Department, dated 21 January 1907 amended General Orders 5, 12 January 1905, to include authorization for the Civil War Campaign Badge and Indian Campaign Badge. The General Order also stated "Under existing law these badges can only be issued to persons who are now in the military service of the United States or who may enter the service hereafter. Eligibility was extended to those on the retired list by General Orders 129, War Department, dated 13 August 1908, and in case the retired member was deceased, claims by proper legal representatives of such personnel were honored.

c. The Civil War Campaign Badge was design by Mr. F. D. Millett, a prominent American Artist, and the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, approved the design and authorized the manufacture of the badge in 1906. The initial contract with a commercial firm was canceled and the design turned over to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia for manufacture. The initial ribbon design was two bands of red, white, and blue with the red on the outside and the blue bands separated by a thin white stripe in the center. The head of Lincoln was selected because it was the only thing that could be used on the medal without offense to the sentiment then happily prevailing over the whole country in regard to the Civil War. The portrait of Lincoln must be acceptable to everybody, particularly when accompanied by the noble phrase from the Second Inaugural speech which so tersely and accurately expresses his attitude during the war. The ribbon was changed in 1913 to half blue (on the left) and half gray.

d. Because of the desire to provide the medal to individuals no longer in the service, Major General Leonard Wood, Chief of Staff, in a letter to the Director of the U.S. Mint on 30 June 1913 requested the U.S. Mint sell the campaign badges to persons who were no longer in the service.

e. AR 600-65, dated 20 November 1928, refers to the Civil War Campaign Medal rather than badge. Subsequent correspondence and regulations refer to medal rather than badge.

f. Section 33, Act of Congress, 10 August 1956, (10 USC 3751) requires the Secretary of the Army to procure and issue without charge, the Civil War Campaign Medal and other service medals. This law also provides that the medal will be presented to the members family if the member dies before it is presented to him.

g. The streamers for display on the organizational flags will have the inscription as shown on the unit's lineage and honors. The 25 Civil War streamers displayed on the Army flag will have the inscriptions as shown in AR 840-10 and AR 600-8-22

Established by the War Department on 11 January 1905, for those personnel who served in the Union forces during the Civil War.

Medal Designed by Francis D. Millet Photos are of a contemporary medal re-struck from original dies.

Campaigns for which awarded:

Sumter 12-13 Apr 1861
Bull Run: 16-22 Jul 1861
Henry & Donelson: 6-16 Feb 1862
Mississippi River: 6 Feb 1862 - 9 Jul 1863
Peninsula: 17 Mar - 3 Aug 1862
Shiloh: 6-7 Apr 1862
Valley: 15 May - 17 Jun 1862
Manassas: 1 Aug - 2 Sep 1862
Antietam: 3-17 Sep 1862
Fredericksburd: 9 Nov - 15 Dec 1862
Murfreesborough: 26 Dec 1862 - 4 Jan 1863
Chancellorsville: 27 Apr - 6 May 1863
Gettysburd: 29 Jun - 3 Jul 1863
Vicksburd: 29 Mar - 4 Jul 1863
Chickamauga: 16 Aug - 22 Sep 1863
Wilderness: 4-7 May 1864
Atlanta: 7 May - 2 Sep 1864
Spotsylvania: 8-21 May 1864
Cold Harbor: 22 May - 3 Jun 1864
Petersburd: 4 Jun 1864 - 2 Apr 1865
Shenandoah: 7 Aug - 28 Nov 1864
Franklin: 17-30 Nov 1864
Nashville: 1-16 Dec 1864
Appomattox: 3-9 Apr 1865

Issue Regulations, Navy

Establishing Authority