The government did not issue dog tags to soldiers in the Civil War, but the large number of soldiers listed as missing and buried in anonymous graves made it a matter of great concern to soldiers and their loved ones. Very soon various means of identification were offered commercially, everything from stencils to mark clothing and gear, bibles with identification sheets pasted inside the cover, and various stamped or engraved pins or discs like this, that could be worn around the neck, on a watch chain or, more often, suspended from pin worn on the coat. If they looked like a medal, so much the better.

This is one of the more popular patterns, using on one face the same dynamic US eagle that appeared on some gold coins of the time, with arrows and olive branch in its talons and a U.S. shield on its chest, supplemented with the words “War of 1861” overhead and “United States” underneath. The reverse is stamped at top is the soldier’s name, “J.H. COLOMY” and at bottom:  “FARMINGTON,” his hometown. In between is “CO. I / 10^th REG. / [SE] / NH.V” These were sometimes sold by peddlers taking orders in camps and other times by regimental sutlers who might purchase discs and a marking kit from a supplier. In this case, the punch for the letter “J” seems to have lost its slender bottom curl and the maker used it for the company letter “I” as well, turning it upside down. Below the regimental number is a large capital “S” and small upper case “E.” It looks very much like the sutler started to mark the tag with Colomy’s rank of sergeant and either changed his mind because of space considerations or was having trouble that day: the “E” shows he may have struck it twice.

Colomy was born in New Durham, NH, in 1828 and worked as a shoemaker. He married Maria Pinkham in 1851 and by 1860 they were living in Farmington, NH, with two sons. Colomy came from large family and in 1861 two younger brothers had enlisted in the New Hampshire Battalion of the “First New England Cavalry,” later redesignated as the First Rhode Island. One of them, James P., died in January  1862. In October 1862 Jonas and an older brother both decided to enlist, the brother going into the 12^th NH and Jonas into the 10^th, enlisting at age 34 on 8/8/62 and mustering into Co. I as a third sergeant on 9/4/62. He served throughout the whole war, being discharged on 6/21/65, as a private, which might have a story behind it.

Officially organized on 9/1/62, the regiment served in the 9^th Corps, Army of the Potomac until March 1863 when it joined the 7^th Corps, Department of Virginia, and in  July 1863 joined the 18^th Corps. This corps was assigned to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina until April 1864 when it transferred to Butler’s Army of the James for the campaign against Richmond and Petersburg, remaining with the Army of the James for the rest of the war, becoming part the 24^th Corps in December 1864. They lost 8 officers and 58 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded at battles such as Fredericksburg, Swift Creek, Drewry’s Bluff, and Cold Harbor, and suffered numerous and continual losses at Petersburg, including the fighting at Fort Harrison and an engagement at Fair Oaks in October 1864 that was intended to keep Lee from reinforcing his lines on the Boydton Plank Road. After the war Colomy returned to New Hampshire, at different times living in both in Dover and Farmington, where he died February 4, 1910.

The disc is in very good condition with sharp lettering by the sutler and the raised eagle and lettering on the other face showing no wear. The face with the eagle shows a mix of green and light green. The side with Colomy’s information is a muted, aged brass with a little light green showing around the perimeter. This is a nice example from a regiment with a good record. There are not many items carried by a soldier more personal than his identification disc.  [sr]

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