This stamped white metal badge was dug at Bermuda Hundred back in the early 1960’s. Badge is in the shape of a fort with four bastions, which is the prescribed insignia of the 10^th Corps of the Union Army. Badge meas. approx. 1.50 x 1.50 inches. At one time the center square held a piece of white enamel denoting the 2^nd Division of the corps but that is now gone. Back has a “T” bar pin. Upon closer inspection one can see engraving on the face of the badge which reads “CORP. E. T. RITCHIE, CO. G, 97^TH PA. VOLS.”

Ezekiel T. Ritchie was born in Pennsylvania. His first service was as a sailor in the US Navy. He signed on to the USS Minnesota under F. W. DuPont on April 23, 1857 for a trip to China. He was discharged at Boston June 10, 1859. He returned to Pennsylvania and worked as a box maker until the war broke out and he enlisted into Company G, 97^th Pennsylvania Infantry on September 16, 1861. He was present throughout his service and became a re-enlisted veteran on March 16, 1864. After a Veterans furlough he rejoined his regiment.

On May 20, 1864 Ritchie was wounded at Bermuda Hundred. He was shot in the arm and took some buckshot in his leg. He stayed with his regiment and was treated by the regimental surgeon. In October of the same year he was promoted to Corporal. In August of 1865 he reported to the hospital sick. He was discharged from a Philadelphia hospital on September 5, 1865. He then went to work in that city for the Passenger Railway Car Company. Ritchie was troubled with rheumatism and diarrhea and was sick more often than he could work. He had married in 1864 and had a family to support. He applied for and was given a soldier’s pension from the Government. He died in Philadelphia on December 1, 1884 at the age of 53.  Military and pension records accompany the item.

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