It was only in 1903 that Connecticut authorized service medals for its troops who had responded so enthusiastically to Lincoln’s first call for 75,000 militia to suppress the rebellion in April 1861. Connecticut was asked to supply one regiment, which was designated the 1^st Connecticut Volunteers and departed the state on May 10 under Col. Daniel Tyler. So many men were interested in joining volunteer companies, however, that Governor Buckingham asked to be permitted to recruit another regiment and, in fact, two more were authorized: the 2^nd CV under Col. Terry, which left on May 10 and the 3^rd CV, under Col. Arnold and then Col. Chatfield.

All three regiments were posted initially in Washington and then saw service in the First Bull Campaign as part of Keyes’s brigade in a division placed under command of Daniel Tyler, recently colonel of the 1^st CV. The brigade served as a feint in the area of the stone bridge at first, but then crossed the stream and took part in the fighting at Henry Hill, the Connecticut regiments suffering six killed in action and about 50 all told in wounded and prisoners. During the army’s retreat they notably kept their formation and were among the last to fall back to Washington, not retiring from Centreville until 10:00 p.m. Being only three-month regiments, the First mustered out at the end of July and the other two regiments in early August, but it was estimated that some 60% of the men soon reenlisted in three-year regiments.

The medal has pin-back upper bar with a rope border and state seal at bottom center, bearing in the middle “CONNECTICUT MINUTEMEN” over “APRIL 1861.” A blue and yellow silk ribbon suspends a pendant with a wreath border over crossed rifles and central portrait bust of Governor Buckingham, a strong supporter of Lincoln who was repeatedly re-elected to serve from May 1858 to May 1866, declining re-nomination at that point, but serving in the US Senate from 1869 to his death in 1875. Buckingham’s portrait is surround by three shields bearing the numbers 1, 2, and 3, and the letters C.V. at bottom. The reverse of the medal in raised letters reads: “The State of Connecticut to the members of the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd Volunteer Regiments who enlisted in the United States service in response to President Lincoln’s first call for troops for defense of Washington April 1861.”

The were to be made of “statutory bronze” and the top bar has a nice, aged patina. The pendant shows a light copper tone, but has very good detail. The ribbon has good color on the reverse, but the face shows wear to the threads and gaps to the fabric, and is worn through on the bottom fold at the support loop of the pendant. The reverse of the pendant is numbered 739 at the top, but our check of the numbers shows it was unissued, which is not unexpected since there must have been few veterans left of those first three, early regiments. This is a scarce badge that deserves a place in Connecticut collection or among the service medals awarded to those very early-war patriots who rushed to the defense of the nation’s capital at the first call.  [ad] [ph:L]

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