This exceptional piece is wholly unique among Gettysburg artifacts.

Garrison Allred was a 19-year-old farmer from Tippecanoe, Indiana when he enlisted on August 22, 1862.  That same day, he mustered into Company G of the 20^th Indiana Infantry.  By then, the 20^th had already been heavily engaged and would fight in most of the bloodiest battles of the Eastern Theater.  The 20^th was heavily engaged at Gettysburg as part of General Ward’s Brigade.  The 20^th occupied the ground to the right of the 86^th New York, just North of Devil’s Den, where they desperately tried to hold Rose Woods and Houck’s Ridge on July 2^nd.  Garrison survived the battle and subsequent ones, but was killed in action by a direct hit from an artillery shell or cannon ball during the battle of Totopotomoy on May 30^th, 1864.  He was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, which had only been formally established a few weeks prior.

At some point, Garrison lost his identification disc at Gettysburg, where it remained until recovered/dug from private land.  The pewter hanger features memorial text (“MAJ. GEN. KEARNEY. / KILLED AT CHANTILLY / SEPT. 1 1862”) and a relief of General Phil Kearny, one of the most beloved General Officer’s of the Civil War who was famously killed in action at the Battle of Chantilly after refusing to surrender and attempting a daring escape from Confederate infantry.  After his death, his name and likeness became synonymous with patriotic devotion and valor – in this case, taking the form of a pin hanger/brooch. Remarkably, the vertical pin is still securely attached to the reverse despite many years in Gettysburg soil.  Two pinned chain links suspend the disc from the brooch/hanger, attaching to a tab at the top of the disc.  The front face of the disc reads, “G. ALLRED / CO. G / 20^th REG. / IND. V / BATTLEGROUND IND.”, while the reverse reads “WAR OF 1861 / BULL RUN / CHANTILLY / FREDERICKSBURG / CHANCELLORSVILLE / ENGAGED IN THE ABOVE BATTLES”.  This indicates this ID badge was purchased after Chancellorsville, a time when many units in the Army of the Potomac were fostering their esprit-de-corps after the hardships of the battles in the East, and in the wake of General Hooker’s emphasis on the Army’s re-organization and efficiency. The assembly measures 3” in length and 1.25” at its widest point.

A singular opportunity to collect Garrison’s identification disc – with all its layers of history.   [cm] [ph:L]

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