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JEWELER-MADE IDENTIFICATION SHIELD OF JAMES C. HUGHES Co. F 83rd PENNSYLVANIA

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Civil War soldiers had to provide their own methods of identification, with commercial suppliers offering a variety of stamped or engraved badges often in the form of medals or awards. In collecting Civil War items, there are few, if any, that are more personal. This jeweler-made identification shield is similar to the hollow-stamped silver varieties, about the same size,1” wide and about 1-1/4” tall, but is made of flat metal, without stamped raised edge or motifs and is engraved completely by hand on the face with the soldier’s name, company letter, and regimental designation- “Jas. C. Hughes / Co. F / 83d P.V.” The engraving includes some decorative flourishes, including a striking company letter designation not only highlighted by arrows pointing at it from either side, but with the back stroke of the “C” of “Co” repeated five times, both shading it and giving the impression of a three-dimensional stack of company letters. On the reverse are the remains of the base of a T-bar fastening pin at top and a catch loop at bottom. It is a muted silver in color, showing some scratches and some mottled tones suggesting it was excavated, but carefully cleaned.

This is one of the few identification shields that we might say with some certainty was intentionally discarded by the owner, for Hughes was a draftee, who mustered into the regiment on Aug. 13, 1863, and deserted on May 4, 1864, with some impeccable timing. The regiment, which gained the reputation of suffering the second highest casualty rate in the Union army during the war, had seen heavy combat at Gaines Mill, Malvern Hill, and holding Little Round Top as part of Vincent’s brigade, and was then headed for more bloodshed in Grant’s Overland Campaign. After Gettysburg the regiment had received about 400 drafted men and substitutes, a majority of whom, in the words of short regimental history in “The Union Army,” “proved to be worthless and were constantly deserting.” Hughes apparently stuck it out during the Fall campaign, with some fighting at Rappahannock Station and Mine Run, but with serious business on the horizon in early May 1864, decided he had more important things to attend to. His instinct for self-preservation was well-timed- two of his fellow draftees in the company were killed in action just four days later at Laurel Hill.

Ed Hutchinson, a fellow draftee in the company, deserted the same day he did, the two likely getting to know one another as they answered in succession at roll calls.

Hughes’s PA veteran’s card sheds some light on him. He was a resident of Philadelphia (in the 5^th District for the draft) and age 38 when he mustered in as a private. He was described as of fair complexion, standing 5’4-1/2” with blue eyes and light hair, and a laborer by occupation. The card lists him as deserting at Culpeper while on the march on May 4. (CWData includes a note that he enlisted 9/3/61, but that is an intrusion from the record of a James Hughes who served in the 96^th PA and was killed at Gaines Mill in 1862.) Building a more extensive portrait of him is more difficult, though some dedicated sleuthing might yield some results. We do see some possibilities in the 1860 census in Philadelphia among men named James Hughes who were about the right age and may have omitted their middle initial in answering the census taker, including a James Hughes listing himself as a laborer, was married, had one young child and was listed as 34-years old, but there are certainly other candidates. Similarly, his postwar biography is unclear since he did not apply for a veteran’s pension, and not only is his name fairly common, there is a good chance he got rid of it as he likely did his identification shield, in making his way out of the army and back home, or to a new life and identity. It was certainly not an uncommon story, but not one often told. [sr][ph:L]

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