EXCAVATED “WAR OF 1861” EAGLE IDENTIFICATION DISK OF CHARLES R. BLAIR COMPANY H, 2nd VERMONT: OLD VERMONT BRIGADE

EXCAVATED “WAR OF 1861” EAGLE IDENTIFICATION DISK OF CHARLES R. BLAIR COMPANY H, 2nd VERMONT: OLD VERMONT BRIGADE

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A very good example of a Civil War “Eagle / War of 1861” pattern brass identification disk. This is the Type 5A in Maier and Stahl’s typology, showing the Arms of the U.S. on one side- an eagle with raised and spread wings, holding arrows and olive branch- with “WAR OF 1861” in raised letters in an arc at top and “UNITED STATES” in a curve at the bottom. The reverse was then personalized by the sutler or merchant selling it by stamping the soldier’s personal details, in this case the soldier’s name, unit, and hometown: “C.R. BLAIR. / Co. H. / 2ND / REG. / VT. VOL. / FLETCHER.” 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. The disk was likely given a thin silver wash and pierced for suspension from a pinback top in the form of an eagle or portrait bust of a favorite general.

The tag is clearly excavated, but in very good condition, with good detail to the raised lettering and eagle and crisp, legible stamping. The side with the eagle shows a brown patina on the raised elements but a good deal of cream color and gray in the lower areas and recesses, certainly the remains of the silver wash. The reverse shows a more uniform brown, but with similar cream color and some faint silver-gray in the stamped letters and lower area along the raised edge.

This was a popular pattern and the sutler or peddler selling them seems to have done a good business with the 2nd Vermont and other regiments of the “Old Vermont Brigade,” of which the regiment was a part, along with the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th,  from Fall 1861. Maier and Stahl list 9 from the 2nd VT in their survey and another 36 from other regiments in the brigade. They list two from Company H of the 2nd VT, which might include this one, and illustrate the disk of Priv. J.P. Elmer, Co. H, which shows the same placement of the suspension hole on the upper right of the word “OF” on the obverse and the same orientation of the stamped personal information to the suspension hole on the reverse.

Blair enlisted on 5/25/61, at Fletcher, VT, and was listed as 23 years of age, 5’6” tall, with dark complexion, blue eyes, black hair and farmer by occupation. He was mustered into Co. H of the 2nd VT at Burlington on 6/20/61 when the regiment as a whole mustered into U.S. service. Muster rolls for 1861 were apparently incomplete- his presence or absence is simply listed as “not stated” on the abstract muster roll cards, until the Jan-Feb 1862 roll when he is listed as present, as he is on all of the bimonthly rolls thereafter through May-June 1864, on which he is listed as “Discharged by virtue of expiration of term of service June 20” 1864,” and was mustered out with a detachment at Brattleboro on June 29.

This puts him in the ranks for all the engagements and service of the regiment from First Bull Run, where they were in Howard’s Brigade and lost 68 officers and men, through Cold Harbor, serving in the 6th Corps from April 1862. Dyer’s compendium gives the following summary of their service up to Blair’s discharge on June 20, 1864:

“Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21, 1861. Battle of Bull Run, Va., July 21. Scout to Great Falls August 20-25. Skirmish near Lewinsville September 11 (Cos. "A" and "F."). Reconnoissance to Lewinsville September 25 (Cos. "A" and "F"). Expedition to Munson's Hill September 28. Reconnoissance to Vienna October 17. Reconnoissance to Peacock Hill November 9. Duty in the Defences of Washington till March, 1862. Moved to Alexandria March 10, thence to the Virginia Peninsula March 23-24. Young's Mill April 4. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Lee's Mills April 16. Reconnoissance to Warwick River April 30. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Garnett's Farm June 27. Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp Bridge June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Alexandria August 16-24. Maryland Campaign September-October. Crampton's Pass, Md., September 14. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. At Hagerstown September 26-October 29. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Burnside's Second Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2. Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks' Ford May 4. Franklin's Crossing June 5-13. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. Funkstown, Md., July 10-13. Ordered to New York City August 14. Duty there and at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., till September 13. Moved to Alexandria, thence to Fairfax Court House, Va., September 13-17, and to Culpeper Court House September 22. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May-June, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania Court House May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient at Spottsylvania May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 18-19.”

Blair was born Aug. 6, 1837 in Fletcher, VT. The 1860 census picked him up there, living with his father, a merchant, though Fletcher listed himself as a farmer, along his mother, and younger brother Arthur. After discharge he likely returned to Fletcher for a time, but received an appointment as postmaster in Eyota, Olmsted County, Minnesota about 1869, where he is found in the 1870 census as a listed as a merchant, living with his mother and younger brother Arthur, who seems to have been a clerk in his store. He seems to have married in 1875 back in Vermont, but returned to Minnesota with his wife, where they are picked up in the 1880 census with two children and he is listed again as merchant, apparently in business in general merchandise, but with his brother Arthur as a partner in “Blair & Bros.” His wife died in Eyota in 1886. He is still there in 1900, living with his daughter, two in-laws and a cousin. He died in Monrovia, Los Angeles County, CA, May 8, 1908, and but was interred next to his wife back in Minnesota. He seems to have left behind a son and daughter, both residents of Minnesota.

The find location of this tag is not recorded, but it was likely found in one of the winter camps or on one of the campaign routes of the regiment in Virginia. This is a very good example of Civil War soldier’s identification disk in a pattern that was widely used.   [sr][ph:L]

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