SCARCE F.B. SMITH MADE WASHINGTON BUST IDENTIFICATION TAG OF JOHN F. TROST, COMPANY H, 2nd MICHIGAN

SCARCE F.B. SMITH MADE WASHINGTON BUST IDENTIFICATION TAG OF JOHN F. TROST, COMPANY H, 2nd MICHIGAN

Hover to zoom

Image 1 Image 2 Image 3

$1,950.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2025-3035

Trost was a German immigrant working as a laborer when he enlisted in the army, first serving in the 2nd Michigan Infantry and then in the 3rd US Artillery until his death in February 1865 in a U.S. hospital at Alexandria, VA. Some records list him as “Frost” and do not pick up the transfer to the artillery or realize he died in service. His identification disk, purchased in his service with the 2nd Michigan from Bull Run to the eve of Fredericksburg, is a scarce “McClellan A1” identification disk in the classification of Maier and Stahl, rated “scarce.” The obverse has an inner raised serrated border with “MAJOR GENERAL GEO. B. McCLELLAN in raised letters in an arc at top and “WAR OF 1861” at bottom, set off by a small five-pointed star on either side. McClellan is shown as a portrait bust facing left, with the top three buttons visible on his left lapel and the two stars of a major general clearly visible on his shoulder strap. The die-sinker’s name is visible just under the general’s shoulder: “F. B. SMITH,” with the “F” partly obscured, but its period visible, the whole being one of four different markings used by maker Frederick B. Smith on two versions of this disk, indicating either that his work was in high demand, or there was a problem with the dies compelling their replacement, and also used on his Lincoln bust disk, M&S #6A.  Bazelon lists him as an engraver and die sinker, working in New York City at 68 Nassau 1835-40; 96 Fulton 1840-45; 122 (or 122 ½) Fulton 1848-64; and 95 Fulton 1865-91. He had earlier experience as well with James Bale as Bale & Smith, doing engraving and die-sinking.

On the reverse “J.F. TROST” is crisply stamped in an arc at top with his unit is stamped in three lines in the middle: “CO. H / 2d REG. / MICH.N.” with his home town in a curve along the bottom edge, “NEW BALTIMORE MICH.” and the abbreviation “MICH.N.” above it slightly following that curve. M&S illustrate a 2nd Michigan (Co. I) disk of exactly this type on p.83-84, but mistakenly mark it is a 3A in their indices of observed disk styles and units- mentioning two for the 2nd Michigan, both listed as 3A, but one being the Co. I disk they illustrate, leading to the suspicion that both were actually 1A types like this.

On the disk they illustrate the suspension hole is in the same position on the obverse of the tag, just before “Geo.” and on the reversed is at the bottom center, indicating the tag would hang, perhaps being easier for the to look down at and read while it was pinned on his coat, without thinking too much about it. It also uses the same “ MICH.N.” state abbreviation in the fourth line.

Trost (listed as Frost in the Michigan records) was 25-years old when he enlisted at Fort Wayne, in Detroit, MI, on 5/10/61. He mustered in as a private in Company H of the 2nd Michigan on 5/25/61 and served in the regiment until he was discharged to enlist in the regular army on 12/6/62 at Falmouth, Va. This puts him in the 2nd Michigan for the following service, as listed by Dyer:

“Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., June 10 to July 16, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21. Occupation of Fairfax Court House July 17. Action at Blackburn's Ford July 18. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March, 1862. Reconnoissance to Occoquan October 21-24, 1861. Reconnoissance to Pohick Church, Va., November 12-14. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 17, 1862. Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 5-May 4. Battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines, May 31-June 1. Reconnoissance beyond Seven Pines June 1-2. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Oak Grove June 25. Savage Station June 29. Glendale and Charles City Cross Roads June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. Duty at Harrison's Landing till August 15. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville, Va., August 15-28. Battles of Groveton August 29. Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., September 3 to October 11. March up the Potomac to Leesburg, thence to Falmouth, Va., October 11-November 19.”

His initial enlistment in the 3rd Artillery was to finish out his term of service, but he reenlisted in the unit on 2/8/64 and served until 2/11/65 when he died of Typhoid in a US hospital at Alexandria, where he was interred. His artillery service record is complicated by the fact that he enlisted in Battery K, which was attached to Battery F and the two seem to have been consolidated with Battery C in March 1864, and assigned to horse artillery. He thus shows up listed as Battery K, Battery F, and “New Battery K” (apparently the consolidated three batteries) as well. The initial consolidated F & K seem to have served at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (where they lost 9 killed, 14 wounded, and 1 missing,) and the Bristoe, Rappahannock and Mine Run Campaigns. The “New Battery K” seems to have seen action in the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and Petersburg campaigns until August 1864 when it joined the Army of the Shenandoah and saw at Winchester, Kearnysville, and Cedar Creek, remaining in the Valley until April 1865.

Frost’s identification tag is clearly excavated, but in good condition, showing clear stamping and good raised details as well. The brass has largely turned brown with some light grayish brown in recesses next to the raised edge on both sides, along he raised letters and elements of the portrait bust, on the reverse in the stamped letters. The tag likely had a thin silver wash when first made. The army did not issue identification disks or tags, so 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. This was certainly suspended from a pinback top bar, sometimes in the form of an eagle, that would be fastened to the coat. Trost’s use of New Baltimore for his hometown is interesting. Some records credit him to Saginaw, north of Detroit. New Baltimore is just on the north side of Detroit. Some sources indicate the city only used that name officially starting in 1867, but Trost’s tag indicates it was in use, at least informally, earlier. This is a scarce version of the Civil War identification disk, artifacts identified to Civil War soldiers don’t get much more personal, and there is clearly further interesting research to be done.    [sr][ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!

Inquire About SCARCE F.B. SMITH MADE WASHINGTON BUST IDENTIFICATION TAG OF JOHN F. TROST, COMPANY H, 2nd MICHIGAN

should be empty