A shield with scalloped upper edge was officially adopted by the 23^rd Army Corps in September 1864, but Philips (p.94) notes a postwar letter by an officer indicating the badge was established and in use during the “winter of 1863-64.” This example is a stamped frame style with hollow borders and a red fabric interior secured by long brass wire pins on the reverse. The central panel also shows the remains of a light blue backing on the reverse. Affixed to the middle by shorter pins is a small brass castle, the branch of service device for engineers.

The brass frame shows some minor age spotting and darkening, but no bends or dents. The red fabric has good color. The castle shows some thin green verdigris at center. We don’t see any pin or fastener, but the long pins securing the central panel could also secure the entire badge to another surface.

The red interior indicates the first division and we don’t find an entire engineer regiment attached to it, but divisional staff might include engineering officers, ordnance officers, and others, and in some corps, red was the default color for units not officially attached to a particular division.  [sr]

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