December 13-15, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2022
Civil War veteran ladder badge with 3 suspension bars and fouled anchor branch of service insignia reading “Richard Goldsmith / US Ship / Ino / Post No 82 Mass.” The script punch dot engraving is a late style, but Goldsmith, of Marblehead, the site of Post 82, lived from 1838 to 1924. He had extensive service. His pension card lists not only the US Navy, but the 8th Massachusetts Infantry (or MVM,) and both the 8th and 10th Massachusetts Light Artillery. His pension card lists his ship as the “Ohio,” but we expect the badge, as a personal item, would be correct and the ship name on the card an error of transcription. The Ino was a clipper ship purchased by the Navy at Boston in 1861 in the expectation of using it on long cruises where its speed might give it an advantage over Confederate commerce raiders. Indeed, it sailed from Boston to Spain in just under 2 weeks. The ship played a part in blockading the CSS Sumter, under Raphael Semmes, at Gibralter and later captured an in-bound blockade runner at Charleston. Much of its service was spent patrolling shipping lanes and whaling grounds on the lookout for Confederate vessels preying on US commercial ships. At one point the ship even disguised itself as merchantman in the hopes of enticing an enemy closer. The ship served to the end of the war, last in the East Gulf Blockading Squadron, and was decommissioned and sold in 1867. Civil War naval veteran badges are scarce. CONDITION: Good.
Item Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 1"