November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
"THE UNION AND THE CONSTITUTION / WAR OF 1861" identification disk, stamped on the reverse for, "ABRAM I. HAHN / LEWISTOWN. MD. / CO. D. / 1ST MD . REG / P.H.B. / E.S. AUG. 20 / 1861." The obverse bears a raised United States shield at upper center with "BAT" [short for battles) / "GETTYSBURG" stamped just below. The army did not yet provide means of personal identification, this being one of several patterns of commercially produced identification badges purchased by Civil War soldiers and usually worn on the chest suspended from a pin-back upper mount, usually in the form of an eagle or patriotic bust. Hahn entered service ("E.S." on the badge) in the Potomac Home Brigade ("PHB") by enrolling 20 August 1861 at Frederick, Maryland, age 22 and a carpenter by profession. Company muster rolls are defective for much of 1862 and early 1863, likely due to the regiment's capture at Harpers Ferry in September 1862. It had served under Banks in the Shenandoah, guarded railroad lines and was at Harpers Ferry, posted on Maryland Heights, when the garrison was surrendered in the Antietam campaign. Hahn is listed only as on a sick furlough in late 1861 and in the hospital in January and February 1862. He seems to have been back in the ranks thereafter, and is only recorded as fined a half-month's pay for some reason in May/June 1862, among those captured at Harpers Ferry, and marked absent without leave in November. The regiment was paroled, exchanged, and returned to active duty in time for the Gettysburg campaign in the 12th Corps. Posted on the right side of Culp's Hill they saw action on July 2 and July 3, at points engaged with the Confederate 1st Maryland, and suffered 23 killed, 80 wounded, and 1 missing out of 739 officers and men in the battle. In 1864 they took a prominent part in the Battle of Monocacy, Maryland, and were also credited with participation in 8 skirmishes. Hahn served with the regiment for the entire war, mustering out with them May 29, 1865, having reenlisted in the regiment as a Veteran Volunteer in January 1864. He is shown in the very clear sixth-plate tintype accompanying the badge standing arm in arm with a woman and wears an enlisted infantry frock coat with a veteran's stripe clearly visible on each cuff. Hahn died in 1918 and is buried at Arlington. CONDITION: Excellent. The badge has expected scratches and small dings on the reverse from actual wear, but the markings are clear and fully legible. The tintype is extremely clear and is matted, glassed, and cased in a leatherette case with US flag on the cover, showing some rubs and a tape-repaired hinge.
Item Dimensions: 4" X 4"