United States Sanitary Commission Badge

Description

United States Sanitary Commission Badge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The United States Sanitary Commission was a private relief agency created by federal legislation on June 18, 1861, to support sick and wounded soldiers of the U.S. Army during the American Civil War. It operated across the North, raised an estimated $25 million in Civil War era revenue (assuming 1865 dollars, $460 million in 2021) and in-kind contributions, to support the cause, and enlisted thousands of volunteers. This recreation of the US Sanitary Commission Badge is from an original belonging to Eliphalet Wickes Blatchford that is in the collection of the Newberry Library in Chicago, which he founded. His success as a manufacturer of lead plumbing, animal feed, and wire for munitions allowed him to fund his religious activities. Prominent among these was his service as Treasurer of the Chicago branch of the Sanitary Commission during the War, where he was one of the Commission’s most active and philanthropic members. This recreation is one of only two badges known to exist. Instead of the Christian Cross featured here, the other features a Greek Cross + but it is without provenance. Therefore, for the sake of historical accuracy, the Blatchford Badge is the one we settled upon to recreate. Reproduction measures 1 ¼” (32mm) wide x 1 ½” (44mm) long. It is suspended from the frock or dress with a barrel safety clasp.