Jackson Memorial Medal

CyleKostello

Sergeant
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Location
Washington, DC
Great mail day today, had 2 really cool items show up, this is the first.

Pictured is a wartime (!) unofficial, Confederate medal, intended to be awarded to members of the famous “Stonewall Brigade”. The medals were commissioned by a private southern citizen in 1864. Intended to be awarded to members of Jackson’s old brigade the medals successfully ran the Union blockade only to be lost in a storehouse as the Union advanced into Georgia. These medals were rediscovered in the 1880s and sold by the Daughters of the Confederacy to fund homes for Confederate Vets. This example is in absolutely beautiful condition with nearly all the silver finish remaining.

The medal features a bust of Jackson on the front (albeit with the wrong birthdate and Mexican War era portrait. On the reverse are the battle honors of the Stonewall brigade, notably Jackson’s master stroke, Chancellorsville is not included. Overall this is a neat (and surprisingly affordable) Confederate medal and one I’m happy to have in my collection.

I’m mostly a Union collector but I’ve been looking for one of these at the right price for a little while now. Happy to have found one!

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Very interesting...Never heard of these. Do you have any articles or other information that can be shared? What are they worth?
This is probably the most informative article I found on the medal
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/891110/a-stonewall-jackson-1864-medal


In terms of value they're almost shockingly affordable for wartime Confederate militaria. Typically they run around 400-500$, though an example sold at uniondb.com for 750 earlier this year. I paid a bit lower than the quoted range as I bought it as part of a package deal with the 9th Mass. ID Disc

Really nice medal with a great and unique history
 
Great mail day today, had 2 really cool items show up, this is the first.

Pictured is a wartime (!) unofficial, Confederate medal, intended to be awarded to members of the famous “Stonewall Brigade”. The medals were commissioned by a private southern citizen in 1864. Intended to be awarded to members of Jackson’s old brigade the medals successfully ran the Union blockade only to be lost in a storehouse as the Union advanced into Georgia. These medals were rediscovered in the 1880s and sold by the Daughters of the Confederacy to fund homes for Confederate Vets. This example is in absolutely beautiful condition with nearly all the silver finish remaining.

The medal features a bust of Jackson on the front (albeit with the wrong birthdate and Mexican War era portrait. On the reverse are the battle honors of the Stonewall brigade, notably Jackson’s master stroke, Chancellorsville is not included. Overall this is a neat (and surprisingly affordable) Confederate medal and one I’m happy to have in my collection.

I’m mostly a Union collector but I’ve been looking for one of these at the right price for a little while now. Happy to have found one!

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I would absolutely love to have one of those
 
They're not terribly difficult to find! I got mine from Everitt Bowles (civilwarbadges.com) but i saw one listed earlier this year on uniondb.com.
But I agree with you, very happy to have it in my collection
If you happen to see anymore could you contact me please
 
The medal features a bust of Jackson on the front (albeit with the wrong birthdate and Mexican War era portrait. On the reverse are the battle honors of the Stonewall brigade, notably Jackson’s master stroke, Chancellorsville is not included. Overall this is a neat (and surprisingly affordable) Confederate medal and one I’m happy to have in my collection.

I’m mostly a Union collector but I’ve been looking for one of these at the right price for a little while now. Happy to have found one!

View attachment 402057
Sweet medal! I noticed that the reverse has Cold Harbor and the Wilderness listed. I don't think Jackson was around - except maybe in spirit -- for those two battles.
 
Sweet medal! I noticed that the reverse has Cold Harbor and the Wilderness listed. I don't think Jackson was around - except maybe in spirit -- for those two battles.
Note that in addition to Chancellorsville another familiar name is also "missing" - Gaines' Mill. That's because the Confederate name for the battle was Cold Harbor! It wasn't until after the 1864 battle that IT became routinely known as Cold Harbor and the 1862 battle Gaines' Mill. Most likely "The Wilderness" is listed as a name for Chancellorsville for much the same reason.
 
Note that in addition to Chancellorsville another familiar name is also "missing" - Gaines' Mill. That's because the Confederate name for the battle was Cold Harbor! it wasn't until after the 1864 battle that IT became routinely known as Cold Harbor and the 1862 battle Gaines' Mill. Most likely "The Wilderness" is listed as a name for Chancellorsville for much the same reason.
I didn’t even think of that! I was so perplexed as to why Cold Harbor and the Wilderness were included but Chancellorsville and Gaines’ Mill weren’t.

The fact that these medals were commissioned in early 1864 also supports your theory as cold harbor and the wilderness probably hadn’t happened when Lamar was commissioning/designing these medals
 
I didn’t even think of that! I was so perplexed as to why Cold Harbor and the Wilderness were included but Chancellorsville and Gaines’ Mill weren’t.

The fact that these medals were commissioned in early 1864 also supports your theory as cold harbor and the wilderness probably hadn’t happened when Lamar was commissioning/designing these medals
There were Old Cold Harbor and New Cold Harbor, two different taverns, both behind Confederate lines as I remember, so they were prominent landmarks familiar to the Rebels, whereas Gaines Mill started out between the lines and was fought over during the battle; the Chancellor House in Chancellorsville clearing similarly started out as Hooker's headquarters (therefore more likely a Union name) and was fought over within the larger area of the Wilderness but was burned and played no part in the 1864 battle.
 
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My ancestor was captured at Harrisonburg and I notice it is listed on the 🪙 coin. Very notable. Deo Vindice
 
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