Help with a Grand Army of the Republic Veteran Medal

[crater]

Hi,

 

I just picked this up at an estate sale.

 

My first Grand Army of the Republic Medal.

 

Any info greatly appreciated.

 

 

The back reads.

 

June 6th 1901

Presented To

Philip Lawrence

Department Commander

By

Conrade's of the Department

South Dakota GAR

 

Thanks

[crater]

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[crater]

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[crater]

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[KevinBeyer]

Hello, crater,

 

Are you asking for personal education, or in preparation for reselling this item?

 

Kevin

[ludwigh1980]

Killer piece. Presentation Department Commander's Badge GAR. Usually these are solid gold with real diamonds. You could get it tested as to what the karat rating is. They are rare.

Wonderful piece and from a Western State. You might research the history. If you can link it to some gold mining history in the Dakota's, it falls into the catagory of Western Americana and hince makes it much more desirable and supercedes its GAR desirability.

 

Terry,

 

Collector and Dealer in Western Americana and Militaria

Especially Colorado National Guard

[1stDivVet]

I found 3 Philip Lawrence's in the soldier's and sailor's system.

 

1.) Philip Lawrence, Enlisted as a Private in Co. C, 37th Wisconsin Inf., out as a Lieutenant.

 

2.) Philip Lawrence, Private, Co. E. 40th US Colored Troops (Infantry)

 

3.) Philip Lawrence, Private, Co. E. 111th US Collered Troops (Infantry)

 

The 2 USCT units both served in Tenn. The 40th Mustered in Feb. 1864 and mustered out in April 1866. They served as railroad guard troops. The 111th mustered in June of 1864 as the 3rd Alabama Colered Inf, and designation changed the same day to the 111th USCT. They were mustered out April of 1866. They served as guards at Pulaski and Athens and as railroad guards. The 37th Wis. was organized in April of 1864 and mustered out July of 1865. They were part of the Appomatox Campaign and were involved in the assault, capture, and occupation of Petersburg.

 

Fins...

[Championhilz]

Found him - I did a newspaper search and he was listed in a newspaper article from the Aberdeen Daily News (Aberdeen, South Dakota), June 6, 1913, which listed the names and units of Grand Army Members who were attending the local reunion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, if you go to Google books, there are several G.A.R. publications that have biographies of Philip Lawrence, but they only allow snippets from the book to be seen.

 

 

 

I found 3 Philip Lawrence's in the soldier's and sailor's system.

 

1.) Philip Lawrence, Enlisted as a Private in Co. C, 37th Wisconsin Inf., out as a Lieutenant.

 

2.) Philip Lawrence, Private, Co. E. 40th US Colored Troops (Infantry)

 

3.) Philip Lawrence, Private, Co. E. 111th US Collered Troops (Infantry)

 

The 2 USCT units both served in Tenn. The 40th Mustered in Feb. 1864 and mustered out in April 1866. They served as railroad guard troops. The 111th mustered in June of 1864 as the 3rd Alabama Colered Inf, and designation changed the same day to the 111th USCT. They were mustered out April of 1866. They served as guards at Pulaski and Athens and as railroad guards. The 37th Wis. was organized in April of 1864 and mustered out July of 1865. They were part of the Appomatox Campaign and were involved in the assault, capture, and occupation of Petersburg.

 

Fins...

[SCF-Collector]

Others are absolutely correct - a very nice Past Department Commanders badge. These pieces are one-of-a-kind jeweler-made medals commissioned to honor a members service to the GAR. As previously noted they are normally gold (10K or sometimes 18K) and sometimes those are real diamonds (but not always - best to have them checked).

 

I did some checking as well and found the GAR proceedings for June 19-21, 1900 where he was elected Department Commander. He was replaced at the Annual reunion in June 1901 by G.A. Snow. BTW, I also found a reference to where a Philip Lawrence was also Junior Vice Commander in 1882 - so he obviously worked his way up through the ranks to Department Commander.

 

The ID provided by Championhilz looks solid - but one thing has me curious - that blue shield device with anchor and cannon. Seems to me I've seen that before. I wish my memory was better - but I seem to recall that has some specific meaning - naval service - or maybe I saw that motif once on a Rhode Island GAR piece? Don't mean to cast doubt on the ID provided - it sure looks right - but what then does that shield stand for? They usually have a meaning. I have one of these Past Commander badges for a guy that was in the 24th Michigan - and it has an Iron Brigade medallion applies to it. I've seen other examples with individual-specific references like this. Does anyone know what that particular shield and motif might mean on this medal?

 

Nice pick-up Crater!

[1stDivVet]

That would be for the 3rd Division, 9th Corps. The shield is the corps badge, the color blue represents 3rd Division. The 37th Wis. Inf. was part of the 9th during the war, so that makes sense.

 

Fins...

[SCF-Collector]

That would be for the 3rd Division, 9th Corps. The shield is the corps badge, the color blue represents 3rd Division. The 37th Wis. Inf. was part of the 9th during the war, so that makes sense.

 

Fins...

 

Well DUH on me 1stDivVet. You're right of course! One of these days I really do need to try to learn Corps Badges!

 

Completes the story on a great pick-up for Crater!

[crater]

Thanks for the help. Its unbelievable what you guys came up with. :thumbsup:

 

Philip Lawrence,

Presentation Department Commander's Badge GAR

1st Lieutenant Company C, 37th Wisconsin Inf Huron

Enlisted as a Private in Co. C, 3rd Division, 9th Corps 37th Wisconsin Inf

The 37th Wis. was organized in April of 1864 and mustered out July of 1865. They were part of the Appomatox Campaign and were involved in the assault, capture, and occupation of Petersburg.

The shield is the corps badge, the color blue represents 3rd Division. The 37th Wis. Inf. was part of the 9th during the war.

 

Outstanding!

[JMcCulloch]

There's a google book on the 37th Wisconsin that lists his promotions and the battles....he was in the Crater! How cool is that!

[crater]

There's a google book on the 37th Wisconsin that lists his promotions and the battles....he was in the Crater! How cool is that!

 

 

Thanks J,

 

That's awesome! Made my week.

[barker944]

The ID provided by Championhilz looks solid - but one thing has me curious - that blue shield device with anchor and cannon. Seems to me I've seen that before. I wish my memory was better - but I seem to recall that has some specific meaning - naval service - or maybe I saw that motif once on a Rhode Island GAR piece? Don't mean to cast doubt on the ID provided - it sure looks right - but what then does that shield stand for? They usually have a meaning. I have one of these Past Commander badges for a guy that was in the 24th Michigan - and it has an Iron Brigade medallion applies to it. I've seen other examples with individual-specific references like this. Does anyone know what that particular shield and motif might mean on this medal?

 

It was fairly common for GAR Departments to adopt Corp badges as their Department emblems. The Sons of Union veterans followed the same practice early in their history.

 

Jim