Description
Absolutely stunning 6th Corps ID badge belonging to Surgeon Edwin Phillips of the 4th Vermont Volunteer Infantry. Phillips would initially enlist with the 6th Vermont Volunteer Infantry as a private with Company G in October, 1861. Serving with the regiment he would see action at Yorktown, Williamsburg and the Seven Days Campaign. In August, 1862 Edwin would be discharged for a promotion to assistant surgeon with the 4th Vermont Volunteer Infantry. From August, 1862 through October, 1863 he would be present with the regiment and all the hell they would endure. September of 1862 would be especially busy with the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. They would end out the year with the battle at Fredericksburg. 1863 would fare no better beginning with the infamous “Mud March”, followed by the Chancellorsville Campaign beginning in the spring. Phillips would be present with the regiment at Gettysburg but they would take slight casualties during the fray. The Bristoe Campaign would begin in October. Later that month Edwin would be discharged for a promotion to full surgeon with his old regiment, the 6th Vermont Infantry. Once again he would be present throughout all of 1864 and the numerous bloody battles that ensued beginning with the Wilderness in May. Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Winchester, Fisher’s Hill, Cedar Creek and everywhere in between. In December, 1864 they would move to Petersburg to take part in the siege there. Edwin would take a 20 day leave in late February but would return by March in time to be present for the Appomattox Campaign. His final discharge would come in June, 1865. His services undoubtedly were called upon on many an occasion and by wars end I have no doubt he was a well season surgeon. This is a beautiful, solid silver id badge in the shape of the 4th Corps. Beautifully engraved on the front “E. Phillips M.D. 4th Vt. Vol”. The remains of a blue silk ribbon are tied to the badge through the hole from which the badge originally hung. There is no pin on the reverse of this one as it never had one but rather hung from a ribbon instead. Beautiful badge and you rarely see this attributed to surgeons!
