The Civil War Campaign Badge was design by Mr. F. D. Millett, a prominent American Artist, and the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, approved the design and authorized the manufacture of the badge in 1906. The initial contract with a commercial firm was canceled and the design turned over to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia for manufacture. The initial ribbon design was two bands of red, white, and blue with the red on the outside and the blue bands separated by a thin white stripe in the center. The head of Lincoln was selected because it was the only thing that could be used on the medal without offense to the sentiment then happily prevailing over the whole country in regard to the Civil War. The portrait of Lincoln must be acceptable to everybody, particularly when accompanied by the noble phrase from his second inaugural address which so tersely and accurately expresses his attitude during the war. The ribbon was changed in 1913 to half blue (on the left) and half gray.
d. Because of the desire to provide the medal to individuals no longer in the service, Major General Leonard Wood, Chief of Staff, in a letter to the Director of the U.S. Mint on 30 June 1913 requested the U.S. Mint sell the campaign badges to persons who were no longer in the service.
e. AR 600-65, dated 20 November 1928, refers to the Civil War Campaign Medal rather than badge. Subsequent correspondence and regulations refer to medal rather than badge.
f. Section 33, Act of Congress, 10 August 1956, (10 USC 3751) requires the Secretary of the Army to procure and issue without charge, the Civil War Campaign Medal and other service medals. This law also provides that the medal will be presented to the member’s family if the member dies before it is presented to him.
Information Courtesy of Department of Defense (DOD)
