An excellent original Civil War Union VI Corps badge featuring a finely engraved decorative border surrounding a prominently affixed numeral "6" at the center. The badge retains its original T-bar pin attachment, a construction feature characteristic of authentic Civil War-period insignia. The attractive engraved embellishment and untouched age patina make this an especially appealing example of one of the most recognizable corps badges carried by Union veterans.
The VI Corps was organized in 1862 as part of the Army of the Potomac and quickly earned a reputation as one of the Union Army's finest fighting organizations. It distinguished itself during the Peninsula Campaign, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness Campaign, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign under Major General Philip Sheridan. The corps played a decisive role in the breakthrough at Petersburg on April 2, 1865, helping force the evacuation of Richmond and contributing directly to General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House one week later. The VI Corps suffered over 30,000 casualties during the war, a testament to its extensive combat service and the courage of its soldiers. Original engraved corps badges of this quality are highly desirable relics of one of the Union Army's most distinguished combat corps.