Scarce George Custer Related ID Pin

By John Sexton · Originally published May 2020 · pp. 22–23

“THE HISTORY OF THIS WAR WHEN TRUTHFULLY WRITTEN, WILL CONTAIN NO BRIGHTER PAGE THAN THAT UPON WHICH IS RECORDED, THE CHIVALROUS DEEDS, THE GLORIOUS TRIUMPHS OF THE SOLDIERS OF THE THIRD DIVISION CEDAR CREEK 19 OCT. 1864. G.A. CUSTER.” 35 mm diameter. (Betsey J. Hayward, 208 Broadway)

Question: I have a badge for the Battle of Cedar Creek. What was the intended audience for this badge? The general public or soldiers in the cavalry unit? I don’t know what I shared with you before. Here is a little about the badge. Dan Underhill is a distant relative of my wife (her family has many old ties with Long Island families). Underhill was from Oyster Bay, Long Island, and was typical of the youth who joined the war. He joined with his friend, who was the son of the town mayor, against the mayor’s wishes. Underhill wrote many letters home about his everyday war experience and also detailed the death of his friend, the mayor’s son, in battle. Underhill participated in some of the major battles of Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. He survived the war but was tragically killed in a carriage accident in Central Park three years later, unmarried. A fellow soldier wrote a particularly poignant obituary, which accompanies the badge. Answer: This indeed a very scarce and desirable George Armstrong Custer related ID pin. This custom ID badge was offered in several Civil War era newspapers that soldiers read advertising “the officially adopted Custer Cavalry badge.” Though the badge was never actually, officially, adopted, it was advertised as such. The 35 mm medallion was manufactured by B. J. Hayward of New York City whose ads appear in Army & Navy Journal and was pictured in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. This badge is considered wartime and likely made in 1865; Underhill was in service until June 1865. Daniel J Underhill (1833– 1868) entered service September 1862, in the 2nd New York Cavalry. He served the entire war in same unit. The 2nd was one of the more famous New York cavalry regiments and ranks 8th in Fox’s Regimental Losses in the American Civil War 1861–1865 (1889), for cavalry regiments that lost the most men killed and fatally wounded in action during the war. From the New York Times Oct. 20, 1864: “The battle of Cedar Run, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1864, will be recorded in history as one of the most remarkable that has thus far taken place in this rebellion.” The Union victory of Cedar Creek, or Third Battle of Winchester, produced a feather in General Sheridan’s cap. Sheridan was Custer’s mentor; Custer admired him greatly for his early trust in giving him command. At Cedar Creek Sheridan had almost 6,000 casualties including 644 killed, 3,430 wounded, and 1,591 missing. The defeated

Confederates had larger losses including 1,860 killed & wounded, and over 1,500 men captured. “It was an expensive victory but worth the terrible price. The surviving Confederates were devastated, not just from the loss of men and equipment, but their morale was shattered beyond repair.” Custer’s comments about “Cedar Creek” are memorialized on the reverse side of your distant relative’s white metal ID medallion. There are no complete badges of this type found in any auction or institutional collections I am aware of. This is the only complete badge I have seen, although I am told there is at least one other by a knowledgeable Custer collector. A similar scarce Custer silver ID badge of different design from the Libbie Custer descent line is inscribed to Benjamin Tuttle of the 1st Conn. Cavalry. It sold in 2012 at SpinksSmythe for $10,315. It later sold in the 2015 James Julia Auctions for $7,110. The Tuttle badge has similar rarity in being a complete badge with ribbon and inscribed top. The silver drop has been sold before as has the 35 mm “Cedar Creek” medallion drop. The last three sold for about $1,000 each. Custer is an iconic American figure and although Custer is not as popular in modern culture today, he is still “The General” and has a following among collectors. Underhill’s complete badge in auction with a presale estimate of $3,000-4,000, could easily bring more.

The $27 badge referred to the above medal that was unknown when Phillips and Lord wrote their texts. The $27 version was a gold medal that sold in excess of $100,000 several years ago.

John is an certified appraiser with International Society of Appraisers specializing in Civil War memorabilia. He authenticates and evaluates other rare and valuable historic items as well. His website is www.civilwardealer.com. He is coauthor of the book

Sold at Spink-Smythe Auctions, New York, lot 1074, Libbie Custer sale 2012, $10,350. This same badge sold in 2015 at James Julia Auctions with lessened interest in Custer for $7,110.

Confederate Bowie Knives (2012) by Jack Melton, Josh Phillips and John Sexton, that was published by Mowbray Publishing, Inc. Send “Ask The Appraiser” questions and photographs to [email protected].

Scarce George Custer Related ID Pin — photograph 4 from the original article

Close-up of obverse of 35 mm medallion of ID pin with Custer bust and 3rd Division markings. Top bars inscribed: “ D. J. Underhill / 2d N.Y. C.”

Scarce George Custer Related ID Pin — photograph 6 from the original article

Scarce George Custer Related ID Pin — photograph 7 from the original article

“Gen. Custer Medal, beautifully suspended from Cross Sabres. I will send a sample for $3.” (Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, June 19, 1865)

Custer designed this valor medal. Few are known. A similar example solder for just over $100,000 at Cowan’s Auction, Cincinnati, June 2016. (John Beckendorf Collection)

Scarce George Custer Related ID Pin — photograph 10 from the original article