Twelfth and Twentieth Army Corps Badge
Twentieth Army Corps Badge
Fourth Division (Color originally Dark Green)
Courtesy Jay Graybeal
The Twelfth Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac was directed to wear a star as a corps badge by order of Major General Hooker issued on March 21, 1863. On September 23, 1863, the Eleventh and Twelfth corps were ordered detached from the Army of the Potomac and sent to Tennessee as reinforcements for Rosecrans' Army of the Cumberland. On April 3, 1864, the Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps were consolidated into a new corps designated the Twentieth and the star badge formerly of the Twelfth Army Corps adopted for the new corps. In part this was done because of the blemished record of the Eleventh Corps. The Fourth Division of the corps was detached to continue service in the District of Tennessee and did not operate with the bulk of the corps in Georgia and the Carolinas.
The badge is of the silhouette type with a pin back. It was worn on the left side of the hat or over the left breast of the uniform coat. The insert is of a dark green color for the fourth division.