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Sample 1Sample 2Sample 3Sample 4Sample 5Sample 6Sample 7Sample 8Sample 9 The Southern Cross of Honor is an award that is irrevocably tied to heritage, birthright, and how late 19th century Southern society viewed itself. While technically not an award given for gallantry in the face of the enemy - not even a true military decoration - the Cross of Honor as its name implies conveyed a far greater measure of esteem, that of loyalty and devotion to the South. It ritualized the sacrifice of the individual soldier and celebrated, almost to the point of vilification, the glorious ideals of the 'Lost Cause' that were born of Lee's surrender and the end of the Confederacy. Moreover, the Cross was officially conceived by Southern women organized as the United Daughters of the Confederacy and could only be bestowed in their name after a thoughtful application and documentation process. The United Daughters of the Confederacy was formally organized only in 1894 but had as its predecessor a host of loosely knit women's groups that were unified in their proactive dedication to the preservation of the Southern 'Cause', a 'Cause' they advanced as their own. Mrs. Alexander S. Erwin (Mary Ann Lamar Cobb, daughter of General Howell Cobb) of Athens, Georgia is credited with the idea for the Southern Cross. It is said that the notion came to her while attending a veteran reunion in Atlanta on July 4, 1898. Erwin and another woman, Mrs. Sarah E. Gabbett, designed the Cross and had arranged for its manufacturer at a nearby firm owned by Charles W. Crankshaw of Atlanta by 1899. The final design took the form of a Maltese Cross to be struck in brass with a wreath and laurel motif surrounding the Latin phrase 'Deo Vindice (God our vindicator) 1861-1865" and "Southern Cross of Honor" on the face. The reverse heralded the Confederate battle flag surrounded by laurel and the inscription 'United Daughters of the Confederacy' divided between the four arms of the cross. The women astutely secured a copyright to the design on February 20, 1900 and production of the first 2,500 Crosses began in Crankshaw's Atlanta facility shortly thereafter. The entire initial batch is found with 'Patented Charles W. Crankshaw Atlanta.' in relief on the back of the oblong suspension bar. Fittingly, the Athens Chapter of the UDC on April 26, 1900, bestowed the first Cross of Honor upon Captain Alexander S. Erwin, Mrs. Erwin's husband. The Southern Cross was quick to draw worthy applicants and by October 1901 12,500 had been ordered from Crankshaw. At this time 'Whitehead & Hoag" also began producing variations of the Cross. The plain oblong suspension bar was augmented by a more intricate and aesthetically pleasing shaped design with a portion of the space left blank so custom engraving or specific stampings could be added. As example, the front of one of these embellished suspension bars is stamped 'Veteran UCV Richmond 1907.' The original Southern Cross of Honor was issued blank with an appropriate certificate from the UDC giving the recipients particulars. Later, some Crosses were awarded with the name already inscribed on the award, but this may simply be pre-planning and a jeweler's hand on a Chapter level as opposed to a special factory order. The Crosses are found numbered (sequentially in a series) and unnumbered with no discernable pattern or break between the two. The Southern Cross of Honor is a sacred award that reflects equally upon the recipient and the society that entrusted it. As it was the most widely distributed Medal associated with the old Confederacy it has retained the essential aura and symbolism from which it emanated. Coveted by collectors as a special mark of the soldiers' standing, the United Daughters of the Confederacy also still actively solicits for their return to the National Headquarters in Richmond should the owner/descendant wish for the medal to reside in a place of honor. Proportionately much rarer than their Northern counterparts, the German silver Confederate Ladder and Shield badges are just beginning to attract serious study. The Ladder and Shield badges seem to have had their heydays in the 1880's and 90's. Based on the sheer volume of Union Ladder badges encountered, the manufacturing facilities would appear to have been in the North and the Confederate Ladders therefore logically resulted from the veteran's chance encounter with an advertisement or by word of mouth. This position suggest that impoverished Southerners were less likely to purchase such novelties given the economic realities of the Reconstruction era. In the absence of hard evidence to the contrary, it might be inferred that he formation of the UCV in 1890 decreased the popularity of the ladders and shields because of the large variety of Confederate badges that became available. Finally, the absence of any Ladder and Shield advertisements in the Confederate Veteran Magazine, which began publication in 1893, would suggest that they were no longer available by 1895 or so. The following twenty-two (22) Georgia Southern Cross of Honor Badges and Georgia Ladder & Shield Badges are one of the largest collections in private hands. They are all graded near Fine to Mint and are accompanied by three (3) Cross of Honor applications. This wonderful collection, includes: Shield Badge, for the 1st Georgia Infantry Regiment, State Line, who were engaged in the Atlanta Campaign, New Hope Church, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Siege of Atlanta, Utoy Creek, Jonesboro, Griswoldville, Honey Hill, Savannah Campaign, Savannah and Columbus....plus; Ladder Badge, for Co. C., 1st Georgia Vols, Cavalry Regiment, who fought from the beginning of the war through the Carolina's Campaign, and were engaged during Bragg's Kentucky Campaign, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Knoxville, Atlanta Campaign, Savannah and the Campaign of the Carolinas...plus; Shield Badge, issued to Private William A. George, Co. A, 2nd Georgia Reserves, who were assigned to Andersonville, but were included in the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston at Durham Station, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865....plus; Shield Badge issued to Private J.W. Estes, Co. F, 5th Battalion Georgia Infantry (State Guards), who served as a Local Defense Unit for six months in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 7th Congressional Districts, with Major William A. Wilson being the first commander...plus; Shield Badge issued to Private Robert P. Gilmore, Co. D, 6th Georgia Infantry, who were engaged from Seven Days to Chancellorsville, Olustee, Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Bentonville. Gilmore served as a nurse, soldier and pioneer while in the Confederate service....plus; Shield Badge issued to Private W. E. Slaton, Co. H, 7th Georgia Infantry, who was twice wounded and taken POW, his unit was engaged at First Manassas, Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, Petersburg Siege, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg...plus; Southern Cross of Honor, issued to Private D.R. Underwood, Co. B, 12th Georgia Infantry, and was engaged during Lee's Cheat Mountain Campaign, Jackson's Valley Campaign, Seven Day's Battles to Cold Harbor, Early's Shenandoah Valley operations, Appomattox Campaign, McDowell, Groveton, Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. Underwood finally surrendered and was paroled May 18, 1865 at Augusta, Georgia...plus; Southern Cross of Honor issued to Private A. Hendrix, Brannen's Co. , with (Wright's) Georgia Cavalry (State Guards), who mission was for Local Defense of the Columbus Railroad to Macon and the Okefenokee Swamp....plus; Southern Cross of Honor, issued to Sergeant John W. Lee, Co. B, 16th Georgia Battalion Cavalry and 13th Georgia Cavalry, who was captured in Jefferson County, Tennessee on October 28, 1864, and sent to Camp Douglas. His unit was engaged in Morgan's 1st Kentucky Raid, Cynthiana, Knoxville Siege, Rogersville, Lynchburg Campaign and Monocacy. This Cross was bestowed to Sergeant (Doctor) John W. Lee, in January 1904 and passed on to his son Fitzhugh Lee upon his death in December, 1928 at Covington, Georgia....plus; Shield Badge issued to Private D. E. Williams, Co. B, 14th Georgia Infantry, who was engaged from Seven Pines to Cold Harbor, Petersburg Siege, Appomattox, Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865....plus; Southern Cross of Honor issued to Marion W. Merks, Bell's Battalion, Georgia Co. C, 19th Georgia Volunteer Infantry, who fought from Seven Pines to Chancellorsville including Antietam and Fredericksburg. In July of 1863 they moved on to Charleston, South Carolina and then to Olustee, Florida. The summer of 1864 saw them at Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and the Crater....plus; Southern Cross of Honor, issued to Lieutenant John B. Richards, 20th Georgia Infantry, who was taken prisoner at Fort Harrison on September 29, 1864 and not paroled until late June 1865. His unit was engaged from Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Appomattox, Second Manassas and Gettysburg....plus; Shield Badge issued to Private/Corporal William B. Hargett, Co. E, 20th Georgia Infantry, who was taken prisoner at Gettysburg, his unit was engaged from Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Appomattox, Second Manassas and Gettysburg...plus; Southern Cross of Honor, issued to Private/Sergeant James H. Jordan, Co. D, 21st Georgia Infantry, who was wounded at Cold Harbor and 2nd Manassas, his regiment was engaged in Jackson's Valley Campaign, from Seven Days' Battles to Mine Run, Plymouth, Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Appomattox, Cross Keys, Gaine's Mill, Malvern Hill, Second Manassas and Gettysburg....plus; Southern Cross of Honor issued to Private John D. Bowles, Co. K, 25th Georgia Infantry, who was taken prisoner at Fort Pulaski in 1862, his unit was engaged with the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Atlanta, moved with Hood into Tennessee and saw action at Bentonville....plus; Ladder Badge issued to the 31st Georgia Volunteers who served under Lawton, John B. Gordon's and C.A. Evan's Brigade, , they fought from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, Shenandoah Valley, Appomattox, Gaine's Mill, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg where it lost 25% of the men engaged....plus; Ladder Badge issued to Co. H, 33rd Georgia Infantry Regiment, this unit had soldiers who would serve in multiple units during the war...plus; Shield Badge issued to Private J. N. Gamble, Co. A, 39th Georgia Infantry, who was captured at Vicksburg and wounded at Missionary Ridge, his unit fought at Champion's Hill, Vicksburg, Chattanooga to Nashville and at Bentonville...plus; Shield Badge issued to Private Silas J. Bruce, Co. J, 46th Georgia Infantry, who fought at Secessionville, Gaston, Frampton's Plantation, Siege of Jackson, Chickamauga to Atlanta and saw action in Tennessee and North Carolina...plus; Shield Badge issued to Co. F, 57th Georgia Volunteer Infantry, who fought at Champion's Hill, Vicksburg, from Resaca to Bentonville and the Atlanta Campaign. The entire regiment was captured at Vicksburg...plus; Shield Badge issued to J.N. Heard (Hurd) Co. F, 64th Georgia Volunteer Infantry, who was wounded at Petersburg, and fought at Olustee, Petersburg Siege and the Appomattox Campaign....plus; Southern Cross of Honor issued to Sergeant/Major Park Underwood, Terrell's Light Artillery Battery, who was engaged during the Savannah Campaign, Carolina Campaign and at Bentonville....plus; Application for Southern Cross of Honor submitted for Private/Sergeant John S. Fletcher, Co. I, 25th Georgia Infantry, who fought from Chickamauga to Bentonville...plus; Southern Cross application for Lt. Colonel James E. Dunlop, 2nd Georgia Cavalry - Chaplain, and the 21st South Carolina Infantry....plus; Application for the Southern Cross of Honor for Private John P. Hazzard, 26th/13th Georgia Infantry (Glynn Guards - Heavy Artillerist) -4th Georgia Cavalry, who had a horse killed in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. A wonderful and varied collection of important medals & badges awarded to hard fought Georgia soldiers.