Original Item. Only One Available. This is one of the scarcest Civil War Corps badges we have offered, a great pin-back metal badge for the 15th Corps, featuring a Cartridge box with the phrase “40 Rounds” above the cartridge box plate. The badge measures 1¼ x 1¼” and has a great pin-back still in working order.  

The badge and motto originated from the Western XV Corps' rivalry with the eastern XII Corps. When the Western and Eastern soldiers finally met up near Chattanooga in late 1863, the XI and XII Corps soldiers bragged about their crescent and star-shaped corps badges. When asked what badge the XV Corps had (The XV Corps did not have one yet at the time), an Irish soldier of the XV Corps said, "Moon and stars is it? Sure it was the light of both ye needed to find your way home from Chancellorsville!" (The XI Corps had been routed at that battle) whereupon he slapped his cartridge box and said, "Corps badge? This is the badge of the Fifteenth Corps; 40 rounds!" This saying eventually reached the ears of General Logan. He soon sent out the following circular to his men:

'The following is announced as the badge of this corps: A miniature cartridge box, black, set transversely on a field of cloth or metal: above the cartridge box plate will be stamped or marked in a curve, the motto "Forty Rounds".'

This is a fantastic corps badge, one of the scarcest we have offered! Comes ready for further research and display!

The 15th Army Corps served in the Army of the Tennessee. It was commanded by Sherman in the Siege of Vicksburg and then by Major General John A. Logan in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. Brigadier General Peter J. Osterhaus commanded the Corps in the March to the Sea, but Logan was back in command during Sherman's Carolina Campaign. When General Howard became head of the Freedman's Bureau, Logan became the commander of the Army of the Tennessee for the final march to Washington. William Hazen then became the 15th Corps final commander.