A very appealing, full color, veteran’s escutcheon in the form of a shield with an American eagle at top with Union shield on its chest, perched on a wreath with US flags at either side and holding an E PLURIBUS UNUM ribbon scroll in its beak. The shield is gold bordered, with a dark blue ground quartered by gold bordered red cross, and surrounded by a flowing, gold foliate border with red-tipped gold-bordered blue ribbon scroll at bottom lettered in gold, “1^st SERGT. WM. M. COOMBS.” in Old English on either side of an oval left blank for placement of a photograph.

At upper left in the shield his first unit assignment, in the Mass militia, is given in two gold-bordered light blue cartouches: “4^th BATT. RIFLES” and “Co.B.” At upper right are the corps badges of the 2^nd Division 1^st Corps and 3^rd Division 5^th Corps. The lower left panel shows his rank insignia with light blue chevrons of an infantry corporal, sergeant, and first sergeant. At lower right is an infantry hunting horn with a 13 in the loop symbolizing his active service in the 13^th Mass. Volunteer Infantry. At center of the shield is the Massachusetts state seal in full color with “ARMY  OF THE POTOMAC” in gold letters across the horizontal bar and battle honors down the vertical bar: Cedar Mountain, Thoroughfare Gap, 2d Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna Riv., Coal Harbor, Petersburg. Given the omission of South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg, these likely reflect Coombs’ personal participation rather than just the regiment’s presence.

Coombs was 20 years-old, born in Salem, Mass., in January 1841 and a surveyor and civil engineer when he enlisted on 4/8/1861 and mustered into US service as a corporal in Co. B of the 13^th Mass on 7/16/61. He was detached as Corporal in the brigade cattle guard 6/15/62 and is listed on that detail through the Jan-Feb 1863 muster rolls in his service file, implying he returned to the company at the time of his promotion to sergeant on 4/1/63, but the regimental history, in preparing which he had a part and contributed his diary, says he was on that duty through October 1863 and the promotion may have put him in charge of the guard until that point. He was promoted to First Sergeant 6/1/64 according to the regimental history, and he mustered out at that rank 8/1/64 at Boston. CivilWarData says he was a member of the GAR Post #24 in Chicago and died 11/13/1914, but census records show him in Massachusetts at least through 1900 and we find a 1911 obituary indicating he died at Frost Hospital in Chelsea, Mass. on 12/22/1911 and had resided at 16 Paris St. in East Boston.

The 4^th Battalion Rifles Massachusetts Volunteer Militia had formed the nucleus of the 13^th Volunteers, furnishing companies, A, B, C, and D, with the regiment posted to Fort Independence in Boston Harbor where it mustered into US service and then departed the state for Maryland on July 29. It did guard duty along the Potomac until joining Banks’ 5^th Corps Army of the Potomac in March 1862, then McDowell’s 3^rd Corps, Army of Virginia. It was at Cedar Mountain after the fighting ended, but was engaged at Thoroughfare Gap and on the Chinn Farm at 2^nd Bull Run, losing 36 officers and men just in killed or mortally wounded. It joined the 1^st Corps in September 1862, fighting at South Mountain and in the cornfield and near Dunker Church at Antietam, and fought with minor losses at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. At Gettysburg, as part of Paul’s brigade, it suffered substantial losses on July 1 near Oak Hill and in the Fall took part in the Mine Run Campaign. In Spring 1864 it became part of the 5^th Corps, fighting with losses at Wilderness, Spottsylvania, the North Anna, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. It was pulled from the front on July 14 and those entitled to discharge sent to Boston and given a brief furlough before being mustered out.

There are some small losses to the edges and missing corner at lower right and small piece of corner at lower left not affecting the design, and areas of foxing. There is also a tear measuring 3 1/2" in length, extending inward from the right edge approx. 1/3 down the page. However, the colors are very strong and it displays very well.    [sr] [PH:L]

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