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MILITIA HAT BADGE

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This is a very finely made oval hat badge with pin back using a jaceron wire border around a light blue ground that has silver bullion thread in interlocking coils or circles running around the edge, with prominent silvered metal American eagle with spread wings at top and silvered false-embroidered letters “RD” at bottom. The pin and hook are in place on the reverse. The back is covered in a thin light blue fabric matching the face. The face appears to have been velvet, with the nap now gone, but has no holes and still shows strong color.

We know of one similar badge, with the same eagle and “RD” unit designation, but with an orange-red ground. A possible identification for that one to the Reading Dragoons was suggested but we can’t think of why they would have light blue version of the badge unless they fielded a dismounted contingent, and they were still billed as a mounted unit at the beginning of the war, with some members going into the 6^th PA cavalry under Capt. George Clymer. We have checked Amann’s register in vain for candidates, but he included only militia groups that entered US or CS service as a unit. This is a very nice insignia in any case, likely dating 1850s-1860s.  [sr][ph:L]

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