Medal

Reproduction of the Army of the James medal. Believed struck during the Civil War Centennial, 1961-1965, when copies of a larger diameter and lower relief than the original were made.

The original medal was issued by Unite States General Benjamin Butler to his African American soldiers to commemorate their bravery at the Battle of New Market Heights in the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign in September 1864. The original medal was generally in silver (although there were also a few rare bronze) and had a hole at the top from which they were suspended from a ribbon with a bar medal.