GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN CAPE PIN, A RARE SOLDIER’S BADGE OF "LITTLE MAC"

2-piece cape pin; a cast brass bust of George B. McClellan (1826-1885) and a star-in-crescent joined by an s-hook. N.p., n.d. Overall approx. 1 x 2 3/4 in. 

Cape pins or badges modeled as busts of military leaders afforded soldiers to personalize uniforms and equipment with patriotic or martial imagery drawn from some of the war’s most recognizable personalities. Known surviving examples depict figures such as McClellan. Because they were relatively fragile and easily lost or discarded, comparatively few examples survive today.

George B. McClellan enjoyed an extraordinary popularity with many Union soldiers, especially in the war’s early years, when his talent for organization, discipline, and camp administration transformed the Army of the Potomac from a shaken force into a more confident and professional army. To many of the men under him, “Little Mac” seemed a commanding yet paternal figure: he reviewed troops impressively, took evident pride in their appearance and readiness, and inspired the belief that he cared for their welfare. Even when political leaders and fellow officers criticized his caution in the field, large numbers of soldiers remained devoted to him, seeing in him a general who would not spend their lives recklessly. That affection endured long after his removal from command, and McClellan remained one of the few Union generals to inspire something approaching personal loyalty and hero-worship among the rank and file.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Relics, Militaria] [Medals, Corps Badges, Badges]