Secession Cockades in Missouri

[csuniforms]

Hello, Have a question. In doing my research for Wearing the Gray and the Cahapter on the Missouri State Guard, I read where in Jefferson City, St. Louis, and other Pr0-Southern strongholds the wearing of "Secesssion Cockades" was the fashion. What did these look like? From one contemporary source-- it was made up of red, white, and blue ribbons, others said it was the First CS National Flag on a pin.?
As part of the State Guard impression-pre Wilsons Creek, a cockade would mark you as a fellow Southern supporter and add a dash of color to your para-military civilian appearance.

Thanks
Tom Arliskas
CS Uniforms

[ohpkirk]

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14023&highlight=missouri+cockade

If you decide to do anything per Texas secession cockades, the Dallas Herald is full of information about these in the late 1860 editions.

[PenPusher]

Tom,

"The Rolla Express" for Jan 21, 1861 ( which can be viewed at http://newspapers.umsystem.edu/Archive/skins/Missouri/navigator.asp?skin=Missouri&BP=OK&AW=1197219574237 ); states the following with regard to Missouri cockades:-

"Missouri - Small single rosette, made of blue ribbon, with a yellow pendant, on which is printed 'Missouri Minute Men'. "

This would seem to tie in well with the following:-

"HDQRS. FOURTH MIL. DIST., MISSOURI VOL. MILITIA, CAMP C. F. JACKSON, NEAR SAINT JOSEPH, MO., Monday, May 6, 1861.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States, Montgomery, Ala.:

SIR: Your favor of the 25th ultimo has been received, and I am thankful for your courtesy. I hope, and have reasonable expectations now, that Missouri will soon wheel into line into her Southern sisters, in which case I and my men will be needed here at home. I believe that this portion of Missouri (north of the Missouri River) will be the principal battle-ground between the North and South, as Saint Joseph, with its railroad connections, is the key to Kansas, New Mexico, Jefferson, [?] and Utah, and we have already been notified that the North has determined to hold this portion of the State, even through they lose all the rest of the slavesholding States, and they will either cover it over with dollars or blood, and the choice is for us to make. I have eight companies here in a camp of instruction, by order of our governor, and can assure you that they are all Blue Cockade boys, and if our leaders are disposed to sell this territory for money, our blood will remain at your service.

Yours, most respectfully,

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Colonel, Inspector of Fourth Military District."

The cockades, that you describe, made from red, white and blue ribbon would appear to be Union cockades, as they are described in the same newspaper report as follows:-

"The Union Cockade - this is also a double rosette, the centre one of red silk, the inner one of white silk, and the pendants of blue. The gilt button that fastens the whole together shows the Eagle of America, surrounded by the stars of the United States."

[KarinTimour]

Mr. Thrower:

If you still have the reference source available, could you scan through the paragraph or two that precede the description of the Union cockade? Your posted information about the Union cockade starts with "It is also a double rosette...." which seems to imply that the cockade being described in the previous paragraph would also be a double rosette.

Judging by the various cockades which remain from different other states, while there were some things about them that were uniform (blue), wouldn't be at all surprised if some people had single rosettes and others had double.

Would there be someone at the Missouri State historical society or the state archives who might know?

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Sleeping Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[csuniforms]

Thanks Karin. Very interesting-- The Minute-Men were a pro-Southern Missouri Militia Group from St. Louis. The term Minute-Men as applied to the rest of Missouri I will have to look up, but I remember seeing it somewhere that some of the earliest pro-Missouri, anti-Federal Coersion men called themselves Minute-men too.

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[PenPusher]

Karen,

The full citation is as follows:-

"THE COCKADES OF THE SOUTH

SOUTH CAROLINA. – This cockade is made of three lawyers(sic) of very dark blue cloth, notched at the edges and fastened together by a gilt button, on which the following appears in relief: In the centre is the ”palmetto,” with two arrows (crossed,) and fastened together at the point of crossing with a bow-knot of ribbon. The following is the motto around the button: Animis obibusque parati; “Ready with our minds and means.”

VIRGINIA. – This consists of a double rosette of blue silk, with a pendant of lemon color, the whole fastened together by a gilt button, on which appears in relief the arms of Virginia, with the name of the state and its motto encircling it. The motto is: Sic Semper tyranis.

MARYLAND. – This cockade is formed of a double rosette of blue silk with blue pendants, and fastened the same as that of Virginia, with the State buton(sic), with the simple word Maryland benmeath the arms.

THE UNION COCKADE. - this is also a double rosette, the centre one of red silk, the inner one of white silk, and the pendants of blue. The gilt button that fastens the whole together shows the Eagle of America, surrounded by the stars of the United States."

MISSOURI. - Small single rosette, made of blue ribbon, with a yellow pendant, on which is printed 'Missouri Minute Men'"

The earliest publication of the this Cockade information that I have found so far is in Richmond Dispatch, Monday morning...Dec. 17, 1860.

I also came across the following , in "Memories A Record of Personal Experience and Adventure During Four Years of War" by Fannie A. (Mrs.) Beers:-

'Who does not remember the epidemic of blue cockades which broke out in New Orleans during the winter of 1860 and 1861, and raged violently throughout the whole city? The little blue cockade, with its pelican button in the centre and its two small streamers, was the distinguishing mark of the "Secessionist."'

which would seem to indicate a preference for blue cockades among seceding States.

[KarinTimour]

Dear Mr. Thrower:

That's a terrific listing of the description of several of these badges. To take an example -- it states the description of the South Carolina cockade. If memory serves, in the Confederate Echoes of Glory there are pictures of several cockades. I also recall seeing several in person, though I can't remember if it was in both the Museum of the Confederacy or the Confederate Relic Room or both. But I do remember that there were a number that were made of palmetto fronds folded into the shape of the palmetto tree, and that they were much larger than I expected they would be (like four inches tall)-- the palmetto frond ones.

Just as in these days when someone wants to make a patriotic statement, they can make up a formal rosette of red/white/blue, put a piece of bunting in a buttonhole, put on a flag pin, etc. When we see red/white/blue, no matter what form it takes, it "reads" as that person making a patriotic statement.

It's also interesting the references to the pelican buttons for Louisiana, and the palmetto trees for South Carolina. Is there an animal or plant that instantly says "Missouri" to Missourians?

I"m wondering if the adoption of blue was a tip of the hat to South Carolina as the first state to go out (blue plays a big role in the SC flag)?

Great topic,

Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Sleeping Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[huntdaw]

Is there an animal or plant that instantly says "Missouri" to Missourians?

The mule and the dogwood are both state symbols. For many, many years, we were known for our mules. It might not look too good on a cockade though. Bears are on the state seal which might work better but I don't think most Missourians think of bears when regarding a state symbol.

[Sherry Key]

Karen,

If memory serves (and I wouldn't bet my last dollar on it) most of the cockades in the Confederate Relic Room are post war reunion type cockades though I do believe there are one or two true Secession ones. There is a rather elaborate one upstairs in the State Museum, blue, with, I believe, three layers of ribbon folded in points around a button and two streamers. Hope this helps a little.

Sherry Key.