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4 Pinnacle The Winter Encampment of 1863 through the Gettysburg Campaign
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93 4 Pinnacle T h e W i nt er Enca m pm ent of 1863 t h rough t h e Gett ysbu rg Ca m pa ign Morale soared in the Second Corps in late January 1863, when Major GeneralJosephHookerreplacedBurnsideascommanderoftheArmyof thePotomac.1Couch’smenexpressedmixedopinionsaboutyetanother commandchange,theirthirdinnearlyasmanymonths,buttheyalmost universallypraisedHooker’sadministrativereforms.Soldiersdelighted that better food and full pay followed Hooker’s ascension to command. They also praised their new commander for making furloughs easier to obtain. “This was fair-dealing,” one soldier declared of the policies implemented by Hooker, “and appreciated by the men.”2 Goings and Comings Soldiers of the Second Corps and the rest of the Union army experienced a surge in fighting spirit in the early spring for reasons beyond the reforms implemented by Hooker. In part, Couch’s men found time to turn their thoughts to activities other than war. The most colorful diversion occurred when soldiers of the Irish Brigade celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. According to one estimate, 20,000 soldiers, including Hooker, attended the festivities. The celebration was replete with horse racing and singing and dancing, as well as ample food and drink. In the words of one ecstatic Irishman, the ethnic revelry “‘took’ with all the soldiers.”3 Equally important to raising morale, soldiers in the Second Corps and the rest of the Union army closed ranks against the loud harangues of the Peace Democrats back at home. Couch’s men 94 defeating lee had only recently questioned the purpose of continuing the war, but they wanted nothing to do with Copperheads. The calls for a negotiated settlement with the Confederacy would make the Union blood spilled and treasure spent in vain. “Secesh sympathizers” at home seemed to forget that “our first great duty is to God, our second to our country.”4 Soldiers received a tangible reminder of their service in the Second CorpswhenHookerdecidedtodistributeadistinctbadgetoeachcorps serving in the Army of the Potomac. Hooker intended corps badges to make laggards easily identifiable on both the march and the battlefield. The Second Corps received a trefoil, color-coded, like the other corps badges, red, white, or blue, by division.5 Rumor started in later years that Hooker issued the trefoil to the Second Corps on the prompting of GeneralMeagher,thecommanderoftheIrishBrigade.Thetrefoilmade an ideal way to honor the soldiers of the Second Corps who had “born aloftineverybattle,withthecolorsoftheNation,thegreenflagofErin’s Isle.”6 If this was the case, no official records exist to offer support. Whatever the rationale behind Hooker’s decision, the trefoil badge was wildly popular in the Second Corps. Soldiers recognized that the trefoil brought credit to their accomplishments. A private in Howard’s division explained that although the badges did not look like much on the surface, “they gave an impulse to a good soldier’s pride in his own that helped to create a spirit of emulation in the right direction.” Many of Couch’s men took to proudly referring to their new corps emblem as “the Ace of Clubs.” Charles Mills, a staff officer, attempted to make his badge all the more visible. Rather than cut from flannel, as were most, Mills sported a velvet trefoil, outlined in gold thread.7 Games,politics,andbadgesweresignificant,butmoreimportantin boosting morale were two factors distinct to the Second Corps. Praise from the normally taciturn Sumner was the first factor. Soon after Hooker’sadvancement,Sumnerhadrequestedandreceivedassignment fromtheArmyofthePotomac.SumnerwasseniorinranktoHooker,so his removal was only a matter of time.8 Rather than raise a fuss, Sumner turned the attention to the hard fighting of the Second Corps. Sumner reminded his men that they had fought “with credit and honor always.” In doing so, “you have captured so many colors, without losing a single gun or standard.” Sumner urged soldiers to continue to prove worthy of [34.227.112.145] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 18:41 GMT) “Clubs are Trump!” The trefoil-shaped badge of the Second Corps boosted morale. Massachusetts Commandery Military Order of the Loyal Legion and the U.S. Army Military History Institute. 96 defeating lee their already distinguished record. “It is only in so doing that you can retain for yourselves a reputation well won.”9 This was the first time that Sumner had talked collectively about the Second Corps, and most of his soldiers responded warmly. The men hadservedunderSumnersincethestartofthewar,andtheyrecognized that their military fortunes had gone together. Private Charles Hamlin believed this for the bad, judging in the aftermath of Fredericksburg that“OldSumner...seemsanxioustogetusallshot.”LieutenantJosiah Favillbelievedtheopposite,declaringSumner“agoodman,anexcellent soldier and...