Civil War Campaign Medal
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| Civil War Campaign Medal | |
|---|---|
  Army & Navy Civil War Campaign Medals |
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| Awarded by Department of the Army Department of the Navy |
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| Type | Medal |
| Eligibility | Served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865 |
| Awarded for | |
| Status | Obsolete |
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The Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States military. The decoration was awarded to members of the United States military who had served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865.
The medal was first authorized in 1905 for the fortieth anniversary of the Civil War's conclusion. The blue and gray ribbon denotes the respective uniform colors of the US and Confederate troops.
The Army Civil War Campaign Medal displayed an engraved image of Abraham Lincoln while the Navy version depicted the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia's battle at Hampton Roads.
The medal was originally intended as a commemorative decoration, but was almost immediately granted status as a military decoration authorized for wear on active duty uniforms. This was due in large part to the fact that several senior military officers, still on active duty in 1905, were veterans of the Civil War. In 1918, for those who had been cited for gallantry in action, the Silver Citation Star was authorized as a device to the medal. Only six Citation Stars were awarded.
One of the most famous recipients of the Civil War Campaign Medal was Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur, Jr., father of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur.
