Lot 497: Confederate TN 27th Infantry Button

Extremely scarce Tennessee Confederate uniform button, flat struck variety, stamped for the 27th TN Volunteer Infantry on top side with faint partial stamping “…Treble…” on reverse. 7/8 in. diameter. Circa 1860. This is the only known surviving example of a button from this unit, which saw action in some of the war’s bloodiest battles. The button and accompanying card, stating it was dug on the battlefield at Perryville, Kentucky, in 1994, are both mounted in an acrylic double sided clear case measuring 7 1/1 in. x 5 1/2 in. x 3/4 in. The lot includes two display cards with enlarged photos of the buttons and a history of the 27th Tennessee. The regiment was organized on Sept. 10, 1861 at Camp Trenton, from new and existing companies of volunteer infantry. Its 833 men were from the counties of Benton, McNairy, Obion, Henderson, Decatur, Crockett, Weakley, and Carroll counties. It was furnished arms at Columbus, KY, then fought at Shiloh, Munfordville, and Perryville. The regiment was assigned to Maney’s Brigade, Cheatham’s Division, 1st Corps, Army of Tennessee. On Jan. 1, 1863, it was amalgamated wth the “First Tennessee”, resulting in the creation of the 1st and 27th Tennessee Infantry Regiment. The regiment participated in many conflicts from Murfreesboro to Atlanta and ended the war in North Carolina attached to Palmer’s Brigade. It suffered over 50 percent losses at the Battles of Shiloh and Perryville and by late 1863 was down to 456 men and 290 arms. 

PROVENANCE:

Private Tennessee collection, dug at the Perryville, KY Battlefield on May 1, 1994. 

CONDITION:

Dug condition with heavy oxidation.