wearing a 'badge'

Today at Brandy Station, May 4, 1864

Throughout the day, soldiers left Culpeper County, crossing at Germanna and Ely's Ford. Theodore Lyman, aide-de-camp to Army of the Potomac Commander, “wonders if every man that crosses those bridges who is to become a casualty in the next six weeks, would wear a badge, what would it look like?”

In six weeks, nearly half would become casualties.

The image of the Army of the Potomac Crossing Germanna Ford is from the Library of Congress.