Two Religious Medals recovered at Brandy Station

Two Religious Medals recovered at Brandy Station Battlefield. Click photo and "Detailed Description".

These are two religious medals which were recovered by Dennis Irwin in the 1970s at the Brandy Station, Virginia Battlefield. The larger one is made of brass and measures approximately 7/8" x 7/8". The back is plain and the front has what appears to be the Virgin Mary. The smaller one measures about 3/8" x 5/8" and is made of medal. It is difficult to make out but it may also be the Virgin Mary. 

At dawn on June 9, 1863, the Union cavalry corps under Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasanton launched a surprise attack on Stuart’s cavalry at Brandy Station. After an all-day fight in which fortunes changed repeatedly, the Federals retired without discovering Lee’s infantry camped near Culpeper. This battle marked the apogee of the Confederate cavalry in the East. From this point in the war, the Federal cavalry gained strength and confidence. Brandy Station was the largest cavalry battle of the war and the opening engagement of the Gettysburg Campaign.

These are truly unique items and very difficult to find excavated examples. They both have holes on the top which are too small to hang from a chain, so I believe they would have been worn by a pin or probably just carried in the soldiers pockets.