Civil War brass letter hat insignia, recovered along Lee’s Retreat Route from Gettysburg

This is another nice item being offered, it is an excavated Civil War brass headgear insignia. It is the letter “F” and measures 1” x 1”. The back has two of the three attachment posts remaining. This letter and a couple others were recovered along General Lee’s Chambersburg Pike retreat route from Gettysburg.

In the aftermath of his loss at Gettysburg, Lee waited for a counterattack which never came on July 4th.  That night, in a raging thunderstorm, he began to withdraw his remaining army, all its troops, wounded, weapons and munitions, supplies, cattle and other logistical elements.  The retreat took two paths.  One, the largest, headed northwest toward Chambersburg, eventually turning south to Waynesboro and Greencastle enroute to Hagerstown.

This letter has an untouched patina and remains very solid. It comes in the glass top display case pictured. With the style and location of the recovery, it probably belonged to a Confederate soldier.