The Butler Medal of Freedom

Butler had a medal struck for his Black troops, which remains today as the only medal made for Black troops. He gave the medal to 200 soldiers that fought at New Market Heights. The medal today is very rare. Only four exist in museums and private collections.

I had a medal struck of like size, weight, quality, fabrication and intrinsic value with those which Queen Victoria gave with her own hand to her distinguished private soldiers of the Crimea…The obverse of the medal shows a bastion fort charged by Negro soldiers, and bears the inscription “Ferro iis libertas perveniet.” (Freedom was won by them with the sword) The reverse bears the words, “Campaign before Richmond,” encircling the words, “Distinguished for Courage.”

 Ben Butler, Butlers Book, p743

Replicas of the "Butler Medal of Freedom" will be available soon.