"It is earnestly requested of all peaceable and well-disposed persons, (as well Protestants associated as others) that they will abstain from wearing blue cockades; as these ensigns are now assumed by a set of miscreants, whose purpose is to burn this city, and plunder its inhabitants."

If you know your American Civil War history, you might think this quote is referring to blue secession cockades.

Nope. This quote pre-dates the Secession Crisis by 80 years and originates in London.

But the two blue cockades are linked!

Here's the story.

In 1778 America was fighting a war for independence from Great Britain. But Great Britain was fighting wars with not only America but also France, Spain and the Dutch Republic! Naturally, they needed a lot of men for the armies.

For a number of reasons, Parliament decided to pass the Papist Act in 1778, loosening restrictions on Catholics in Great Britain. This was partially a pragmatic move to allow more men into the army - previously, a Protestant oath was required for a man to join the British army.

But this Act turned out to be highly unpopular with many people. Protestants feared the loosening of anti-Catholic regulations by the Papist Act would bring back Catholic monarchial power. Catholics feared that the loosening of the laws would spark a rash of anti-Catholic feeling.

Basically, nobody was happy with the Papist Act.

Riots and Cockades

Combine a government stretched thin by unpopular wars, high tax rates to fund those wars, and an unpopular governmental deregulation of Catholics and what do you have? A perfect recipe for a jolly good riot.

Which is exactly what happened in 1780.

Lord George Gordon, member of Parliament and the first president of the Protestant Association, led the party against the Papist Act. By 1780, Lord Gordon had a petition ready for Parliament to consider and a backing of thousands of people who marched on the Houses of Parliament. The badge of this organization?

You guessed it: A blue cockade.

Here's a picture of Lord Gordon haranguing the crowd. Note the blue ribbon in his hat, as well as the hats of the spectators.

Unfortunately, what started as peaceful protests turned into riots, burning and looting in the city of London. This was only ended when the army was called out to suppress the outbreak.

Fifty Years Later
So we go forward in history to the 1830s and find a similar situation in America. An English-speaking people, the United States, is dealing with an unresponsive government, high taxation, and bills run up by an unpopular war (the War of 1812). Naturally, the blue cockade came to mind.

So the badge of the Nullification Crisis became the blue cockade - a symbol of people pushing back against an overbearing government.

Blue Cockades and the Civil War

Twenty-eight years later, the Secession Crisis of 1860 broke out and once again the blue cockade made its appearance. Many remembered its story.

The Atlanta Southern Confederacy Newspaper explained on November 11, 1860, "The South has even decided on a new symbol of independence – a blue cockade, an iconoclastic emblem which was worn by anti-government rioters in London in 1780, and by George Washington’s armies during the Revolutionary War. Arrangements are now being made to sell cockades at Baton Rouge’s Armory Hall and other major meeting places across the South. A Baton Rouge resident told our reporter that he fully intends to procure a cockade, and adding: 'This badge is a perfect encapsulation of our resistance; simple, visible and drenched in history. The whole of the South will be sporting a cockade by the end of the year, mark my words.'"

And he was right: By the end of 1860 the symbol of Southern patriotism had indeed become the blue cockade!

To read the full story of the Gordon Riots, check out my blog post here.

Just for fun, here’s a collage of some blue cockades from the South.

Need A Blue Cockade?

I have lots of them in my shop - both generic ones and state-specific ones. Check out the Secession cockades category to see how many blue options there are!

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~Heather Sheen

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America celebrates Independence Day on July 4, but South Carolina's Independence Day is actually six days earlier.

1776

Things weren't going very well for the Patriots in the early days of the American Revolution. Though there were some victories - such as the British being forced to evacuate Boston in March 1776 - there were some heavy losses as well. The Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the bloodiest battles in the entire war and the campaign to bring Canada over to the Patriots' side was a complete disaster.

However, the Patriots were gaining enough ground to worry the British. So the Brits decided to start a Southern campaign, beginning with the conquering of a Southern port.

Portal to the South

The South was a goldmine to whichever side could hold it. Southern commodities like tobacco, rice, indigo, and pine tree products made the South the richest area of the country.

Furthermore, the British felt that they had much stronger support from the Loyalists in the South than in the North. They didn't reckon on the strong Patriot contingent in the South as well.

As it turned out, the people of the Southern states were so deeply divided between Patriots and Loyalists that some of the hardest and bloodiest fighting of the war would occur there.

But meanwhile, General Henry Clinton and Admiral Parker initially headed for Cape Fear, NC to establish a port of entry for the British. This did not work out so the next stop was Charleston. Earlier reconnaissance had shown that the fortifications around Charleston were incomplete, making it an easy target - or so the British thought.

Spongy Wood and Cannon Balls (and Cockades)

In early June, nine British warships sailed into Charleston's harbor and troops were landed on Long Island. The idea was that the soldiers could wade ashore from there to the city while the ships bombarded into oblivion the half-complete fort on Sullivan's Island. The British miscalculated on both counts.

The water turned out to be too deep to wade. And the fort - well, the sand and palmetto logs used for constructing the walls simply absorbed the cannon balls!

Because of this battle, palmettos have ever since been the symbol of South Carolina, and her patriotic cockades have often included palmetto fronds.

Meanwhile, the Patriots were low on ammunition so they made every shot count. They managed to significantly damage a number of the ships, plus the British accidentally grounded one ship.

The British had 220 killed and wounded; the Patriots had 12 killed and 25 wounded.

Oh, and the ship that was grounded? The Brits finally despaired of recovering her so they set her on fire. But the resourceful Patriots swam over and managed to turn the ship's guns on the British themselves - and then escape before the ship blew up!

Heroes of the Battle

Colonel William Moultrie of the South Carolina militia commanded the Patriots on Sullivan's Island. As a result of his victory against overwhelming odds, the fort (which was finally finished) was named Fort Moultrie in his honor.

During the battle, the Patriots' spirits reportedly were flagging when the British shot down their flag. Sergeant William Jasper heroically grabbed the flag and held it up until a new flag staff could be mounted. His action brought new life to the fort's defenders and he has been immortalized throughout American history as a hero. (If you check your family tree, you may even have an ancestor named after him, like I have!)

Carolina Day

The Patriot victory on June 28 ensured that Charleston's port would be closed to the British until its eventual fall in 1780 - too late to turn the tide of the war. The Battle of Sullivan's Island was one of the first major victories for the American Patriots. And it provided an exclamation point to the Declaration of Independence, which would be signed less than a week later. Carolina Day has been celebrated by lovers of freedom and American history ever since.

Of course I have cockades for Carolina Day and many other Revolutionary War events in my shop! Check them out and be prepared for all the 250th anniversaries we have coming up!

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The Shop is Open

My shop is open again! I had intended to close for just a couple of days to catch up on orders, but instead wound up getting sick for a week. I guess the timing was perfect. LOL I am now back on my feet and ready to sew more cockades!

Thanks for reading... see you next week!

Regards,
~Heather Sheen

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Alliance for Independence

America became an independent nation when we seceded from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. However, no one knew for sure if we could make it stick!

As a ragtag bunch of colonials, we needed allies in our battle with the world's then-superpower. The United States signed the Treaty of Alliance with France on February 6, 1778 and French troops entered the American War for Independence. At first their participation was mostly on the seas but by 1779 they were landing troops on American soil.

The national cockade of France was white. Traditionally, Americans had worn British black cockades. In 1780, as a symbol of the two nations’ alliance, General George Washington established that the American military cockade would be an Alliance Cockade – black with a white center. Many of the French troops likewise wore an Alliance Cockade of white with a black center.

Either way, the cockades said: Independence for the new United States!

Exporting Independence

Just a few years after we won the Revolutionary War and gained our independence, our ally France had an independence revolution too.

Shortly after the Bastille fell, the tri-color cockade became the symbol of the French Revolution and later of the Republic. The Marquis de Lafayette (who also fought in the American Revolution) combined red and blue, the colors of Paris, with the French royal color of white.

Eventually the tricolor came to America and took the place of the American black cockade.

Now both countries celebrate independence with red, white and blue!

Defending Independence

In 1812, the British decided to see if we really meant it when we seceded. As the old song says, "We fired our guns but the British kept a-comin'...."

American troops of the 1800s were much advanced from the ragtag colonial army that George Washington had to contend with. Uniforms, rank, and pay were far more standardized - and so were the cockades.

An eagle had been added to the original black British cockade to "Americanize" the design. Regulations from Secretary of War James McHenry said: "All persons belonging to the army, to wear a black cockade, with a Small white Eagle in the centre. The cockade of non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates, to be of leather, with Eagles of tin."

We won the War of 1812 and the eagle holds both arrows and an olive branch. The message: We're ready for war or peace.

Nullification for Independence

As the fledgling nation grew, so did the factions and tensions between regions. Accusations flew between North, South, East and West, each insisting the other was taking advantage of the rest of the country.

When the "Tariff of Abominations" was passed in 1828, a movement grew in South Carolina to nullify the law which imposed such harsh regulations on South Carolina trade.

In 1832, South Carolina nullified the tariff. Congress promptly passed the Force Bill authorizing the president to send troops. But - they also passed a compromise tariff! So South Carolina withdrew their nullification of the 1828 tariff.

However, they did nullify the Force Bill too. Just to make their point clear. :)

The symbol of nullification in 1828-1833 was a blue cockade inherited from the anti-government Gordon Riots in England a few years earlier. It was usually adorned with a South Carolina militia button.

The point was clear and concise: No government tyranny or we fight!

Second War of Independence

An uneasy peace reigned for several decades after the Nullification Crisis, but the tensions were still there. They finally boiled to the surface with the election of President Abraham Lincoln, who won with a majority of the electoral vote - but not the majority of the people's vote.

South Carolina was once again the leader and seceded from the Union in December 1860. Two of the first flags associated with the newly independent state were red and white. Thus, red and white came to be known as the colors of the Confederacy.

One source states that the white symbolized truth and purity and the red symbolized sacrifice. Many secession cockades across the South were made from red and white colors.

Though the South eventually lost the war, they made their point: We will sacrifice everything for independence.

Preserving Independence

As the now-united USA proceeded into the 20th century, turmoil churned around the globe. When it finally exploded into the first World War, America was ready with support for nations fighting for their independence.

A second World War pulled us even further into global affairs. Our money, men and munitions poured into the effort to push back tyranny and oppression.

Across the globe, the American red, white and blue symbolized the nation that fights for freedom - for everyone.

American Cockades: Our Heritage of Independence

Americans have a right to feel proud of our heritage. Not only did we fight for our own liberation from tyranny, we have liberated thousands of others around the world. As we celebrate this special 250th anniversary Independence Day, let's remember our history and uphold the tradition of freedom for future generations!

I have a lot of really cool cockades to choose from, if you still haven’t gotten a cockade to celebrate. Check out the July 4 section of my shop to find yours!

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~Heather Sheen

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Eighty-five years later, on another secession day, the Wilmington Journal chronicles the story - and stay tuned because the cockades are coming!

North Carolina an Independent Republic

At 6 o’clock p. m., on the glorious, but now twice glorious 20th of May, the Sate Convention of North Carolina passed unanimously, the ordinance of secession, thus severing the shadow or form of connection between North Carolina and the once proud but now degraded Union. We are no longer even in name the subjects of King Abraham and his military satraps, Scott, Wool or Mr. Butler of Lowell, Massachusetts.

We understand that the Convention also on the same day, yesterday, passed another ordinance providing for the entrance of the State into the Confederacy, as soon as the various forms and requirements can be complied with. This we suppose will be done promptly.

There was little excitement here on the receipt of the news. It was a foregone conclusion, and no man could Have gone to the Convention who was opposed to secession. The State was a unit. On the question of immediately joining the Southern Confederacy there may possibly be not quite so large an amount of unanimity, but we presume there will hardly be even a show of opposition....

This morning the Wilmington Horse Artillery fired a salute io honor of the independence of the State. This is about the first salute fired here since the war excitement commenced.

In the interim, now that we have left the one Union and are not formally a member of the other, we are not simply a sovereign and independent State, but we are a nation for this day at least.

The Wilmington Horse Artillery

It was the salute from the artillery that particularly interested me. I found another article in the same newspaper that gave us more details.

The passage of the secession ordinance by the Convention of the State of North Carolina, was celebrated here yesterday by the firing of 11 guns at 8 o’clock in the morning one for each State that had left the old Union. At 12 o’clock the official report of the passage of the ordinance of secession, and also the ordinance adopting the Confederate Constitution was received, when an additional salute of about 90 guns was fired near town hall. The above salute was fired by the Wilmington Horse Artillery, under the direction and management of Lieutenant S. R. Bunting. It was the first time the troop had been called upon to perform such duty, and we have no hesitation in saying that, if the opinion of experienced men is worth anything, they manoeuvred their brass pieces well, and every man seemed anxious to perform his part faithfully.

The Cockade of the Artillery

The reason I wanted to know about the artillery was because of this original cockade in the collection of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

This exact cockade was worn by one of the soldiers when they fired the salute guns! Obviously one soldier decided to keep his as a memento of that day. How wonderful that it’s been preserved for us to admire and remember the events on May 20, 1861.

An interesting note from The Richmond Daily Dispatch brings the story of the cockade full circle back to the Revolution:

A reader informs us that the scarlet cockade, noticed in Saturday’s paper, is of glorious revolutionary memory, having been adopted by the signers of the “Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence,” Mecklenburg county, N. C., which was the first declaration of independence ever adopted in America. All hail to the Old North State and her scarlet cockade — the first in favor of secession from Great Britain!

Amazing that one little cockade holds 85 years of American history! It just proves once again that every cockade has a story to tell!

It’s Been A Busy Spring!

Alert readers may have notice that my last Cockade Column came out nearly a month ago. I try to send them out weekly but I’ve been swamped with orders and family events this spring so I obviously got behind. Don’t worry, I have lots more fun cockade stories to share with you this year!

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If you enjoy my Cockade Columns, forward to a friend so they can enjoy them too! And meanwhile, here’s a fun flashback photo of me wearing my red secession cockade at a reenactment! Do you think the cannon works as an accessory? LOL

See you next week!
~Heather

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President Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865. His body was conveyed from Washington, DC to Springfield, IL to be buried. Funeral observances were publicly held along the way in Washington, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. His funeral train was the first national commemoration of a president’s death by rail.

He is also probably the only person in American history for which we have large numbers of mourning cockades preserved. This gives us an excellent chance to study the wide variety and types of mourning badges that were in use in the mid-1800s. It also sheds light on how people, North and South, publicly mourned in that era.

No Widow’s Weeds

It is a common misconception today that people attending funerals in the 1860s wore the full black attire of widows and widowers. On the contrary, full mourning attire was reserved for the family of the deceased only. It was considered improper and even rude for non-family members to wear full mourning.

Mourning attire had a specific purpose in the 1860s: To publicly create a “shield” for the family during their time of deep grief. The mourning family was not required to make public appearances of any kind - the widows were even relieved from having to attend their deceased husband’s funeral if they wished. Heavy veils for women protected them from prying eyes who might see their pale faces and tears. A grieving family was given space and time to heal without the stress of dealing with the public.

Thus it didn’t make sense for non-family to wear mourning attire even in sympathy. So what did a person do to show public honor for the deceased?

They wore mourning badges!

This is a detail clip from an artist’s rendering of Lincoln’s wake after his assassination. Note the mourning armbands of the men and boys, and the mourning cockades on the ladies’ sleeves.

Mourning cockades and badges were appropriate for men and women of all ages. They could be worn simply to the funeral, or worn for several months thereafter. Photos and drawings show mourning badges of many designs being worn by the public grieving for Lincoln.

The engraving above is a good example. Note that the mourners passing Lincoln’s body include all ages from young people to old. The gentlemen all are wearing some type of black armband, while the ladies show black cockades on their left sleeves.

Black for Mourning

Many of the Lincoln mourning cockades that have been preserved are pure black. Black silk ribbon, black sheer organza, black crepe, black velvet - there were a number of materials that could be used to fashion a black mourning cockade. Sometimes Lincoln’s picture was added. Sometimes the cockade was printed with the wearer’s role in the funeral - “Committee” or “Pall Bearer” being examples.

Red for Mourning

Some Lincoln mourning badges had red added to the black. Red was a color often used in funerals and for mourning. Red in church liturgy symbolizes not only the blood of Christ shed for us, but also the blood of martyrs. It is easy to see how many would consider Lincoln to be a martyr for his cause.

White for Mourning

White was another hue that often appeared on Lincoln mourning accessories. White or silver could symbolize purity, and it was considered an appropriate “color” of mourning. It shows up on many original Lincoln cockades.

Patriotic Colors

Lincoln had just been reelected in the fall of 1864. When he was assassinated in the spring of 1865, many people simply pulled out the patriotic campaign cockades they had just used and added black to create a mourning badge. Patriotic colors could also be a symbol of the deceased person’s public office - patriotic mourning cockades are also seen for deceased soldiers.

This traumatic event in our nation’s history was an amazing time capsule of mourning cockades!

My Lincoln Cockade

Obviously this is the perfect time to show off the Lincoln mourning cockade in my collection!

This beauty features black silk ribbon and a framed CDV (carte de visite) image of Lincoln. There is a stick pin on the back so it could be easily worn, probably by a gentleman on his lapel.

If you need a mourning cockade, I have designs in my shop for every event - a simple generic rosette, a rosette featuring a historic hero, or a custom cockade with a photo supplied by you.

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Happy Spring!

I hope y’all are having a wonderful history-filled spring season!

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~Heather Sheen

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In my book on Southern cockades, I include an interesting note from The Richmond Daily Dispatch:

A reader informs us that the scarlet cockade, noticed in Saturday’s paper, is of glorious revolutionary memory, having been adopted by the signers of the “Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence,” Mecklenburg county, N. C., which was the first declaration of independence ever adopted in America. All hail to the Old North State and her scarlet cockade — the first in favor of secession from Great Britain!

Since we will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s secession from Great Britain this year, this news item caught my eye. Not only was it interesting that the newspaper writer talks about scarlet cockades being worn during the American Revolution, but I was intrigued that the writer named Mecklenburg County as having had the first Declaration of Independence. I had to investigate further.

We’re Good At Declarations

My research turned up the fascinating, but not altogether surprising, fact that Americans are good at Declarations of Independence. Whether or not Mecklenburg Country truly had the first one has been hotly debated, since the original does not survive. But it is by no means the only place to claim the honor of “declaring first.”

Worcester, MA does have it’s original Declaration of Independence dated October 4, 1774. It was issued in retaliation for Great Britain taking away the Massachusetts Charter of 1691.

But the Declarations don’t stop there. The Massachusetts Declaration of Independence was issued May 1, 1776. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was also written in May 1776. On June 16, 1776, Connecticut’s Governor Trumbull issued a Declaration of Independence a month before the national Declaration in Congress.

But even after the national Declaration of Independence was signed on July 2, 1776, the declarations kept coming. Maryland’s Declaration of Independence occurred on July 6, 1776. And the state of New Hampshire was formed in 1777 when the people there became exasperated with New York and Great Britain and declared independence from both of them! (They stayed independent for 14 years before joining the United State, by the way.)

These Truths Are Self-Evident

I could go on with more examples, but you get the idea: Americans are a rather independent people! To use the words of the Declaration:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Cockades and the Second War for Independence

Over 80 years after the “first” declarations, Americans would once again hotly contest the issue of independence. Some would declare that the United States government had “become destructive of these ends” and the Southern states were justified in seceding in order to “institut[e] new Government” to take its place. Others would insist that the Union our Founders had died for was too valuable to break apart.

The debate between the two is illustrated by that “scarlet cockade” that began my Column. I found another reference to it here (also included in my book):

The Senator was indignant, that [Mr. Brown] had made allusion to his holding up to the assembled audience, while urging disunion, a similar Cockade to that which he says was worn by his grandfather, when the citizens of Mecklenburg determined on Independence and resistance to George the III.

No one admired the intrepid patriots of that day more than himself. He regretted that the Senator had not imitated the example of his patriotic ancestor, and instead of so using a relic so honored by revolutionary associations should have connected it with disunion.

The gallant men of that day wore it as an emblem of devotion to the very principles of the government which we now live under and which they fought to establish. The Senator now uses it as an invocation, to uproot and pull down that government. They fought to establish the Independence of the United States which the Senator seeks to dissolve. They fought to over throw British rule. The Senator seeks to accomplish the object most coveted by England, the overthrow of the Union.

He recommended him to pause, before departing from the lessons bequeathed him by his ancestor, and before destroying that noble structure of government won by the valor of the men of the Revolution, to exhaust all constitutional means for redress in the Union, and when they fail resistance then will find an approving voice throughout the civilized world.

Celebrate Independence!

The American spirit of independence is still alive and well 250 years later. That spirit motivates us to think for ourselves, to stand for principle even against the crowd, and to roll up our sleeves instead of waiting for someone else to solve a problem. Since everyone is created equal by God, we all have responsibility to make our nation the best that it can be!

The Perfect “Declaration” Cockade!

This year, I am offering a special, one-of-a-kind, cockade that features a custom mini Declaration in the center! I currently have styles featuring it in colonial-style pewter and elegant gold-plate. Choose one of these options or feel free to ask for a custom design!

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Thanks for reading! I hope y’all had a wonderful Easter! My shop has reopened after my vacation and I’m ready to take your orders.

See you next week!
~Heather

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Every cockade has a story to tell. Sometimes the cockade leads to a story about an event. Sometimes it leads to a story about a person. I have a photo in my collection of a famous Irishman wearing a cockade... and he has quite a story!

Many men have won fame in dying gloriously. This Irishman did too. But he was already famous for being a hero before that. Loved by his men, respected by his enemies, Colonel Mulligan of the 23rd Illinois was an honorable, devout, talented -and fascinating! - man.

A Life of Adventures

James A. Mulligan was the son of Irish immigrants and a successful lawyer in Chicago and later, Washington D.C. In addition, he apparently had a talent for engineering, which may have been what led him to join John Lloyd Stephens for a year in Panama. What was going on in Panama in 1851, you ask?

The Panama Railroad Company was building a railway across the Isthmus of Panama (where the Panama Canal now is). Sounds like a fun little project, but it turned out to be a massively huge undertaking. If you’re curious about it, start with this website to read more about the amazing feat of engineering it truly was. (By the way, U.S. Grant was also involved in this history-making project.)

But that wasn’t all Mulligan was interested in. Besides law and engineering, he also was involved in military activities. Mulligan was 2nd Lieutenant in the Chicago Shield Guards, an Irish militia unit.

When the Civil War broke out, Mulligan presided over a meeting of Illinois Irish militia companies. These companies banded together to become the 23rd Illinois Volunteers and Mulligan was made Colonel. The unit is sometimes called “Mulligan’s Brigade.” And that’s where he earned the title of “Hero.”

Hero of Lexington

Missouri was a battleground of violently opposing forces during the war. Hearing that Lexington, Missouri was going to be attacked by Confederates, Mulligan used his engineering skills to fortify the Union forces.

Assaulted by a force four times his own, Mulligan held out for nine days, waiting for reinforcements which never arrived. The Confederate forces finally forced his surrender by a novel plan. They used huge bales of hemp soaked in river water as a moveable breastwork. The bales could be moved forward with the army, and the soaking prevented the Federals’ heated shot from setting them on fire. This, incidentally, is why the Battle of Lexington is also called the Battle of the Hemp Bales.

Mulligan was finally forced to surrender, but the Confederate General Price was so impressed with him that he gave him an escort back to Chicago.

And thus was born Mulligan’s title, the “Hero of Lexington.”

Prison Camps and Fort Building

Col. Mulligan’s next assignment was commander of Camp Douglas. This was an infamous Union prisoner of war camp, known for its inhumane conditions and high death rate. Mulligan instituted reforms such as allowing in ministers and doctors, and letting local townspeople help with relief for the budget-strapped prison.

Mulligan went back to regular service in mid-1862 and fought in many battles including Harper’s Ferry, Moorfield, Greenland Gap, Gettysburg, Williamsport, Hedgeville, and Petersburg Gap.

His next major assignment was the construction of Fort Mulligan in West Virginia, a structure that even Confederate General Early praised.

Mulligan would meet Early’s forces in the Battle of Leetown, Virginia, where he once again fought with skill and bravery. Covering Sigel’s retreat before Early, Mulligan managed to delay the Confederate forces for nearly a day against overwhelming odds.

“Save the Flag!”

Col. Mulligan’s final fight was the Second Battle of Kernstown. Confederate forces under General Early would ultimately defeat the Union troops here. As Mulligan was calling for a retreat of his forces, a Confederate sharpshooter mortally wounded him. Sharpshooters also wounded his brother-in-law, who was holding the flag.

As his soldiers rushed to carry him off the field, the firing became too hot for them, killing many. Mulligan refused to incur any more losses and ordered his men, “Lay me down and save the flag.” They obeyed.

Victorious Confederate forces carried Mulligan to a nearby house where he died two days later.

Mulligan’s Chicago funeral was massive, local sources reporting it was second only to Stephen Douglas’s funeral three years earlier. His funeral procession took an hour to pass by. After his death, money was raised for a magnificent tombstone which carries his most famous words:

“Lay me down and save the flag!”

My Photo

This is the photo in my collection that started me researching Col. Mulligan’s life. There is no date on the photo, so I can’t say for sure what his cockade stands for. But knowing his patriotic fervor and Irish pride, it could be either a Union cockade or an Irish cockade. This is an Irish Brigade cockade in my collection - it could be something similar to that.

If you want to read more about Mulligan’s life, I found this blog entry helpful. In our modern culture that desperately needs good heroes, Mulligan gives us a historical example of courage and selfless sacrifice.

Irish Cockades, and More!

Do you have Irish heritage you want to celebrate? Check out the Irish Cockades in my shop! And of course, I have cockades for Scots, Italians, French... as well as the good old USA!

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It’s been crazy busy and fun this spring, working on so many different orders! I hope y’all are having a great year so far. Now I’ve got to go get busy making more cockades. As the old Irish proverb (supposedly) says, “You’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind!”

Happy Spring!
~Heather

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Have you ever donated money to a fund that helps our soldiers and received a “Support Our Troops” ribbon to wear? Or maybe you’ve participated in a raffle for a donated item, knowing the raffle money was going veterans.

The idea of buying donated items at bazaars to support the troops is not new. Hundreds of these fairs were held across America during the Civil War. The simplest affairs were basic booths of items to buy. But many bazaars combined these booths with entertainment and education as well. They became great social events where participants might go to socialize, have their fortune told, hear concerts, skate on a summertime ice rink (how up-to-date and exciting!) and more.

And yes, they could buy a cockade as well!

This photo is a booth from one of the largest of these bazaars, the Mississippi Valley Sanitary Fair in 1864.

This fascinating website gives you an interactive page to see photos and read newspaper accounts of the various displays in the fair. There were vendors for everything - books, candy, furniture, art, florals, jewelry and more!

The fair lasted two weeks and proceeds - over $550,000! - benefited wounded soldiers and people displaced by the war.

Useful and Appropriate

There is a fun section in Little Women that tells a fictitious story of one of these fairs. May, one of the girls in the Little Women family, has some gentleman friends who want to support her booth by buying her items. This humorous paragraph pictures the fellows’ predicament as they blew their money on feminine frills - and then had no idea with to do with them!

To May’s great delight, Mr. Laurence not only bought the vases, but pervaded the hall with one under each arm. The other gentlemen speculated with equal rashness in all sorts of frail trifles, and wandered helplessly about afterward, burdened with wax flowers, painted fans, filigree portfolios, and other useful and appropriate purchases.

This painting called “The Empty Purse” or “At the Bazaar” is set a little earlier in the 1850s, but it shows us some of the many items that would have been available. A doll, some pictures, a floral arrangement, embroidered slippers waiting to be “made up,” suspenders and a hat are just a few of the “novelties” the poor lady can’t purchase because she apparently spent all her money!

Below are some original articles donated to fairs that have survived the passage of time.

And Here Are the Cockades!

You may be wondering what all this has to do with cockades. Well, the answer is that two of my favorite original 1860s cockades were made for a bazaar!

The Relic Room in Columbia, SC has a number of items related to the Grand Bazaar held at the State House in 1865. Here’s a fascinating young lady’s diary entry about it:

Jan. 18th. - Well, our great bazaar opened last night, and such a jam! I was at the State house helping to arrange the tables until four o’clock so I was thoroughly tired. There are seven booths in the House (of Representatives) South Carolina, at the Speaker’s desk, is the largest, and on either side are Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Missouri. In the Senate are North Carolina, at the Desk, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. The tables or booths are tastefully draped with damask and lace curtains, and elaborately decorated with evergreens. To go in there one would scarce believe it was war times. The tables are loaded with fancy articles - brought through the blockade, or manufactured by the ladies. Everything to eat can be had if one can pay the price - cakes, jellies, creams, candies - every kind of sweets abound. A small slice of cake is two dollars - a spoonful of Charlotte Russe five dollars, and other things in proportion. Some beautiful imported wax dolls, not more than twelve inches high, raffled for five hundred dollars, and one very large doll I heard was to raffle for two thousand. “Why” as Uncle John says, “one could buy a live negro baby for that.” How can people afford to buy toys at such a time as this! However I suppose speculators can. A small sized cake at the Tennessee table sold for seventy-five dollars.

Sherman was on the march at that point, and the diary notes that rumor said he intended to attend the Grand Bazaar himself! (No word on whether he offered to buy anything.)

In the absence of the modern government assistance we are used to, the ladies of the 1860s stepped up to provide wartime relief themselves. These fairs and bazaars were amazing monuments to the organizational powers of women - as well as to their ability to create “useful and appropriate” items for sale!

Support YOUR Troops With A Cockade

Want to honor your military heroes? I’ve got just the right cockade for you! Whether it’s a modern hero or one from history, I have some beautiful options to treasure their memory. Check out the “Memorial Day” category in my shop or contact me for a custom order!

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Spring Has Sprung!

And so have the cockade orders! I’m running a little behind with all the wonderful spring orders y’all have made but I hope to be all caught up this week. See you next time!

~Heather

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Abraham Lincoln

When people think of Presidents Day, there are often two presidents that first come to mind: Lincoln and Washington. I’m going to end with Washington, so let’s start with Lincoln.

Love him or hate him, he had a huge influence on American history. Under his presidency, we saw America’s most deadly war (over 600,000 casualties) with some of America’s most gifted generals. We also saw the birth of such good causes as the American Red Cross and the beginning of the process to abolish of slavery. Federal government grew massively with the introduction of drafts, income taxes, and nationwide censorship of newspapers, telegraphs, etc. Many great strides were made in the areas of technology and medicine as the needs of war accelerated the pace of scientific accomplishments.

Whether he fully lived up to them or not, you have to admit that Lincoln had a gift for brilliant speeches on what it means to be a free American. We can all agree with the sentiment that “...we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

I’m tickled that I was finally able to add a Lincoln mourning cockade to my collection! Isn’t it beautiful?

Teddy Roosevelt

It’s tough to put Teddy Roosevelt’s life - or even his presidency - into a paragraph. Roosevelt was an amazing, larger-than-life American hero. A sickly child, he took his father’s advice to “make his body” into a tough-as-leather naturalist and sportsman. But his interests became far more wide and varied than that.

While still in college, he wrote a definitive naval history of the War of 1812. Other accomplishments included running a ranch in North Dakota, cleaning up corruption in both the NY City police and the US Civil Service Commission, serving as assistant Secretary of the Navy and Vice President to President William McKinley.

He formed the “Rough Riders” during the Spanish American war and led them in a glorious charge on San Juan hill. He is distinguished in being one of the four presidents on Mount Rushmore.

After McKinley’s assassination, he finished the term as President and was reelected for his own term in 1904. That’s the campaign this cockade is from.

Jimmy Carter

I bet you didn’t know that campaign cockades were still being used in the 1970s! This one is from Jimmy Carter’s campaign in 1977.

Carter had served as both Senator and Governor from Georgia before his presidential run. His single-term presidency was plagued with issues like economic recession, the Cold War, an energy crisis and the Iran hostage crisis.

People who admire Carter’s legacy generally point to his social work around the world after his presidency. On January 20, 2017, at age 92, Carter became the oldest president to attend a presidential inauguration. He is also the first president to live to the 40th anniversary of his own inauguration. Having lived to age 100, he is the longest-lived president in US history. His cockade looks like it aged pretty well too!

U.S. Grant

Nearly everyone is familiar with U.S. Grant’s role as general in the Civil War. Not as many people know much about other facets of Grant’s life.

That’s probably just as well, as Grant wasn’t nearly as good at the rest of life as he was at being a general! Grant’s military valor was unquestioned, both in the Mexican American War and the Civil War. But he apparently had no head for business and failed repeatedly in professional ventures.

He also struggled with the role of President, being dogged by charges of mismanagement and corruption. A national recession didn’t help his reputation either. This is one of his campaign cockades.

Altogether, Grant led a difficult life, but his place in American history is undisputed - for his generalship, not his presidency!

Richard Nixon

Some fun items from my collection - cockades from Richard Nixon’s 1960 campaign!

Many people immediately think of the Watergate scandal in connection with Nixon. But there’s a lot more to his career than that. In addition to serving as a representative, senator and vice president, he also served a meritorious career in the Naval Reserve during World War II.

His presidency oversaw the end of the Vietnam War, opening of relations with China and warming relations with the Soviet Union. On the domestic front he was plagued with economic problems and shortages, but also dealt with desegregation of public schools and the first landing on the moon in Apollo 11. The Watergate scandal brought an untimely end to his second term of presidency.

William McKinley

Though many Americans don’t know about him today, McKinley was a very influential president in our history.

He presided over the institution of Gold Standard Act, annexed Hawaii, and oversaw the Spanish American War, which led to the US controlling Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines and Cuba. These moves, though controversial, had influence that reverberated into the World Wars and beyond.

McKinley’s second term ended early when he was shot by an anarchist. Teddy Roosevelt finished his term (as noted above).

Ronald Reagan

Another cockade from modern times! This striking beauty is from Reagan’s first inauguration in 1981.

Reagan’s career, like many presidents before him, included much besides politics. In addition to roles as radio announcer and movie actor, he also served in the Officers Reserve Corps during World War II. Reagan served two terms as California’s governor before being elected as president in 1980. Reagan is one of only three presidents to be wounded in, and survive, an assassination attempt (Teddy Roosevelt and Donald Trump are the others).

Introducing a series of economic reforms that became named after him, Reagan saw an improvement over the troubled economies of the 60s and 70s. His policies with the Soviet Union also led the end of the Cold War. Many Republicans today still refer to him as one of the best spokesman for Republican ideals.

George Washington

So let’s wind up with the man in whose honor this day was started - George Washington, the Father of the Country. This cockade was created with the black and white color scheme that Washington himself wore during the Revolutionary War.

Much has been said about Washington in the 225 years since his death. Interestingly, a look at his military and political careers show dogged determination but not particular brilliance. Unlike other Founders and Presidents, he didn’t contribute amazing inventions, spectacular generalship, great works of philosophy or definitive books on history. At first glance, it seems that his claim to fame is merely in being “first.”

Until you look closer and realize why he was first - and what that meant for our country and for democratic ideals around the world. Washington was chosen as army commander and as first president because of his character.

He was a man of deep integrity, self-control even in the face of disaster, and unselfishness even to the point of personal loss. He was determined and persevering, refusing to be either bought or discouraged. After America’s victory, Washington could have become king or military dictator of America - it was literally his for the asking. He refused and insisted the country stick to ideals of limited, constitutional, law-abiding government.

You could say his greatness consists in him being an ordinary man with an extraordinary commitment to principle. As such, he became an example for every subsequent president to live up to.

Come See Me at the Battle of Aiken!

I will be leaving on Thursday for the Battle of Aiken, SC reenactment, so my shop will be temporarily closed this week.

If you want me to bring a cockade for you to Aiken, please let me know by Tuesday at the latest, so I can make sure I have it in stock. With hundreds of styles in my shop, there’s no way I can bring them all so check ahead of time if there’s one you’d like to buy!

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Regards,
~Heather Sheen

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The history of Venice goes back for millennia, as it was a center of commerce, finance, shipping and military endeavors. The name became synonymous for wealth and power. Beautiful art, romantic bridges, stunning architecture and lovely canals were enjoyed by influential, powerful and even mysterious people.

The sovereignty of the Republic of Venice lasted until Napoleon conquered it in 1797. For the next 70 years or so, Venice went through political upheavals, being at various times part of Austria, an independent republic, and part of Italy. It is now a province of Italy in the region of Veneto. As it happened, those years of turbulence in the 1800s generated a lot of cockades!

The Ancient Colors of Venice

The Venetian color of blue goes all the way back to the times of the Roman Empire. In chariot races, the four competing teams had their own colors. And the color of “Veneta” was blue. Blue came to be strongly associated with Venice and was used for flags, uniforms and cockades in many eras.

During the 13th century, the golden-winged lion - symbol of St. Mark and patron saint of Venice - began appearing on Venetian flags, documents, and decorations. This brought gold into the mix with blue, representing both heavenly favor and maritime prosperity.

When Venice conquered Constantinople, the color of rust came into use as well, as it was considered a shade of purple, the royal color. That became the color of the Venetian flag, which also featured a gold Lion of St. Mark.

Conquest and Cockades

The long and glorious history of the Republic of Venice came to an end when Napoleon conquered it in 1797. And if you’ve been reading my Cockade Columns for a while, you know what came along with Napoleon – French tricolor cockades! Yes indeed - and the red, white and blue tricolors came to be hated by the conquered Venetians.

According to this contemporary account: “The people of Verona were among the first of the subjects of the Republic to oppose the hated revolutionary cockade, and to indicate their attachment to their own sovereign, by adorning their corner hats and their caps with the Venetian cockade, with a cry of “Vive San Marco!”

“Very quickly the other citizens of the Republic began to do the same, and in a short time, from the town of Mincio to the town Timavo, the townsmen and villagers were all wearing the same cockade. A group of visiting Veronese officials were the first people to wear this symbol of patriotic devotion in the city of Venice itself, but soon enough they had excited the entire population to imitate them.

“In just three days Venetian citizens of every class and occupation could be seen wearing this emblem of civic concord, and even the English ambassador (Francis Drake) and his entire entourage took great delight in wearing it as well. It is made from golden yellow and blue ribbon, with a small image of St. Mark on it.”

Unfortunately, Venice became a territory of Austria anyway, but that didn’t end the story - or the cockades!

Italy or Austria?

Fast forward to the mid-1800s, and nationalist revolutions were occurring all over Europe. Venice was no exception. Two revolutionary factions arose. One wanted Venice to revolt against Austria and become an independent republic again, and they wore the traditional blue and gold cockades. The other wanted Venice to become part of a unified Italian state, and they wore the Italian colors of red, white and green.

Italy won the Third Italian War of Independence and Venice became part of a unified Italy. Their cockade is now the national Italian tricolor cockade. But for historical events and commemorations, you still see the occasional rust and gold, or blue and gold cockades!

Of course, I am happy to offer historic Venetian cockades in my shop, both the blue and gold and rust and gold options. If you love Venice, have Venetian ancestry or want to take a trip there, these are the perfect accessory!

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And if you want to read some exciting Venetian history, Rafael Sabatini wrote a historical novel in 1934 about one of the revolutions in Venice – and yes, he mentions the cockades! Check out Venetian Masque here.

Winter Storm Again - Slow Shipping

The Carolinas were once again hit with a big winter storm this weekend - we got about 6” of snow, which is very rare for us! South Carolina doesn’t have the infrastructure to quickly clear all the roads, so it will be a few days before I can get to the Post Office. I will leave my online shop open, but be advised there will be some delay in shipping. Thank you for your patience!

See you next week!
~Heather

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We got hit with a big ice storm this past weekend so I’ve been hunkered down at my parents’ house for five days (they have a generator AND good food!) So instead of my regular tidbit from history, I’m going to share some fun history of my own. I was tidying up my cockade drawer this week and came across cockades that brought back some awesome memories from 2014.

That year, the Belle of Louisville steamboat celebrated her 100th birthday and Louisville held a Centennial Festival of Riverboats. A large group of mid-Victorian reenactors decided to celebrate too - and I offered a special cockade for the trip. Here’s a “vintage” Creative Cockades ad for them - over eleven years old! LOL

In addition to the official trip cockades, many folks wore other special cockades and badges. In fact, we all had a great time showing off our Victorian finery as we stepped back in time.

Some of our friends even brought along special props, such as vintage newspaper reprints.

My grandparents accompanied us on this trip and I have fond memories of them dancing to the live band as we sailed down the river.

The cockades - and photo ops - were numerous and I had a fun time photographing my friends’ fabulous ensembles.

The food, the fun, the laughter - the excitement of a steamboat race - all of these fun memories are instantly brought back as I hold the little cockade sitting in my drawer.

Every cockade has a story to tell - what stories do yours tell?

Shop Reopened

My online shop has reopened and I’m hoping to be able to get to the Post Office this week! I’m heading into my busiest season of the year as folks are preparing for conferences, reenactments and more!

I’ll finish up with one of my favorite photos from the trip - don’t we all so elegant?

See you next week for my regularly scheduled tidbit of cockade history!
~Heather

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If you’ve been reading my Cockade Columns for a while, or if you’re a history buff, you probably know that the American Revolution didn’t just happen in New England and Virginia. The Southern states played a big role as well.

The first “tea party,” for instance, happened in South Carolina, not Boston. And the losses of the British and victories of the armies in the Southern states are what led to Cornwallis surrendering at Yorktown. So yeah – South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia – those Southern states played a big part in winning the war.

But did you know that TEXAS played a part too? Along with Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida!

But wait, you say. Most of those states (which weren't even states then) weren’t part of the British empire, nor were they claimed by the newly minted United States. How could they influence the war?

The answer includes Texas longhorns and the British navy.

Great Britain's Navy Is Busy

When America declared her independence from Great Britain in 1776, the territory covering Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and West Florida belonged to Spain – the area was called “New Spain.” Spain had originally owned all of Florida, but traded part of it to Great Britain in the 1763 Treaty of Paris. And that’s where the American Revolution comes in.

As Americans and British fought over whether we would remain independent, Britain also became embroiled in war with France, Spain and Holland. Since all of these countries had colonies around the world, Britain’s navy became stretched exceedingly thin. And British ships that could have been fighting Americans on the east coast were instead defending Pensacola, Florida against a siege.

If you’ve only ever read basic American history textbooks, you may be confusedly thinking, “Who in tarnation was besieging the British at Pensacola?” And therein lies a totally amazing and fascinating tale.

Galvez on the Warpath

A young Spanish 31-year-old named Bernardo de Galvez had been appointed Governor of "Luisiana" (Louisiana) in 1777. He already had an illustrious military career under his belt, starting at age 16, which included not only famous battles in Europe but also some Apache fighting in Mexico and Texas!

Galvez, under instructions from his government, proceeded to provide covert help and assistance to American troops fighting the British.

When Spain officially declared war on Britain in 1779, Galvez was given the chance to fight openly with the British at their outposts along the Gulf coast. He fought a masterful campaign through 1779-1781, with victories at Fort Bute, Baton Rouge, Natchez, Baton Rouge again, and Mobile… and finally wound up with a major victory at Pensacola!

By the time Galvez defeated the British at Pensacola, he had 7000 troops (by comparison, Cornwallis surrendered 8000 men at Yorktown). How did those victorious troops survive during that long campaign, stretching from Louisiana to Florida?

They lived on Texas longhorns!

Yes, the first cattle drives from Texas began, not in the Wild West of the mid-1800s, but in 1779! Though records are still being discovered, it’s estimated that from 1779 to 1782, somewhere between 9,000 and 15,000 head of cattle were sent to Galvez’s army from ranchers in Texas. And that’s the army that kept the British tied up – and defeated - all along the Gulf coast.

So that’s how the Texas longhorn helped save American independence!

Cockades of the Gulf Coast Theater

In honor of both Spain and France’s contribution to the American Revolution, I’ve created a “Triple Alliance” cockade of red (Spain), white (France) and black (United States). These are based on actual accounts, drawings and paintings of soldiers’ cockades in the Gulf coast theater of war.

Naturally, I had to create a cockade to honor the legacy of Bernardo de Galvez. (Did you know that Galveston was named after him?)

And I’ve also created a special cockade just to celebrate the contribution of that imminently American icon: the Texas Longhorn!

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My Texas Roots

This week, I thought I'd share a fun photo from my Texas roots! This is my Gramps (who passed in March 2023) having a great time showing off his horse and saddle. He was a Texas cowboy in his youth, as were his ancestors for many generations before him. Chasing those Texas longhorns is in my blood!

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~Heather Sheen

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Mississippi

On January 9, Mississippi became the second state to secede - and the first in 1861. South Carolina had led the way in December 1860 and South Carolinians were waiting anxiously to see what states, if any, followed their lead.

But they needn't have worried. Exactly a month earlier, a reporter traveling in Mississippi had written: "The further down I get, the more secession I see. Not content with wearing the blue cockade themselves, the people put them up on wagons, carriages, riding horses, etc. At one place where I stopped, all the negroes had them on. You may safely put Mississippi down as dead out for for secession."

Actually, Mississippi was ahead of South Carolina in secession movements. As early as 1850, Mississippians had a secession convention. That secession movement subsided when Congress created the Compromise of 1850.

The secession feeling remained however, as Mississippi felt that Congress was continuing to meddle - or threaten meddling - with States' Rights in the issue of slavery. If States didn't have the right to determine their own course of action, they reasoned, then what was the purpose of a supposedly "voluntary" Union of States?

In a 1917 historical record of Mississippi, the following was written: "Above all other ideals of popular government in the Western Republic, the Mississippians, ardent followers of Jefferson, Calhoun, and now Jefferson Davis, had enthroned the doctrine of States' Rights. Its emblem adorned the lapel of nearly every Mississippi gentleman, and fair-handed women fashioned the little blue rosettes and presented them to their sweethearts, declaring with a proud lift of the head, that no man should claim their heart and hand who did not wear the 'Blue Cockade.'"

The Texas Republican stated that, "The capital of Mississippi is at present all alive with excitement, and densely crowded with people, who have been drawn to it by the deeply absorbing nature of the occasion of the assemblage of the Legislature in extraordinary session.... The people here, young and old, wear the blue cockade, the principal, if not the only, exceptions to the rule being those who are too well known for their ultra Southernism to need such symbols of their faith.

"Among the blue cockades I observe not a few quite elderly persons. Prominent among them is the veteran Col. Archer, of Claiborne, who declares that since the death of Senator Tazewell, of Virginia, he has become the oldest disunionist in the United States."

The Semi-Weekly Mississippian wrote enthusiastically, "The blue cockade - 'the South must be protected in her rights'” - have made their appearance in large numbers on our streets. Nearly every man in town has one, and doubtless if it becomes necessary to protect our rights at the price of blood, the citizens of Magnolia will not be found wanting in the strife. Three cheers for the blue cockade."

Florida

Florida was the third state to secede but was likely the least geographically important state in the Confederacy. Though a brisk scuffle continued along the coastline between Union blockaders and Southern blockade runners through the war, both governments decided not to expend much in the way of troops to control Florida.

That didn't mean Florida wasn't important in other ways. Florida's thriving beef and salt supply was a welcome help to the Confederate army. And her lengthy coastline allowed blockade runners to continually bring imported supplies through the state to the rest of the Confederacy.

Secession was easily voted for on January 10, 1861. An eye-witness account by 14 year old Susan Bradford gives us a vivid picture of the event - as well as the cockades!

January 8th, 1861
We are at home again after a day filled to overflowing with excitement and interest. We were in such a hurry to get to town that the convention had not assembled when we reached the Capitol. There were groups of men talking earnestly and there were other men running hither and thither with papers in their hands. Father has a great many friends and I stood quietly beside him while he and they discussed the situation.

The ambassador from South Carolina had evidently made an impression on his audience of yesterday and somebody had been busy last night, for in every direction could be seen Palmetto cockades, fastened with a blue ribbon; there were hundreds of them.

When at last the hall of representatives was opened and Father and I took our seats, Judge Gwynn came in and pinned a cockade on Father and one on me. Oh, I was so proud....

Georgia

Georgians had a head start on their preparation for war. Governor Joseph Brown began organizing state troops in late 1860, even before the state seceded. He shrewdly started collecting war materials and military information, placing orders for arms and gathering descriptions of weapons. At that time, nearly all munitions plants were in the North, so Brown began offering incentives for Georgia arms productions.

Meanwhile, he continued to push for secession from the Union. A November newspaper declared, "Gov. Brown’s message is much approved. During its reading to the Legislature it was interrupted by applause. Delegations of Georgians are visiting South Carolina and South Carolina delegations are visiting this State. Sedate and conservative Georgians have mounted the cockade. The South is in earnest, depend on it.

"Savannah, Nov. 9th. - Advices from Milledgeville state that the Governor’s Special Message was received yesterday amidst thundering applause. Everybody endorses it. The Legislature of this State endorses the course of South Carolina. The blue cockades are worn in numbers about the streets of Milledgeville.

Georgia's secession convention began in January and on January 19 the state officially seceded from the Union. Both the geographical and political influence of the state emboldened other Southern states considering secession.

Louisiana

On January 26, Louisiana voted to secede from the Union. An eye-witness recalls:

Who does not remember the epidemic of blue cockades which broke out in New Orleans during the winter of 1860 and 1861, and raged violently throughout the whole city? The little blue cockade, with its pelican button in the centre and its two small streamers, was the distinguishing mark of the “Secessionist.”

As Louisiana geared up for secession, there were huge celebrations, including parades, fireworks and the unveiling of the new Louisiana pelican flag. The New Orleans Daily Crescent reported: From the central window of the second story of the building obtruded a board, on which was a bust of John C. Calhoun, begirt with a blue ribbon and the cockade of Independent South Carolina. This attracted much attention, and contributed not a little to warm the feeling of the multitude long before the hour arrived for unfurling the Flag of Independent Louisiana.

Louisiana's former United States senator, Judah P. Benjamin, called the "brains of the Confederacy," served in Confederate President Jefferson Davis's cabinet. Former US Senator John Slidell spent most of the war trying to persuade European nations to support the Confederacy. Louisiana also contributed four key generals to the Confederate army – Braxton Bragg, Leonidas Polk, Richard Taylor, and P. G. T. Beauregard.

Alabama

Pro-secession and pro-Union factions had debated the wisdom of secession in Alabama for years. But after Lincoln's election on November 6, it became clear to many that the Federal government no longer represented the large majority of Southerners. Secession feeling began to run high among both the ladies and the gentlemen. And of course, so did the cockades!

A November 16 newspaper stated, "'Senator Toombs was in the streets of Columbus [GA], on Saturday, the "blue cockade" given him by the fair ladies of Montgomery [AL]. God bless them! We are for them and a union with them, where love, harmony, and good feeling exists, but are opposed to any other sort of Union.' The night that the Senator spoke in Montgomery many ladies wore the badge of secession."

When the secession convention met on January 7, the delegates were fairly evenly split for and against secession. Many pro-Unionists were concerned about Alabama's fate if she were to secede on her own. But in the ensuing four days of debate, Mississippi and Florida joined South Carolina in seceding and enough delegates changed their votes to make the final tally 61 to 39 in favor of disunion.

The Secession Convention then proceeded to invite all the other Southern states to send delegates to form a new government at Montgomery. On February 11, 1861, the Confederate States of America was born. President Davis's inauguration and two sessions of the Confederate congress would meet there before the capitol of the Confederacy would be moved to Richmond.

That’s five state secessions in one month - clearly the nation was headed for some big changes!

Get Ready for 2026 Events!

There are 165th Civil War anniversaries and 250th American Revolution anniversaries coming up! And of course, I have hundreds of cockades for other events too - St Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, Lee-Jackson Day, and naturally - secession cockades for every state's Secession Day!

Shop Secession Cockades

Shop Union Cockades

Shop America's 250th Cockades

Thanks for reading... see you next week!

Regards,
~Heather Sheen

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Robert or Rabbie Burns, born in 1759, is often called the national poet of Scotland. A pioneer of the Romantic movement, Burns wrote social and political commentary and he also collected and revived old folk music from across Scotland. Some poems set to music that you might recognize would include Auld Lang Syne, Scots Wha Hae, and A Red, Red Rose. But the one that is my favorite, though lesser known, is The White Cockade.

Here is the text of the poem:

My love was born in Aberdeen,
The boniest lad that e’er was seen,
But now he makes our hearts fu’ sad,
He takes the Field wi’ his White Cockade.

I’ll sell my rock, my reel, my tow,
My gude gray mare and hawkit cow;
To buy mysel a tartan plaid,
To follow the boy wi the White Cockade.

Chorus:
O he’s a ranting, roving lad,
He is a brisk an a bonny lad,
Betide what may, I will be wed,
And follow the boy wi the White Cockade.

Now, if you don’t know a lot of Scottish history, you may be asking, “What on EARTH is this song about?”

Well, it’s a long story (which you can read about here in my blog) but the short version is that the Hanovers and the Stuarts were warring over who would hold the throne of Great Britain. The last Stuart to try to regain the throne was Bonnie Prince Charlie and he led a nearly-successful uprising in 1745. The badge for the Stuart followers? A white cockade!

There are a lot of amazing stories from the Jacobite Uprising, as it’s called, but I thought this one was particularly cool as it involves a brave lady AND cockades.

When Prince Charlie victoriously entered Edinburg in September 1745, he was greeted with huge crowds and great acclaim. With him were many of his political and military officers - and a lady.

The lady was Margaret Ferguson Murray, the beautiful wife of Secretary Murray. To quote an article about her: “Her role at the Cross that day however was straight forward. With her she carried a velvet bag filled with scraps of white muslin stitched together into cockades, the emblem of the Jacobites, and once the prince had been proclaimed Regent she beckoned the men and boys of Edinburgh forward. She was the beautiful recruiting sergeant and the men and boys who kissed her fair hand and took the white cockade were quickly drummed into the ranks of the rebel army.”

Though the Stuarts ultimately lost and Margaret died in obscurity and poverty, the white cockade lived on. Robert Burns’ song certainly helped in that regard!

In fact, by the time of the American Revolution in 1775, a young lad named Charles Handley recalled that the minutemen at the Battle of Lexington and Concord were playing The White Cockade as they marched by! (For more on THAT story, check out this blog.) His exact quote was, “I saw Captain [Isaac] Davis’s company, as they came from Acton. I first saw them coming through the fields north of Barrett’s mill, and they kept the fields till they came to the road at Mrs. Brown’s tavern. They there took the back road leading to the bridge. They marched quite fast to the music of a fife and drum. I remember the tune, but am not sure of its name; think it was called the ‘White Cockade.’”

If you want to hear how the tune goes, my sister and a friend and I played it in a little private concert we gave on July 4 several years ago. I’ll provide the link below.

So... if you love freedom, if you resist tyrants, if you have a little Scottish ancestry, or you just like Robert Burns ... wear a white cockade!

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The White Cockade Video

In my other life, I’m a musician, as are my sister and a number of friends. This was a fun little trio we arranged of “The White Cockade” a few years ago.

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Exciting New Stuff in the Shop!

This year is the celebration of the 250th anniversaries for 1776! I’m starting a special “1776 Series” in my shop for cockades just for these events! If you have a particular event you’d like a cockade for, let me know and I’ll be glad to add it.

This week I’m highlighting some very special new items that are Creative Cockades exclusives: Cockades featuring mini Declarations of Independence on them! I have versions that are both pewter and gold plated. Be sure to check them out in my shop.

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Connect with me on your favorite platform and stay updated this year on all the exciting designs coming up!

Happy New Year!
~Heather

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Shop Updates Coming Soon!

This year is the 250th anniversary of all things 1776! I can’t wait to unveil some new designs in my shop! I have some exciting things in the works.

As always, I love suggestions and custom requests from y’all, so let me know if there’s anything you want to see.

This week I will continue to take things slowly in the shop as I spend time with family and friends. I hope y’all get a chance to unwind a bit this week too, as we approach the end of 2025.

Looking forward to a fun year of cockades!
~Heather

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Finish your Christmas shopping list - cockades make perfect gifts!

Shop America's 250th Cockades

SHOP CONFEDERATE COCKADES

SHOP UNION COCKADES

SHOP MILITARY APPRECIATION COCKADES

SHOP SCOTTISH COCKADES

SHOP UPCOMING EVENTS

….AND MORE! If you don’t see the perfect cockade for you, let me know and I’ll be happy to design one!

Best wishes for a lovely holiday season!
~Heather

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As the 1860 presidential election loomed, tensions rose high throughout the United States. And cockades blossomed along with political fervor.

As early as October 22, 1860, a newspaper observed: "South Carolina is Arming.—We are glad to see the people of our State everywhere preparing for the crisis which is at hand. As an offset to the "Wide-Awakes" of the North, "Minute Men" are organizing in all the principal districts of South Carolina. Their object is to form an armed body of men, and to join in with our fellow citizens, now forming in this and our sister States as "Minute Men," whose duty is to arm, equip and drill, and be ready for any emergency that may arise in the present perilous position of the Southern States.

"In Kershaw, Abbeville and Richland Districts the organization is already complete and powerful, embracing the flower of the youth, and led on by the most influential citizens. The badge adopted is a blue rosette, two and a half inches in diameter, with a military button in the centre, to be worn upon the side of the hat. Let the important work go bravely on, and let every son of Carolina prepare to mount the blue cockade."

Blue Silk and Brown Paper

"Secession fever" continued to grow, as did the cockades. As the year moved into November, the Charleston Mercury reported, Sturdy Patriots.—A number of charcoal dealers, from the interior of this district, were yesterday here on business, wearing—not the blue silk cockade—but plain strips of brown paper, bearing such mottoes as "Resistance," "Remember Harper's Ferry," etc. We could not but admire the stern simplicity of this unpretending badge of devotion to South Carolina.

Election Rejoicings

Finally the election results rolled in. Lincoln's private secretary tells the story of what happened the morning after voting day. "The morning of November 7th brought the certain news of the election of Lincoln and Hamlin on the previous day, and the rejoicings which would have been uttered over their defeat became jubilations that their success offered the long-coveted pretext for disunion.

From this time forth everything was managed to swell the revolutionary furor. The Legislature immediately ordered a convention, made appropriations, passed military bills. The federal office-holders, with much public flourish of their patriotic sacrifice, resigned their offices. Military companies enrolled themselves in the city; organizations of minutemen sprang up in the rural neighborhoods. Drills, parades, meetings, bonfires, secession harangues, secession cockades, palmetto flags, purchase of fire-arms and powder, singing of the Marseillaise - there is not room to enumerate the follies to which the general populace, especially of Charleston, devoted their days and nights."

Which brings us to November 22.

Over 3000 Abbeville townspeople gathered on that southern fall day to listen to secession speeches and to elect delegates for the upcoming Secession Convention. The site where they assembled is now called Secession Hill. In early December 2010, just a few days past the 150th anniversary of this event, I enjoyed a visit to Secession Hill with my family (and can't resist sharing a picture of us!).

The delegates went on to the Secession Convention in Columbia, which was later moved to Charleston when smallpox broke out in the capitol city. When South Carolina finally did become the first state to secede on December 20, the reverberations - and cockades - were felt all the way to Washington, D.C. We are told, "It was the late dinner hour, and dining-rooms and corridors were shaken with excitement, as men with the blue cockades of the secessionists brushed jubilantly past those who wore the colors of the Union."

No one could have known at that point that America's bloodiest war was about to begin.

Epilogue: Fast forward four and half years. His armies surrendered, his government in exile, President Jefferson Davis fled Richmond and headed south.

He spent a night in Abbeville at the home of his friend Armistead Burt. On May 2, 1865, in the front parlor of what is now known as the Burt-Stark Mansion, Jefferson Davis held his last cabinet meeting and officially dissolved the Confederate government. Abbeville saw the beginning... and the end.

Of course, nobody knew then that history buffs 150 years later would start wearing those cockades all over again!

Americans of today honor their heritage on both sides of the war by wearing the Union and Confederate cockades that their ancestors so proudly displayed. I’m proud to offer cockades for all impressions during the war, as we keep alive the memory of those who were willing to put their lives on the line for what they believed.

My Shop Will be Closed Temporarily

I’ll be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends this week, so my shop will be closed Monday-Thursday. No worries though - I’ll reopen on Friday just in time for you to take advantage of my annual Black Friday Sale! Stay tuned!

And for those who have placed orders this weekend, no worries for you either - I’ll be working on your orders this week even though the shop is closed. Cockades will be coming your way soon!

SAVE SHOP LINK FOR FRIDAY!

See you on Friday!
~Heather Sheen

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Veterans Day is tomorrow so I thought it would be fun to show you some cockades from history that honored veterans. (And if you need a cockade to honor a veteran, hang on till the end and I'll give you some great ideas!)

Patriotic cockades in the past had many emblems on them - stars, tassels, military buttons - but one favorite historic emblem for cockades was a veteran's picture.

With the invention of the tintype button in the 1850s, it became quite easy to put the veteran of your choice in the center of your cockade.

George Washington

As the most famous of all American veterans, George Washington was a favored choice for patriotic cockades. Washington received his military education in the British army during the French and Indian War. Both friends and foes took note of his military wisdom even then. When the American Revolution began, the Continental Congress appointed Washington to be the first Commander in Chief of the American military forces, and the Army was born.

Historians note Washington's ability in choosing his generals, coordinating with a sometimes-uncooperative Congress, preserving a volunteer army, and dealing with often-overwhelmingly frustrating logistics (or lack thereof!). Everything in the American Army had to be constructed from scratch, and Washington did it - while fighting and winning a war!

Washington pulled together a ragtag, untrained collection of militia into an army that eventually won against one of the mightiest nations on earth.

He showed his personal integrity at the end of the war by resigning as commander-in-chief rather than accepting a military dictatorship. He is truly one of our greatest and godliest veterans.

Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth

An award-winning drill master, Colonel Ellsworth raised and commanded the 11th New York, also known as the Fire Zouaves, at the outbreak of the Civil War. He was formerly a law clerk in the offices of Abraham Lincoln, and remained Lincoln's friend to the end of his life.

History remembers him, though, for another reason. As Ellsworth was leading his men in Alexandria, Virginia, he saw a Confederate flag flying over an inn. Patriotic fervor led him to go up and cut down the flag. As Ellsworth descended the stairs, the innkeeper shot him dead. This was one of the first casualties of the war and a wave of national mourning ensued. His body lay in state at the White House before he was buried in New York. And naturally, many people wore cockades in his honor.

George Armstrong Custer

Major General Custer began his military career as a cavalry officer in the Civil War. After the war ended, he continued to serve as Lt. Colonel of the 7th Cavalry in the Indian Wars.

Custer was fearless and gallant, a favorite with his men because he led from the front rather than the rear...and enjoyed rollicking fun during "down" time!

Historians often only note that he was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876 at "Custer's Last Stand." But Custer ("Armstrong" or "Autie" to his friends) was more than a one-time loser - he was a brave officer, beloved by his men, and admired by the nation for his military achievements and prolific writings on military life.

Ulysses S. Grant

Grant won early attention after graduating West Point when he served successfully in the Mexican-American war. After some post-war service in the American West, he retired, but rejoined the military at the outbreak of the Civil War.

Grant gained fame as an energetic and forceful commander as he met victory after victory in the western theater of the war. In 1864, Lincoln promoted him to the Commanding General of the United States. Grant's tactics eventually led to the North winning the war.

As a national hero, the Republican Party happily chose him to run for president in the 1868 election. The cockade shown here is a campaign badge from that election, which he won. He was reelected again in 1872.

Jefferson Davis

Many know Jeff Davis as the president of the Confederacy - his US military service is less well-known. After graduating West Point, Davis served honorably in the Mexican-American War as colonel of a volunteer regiment. As he was carried wounded from the battlefield, his father-in-law General (later President) Zachary Taylor admiringly said, "My daughter, sir, was a better judge of men than I was."

Davis also had a long and illustrious political career, serving as US Representative, Senator and Secretary of War. This cockade is probably from his 1857 Senate campaign.

The respect of the nation for Davis was shown in his unanimous election as President of the Confederacy.

Need A Cockade to Honor Your Veteran?

I have cockades for each branch of military service - Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force and Space Force! Honor your hero with a cockade featuring their photo!

I also have cockades commemorating the 250th anniversaries of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps - check all of these items out in the Veterans Day category of my shop.

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I Hope You Have A Great Veterans Day!
Hug a veteran and be sure to thank them for their service! See you next week,

~Heather

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Before we get to the Christmas rosettes, I have to tell you about a special new product I’m adding! Just in time for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next year, I am debuting my Declaration of Independence cockade!

This unique and stunning, one-of-a-kind cockade features a miniature Declaration of Independence in solid pewter, hand-sewn onto American National tartan, with silver tassels. The center emblem, offered exclusively by Creative Cockades, has the following words:

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I currently have 25 in stock and will be ordering more soon. These make amazing, unique Christmas gifts and they are perfect for all kinds of historical events! Be sure to grab yours now to have it in time for the holidays.

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Now, on to the Christmas Rosettes…

We all know of the basic old-fashioned ornaments that were used at Christmas time - strings of berries or popcorn, dried fruit and lighted candles. But did you know that rosettes were sometimes used as well?

Here's a little fun Christmas decoration history for you - and it includes rosettes!

A German Tradition

Christmas trees have been around in some form or another for centuries. But the modern version of the Christmas tree and Christmas decorations apparently originated in the area of the German states. People would go to the huge fir forests in Germany and cut off the tops of the trees for their Christmas celebrations.

Hessian soldiers in the Revolutionary War and nineteenth century German settlers in America brought this tradition with them. Especially in areas like Texas and Pennsylvania, German immigrants established traditions of a fir tree to be decorated for Christmas. They became so popular that they began to be sold commercially in the 1850s. President Franklin Pierce is credited with bringing the first Christmas tree to the White House in 1856.

Concerns about over-harvesting in both America and Germany resulted in the invention of artificial trees such as feather trees, and in tree farms (first established in 1901).

Queen Victoria, herself of German descent, popularized the Christmas tree in the 1840s, and the image of her family around the tree was widely published in both Europe and America.

Decorating the Tree

I found a sweet little story in an 1860 edition of Godey's Lady's Book entitled "The Christmas Tree." Long before Hallmark movies, ladies' magazines of the day carried heart-warming, feel-good stories about Christmas, and this tale is no exception. However, the fascinating part for me was the description of the family decorating their tree.

"The square of green baize [fabric] being tacked down, a large stone jar was placed in the middle of it, and in this the tree stood nobly erect. Damp sand was put round the stem till the large green tree stood firmly in its place. A flounce of green chintz round the jar concealed its stony ugliness, and over the top, round the tree, was a soft cushion of moss. It was a large evergreen, reaching almost to the high ceiling, for all the family presents were to be placed upon it.

"This finished, the process of dressing commenced. From a basket in the corner, Marion drew long strings of bright red holly-berries, threaded like beads upon fine cord. These were festooned in graceful garlands from the boughs of the tree, and while Marion was thus employed, Grace and the Doctor arranged the tiny tapers. This was a delicate task. Long pieces of fine wire were passed through the taper at the bottom, and these clasped over the stem of each branch, and twisted together underneath. Great care was taken that there should be a clear space above each wick, that nothing might catch fire.

"Strings of bright berries, small bouquets of paper flowers, strings of beads, tiny flags of gay ribbons, stars and shields of gilt paper, lace bags filled with colored candies, knots of bright ribbons, all homemade by Marion's and Grace's skilful fingers, made a brilliant show at a very trifling cost, the basket seeming possessed of unheard-of capacities, to judge from the multitude and variety of articles the sisters drew from it."

From other period descriptions of decorations, I suspect the "knots of bright ribbons" was another way of saying ribbon rosettes.

As Advertised: Christmas Rosettes!

If you're looking for a more specific reference to Christmas rosettes, though, I love this one from a German newspaper in Allentown, PA, dated December 15, 1869:

"Christmas rosettes. Rosettes are the loveliest decoration for a Christmas tree and are being used more and more each year. Two to three dozen suffice to do a rather large tree. They can be used year after year. The price is thirty cents a dozen. Siemon, Bro & Co, Fort Wayne, Indiana and Hermann Albert, Allentown, PA."

And the tradition continued for many years, as evidenced by this advertisement from the Wilmington, DE "The Daily Gazette" in December 1876.

Christmas Rosettes - Vintage and Modern

Well obviously I couldn't ignore this fun idea for decorating during the holidays! So a number of years ago, I started offering my customers the option of either choosing a pin back or an ornament loop for many of my cockades. If you don't see that option available on the cockade you want, just let me know and I'll be happy to offer it for you! I also offer cockades that can be tied onto a wreath.

Some of my ornaments have been vintage style, the "knot of ribbons" mentioned above. Others are more modern and include special photos or emblems. Either way, I think it's a beautiful fashion!

For those looking for a vintage style, I've added a Christmas Spirit Cockade that features gilded pine cones - Victorians loved using motifs from nature in their decorating!

Finally, if you want a lot of old, fun images of Christmas trees from the past, check out this blog post I found from several years ago.

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~Heather

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The second half of the 19th century was a heyday for cockades. Gold and silver stars, bullion, tassels, embossed ribbons, pictures, fobs, and bars - you name it, they put 'em on cockades!

Some of the most meaningful and beautiful, however, were reserved for the cockades worn by Civil War veterans. Since Veterans Day is coming up, I thought I'd take a look at some of these beautiful veterans' badges. (And by the way, there's still time to order YOUR badge for Veterans Day!)

Diamonds and Ribbons

Both the Grand Army of the Republic (Union veterans) and the United Confederate Veterans had official badges and buttons they awarded to veterans based on membership in their organization or as a souvenir for attendance at a memorial event.

While many of these were simple metal badges with a ribbon or cockade, some of them were quite gorgeous. A Nebraska newspaper reported in 1919 that, "Judge J.S. Hoagland is exhibiting with just pride a diamond-set Grand Army of the Republic Badge which was presented to him by the G.A.R. encampment at York this week."

In an 1893 description of the Jefferson Davis funeral train, it was reported that the veterans wore "badges and buttons...the most of them worn with red and white ribbon, and the familiar gray slouch hat."

Proudly Worn

Both black and white veterans wore these badges, by the way. The Savannah, GA Morning News described in 1899 "a venerable colored veteran wearing not only a suit of gray, but on his brave breast a badge of the U.C.V., which courage and fidelity on the battlefield had won for him."

A Newberry, SC paper reported in 1911 about a "striking and unique feature of Memorial day" being "the presentation to an old negro, Ned Gilliam, of a badge for the heroism which he displayed in recovering the body of his master from the field of battle, and bringing it home for burial."

Presentations were also made to government dignitaries of these badges, especially on the occasion of memorable anniversaries or veterans' meetings. A 1902 Colorado paper tells of a "committee of the recent national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic," which presented to President Roosevelt "a gold Grand Army of the Republic badge, commemorative of the national encampment."

These badges were so meaningful that they were sometimes included in time capsules, such as the one created in 1915 for the Richmond Stonewall Jackson memorial.

This account says the box included a "Badge of the twenty-fifth annual Reunion of the United Confederate Veterans," as well as a "badge of the R.E. Lee Camp, No. 1, Confederate Veterans."

No Brag, Just Facts

Veterans rarely brag about their service (unless they are running for office!) But occasionally those badges came in handy when a veteran wanted to wield a little political clout. An interesting account of Dr. Mary Walker, the first female surgeon in the Civil War, tells of her concern about the United States going to war again in the Spanish American War. This 1898 account states, "Dr. Walker was attired in a neat frock suit, and wore upon the lapel of her coat a Grand Army of the Republic badge. 'I have been through one war,' she said, as she pointed to the badge, 'and I know what it is. I must see the president and prevent him from signing the resolution. If he will only see me he won't sign. If I could only see him for a moment I could stop the war.'" She didn't see the president, by the way, and neither did she stop the war.

Admire the Swag

The badges have changed over the years, but veterans still have pins, hats, uniforms and mementos. As you prepare to honor our veterans this Veterans Day, be sure to admire their "swag"... and thank them for serving our country!

Badges for Veterans Day!

Yes, there's still time to get yours! Check out my Veterans Day category.

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I’m Back!

I had a wonderful time at the Occupation of Sandersville and definitely enjoyed the Ladies Tea where I was the speaker. I’m now working on catching up on laundry and getting my shop in shape for holiday shopping. :)

See you next week!
~Heather

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