American Historical Ephemera & Photography, Featuring Property from the James Milgram, M.D., Collection of Broadsides, Ephemeral Americana & Historical Documents

MÜLLER, Charles, sculptor. 6 in. cast bronze medal (minor darkening to obverse, 2 patches or tarnish at reverse edge, a few scratches and mars to rim). Obverse features profile bust of Robert Anderson with the legend "Robert Anderson 1861." Reverse with the Guardian Spirit of America rising from Fort Sumter, the design for the first and second class medals, with the legend "The Chamber of Commerce, New -York, Honors the Defender of Fort Sumter - The Patriot, The Hero and the Man." With artist's "F. Müller" signature.

RARE FIRST CLASS, 6-INCH EXAMPLE. 

Benson J. Lossing records the creation of the medals in his Pictorial History of the Civil War in the United States of America, 1878 (pp. 329-34): "One June 6, 1861, a resolution was adopted by the Chamber of Commerce of the state of new YOrk to honor Major Robert Anderson and his officers and men. The Chamber has a series of medals designed, struck, and presented to these Federal soldiers for their defense of Fort Sumter. These medals, struck by Charles Muller, a sculptor of New York City, were of four designs and/or sizes. Major Anderson received a medal that was six inches in diameter, and had a medallion portrait of himself on one side and the Genius of Guardian Spirit of America rising from Fort Sumter with the American Flag in her left hand and the flaming torch of war in the right hand on the other side. The officers were given medals of the same design but of a smaller size - four inches in diameter." The design of the third and fourth-class medals, given to non-commissioned officers and privates, were of a different design and smaller size. Several sources note that only one 6 inch example was struck, for Major Anderson himself (The Collection of David W. Dreyfuss, Bowers and Merena, New York, 11-13 April, 1986, Lot 5591; Lossing, pp.329-334; Phillips, p. 129).