The Butler Medal was a military decoration

Awards and decorations of the United States military

Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...

 of a unit of the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 which was first created on October 11, 1864. The medal was created under the authority of Major General

Major general (United States)

In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...

 Benjamin Butler

Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)

Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....

 and was intended to recognize meritorious or heroic acts of bravery performed by African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 soldiers fighting for the United States of America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 in the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

.

By 1865, the Butler Medal had been presented to nearly two hundred African American Union soldiers, all of whom were serving in the Army of the James

Army of the James

The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...

. The medal was originally known as the Colored Troops Medal but the name was changed to Butler Medal after the close of the Civil War.

The Butler Medal appeared as a red, white, and blue ribbon suspended from a clasp reading "Army of the James". Attached to the ribbon was a gold medallion detailing African American troops moving forward in battle. The obverse inscription in Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 reads, Ferro iis libertas perveniet: "Freedom Will be Theirs by the Sword."

In the modern military, the Butler Medal is considered obsolete. Like the Gillmore Medal

Gillmore Medal

The Gillmore Medal is a military decoration of the United States Army which was first issued on October 28, 1863. The medal is named after Maj. Gen. Quincy A...

, the Kearny Cross

Kearny Cross

The Kearny Cross was a military decoration of the United States Army, which was first established in 1862 during the opening year of the American Civil War...

and a number of other awards of the conflict, it was a unit-specific Civil War medal. By army standards it is an unofficial decoration, although one of the oldest issued to members of the service.