Kearny Cross

The Kearny Medal and subsequent Kearny Cross were unofficial military decorations awarded by units of the United States Army during the American Civil War.

The Kearny Medal was created in 1862 by the officers of the 1st Division, 3rd Corps, of the Union Army of the Potomac, which had served under Major General Philip Kearny. Intended for award to any Union officer who had performed acts of extreme bravery and heroism in the face of the enemy, it was first bestowed on November 29, 1862. The following year, a medal was created by Black, Starr & Frost. In 1863, the medal was authorized retroactively to officers who had performed such acts while enlisted soldiers, and had been subsequently commissioned.

On March 13, 1863, a second version of the Kearny Medal was established as a "Cross of Valor" for enlisted personnel. The new medal, known as the Kearny Cross, was awarded to any Union soldier who had displayed meritorious, heroic, or distinguished acts in the face of an enemy force.

By 1865, both the Kearny Medal and the Kearny Cross were commonly referred to as the Kearny Cross. Since the decorations were issued by local commanders, the medals remained unofficial awards and were not issued after the close of the Civil War. Nevertheless, the Kearny Cross and Medal are regarded as one of the oldest military decorations of the United States Army, second only to the Badge of Military Merit and the Fidelity Medallion.