This is a Third Class Marksman Award.
The award depicts a Bullet shaped pendants with date of qualification cast onto it. The dated Bullet shaped pendants depicts the date of the award, in this case 1893, 1894, 1895, which is the date of qualification cast onto it. These were made by "Shreve Crump and Low". The front of the top bar reads “MARKSMAN” superimposed over the letters “MVM”. This is a type one award as future awards had its overall dimensions along with the font size increased slightly. The cabinet cards are not included and are only to show how these Marksmanship Awards were worn.
Background:
It has always been assumed that the first badge, "MARKSMAN" was designed and awarded in 1883 with the badge being retroactive to 1880. During an intense research session at: the Massachusetts Military Museum and Archives in the spring of 2007, the following revelation was discovered.
Adjutant Generals Report January 1881 for the year 1880 Pages 21 thru 25.
Within these pages is told of the Annual Match at the State Camp Ground (this refers to the annual state competition and qualifications). Of special interest on page 22, paragraph 6 is the following excerpt:
“The marksman badge is a bronze bar bearing the word "MARKSMAN" covering the letters MVM. To this is hung a bullet of the same material as the bar, upon which is the year for which the badge is conferred"
Pages 24 and 25 lists the Officers and Enlisted men who participated along with their individual scores and to top it off the serial number that was assigned to the badge awarded to them.
The militia men who took the top score that memorable day, to become the first qualified Marksmen within the newly developed program were:
Further research has shown that all three re-qualified again in 1881, 1882 & 1883 with a bullet pendant being issued to each of their serial numbered badges for each of those years. Participation at the annual competition increased dramatically over the first three years and extreme interest was shown throughout the life of the state-run program.
The year 1883 saw the upgrading of the marksmanship awards program with the addition of two newly designed marksman badges in two new classes. Those who would qualify now had the possibility of attaining one of three awards: First Class Marksman (silver), Second Class Marksman (bronze) or Third Class Marksman (bronze).
Adjutant General's Report 1884 for the year 1883 Page 8, paragraph's 3 and 4
"The number of qualified Marksman in the militia to January 1, 1883, was 318. New qualifications this year in third class, 249; 62 have re-qualified in that class, 57 of whom receive new pendant. Five having qualified for the fourth time, do not receive pendant."
"One hundred and twenty three have qualified in second class, and 95 in first class. Of the number qualified in first and second class, 81 had qualified in previous years as marksman, making a total number of re-qualifications 143, and total number of new Marksman in all classes this year 396, and total number of qualified Marksman in the militia to January ,1 1884, 714.
Page 11: "Qualified Marksman (First Class); Badge for this class of silver, with bar inscribed "FIRST CLASS", badge inscribed "MARKSMAN", with date in scroll."
Marksman of the third class who repeat their qualifications in the same class, but do not attain a higher rank, may have a bullet pendant added to the badge, but no more than three pendants will be added. Marksman in the second and third classes who repeat their qualifications in the same class may have the new date on the badge.
Throughout the early history of the MVM, it awarded prizes and medals for Marksmanship with no standard issue awards program in place.
It was in 1880 that the first standard issue MARKSMAN badge was "awarded and issued to all who qualify regardless of rank"
This MARKSMAN badge was issued in Bronze, was serial numbered on the reverse of the bar and hallmarked "Shreve Crump & Low". Not all Marksman badges are serial numbered; these being a re- issue or private purchase badge. The hallmark "Shreve Crump & Low" is sometimes stamped on these badges. Both the serial number and hallmark are impressed into the badge. It has been noted by the examination of numerous examples that a size change occurred during the life of this badge. It is noticeable without the use of a measuring device or magnifying glass. This was due to the change of dies during the manufacturing process. This MARKSMAN badge, with its variations, was issued from 1880 through 1890 with approximately 4000 being issued. This badge was strictly a MARKSMAN badge with no class or weapon until 1883.
Records at the Massachusetts National Guard Military Museum and Archives show that MARKSMAN badge # 1 was issued in 1880 to:
Captain T.R. Mathews, Company "D', First Regiment Infantry, with a score of 21.
Captain, later Major, Mathews qualified again for Marksman in 1881, 1882 & 1883, with a bullet pendant being issued to his serial numbered badge foreach of those years.
Adjutant General's Report 1892 for the year 1891, Page 147, article 13, paragraph 2
“The State recognizes original qualification for the five grades established of distinguished marksman, sharpshooter, first class, second class and third class marksman by a medal; with a bar for the sharpshooter and a bullet for the marksman classes, bearing the year of re-qualification.”
This new series of medals is noticeably different in design and size from the first issue bullet style marksman medal that was issued from 1880 through 1890.
This series was issued in three classes being Silver for First Class Marksman, Bronze for Second Class Marksman and Black for Third Class Marksman. This series was issued only from 1891 through 1896.
A new numbering series was started for these medals ranging upwards to 5500. This higher numbering system was noted on the backs of these second bullet style medals with no known issue records, indicating these numbers may have been intended for that purpose but never enforced.
The hallmark "Shreve Crump and Low" is impressed on the reverse of the top bar. This series was also known to be issued with no numbers or hallmarks on the reverse of the top bar as in the case of this award. This was a cost saving measure done by the MVM as more and more marksman prevailed