The Kearny Medal of Honor was a military decoration of the United States Army, which was first established in 1862 during the opening year of the American Civil War. The original decoration was known as the Kearny Medal and was adopted as an unofficial medal by the officers of the 1st Division, 3rd Corps, of the Union Army of the Potomac, which had served under Major General Philip Kearny. The medal is gold in color, in the shape of a cross patte, in the center of which is a circular medallion bearing the word KEARNEY in black enamel with a black line above and below. Encircling this is a plain band, enameled black, with the inscription Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori which is a line from the Roman lyrical poet Horace's Odes (iii 2.13). The line is translated in English as: "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country." It is suspended by a red ribbon attached to a gold bar. The overall length of the beautiful, high quality medal is appx. 2 5/8 (67mm), the star itself is appx. 1” (26 mm) across.