Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

[LeftCoastYank]

The convention seems to be that reproduction NCO chevrons are always supplied with a backing, which folks then attach to the coat or blouse.

I've never had the opportunity to exam original NCO uniforms in person, but from surveying period and modern photographs of originals, it seem that there was quite a lot of variation as whether the wool tape was sewn directly onto the garment or whether a backing was used.

Some period photos show chevrons that are clearly backed, usually on federals, while other show what seems to be tape sewn directly to the garment. Sometime, chevrons with backing appear to only be tacked on at the corners (my hypothesis for which is that the rank was attached for the picture, but perhaps not worn otherwise).

So, my questions are:

What was the most common practice, how were chevrons issued in the respective armies?

To those that have examined originals, do the chevrons appear to have backing, a backing that has been trimmed away so that they appear be applied directly to the garment, or is the tape applied directly to the garment?

[tmdreb]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

I'm pretty sure that there's no evidence that the Confederacy was producing chevrons with cloth backing anywhere but Houston.

[LeftCoastYank]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

Wow, that's great info about chevrons from Houston being backed!

I've actually never run across a photograph that showed chevrons on a Confederate uniform that were "backed." I was sort of under the assumption that they never were.

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

Museums are your best bet for examples, however, the Internet as well as reference books are great alternative resources; i.e. "Arms and Equipment of the Union" and "Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy" by Time Life Books come to mind for some terrific images of uniform articles.

[BrandonEnglish]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

The convention seems to be that reproduction NCO chevrons are always supplied with a backing, which folks then attach to the coat or blouse.

I've never had the opportunity to exam original NCO uniforms in person, but from surveying period and modern photographs of originals, it seem that there was quite a lot of variation as whether the wool tape was sewn directly onto the garment or whether a backing was used.

Some period photos show chevrons that are clearly backed, usually on federals, while other show what seems to be tape sewn directly to the garment. Sometime, chevrons with backing appear to only be tacked on at the corners (my hypothesis for which is that the rank was attached for the picture, but perhaps not worn otherwise).

So, my questions are:

What was the most common practice, how were chevrons issued in the respective armies?

To those that have examined originals, do the chevrons appear to have backing, a backing that has been trimmed away so that they appear be applied directly to the garment, or is the tape applied directly to the garment?

I've done quite a bit of research on NCO chevrons and I wish I had it all in front of me. When it comes to Confederate Chevrons the regs called for tape to be sewn on the jacket. The original VERY early war coats I have examined at the MOC have had the stripes sewn on in either tape (usually black worsted wool) or gold braid sewn directly into the sleeve seam of the jacket. When the coat was produced by someone at home, tailor, whatever they sewed the stripes directly into the jacket. But these again were all early war coats.

When it comes to federal chevrons the majority of originals I have seen have a backing. I have seen some funky ones that the Sergeant made himself I'm sure, but IMHO this was the exception not the rule.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

The majority of Federal chevrons I've seen loose or attached to original garments have backings. There are maybe two or three exceptions, these being:

- Unlined fatigue blouse worn by Sgt. Frank Fitz, 44th Mass. Infantry. Light blue worsted wool stripes hand-sewn to both sleeves.

- "Illinois state jacket" worn by Sgt. George Spaulding, Co. D 52nd Illinois Infantry. Medium or "French" blue worsted wool stripes hand-sewn to both sleeves.

- Dark blue vest worn by an unknown corporal of the 119th Pennsylvania Infanry. Bright sky blue worsted wool stripes sewn to the right breast.

I'm not including zouave uniforms here but some seem to have the rank stripes added directly to the sleeve or cuffs.

[LeftCoastYank]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

Mr. English and Mr. White, good info. Thanks!

What would would you say the logic was behind backed or non-backed insignia, is there a detectable "method to the madness," or, just was it just because of highly varied production standards of the period?

Has anybody else noticed that occasionally in original photographs chevrons will appear to be tacked on just at the corners?

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

There are maybe two or three exceptions, these being:

And to add to the list, the Schuylkill Arsenal contract frock coat from the recent Kurtz Collection. The listing stated, "...hand sewn directly to each sleeve are the three worsted red stripes and lozenge of a first sergeant of artillery."

I'm not including zouave uniforms here but some seem to have the rank stripes added directly to the sleeve or cuffs.

Brian-
What about the jacket of W. Beriah Chandler? That listing stated, "The most striking features of the jacket are the 'Principal Musician' insignias with three arcs over three inverted chevrons with a central five-pointed star made from gold braid that are sewn to each sleeve."

Best,

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

I forgot about the SA heavy artillery frock from the Kurtz auction.

Perhaps a reason for the backing vs. tape only types of chevrons we see among original garments and in photographs can be explained by what was available to the soldier at the time. For instance, the NCO's of the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters were apparently doing without insignia in early 1864; their newly appointed commander at the time, Major Henry Mattocks, 17th Maine Infantry, taxed each man in the regiment and ordered the sutler to provide "rank striping" so the coats would be up to regulation. I do not know if this literally means worsted wool tape but even before the order was issued, men in both Sharpshooter regiments were wearing a very surprising array of private-purchase and arsenal-original chevrons. Some of these insignias which I observed in original photos were strips of cloth (not woven tape) sewn directly to the blouse or frock.

Another similar incident has been repeated many times here on the AC....the story about men in the field being ordered to create chevrons using materials they had on-hand. In this case it was blankets and old pants.

[CJDaley]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

Another similar incident has been repeated many times here on the AC....the story about men in the field being ordered to create chevrons using materials they had on-hand. In this case it was blankets and old pants.

From The Civil War Notebook of Daniel Chisholm:

“Saturday, Jany 14th [1865] We have special orders for every non commissioned officer to have chevrons on their arms and stripes on their pants. The quarter master hasn’t any, we have to take old blouses and make them ourselves. It is laughable to see all the boys at work with their needles. You may depend some of the stitches are long.”

[Lee Ragan]

Re: Chevron backing: period practice or a reenactorism?

"Ready made" chevrons, that is, ones with a backing were actually being made by federal arsenals just prior to the war. I agree that most (but not all ), Federal chevrons were made this way and most (but MAYBE not all) Confederate chevrons were made from tape sewn directly to the coat.
Several years ago, I had a chance to see an original Confederate coat/jacket in the NCO Museum at Ft. Bliss, Texas. I believe that it had Corporals chevrons and they had stripes sewn to a backing cloth and that was in turn sewn to the sleeve. (I hope my memory isn't playing tricks on me.)
I've collected chevrons and reference literature on them for over 30 years and can recommend the absolute best book on the subject which is "Chevrons", by LTC William Emerson, AUS (Ret.) It was originally published in 1985 and a new revised edition is in the process of being written. War Between the States U.S. Army chevrons are discussed and photos are included. However... the book is almost impossible to find and I've heard of xerox copies going for over $100!