Hospital Steward Insignia Without The Caduceus

[Chihuahua]

Pards,
Attached for your entertainment is an image of Hiram T. Bird from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Bird was only 18 when he enlisted as a hospital steward in the 8th Iowa Cavalry on 9/22/63. Less than a year later, on 7/30/64, he was captured during the fighting around Newnan Station, GA. He was exchanged two weeks later, and he mustered out in August of '65.
Of interest is the hospital steward insignia he wears. It is without the caduceus symbol. I haven't the slightest idea if it was issued to him that way, if the symbol was removed, or if this is simply a soldier-made example.
Mark Warren
Hairy Nation
Bloomfield, Iowa

[Cyclesmith]

Re: Hospital Steward Insignia Without The Caduceus

Very nice photo. I, of course, am not insinuating that the arm band there does not indeed lack a caduceus and boarders. However, I have seen examples first hand where the boarder and caduceus were not gold... but dark, black in fact. I saw an example of this in the Gettysburg collection while I worked there... was not on display but in the basement of the old VC. The only photo evidence I could even find is the photo below. I would not entirely dismiss the idea that caduceus may be present... it may be that the lack of contrast, lighting and/or photo quality is obscuring it. Just food for thought...

[Cyclesmith]

Re: Hospital Steward Insignia Without The Caduceus

Sorry I forgot to attach the photo.... duh!

I should also say I have heard opinions that these do from time to time show up lacking contrast in photos... even though it may indeed be gold

[Cyclesmith]

Re: Hospital Steward Insignia Without The Caduceus

Oh I also found this in my folder... photo was obviously colored for publication, but it shows up black in the original. Again whether it was actually black or an effect of the photo is up for debate.

[NoahBriggs]

Re: Hospital Steward Insignia Without The Caduceus

Gold and yellow frequently appeared as black in period photos. As fro the stew in the original image, it's possible he either had the insignia custom made, or they gold is so black it hardly shows up. A third possibility is that the insignia is for an ambulance corpsman, which was typically straight green half chevron.