General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

[paulcalloway]

Submitted by Mark Jaeger to the Authentic Campaigner in 2001.
(Mark's comments seen in italics)

General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

Another one from the 6 Dec 64 edition. Braun, from the 33rd Wisconsin, refers to this in his writeup concerning non-regulation use of officer rank insignia in the Western Theater - MJ

WAR DEPARTMENT,
ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE
WASHINGTON DC, Nov. 22, 1864.

Officers serving in the field are permitted to dispense with shoulder-straps and the prescribed insignia of rank on their horse equipements. The marks of rank prescribed to be worn on the shoulder-straps will be worn on the shoulder in place of the strap. Officers are also permitted to wear overcoats of the same color and shape as those of the enlisted men of their command. No ornaments will be required on the overcoats, hats, or forage caps; nor will sashes or epaulettes be required.

By order of the Secretary of War;
E. D. TOWNSEND
Assistant Adjutant General

As Braun states, this simply confirmed what was already being done in the West. The practice was certainly already in place by 1863--I've got a photo of a captain in the 10th Indiana wearing just "bars" on his frock coat. The photo is datable because he was accidentally shot and died on 16 November 1863.- MJ

[Will Eichler]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

To give up one more image with reference to the lack of insignia on officer's uniforms in the Army of the Potomac, I own an original copy of "History of the 103rd Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry" written by Luther S. Dickey. Dickey was a corporal in Company C and this was published in 1910. One of the images reproduced in the book is an image of two of the officers, Captains Donaghy and Fahnestock in which one is clearly not wearning insignia and the other is highly questionable. They had the image made wearing what appears to be their full marching gear as a blanket roll is clearly visible on one's back. The book claims this image was taken at Norfolk, VA. in the fall of 1862.

I'll get the scanner hooked up in about a week and will scan this image at that time.

I'm certainly not claiming this as typical, just another specific example of where some officers in the field were headed.

Regards,

Will

[jacobite8749]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

I own a copy of General Orders affecting The Volunteer Force, 1864. This manual was owned by George Briggs Russell, who, between April 1863 and 14th.June 1863 was a 1st.Lieut. in the 38th.Masachussets Infantry. George, along with 145 of his comrades in the 38th. were either killed or wounded at Port Hudson. In the front of the manual there is a quote, written in pencil, that states “G.O. 286, 11-22-63 ”Officers may wear rank devices in lieu of straps, also horse insignia; no ornaments on overcoats, hats or forage caps P170”. Sure enough, page 170 the order appears and George has outlined it in red.

I have often wondered about this. For a manual to state such a thing, it is usual that it has been an informal practice for some while, and that the military machine is “formalising” it. The Long Roll, journal of the Army Of The Pacific carried an article, by Robert Braun and Dom Dal Bello regarding just such an item.

Whilst officers no doubt would like to look like officers, those like George Russell had every reason to not stand out too much, parade ground soldiering and active field campaigning not being compatible, or healthy, as George found out. Army regulations as early as 1861 permitted officers to wear a plain dark blue body coat, with buttons designating their respective corps, regiments, or departments, without any other mark or ornament upon it. Such a coat, however, would not to been considered as proper dress for any military purpose.

In the west, the Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. Rosencrans, was the first to put this into official words with General Order 174 on 25th. July 1863. In the east, pictures taken after Gettysburg show three of Buford’s aides wearing plain coats, so clearly the practice was at least universal, both East And West.

It is, therefore, clear that some officers in both the Eastern and Western theatres changed their shoulder straps, to either the full, but frame-less ones sewn directly to the shoulder, or with a single set of insignia sewn to each shoulder, looking like they would have appeared on an original shoulder strap. Insignia was also stamped out of brass and used as above. Officers in both theatres also wore coats without any rank insignia. “As an officer, he preferred to fare like his men, and always marched with his knapsack on his shoulders, and sometimes he would carry a frying pan and a camp stool with him.”

[Ian M.]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

Once this order was issued -- wearing just rank devices themselves and not the straps -- 2nd Lieutenants would have been devoid of rank since single gold bar for such was adopted sometime after the war right and they had no specific device.

[Chihuahua]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

Pards,
Attached (hopefully) is scan of CDV clearing showing this trimmed rank insignia.
The young man is a Hawkeye with the 5th Iowa Cav.
Mark Warren
Hairy Nation Boys
Bloomfield, Iowa

[Bushrod Carter]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

Once this order was issued -- wearing just rank devices themselves and not the straps -- 2nd Lieutenants would have been devoid of rank since single gold bar for such was adopted sometime after the war right and they had no specific device.

Ian,

That is incorrect. 2nd Lts would wear a (single) bar on one shoulder, and a 1st Lt would wear a single bar on each shoulder. That created the distinction in rank between Lts while wearing the subdued rank.

[Ian M.]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

Thanks for the clarification

[Adjutant]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

Mr. Craddock,

I am curious of the source for your statement about second lieutenant rank being worn on just one shoulder as I had never encountered that before. Was that specific to a particular army? I find the progression from full rank to subdued rank facinating and would love to collect more research on it! :D

[Brian Baird]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

I don't have the documents with me, but they were printed in an article written by Larry Stryler for the Mudsill's THE COMPANY WAG. The article was called "Soldiers Three" - the image of the 3 officers of the 105th Ohio.
I see if I can find the article tonight.

Brian Baird

[Brian Baird]

Re: General Order, No. 286 - Insignia of Rank Dispensed With

Unfortunately GO No 286 doesn't spell it out but in GO No 174, Department of the Cumberland, issued 7-25-63 states:
"...The rectangle of the shoulder-strap being too conspicuous on the field of battle, need not be worn. Second Lieutenants will wear a single bar on the right shoudler only." This is from the article "Soldiers Three" by Larry Strayer published in THE COMPANY WAG, Vol 2, Number 1
Brian Baird