Pre War VA Militia - officers insignia?

[KLCoombs]

I've been surfing around online and digging through my various books trying to find original images of officers in pre-War / early War (e.g. 1st Manassas era) Virginia Militia uniforms -- e.g. the standard blue frock coat then in use. Unfortunately, all I've come up with is images of enlisted men and NCOs.

Does anybody know what sort of insignia were used, particularly for senior officers, e.g. colonels and such? With the brass shoulder scales with bullion fringe, they obviously weren't like Federal army insignia, I'd imagine. Collar insignia? some sort of insignia on the epaulettes themselves?

I'm presuming that they didn't have the "chicken guts" Austrian / Russian braid trim on the sleeves as that was something specified by the CS War department after the uniform specs were published. But I don't know for sure.

Anybody out there studied this?

[Wild Rover]

Re: Pre War VA Militia - officers insignia?

Jackson had US straps, they are in EoG, as well as alot of other militia officers.

PArds,

I've been surfing around online and digging through my various books trying to find original images of officers in pre-War / early War (e.g. 1st Manassas era) Virginia Militia uniforms -- e.g. the standard blue frock coat then in use. Unfortunately, all I've come up with is images of enlisted men and NCOs.

Does anybody know what sort of insignia were used, particularly for senior officers, e.g. colonels and such? With the brass shoulder scales with bullion fringe, they obviously weren't like Federal army insignia, I'd imagine. Collar insignia? some sort of insignia on the epaulettes themselves?

I'm presuming that they didn't have the "chicken guts" Austrian / Russian braid trim on the sleeves as that was something specified by the CS War department after the uniform specs were published. But I don't know for sure.

Anybody out there studied this?

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: Pre War VA Militia - officers insignia?

From the Revised Militia Law of Virginia, 1850:

Majors-General.

Epaulets--Gold: device, two silver stars, one inch in diameter, embroidered, and placed on the strap in a row longitudinially.

Brigadiers-General

Epaulets--The Same, except there shall be one star on the straps instead of two.

Officers of the General Staff

Epaulets--Gold

Of the Cavalry--For Field Officers

Silver Epaulets

--For company officers and privates

Wings for non-commissioned the same as for officers, except the bulllion. For privates white metal scales

Of the Artillery--For Field Officers

Epaulets--Gold

--For company officers and privates

Epaulets--Gold or gilt

Of the Infantry--For Field Officers

Epaulets--Silver

--For Captains and Lieutenants of the Line

Shoulder straps and bars, for four a captain, two for a first lieuenant.

--Company officers and Privates

Epaulet--Silver or plated

Of Riflemen

Epaulets--Gold or Gilt

From the Militia Law of Virginia, 1858

Badges to Distiguish Rank

Epaulettes

For a major general--Gold, with solid crescent; device two silver embroidered stars, one and one-fourth inches in diameter, placed on the strap longitudinally, and equidistant; dead and bright gold bullion, one half inch in diameter and three and one half inches long.

For a brigadier general--The same as for a major general, except that, instead of two, there shall be one star placed upon the strap.

For a colonel--The same as for a brigadier general, substituting a silver embroidered spread eagle for the star upon the strap.

For a lieutentant-colonel--The same as for colonel substituting for the eagle one silver embroidered leaf.

For a major--The same as for a colonel.

For surgeons--A laurel wreath embroidered in gold, letters M.S. in old English characters on silver within the wreath.

For paymasters--Same--substituting letters P.M.

For quartermasters--Same--substituting the letters Q.M.

For a captain--The same as for a colonel, except that the bullion will be only one-fourth of an inch in diameter, and two and a half inches long, and substituting for the eagle two embroidered bars.

For a first lieutenant. The same as for a colonel, except that the bullion will be only one-eigth of an inch in diameter, and two and one half inches long, and substituting for the eagle one silver embroidered bar.

For a second lieutentant--The same as for a first lieutenant, omitting the bar.

Shoulder Straps

For a major-general--Dark-blue cloth one and three inches wide by four inches long; bordered with embroidery of gold one fourth of an inch wide; two silver embroidered stars of five rays; the center of the star to be one inch from the outer edge of the embroidery on the ends of the strap.

For a brigadier-general--The same as for a major-general, except that there will be only one star equidistant from the ends of the strap.

For a colonel--The same soze as for a brigadier-general, and bordered in like manner with gold embroidery; a silver embroidered spread eagle on the centre of the strap, two inches between the tips of the wings; cloth of the strap, for general, field and staff officers, dark blue; cavalry, yellow; artillery, scarlet; infantry, sky blue.

For a lieutentant-colonel--The same as for a colonel, omitting the eagle, and substituting a silver embroidered leaf at each end, seven-eighths of an inch from the end of the border of the strap.

For a major--The same as for a colonel, substituting a gold for a silver embroidered leaf on the ends of the strap.

For a captain--The same as for colonel, ommiting the eagle, and introducing at each end two gold embroidered bars, the same width as the border, placed parallel to the ends of the strap; the distance between them from the border equal to the width of the border.

For a first lieutentant--The same, except that one bar shall be placed instead of two.

For a second lieutenant--The same

[markj]

Re: Pre War VA Militia - officers insignia?

Here are some obvious places to look:

"Military Collector & Historian":

http://www.military-historians.org/company/journal/search/search.htm

"Military Images":

http://www.civilwar-photos.com/

U. S. Army Center of Military History:

http://www.army.mil/cmh/

(There may well be photographs of Virginia militia officers in their collections)

The Valentine Richmond History Center holds images of antebellum militia members

http://www.richmondhistorycenter.com/

Check with the guys in the 1st Virginia:

http://www.1stvirginiaregt.org/History.html (this includes one of the famous "Richmond Grays" images, long thought to have been made at the beginning of the war but actually dating to December 1859)

Check out various "coffee table" books about the war, as these frequently show militia images. "Echoes of Glory" definitely carries a number of images of antebellum militia uniforms.

And, of course, touch base with the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond VA:

http://www.moc.org

Good luck!

Mark Jaeger

[markj]

Re: Pre War VA Militia - officers insignia?

P. S. I just did a check on the searchable "Military Collector & Historian" index using "Virginia" and pulled up several dozen articles. There are easily a dozen articles (including a three-parter covering 1858-1861) that are right up your alley.

Mark says, "Check'em out."

Mark Jaeger

[markj]

Re: Pre War VA Militia - officers insignia?

Here are some more potentially helpful sources:

By-laws of the sixth company, First Regiment Virginia volunteers.
Adopted July 17th, 1850. Rev. May, 1851.
Virginia Infantry.

1851
English Book 15 p. 15 cm.
Richmond, P.D. Bernard, Printer,
(Available at the University of Virginia)

By-laws and regulations of the West Augusta Guard, Staunton, Virginia.
Commissioned July 24, 1858. Adopted June 30, 1858.
Virginia Infantry.

1858
English Book 12 p. 19 cm.
Staunton [Va.] Printed at the "Vindicator Office",
(Also at the University of Virginia)

This has already been mentioned above:

Revised militia law of Virginia,
to take effect from and after July 1, 1850; also, the rules and Articles of war, the uniform for officers and volunteer corps, and forms for certifying elections.
Virginia.

1850
English Book 80, [15] p. incl. forms. 23 cm.
Richmond, Printed by Ritchie & Dunnavant,
(Copies available at Duke University, the Library of Virginia, Virginia Historical Society, and the Virginia Military Institute--it's also likely been microfilmed)

Minute book and orderly book,
Alfred Beckley

1860-1861
English Book : Thesis/dissertation/manuscript Archival Material 1 v.
Constitution, minutes, and roster of the Moot Senate of Beckley Twp., Raleigh Co., Virginia, kept by secretary, A. Beckley. Also included at rear of volume is the orderly book of 27th brigade, 5th division Militia of Virginia commanded by Brigadier General Alfred Beckley.
(This is currently at the Ohio Historical Society)

By-laws of the Montgomery Guard, Second Company, First Regiment, Virginia Volunteers.
Adopted July 17th, 1850. Revised May 1858.
Virginia Infantry.

1858
English Book 16 p. 14 cm.
Richmond, Macfarlane & Fergusson,
(at the Library of Virginia)

There's more but these should get you started.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger