An Interesting Vet. Vol. Service Stripe

[GreencoatCross]

Friends,

Acquaintance and collector Rick Carlile sent me the first ten scans of several dozen that comprise his U.S. Sharpshooter image collection. Among several fantastic unpublished images was the one attached below. This is James H. Guthrie, Company F 1st U.S. Sharpshooters, and one of the very few men in the disillusioned 1st Regt. who re-enlisted. This portrait was taken while he was at home on furlough in early 1864.

What really stands out to me is what I believe is his veteran service stripe...rather than a "half chevron" or "stripe" it has the full angled chevron construction attached to his uniform coat sleeve above the trim. Has anyone else seen this arrangement before? I thought it was kind of neat.

Photograph courtesy Richard Carlile collection.

[Jon The Beloved]

Re: An Interesting Vet. Vol. Service Stripe

Add these 34th Indiana images to the batch, they have very similar chevron styled veteran stripes.
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More on the 34th:http://www.geocities.com/zouavedatab...na/34thin.html

[ScottCross]

Re: An Interesting Vet. Vol. Service Stripe

This is the first time I have seen a full chevron for a veteran's half chevron. All I have seen are the half or slash as in the 34th Indiana images.

Off Topic: Are those two drinking beer from glass mugs with handles in the last image? I've been collecting 1850s glassware for years and have never seen them this early. Very interesting.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: An Interesting Vet. Vol. Service Stripe

Scott,

I think they might be holding cigars in their hands closest to the beers. That's my first impression though.

This is also my first time ever seeing a "full angled" veteran service chevron on anyone. One initial thought was that Guthrie combined the two half-chevrons to make a full chevron but it doesn't look that way. Too bad we can't tell if there is another one on his opposite cuff.

Attached is a Sharpshooter from my collection; Private John Lovejoy, Company G 2nd U.S.S.S.. He served as a wagoner and was transferred into the 5th New Hampshire Infantry once the consolidated U.S.S.S. battalion was disbanded in 1865. This was likely taken while he was on furlough after re-enlisting. His veteran service chevrons are strange in that they appear to be comprised of only two colors next to one another. If you look at the right cuff, you can make out where the two-tone stripe is sewn to another piece of dark fabric, in turn sewn to the cuff.

[oldbaldie]

Re: An Interesting Vet. Vol. Service Stripe

The 33rd Illinois used a chevron style veteran service stripe but it was point down, touching the piping of their frock coats.