NCO Chevrons

[jtp 61]

Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

I have been searching for an answer to the reason behind the two different styles of chevrons (elliptical and straight). I've heard that only the Volunteer units were issues the elliptical pattern, but I don't know how much validity is behind that. Photo references show many varying units and time periods having the elliptical, yet the straight V is almost the only style I see at reenactments. Just the fact that CJ Daley carries the elliptical style points to the elliptical being more authentic. Could anyone shed some light on the subject?

[DJCasey]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

Keep looking at the photos, you're on the right track. You will find that chevrons came in a variety of shapes and sizes.

[John Legg]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

Here are some photos i found on google.

Here is Andrew Jackson Smith. He recieved the Medal of Honor. His chevrons look like they are straight.




And here is a very interesting original pair of Corporal Chevrons...

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

John, do you have any documentation or provenance on those corporal chevrons? Those have the appearance of military academy chevrons. I would be very much interested in knowing more about those .

[John Legg]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

This is what is says on the website.

6” wide, 8 ¼” high. Dark navy stripes on cadet grey wool backing (bluish grey). Exactly as used on several state jackets of the early militia entering the War – New York as one good example. Excellent condition, though both have a few small moth holes. Upon closer examination, the two are not exactly the same, though I’m convinced they were on the same jacket. These came together with other related material about 35 years ago, and I had them in storage with much inactive inventory until we opened it up when we recently moved the business, and I retired. I attribute the minute differences on these chevrons to the fact that they were the product of a room full of ladies, turning out all manner of stuff on their treadle sewing machines – each item essentially hand made. Thus, each would have minute variations. I am entirely convinced that this is a pair, used together, and that they are together because they came off the same coat. I am confident when you see these in person, you will be convinced they are a pair, and will appreciate seeing the slight variations that came from a routine wartime contract.

http://www.andersonmilitaria.com/Web_Pages/insignia/insignia.htm

They may not be Corporal chevrons, but they do have the elliptical shape. Just using them as an example.

John

[NC1862]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

They kind of resemble the chevrons worn by Citadel Cadets. Notice the Corporal on the far left.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

I'm not sure that there is a definite preference as to who was issued what kind style of chevron. The argument of elliptical chevrons issued to volunteers versus straight chevrons issued to Regulars is, in my opinion, absurd. There are definitely some factors at play here though such as wether or not a soldier made the chevrons himself or what kind of chevrons the sutler he bought them from made.

Of the hundred or so original garments I've seen only about 15 or so had NCO chevrons but of those there was nearly an even mix of elliptical versus straight among the sample. In one case a corporal's frock coat had elliptical chevrons while the same man's vest had a single small, straight set sewn to the right breast. Both pairs were hand-sewn and made from slightly different shades of sky blue worsted wool tape.

Although that is an example of one soldier who bore the same rank insignia of two different styles, there is a broader example of differing styles of chevrons in the same regiment. Two privately held garments belonging to two different men serving in the same regiment bear differing styles of chevrons. A frock coat belonging to a Michigander in the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters has what I believe are arsenal-made elliptical corporal chevrons. A dark blue fatigue blouse belonging to a Vermont sergeant in the same regiment bears straight chevrons. These don't appear to be arsenal-made and are perhaps a private purchase or field-made.

It's possible that if a man was promoted and needed chevrons he would just purchase what was available from home or from a sutler, or he just made his own following no particular design. The thing is that with so many authentic vendors selling the ellipitcal style and so many mainstreamers/etc. in general wearing the straight style, people get the wrong impression of what authentic chevrons really are.

Brian White
Wambaugh, White, & Co.

[Federal Bummer]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

Brian,

Have you observed any original Confederate garments with chevrons?

If so, can you give a brief description?

[weed]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

In my humble opinion, both types are correct. I have original uniforms in my collection that have both. The chevrons on one of my artillery shell jackets are semi elliptical (we used these to base the chevrons Chris Sullivan (Stoney Brooke Co.) makes off of. The chevrons on my cav. shell jaket are more ellipticall and the chevrons (1st sgt) on my enlisted man's frockcoat are closer to straight.


I will go downstairs later and take pictures of these and post them.

Weed

[lhsnj]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

Keep looking at the photos, you're on the right track. You will find that chevrons came in a variety of shapes and sizes.

You will find this variety even within a single company. Here is a photo from Aug 63 of the 93rd PA Co D.



CALL NUMBER
LC-B817- 7458


Here is another shot of the same group.



CALL NUMBER
LC-B811- 217A

[John Legg]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

That site i listed before had another pair.

- These are a pair of Sgt. chevrons. They do look like the ones that cadets would wear, also in that photo tyler.

Here is another Photo of a Corporal. His chevrons look elliptical.http://www.emmitsburg.net/archive_li...am_currens.htm

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

Just the fact that [Vendor X] carries the elliptical style points to the elliptical being more authentic. Could

I'd like to address the specific quote above. Nothing against "Vendor X", but just because a maker of repro wares makes it does NOT mean it's accurate or common. No matter where you buy repro wares, research first and buy second. My comment is general and not specifically relative to chevrons or "Vendor X".

Others posting on this thread have addressed, in more knowledgable fashion than I could, the issues regarding elliptical vs. "straight" chevrons. Photographic documentation shows that both types were common and I agree with Mr. White that it would be absurd to believe that one type was issued to Regulars with another type issued to volunteer units.

I believe that certain makers of repro wares offer elliptical chevrons for whatever reason(s), and certain "authenticity"-minded reenactors buy those both because that maker has a certain reputation, as well as the fact that elliptical chevrons appear to be much less-common in reenacting than they were in the Civil War, which in turn sets the reenactor wearing elliptical chevrons apart from others who wear "straight" chevrons, possibly from "mainstream" vendors. Many so-called "campaigners" desire to look different than others in reenacting, and different chevrons are just one way ot doing that. In the interest of full disclosure, that's pretty much why I purchased elliptical chevrons from "Vendor X" years ago--I was in a "mainstream" group and thought, "Hey, those are different, kinda cool, and I see 'em in period photos and I don't see 'em at the events I attend. Let's sew 'em on!" It sort of started a fashion trend in my former group that continues with some of its non-comm impressionists to this day, and I suspect that group isn't different than others.

[CJDaley]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

Just the fact that CJ Daley carries the elliptical style points to the elliptical being more authentic.

Wrong. Read the comments by collectors like Weed, craftsman like Brian and Historians like Ross and Kevin.

I have found no evidence that straight or elliptical are more authentic than the other. I started making the elliptical style in 1994 because only a few other vendors carried the elliptical and the vast majority of sutlers carried the straight, it was the only reason I chose the elliptical over the straight. It was marketing an authentic item that was under represented over an equally authentic item that was over represented. That's it.

Since then, I have made them straight and elliptical; and I've made them from 3/8 and 1/2 tape; and light blue tape and french blue tape; and vertical ribbed material and chevrons weave material; and wool and silk; and machine sewn and hands sewn.

I've made chevrons based on the many originals I've seen, but to date, I've yet to find evidence to support the myth that straight chevrons were regular army and elliptical were volunteers or that one style prevails as being more authentic.

Remember that many of the chevrons made throughout the war were made by contractors which explains the great deal of variety in originals.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

In addition to elliptical or straight there's a third option: invisible.

A couple of months ago I came across the following entries in the journal of Allan Morgan Geer.

June 12, 1863:

Sent a letter Home. Rec’d my warrant as 1st Serg. Co. C from Major Bradley to rank as such from May 16th the date of Wm. T. Harvey’s death.

December 18, 1863:

Had Chevrons put on my coat for the first time.

Geer enlisted in the 20th Illinois in 1861 and served throughout the war, rising to first sergeant and, finally, Lieutenant. As a paperwork afficianado, I was really impressed that he got his warrant first and his chevrons six months later!

See: Andersen, Mary Ann, ed. The Civil War Diary of Allen Morgan Geer, Cosmos Press, New York, 1977

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Chevrons: Elliptical or Straight?

Mike,

While it's difficult and indavisable to argue that many non-comms went without chevrons, particularly during long, arduous campaigns (Gettysburg, Overland, Atlanta, March to the Sea, Carolinas, etc.), based only on the quote you provided and its date, I wonder if the quote is regarding the fellow's overcoat...?

Army Regs say that non-comms' overcoats were to have chevrons, but I understand that the actual practice of this was quite rare.