Sashes

[timewalker]

Another question, if I may, to help with painting my civil war miniatures.

I have noted in my books that some of the officers/cavalrymen have red sashes, some yellow sashes. Is the color significant? How did one decide which color sash to wear?

[gary]

Colors are significant. Branch of service. AFAIK, red for artillery, yellow for cavalry and blue for infantry. Someone else can point out other distinctions.

[timewalker]

Originally Posted by gary

Colors are significant. Branch of service. AFAIK, red for artillery, yellow for cavalry and blue for infantry. Someone else can point out other distinctions.

Thanks. I figured there was some rhyme or reason, I just hadn't come across it yet.

[ole]

Speaking from absolute ignorance here, but Gary's color suggestions are the piping and trouser-stripe colors. Infantry officers wore red sashes. Don't recollect seeing cavalry or artillery officers with sashes.

ole

[blue_zouave]

May I refer you to Howard Lanham's excellent site for the Revised Regulations of the Army, 1861 (Union.) I believe the Confederate sash colors were the same.

http://howardlanham.tripod.com/unireg.htm

Click on "sash" and you'll be taken to a discussion with pictures of various colors.

Zou

[timewalker]

Originally Posted by blue_zouave

May I refer you to Howard Lanham's excellent site for the Revised Regulations of the Army, 1861 (Union.) I believe the Confederate sash colors were the same.

http://howardlanham.tripod.com/unireg.htm

Click on "sash" and you'll be taken to a discussion with pictures of various colors.

Zou

Thanks. Very helpful.

But it lists buff, crimson, red, and green. Nothing about yellow or gold. I guess what looks like yellow or gold could be buff.

[5fish]

I have a question: What color was Lee's sash when he met Grant and surrender his AoNV. I assume like everyone else that a sash's color means something..

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members;

Officers wore in the Infantry Sky Blue Shoulder strap, Crimson sash, Dark blu trouser welt.

Artillery Officers wore Scarlet Shoulder Straps, Crimson Sash and Scarlet Trouser Welt.

Cavalry Officers wore Yellow shoulder strap, Crimson sash and Yellow Trouser Welt.

Staff Officers were to wear Dark Blue Shoulder Straps, Crimson sash, Gold
Trouser Welt. The Staff officers then had changes in their Straps from Dark Blue to sky blue; their trousers sky blue then required dark blue trouser welts

Medical Officers wore Dark Blue Shoulder Strap, Green Sash and gold trouser welt

Ordnance Officers wear Dark Bllue Shoulder Straps, Crimson Sash and no trouser welts.

Enisted --
Infantry wore sky blue welt on collars, sky blue Hat Cord, sky blue Chevron and if NCO wore a dark blue pant stripe

Artillery, Scarlet welt on collar, scarlet hat cord, scarlet Chevron, scarlet stripe on pants if NCO

Cavalry, Yellow welt on collar, yellow hat cord, yellow chevron, yellow NCO pant stripe

Engineers shared same 'color code' as Cavalry.

Ordnance has crimson welt on collar, crimson hat cord, crimson chevrons and NCO wears crimson pant strip.

Hospital Steward wears crimson welt on collar, Buff/Green hat cord, Greey/Yellow Chevron and NCO wears crimson pant stripe.

Note- The Officer of the Day is known by the manner in which he wears his sash. It is passed over the right shoulder, and tied at the belt, under the left arm, and crosses the body diagonally. No other officer wears his sash in this way. The Officer of the Day is considered on duty for the twenty-four hours of his tour, until he is relieved. Any offense, such as drunkenness, is the more serious when committed by him during his tour of duty.

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Confederates

Army officers indicated Confederate officers -
Red - Artillery
Yellow - Cavalry
Light Blue - Infantry
Black - Medical

Regimental officers wore their respective colors on the outer seam of their trousers on I 1/4-in. stripes.

The Generals wore 2 5/8-in, stripes on each leg.

The adjutant, quartermaster, commissary, and engineer officers wore 1 gold 1 1/4-in. outer-seam stripe.

Noncommissioned officers were expected to wear on their outer seams a 1 1/4-in. cotton stripe or braid of colors appropriate to their army branch.

Privates wore no stripes or facing, but their trousers and those of non-commissioned and regimental officers were to be sky blue. All others were to wear dark blue trousers.


Hope this helps.

M. E. Wolf

[CSSURGEON]

Cs Medical Officers Wore A Green Sash ( hope that is a help if i can find my book i will send what the gov prescribed as the medical officer uniform )

[blue_zouave]

Originally Posted by timewalker

Thanks. Very helpful.

But it lists buff, crimson, red, and green. Nothing about yellow or gold. I guess what looks like yellow or gold could be buff.

Honestly, the only yellow sash I can ever recall seeing was the one Scarlett gave Ashley in Gone With the Wind... not a particularly accurate source document.

Zou