Uniforms Joseph R. Davis' collar insignia

[Hotdog]

Hello!
About two years ago I had the opportunity to purchase a Confederate generals' collar insignia that is presumed to be cut from the coat of Brigadier General Joseph R. Davis and I wanted to share the final result of it's conservation and framing! It had come with a note attached to it that it had come from Richmond and presented to a General Hamilton by an unknown individual, potentially during the occupation of Richmond. I can't help but wonder if its the same insignia that he wore as a Colonel in his well-known photograph, with the wreath added on later? They certainly look similar. Fun to speculate what and where these stars saw.

The current set up. The shoulder boards are next on the list for conservation!

 

[Rhea Cole]

I asked an embroiderer of long standing what her opinion is. She said that the insignia were produced in "cottage industry style." Meaning that women were contracted to produce them at home or in some kind of group setting. Finding someone with both the gold thread, pattern & skill set to recycle a colonel's into a general's collar tap would have been unlikely.

One thing she pointed out is a likely error in the central star. The rib running from the center to the point of the top triangle is missing. She says that it served both a decorative & practical purpose. It served to keep the stitches across the triangle in place with wear.

She made plain that this was a practitioner's observation, not those of a conservator… something she knows a lot about, as well.

Here is a link to an informative article about how CSA officer's insignia & coats were produced during the war. It is from a British source that I have found to be very reliable. Sadly, a couple of jokesters who have contributed to CWT over the years have given British sources a very bad name. In fact, the American Civil War scholarship & reenactors in England are a very dedicated group with high standards.

Link:

ACWS Archives - Confederate Officers Uniform Coat

Confederate Officers Uniform Coat

acws.co.uk

 

[Salterr]

Those are some heavy hitting pieces of insignia! There's a ton of money on that table. it's a good thing I'm sitting down because those triple border major generals are superb. I remember seeing them too, they're Doubleday's!

 

[Hotdog]

I asked an embroiderer of long standing what her opinion is. She said that the insignia were produced in "cottage industry style." Meaning that women were contracted to produce them at home or in some kind of group setting. Finding someone with both the gold thread, pattern & skill set to recycle a colonel's into a general's collar tap would have been unlikely.

One thing she pointed out is a likely error in the central star. The rib running from the center to the point of the top triangle is missing. She says that it served both a decorative & practical purpose. It served to keep the stitches across the triangle in place with wear.

She made plain that this was a practitioner's observation, not those of a conservator… something she knows a lot about, as well.

Here is a link to an informative article about how CSA officer's insignia & coats were produced during the war. It is from a British source that I have found to be very reliable. Sadly, a couple of jokesters who have contributed to CWT over the years have given British sources a very bad name. In fact, the American Civil War scholarship & reenactors in England are a very dedicated group with high standards.

Link:

ACWS Archives - Confederate Officers Uniform Coat

Confederate Officers Uniform Coat

acws.co.uk

Thats fascinating. I guess errors should be expected with these. I can't imagine the amount of time and effort that goes into handmaking these insignia. We conserved it exactly as we got it, I'd have to check the report when I get a chance to see what was done. It makes me wonder exactly what this piece went through during its life.

Those are some heavy hitting pieces of insignia! There's a ton of money on that table. it's a good thing I'm sitting down because those triple border major generals are superb. I remember seeing them too, they're Doubleday's!

I had a bit of a quarter-life crisis and I figured I had the chance to give these pieces a good home and preserve them for anyone who wants to see them. They are Doubledays! I like to think about how these two sets of insignia were potentially within sight of one another during the first day of battle.

 

[Salterr]

Thats fascinating. I guess errors should be expected with these. I can't imagine the amount of time and effort that goes into handmaking these insignia. We conserved it exactly as we got it, I'd have to check the report when I get a chance to see what was done. It makes me wonder exactly what this piece went through during its life.


I had a bit of a quarter-life crisis and I figured I had the chance to give these pieces a good home and preserve them for anyone who wants to see them. They are Doubledays! I like to think about how these two sets of insignia were potentially within sight of one another during the first day of battle.

Thanks for sharing, I'm a fanatic collector of insignia. I can share my pieces if you'd like. I specialize in shoulder boards, epaulettes and officer hat badges

 

[Salterr]

Just to add this as well. It's absolutely conceivable that his stars were reused upon promotion. I don't know the picture you're comparing them too but I own a pair of boards that were reused for a promotion as well. If the uniform still exists there's a chance you could see the outline of the insignia against the collar from when it was removed.

 

[Hotdog]

Thanks for sharing, I'm a fanatic collector of insignia. I can share my pieces if you'd like. I specialize in shoulder boards, epaulettes and officer hat badges

Yeah absolutely!

Just to add this as well. It's absolutely conceivable that his stars were reused upon promotion. I don't know the picture you're comparing them too but I own a pair of boards that were reused for a promotion as well. If the uniform still exists there's a chance you could see the outline of the insignia against the collar from when it was removed.

Well the uniform in question is the one on the cover of that book. I dont know if that uniform exists anymore other than the collar that was cut. The stars sure do look similar in placement, size and orientation.

 

[jepridgen]

Hello!
About two years ago I had the opportunity to purchase a Confederate generals' collar insignia that is presumed to be cut from the coat of Brigadier General Joseph R. Davis and I wanted to share the final result of it's conservation and framing! It had come with a note attached to it that it had come from Richmond and presented to a General Hamilton by an unknown individual, potentially during the occupation of Richmond. I can't help but wonder if its the same insignia that he wore as a Colonel in his well-known photograph, with the wreath added on later? They certainly look similar. Fun to speculate what and where these stars saw.

View attachment 553918View attachment 553920
The current set up. The shoulder boards are next on the list for conservation!

Wouldn't be surprised if those were the same stars. Are you sure that's a photo of him as a colonel? I'm not a J. R. Davis photo expert, but it's entirely possible that he is wearing those stars to reflect his rank of general but without the wreath. I have seen similar pics of CS generals wearing obvious general's stars without wreath. Colonel stars were equal in size (see numerous images of Lee wearing the CS equivalent of his old army rank vice CS general stars), and these definitely aren't. His folded down sack coat collar doesn't seem to have room for wreaths anyway. Curious if the author provided any detail on the timeline for the image.

 

[R. Porter]

What were the sequins made from and what was used to wrap the wreath threads?

 

[Hotdog]

Wouldn't be surprised if those were the same stars. Are you sure that's a photo of him as a colonel? I'm not a J. R. Davis photo expert, but it's entirely possible that he is wearing those stars to reflect his rank of general but without the wreath. I have seen similar pics of CS generals wearing obvious general's stars without wreath. Colonel stars were equal in size (see numerous images of Lee wearing the CS equivalent of his old army rank vice CS general stars), and these definitely aren't. His folded down sack coat collar doesn't seem to have room for wreaths anyway. Curious if the author provided any detail on the timeline for the image.

It's proported to have been taken when he was a Colonel on the staff of his uncle sometime in early 1862, however I haven't seen a definitive source for it beyond that. I'll have to dig through the book by T.P. Williams once I get home. I think you may be right and this is a photo potentially taken after November 1862 when he was promoted.

What were the sequins made from and what was used to wrap the wreath threads?

The sequins are metal, maybe some sort of white metal or copper thats plated but I am unsure of what they're made of. The wreath thread is made of gilt coil. The stars are sitting on an almost black dark blue backing as well.