Random Grabbag

[MikeyB]

Hi everyone,
Some random thoughts and questions came into my head today!
1) On the Union side, did most sharpshooters wear green, or was it a relatively small percentage? Famous sharpshooter green, but not very widespread?
2) Same question corps badges. After they were implemented in 1863, did the majority of soldiers wear them, or was it a small percentage?
3) What is the difference between a zouave and a chasseur? Has anyone worn these uniforms? They look awfully comfortable. Perhaps a utility advantage in hot campaigns?

mike

 

[major bill]

So let me answer at least some of these.

1) Only two Union Sharpshooter regiments wore green and even they did not always wear them. In the field blue uniforms were often worn.

2) I am not sure what percentage of soldiers wore corps badges. Photographs do show them being worn.

3) I am not sure if you are asking the difference between a Zouave and a chasseur or the difference in their uniforms. In the French Army chasseurs were light infantry troops. Zouaves were North African light infantry troops. The drill they used was different. They wore different styles of uniforms. Many American Civil Zouave units wore trousers of the chasseur style and not really Zouave trousers. For jackets Chasseurs wore what people back then might be called Polka jackets. Zouaves wore open jackets.

 

[James N.]

2) Same question corps badges. After they were implemented in 1863, did the majority of soldiers wear them, or was it a small percentage?

Corps badges were devised by AOP Chief-of-Staff Dan Butterfield (of taps fame) and implemented at the order of Joe Hooker; as such, they were always more of an "Eastern" or AOP thing. Although by war's end ALL corps had adopted them, several of the remotely stationed corps never wore them in actuality.

 

[MikeyB]

Corps badges were devised by AOP Chief-of-Staff Dan Butterfield (of taps fame) and implemented at the order of Joe Hooker; as such, they were always more of an "Eastern" or AOP thing. Although by war's end ALL corps had adopted them, several of the remotely stationed corps never wore them in actuality.

Thanks for the post. Slightly different question - in the corps where it was instituted, was it widely adopted by the men, or was the participation rate not as high as one may think?

 

[Seduzal]

Learn something new today. Thanks for sharing.

 

[James N.]

Thanks for the post. Slightly different question - in the corps where it was instituted, was it widely adopted by the men, or was the participation rate not as high as one may think?

Since a primary purpose of corps badges was to identify what exact larger formation stragglers and other miscreants belonged to, you would think they would've been resented or even hated - however, the reverse quickly became the case, due to several factors: they were the extension of the so-called Kearny Patch devised by immensely popular Maj. Gen. Phil Kearney to identify the members of his division, and there were few other "distinctives" at the time and men were fiercely proud of themselves and their units. Evidence of this could be seen from the battle cry of the Second Corps, Clubs are trumps!, references to the shamrock used as their badge and also the popular pastime of poker. Also, many postwar monuments on mainly Eastern battlefields proudly display the badge as part of the design, even on battlefields like Antietam that pre-date their adoption. Here, Battleline Road at Chickamauga features three monuments in a row all featuring the acorn badge of the Fourteenth Corps:

 

[Package4]

Thanks for the post. Slightly different question - in the corps where it was instituted, was it widely adopted by the men, or was the participation rate not as high as one may think?

It was not an option, but a regulation.

 

[MikeyB]

It was not an option, but a regulation.

thank you!