Union Navy personnel. One a day.

Mike Serpa

Major
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
04278u.jpg

Commander Daniel Ammen - LOC

A couple people wanted me to post photos of Navy men. One was @Zella, and the other wasn't. (General Grant song reference.) All photos are from the Library of Congress or the National Archives and the sailors are in uniform. (If you have a photo of someone in civilian clothes or one I don't have you can post it. Please wait until we get to his name alphabetically.) The black and white photos will be posted first followed by the cartes-de-visite. I restored all the B&W photos and most of the CDVs. I think I have enough photos to make it into 2019.

I know vey little about the Navy. I can't identify the shoulder boards, don't understand the sleeve stripes and don't know which rank is higher or lower than another rank. (Sad. I know.) So, I welcome your comments. The other person was @Schwallanscher. I think James N. wanted to see sailors, also.
 
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A couple people wanted me to post photos of Navy men. One was @Zella, and the other wasn't. (General Grant song reference.) All photos are from the Library of Congress or the National Archives and the sailors are in uniform. (If you have a photo of someone in civilian clothes or one I don't have you can post it. Please wait until we get to his name alphabetically.) The black and white photos will be posted first followed by the cartes-de-visite. I restored all the B&W photos and most of the CDVs. I think I have enough photos to make it into 2019.

I know vey little about the Navy. I can't identify the shoulder boards, don't understand the sleeve stripes and don't know which rank is higher or lower than another rank. (Sad. I know.) So, I welcome your comments. The other person was @Schwallanscher. I think James N. wanted to see sailors, also.

View attachment 205239
Commander Daniel Ammen - LOC

was about time, don't you think
hul.gif
 
... I know vey little about the Navy. I can't identify the shoulder boards, don't understand the sleeve stripes and don't know which rank is higher or lower than another rank. (Sad. I know.) So, I welcome your comments. The other person was @Schwallanscher. I think James N. wanted to see sailors, also...

You & me both! Although I like to seem them as well, you might be happy to learn there's probably very little for me to comment on. We need to alert @Mark F. Jenkins and @AndyHall for assistance with this project!
 
From the Naval Register:

Ammen, Daniel.
Midshipman, 7 July, 1836. Passed Midshipman, 1 July, 1842. Master, 10 May, 1849. Lieutenant, 4 November, 1849. Commander, 16 July, 1862. Captain, 25 July, 1866. Commodore, 1 April, 1872. Rear Admiral. 11 December, 1877. Retired List, 4 June, 1878. Died 11 July, 1898.

This image would presumably be from 1872 or later. The cuff doesn't correspond to CW-period regulations, but is likely that of Commodore, between Captain and Rear Admiral.

ETA: Looks like the 1869 uniform regulations:

http://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_sleeve_rank_chron.html
 
From the Naval Register:

Ammen, Daniel.
Midshipman, 7 July, 1836. Passed Midshipman, 1 July, 1842. Master, 10 May, 1849. Lieutenant, 4 November, 1849. Commander, 16 July, 1862. Captain, 25 July, 1866. Commodore, 1 April, 1872. Rear Admiral. 11 December, 1877. Retired List, 4 June, 1878. Died 11 July, 1898.

This image would presumably be from 1872 or later. The cuff doesn't correspond to CW-period regulations, but is likely that of Commodore, between Captain and Rear Admiral.

ETA: Looks like the 1869 uniform regulations:

http://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_sleeve_rank_chron.html

i know the difference betwen commander (as mike used for the pic) and commodore, but ... let's just say i guess you want to elaborate on that :D
 
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You & me both! Although I like to seem them as well, you might be happy to learn there's probably very little for me to comment on. We need to alert @Mark F. Jenkins and @AndyHall for assistance with this project!
Maybe we can learn together!

From the Naval Register:

Ammen, Daniel.
Midshipman, 7 July, 1836. Passed Midshipman, 1 July, 1842. Master, 10 May, 1849. Lieutenant, 4 November, 1849. Commander, 16 July, 1862. Captain, 25 July, 1866. Commodore, 1 April, 1872. Rear Admiral. 11 December, 1877. Retired List, 4 June, 1878. Died 11 July, 1898.

This image would presumably be from 1872 or later. The cuff doesn't correspond to CW-period regulations, but is likely that of Commodore, between Captain and Rear Admiral.

ETA: Looks like the 1869 uniform regulations:

http://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_sleeve_rank_chron.html


Thanks, Andy I hope you can check in often! Four different sleeve designs used during the war. Ugh.

i know the difference betwen commander (as mike used for thr pic) and commodore, but ... let's just say i guess you want to elaborate on that :D
I know a captain had an eagle on his shoulder board. And commodore isn't used anymore.
 
Well, a bazillion of regulation changes in regards to rank and insignia during the war makes the ranking and dating kind of exciting (and possible at all). Anyway, as always eagerly waiting for your pictures.
 
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Very good idea
Thank you!

Well, a bazillion of regulation changes in regards to rank and insignia during the war makes the ranking and dating kind of exciting (and possible at all). Anyway, as always eagerly waiting for your pictures.
Exciting for some...confusing for one! Thanks for the compliment.

Impressive sideburns. You'd think they would catch the wind like the sails above his head ... or was he brown-water navy with no sails?
Bankhead was in command of the USS Monitor when it sank in a storm in 1862.
 
View attachment 205365
Commander John P. Bankhead - LOC
Note how short the blade is on his M.1852 Sword for Officers of the Navy. I owned one once that was short like this, and can only speculate that these were certainly only for full-dress wear and that consequently they were probably short for convenience, especially for the cramped space available aboard ship. This style or model is still U.S.N. regulation and the main difference between genuine Civil War-era examples and later Spanish-American War and later ones (other than things like manufacturer's markings, etc.) is the width of the blades: earlier ones have blades similar to Army foot officers' and staff-and-field officers' swords, 1 1/4" - 1 1/2"; the later ones are noticeably narrower, even when in their scabbards, about 1" wide. I'll also add that regardless of rank or assignment this is only regulation sword for ALL naval officers from Admiral Farragut to a naval surgeon. (There was a fancy "officer's cutlass" but it was very scarce and a non-regulation item.)
 
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