Why Shoulder Knots?

[Manassas 1861]

Why did officers in the USMC wear shoulder knots instead of shoulder straps? In my opinion it's easy to tell ranks on shoulder straps. So why did they use shoulder knots?

 

[major bill]

Light artillery officers also wore shoulder knots ((Russian knots). At one time these were light weight protection from saber cuts to the shoulders. While the cords did make it harder to pernitrate, they would have only offered minimal protection. This type of braiding was also part of Hussar uniforms for the same reason, to protect from saber cuts. The heavily braided dolman did offer a bit of protection, while the fur lined pelisse with braiding worn over the left shoulder did provided light weight protection and double as a coat.

 

[RedRover]

I would presume to make their undress and fatigue dress more distinctive from army uniforms.

The knots were worn with the undress coats.

Also with their fatigue jackets...

The uniform coat was worn with fringed epaulettes.

 

[Old Soldier]

Why not? They were NAVY not army for a start (never the twain shall meet!). You also forget that on ships of the line at the time, any action would leave the decks wreathed in smoke. A shoulder strap would be almost invisible. Equally any marine sharpshooters on the tops, high above the deck, would not see a shoulderstrap. The shoulder knot was basically more visible - even if the rank could not be seen.

 

[Borderruffian]

The CSMC officers wore Russian knots too. It was a Naval Service thing which as has been said the Army and the Navy have always been loath to " copy one another Just look at the USMC and USN Utility Cover and the Army BDU Cap.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Nobody was wearing shoulder knots or shoulder scales in the mid-19th century to protect themselves from injury from hand to hand combat. They were the military fashion at the moment. Uniforms were still being worn to be dashing, shiny and intimidating then, not necessarily functional.