Ranks and insignia of the Confederate States
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The ranks and insignia of the Confederate States were a
Confederate States Army (CSAA)
Officers
At the beginning of the civil war the ranks and rank insignias for the fledgling Confederate States Army had to be developed while the volunteer forces of the individual states that formed the Confederacy made up their own ranks and insignias. They usually were similar or influenced by both their own militia traditions and those used by the regular United States Army.
Officers wore, according to regulations, a combination of several rank indicators on their uniform. The primary insignia was a number of bars or stars worn on the collar of the uniform coat or tunic. This was occasionally substituted for, or coupled with, shoulder straps. The secondary insignia were Austrian knots, elaborate patterns sewed on the lower sleeves with the number of lines indicating the rank. In 1862 those were ordered not be worn on the field uniform and thus mostly relegated to parade dress. In addition the regulation Kepi had a similar knot pattern on sides and top but other hats without insignia were frequently worn.
Most
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kepi[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Collar and sleeve insignia[3] |
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Generals | Colonel (infantry) |
Lieutenant colonel (staff or engineers) |
Major (medical service) |
Captain (marine corps) |
First lieutenant (artillery) |
Second lieutenant (cavalry) |
Non-commissioned officers
Ranks were worn as chevrons on the right and left sleeves above the elbow. They were colored according to service branch:
- Infantry = Blue
- Artillery = Red
- Cavalry = Yellow
- Engineers = Yellow (or Gold)
- Ordnance = Crimson
- Militia = Black (or Grey)
Enlisted Rank Structure | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sergeant Major
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Quartermaster Sergeant
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Ordnance Sergeant
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First Sergeant
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Sergeant | Corporal | Musician | Private
| |||
No insignia | No insignia |
Brass shoulder scales were worn on dress uniforms, with different features to signify enlisted ranks. Shoulder scales were not normally worn on service or fatigue uniforms. When in full dress and sometimes also in battle, sergeants in non-mounted service branches carried the
This section needs additional citations for verification. (June 2022) |
Officers
Officers of the
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hat[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shoulder[5] | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sleeve[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flag officer | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant | Master | Passed midshipman | Midshipman |
Enlisted
Boatswain | Petty Officer (Boatswain's Mate and equivalent) |
Petty Officer (Quartermasters and equivalent) |
Seaman | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sleeve |
Confederate States Marine Corps (CSMC)
The small Confederate States Marine Corps utilized insignia almost identical to that of the army with the major difference being changes in color or facing direction of chevrons.
Officers
Colonel-Commandant
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Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | First Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-commissioned officers
Sergeant Major
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Quartermaster Sergeant
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Ordnance Sergeant
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First Sergeant
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Sergeant | Corporal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
See also
References
- ^ Eicher & Eicher 2001, p. 69.
- ^ Cooper 1861, p. 19.
- ^ Cooper 1861, pp. 37, 39.
- ^ "Confederate States Navy rank insignia".
- ^ a b c Miller 2001, pp. 384–385.
- Cooper, Samuel (September 12, 1861). Uniform and dress of the army of the Confederate States. Richmond: Chas. H. Wynne. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- Eicher, John H.; ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
- Miller, David, ed. (2001). The Illustrated Directory of Uniforms, Weapons, and Equipment of the Civil War. Salamander. ISBN 978-0760310489. Retrieved 13 June 2022.