Placement of Stripes,........

[SGT John Chapman]

Ok I've finished making my shell jacket, (Civil War Cavalry type), I've chose First Sgt stripes as I was grade 5 myself and didn't figger that would be out of place,...............
So,........now my problem is how do I locate the placement of the stripes on the shell jacket?.............


HELP!!!..............

Thanks,...........

[US Scout]

Measurements for placing stripes, shoulder boards, etc on the uniforms weren't as precise as we have today.  Generally speaking, the stripes were to be placed midway between shoulder and elbow, with the edges sewn into the sleeve seams.

US Scout
Bvt Col of Marines

[Angus McKechnie]

That's pretty much it- what's interesting is all the "drift" one sees with originals. I've looked at original sack coats for both Civil War and Indian Wars and the stripes drift all over the place. It's not until after 1900 you begin to see the anal-retentiveness in matters of insignia and rank plaement.

Of course when I was in the "real Army", I left these issues up to the Korean cleaners I used to patronize just off post- they had a canny ability to get everything squared away for inspection. They even had an after-hours service. 

Angus McKechnie

[SGT John Chapman]

US Scout,....Angus,......Many thanks I'll have to post a picture tomorrow or so and see if it meets aproval,...........

[St. George]

Positioning them midway between the elbow and the shoulder has long been the practice - but when wearing chevrons - they were also placed slightly 'forward' in such a way that when the soldier was standing in front of you - you could see the stripes.

There's an excellent book on the subject - "Chevrons" - by LTC William K. Emerson.


Scouts Out!

[SGT John Chapman]

Well,......Finally got pictures taken and now posted,.....are they close enough?..........

[Grapeshot]

Ya look sharp there, First Sergeant.  For a Cavalryman.  Now if that uniform were of the 1st Dragoons with their orange piping I'd have been really inpressed. 

[US Scout]

Grapeshot-

I used to wear the uniform of the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen of the Mexican War era.  The jacket had the same yellow piping as the Dragoons (at that time), but the trousers were navy blue with a black stripe down the seam edged in yellow piping.  Very sharp looking.

I had planned to get another one with the green trim on the jacket (when the Dragoons switched to orange), but never quite got around to it. 

I still have the RMR uniform described above, but I believe it has shrunk over the years as I can no longer wear it.  I keep hoping it'll stretch back to its my size but so far no such luck...

Next time I get out to Ft Shenandoah, I plan to pick me up an artilleryman's jacket.  Don't need it - just want one. 

US Scout

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy, Sgt. C.

As I am a former Cav SSG (11th & 4th Cav) I love your uniform.  The little cutie in the 2nd picture is a nice touch, too!

[SGT John Chapman]

She Loves to smile for the camera and was running around in front of me while I was tryin to take pictures,...........so I scooped her up and told her to sit still and smile,............Well she got the first part right,........

[rustyrelx]

As a former member of the Cav. I love the uniform also. 116th Armored Cav. Bde.
  Don