Victorian/Edwardian Era USMC Uniform Regulations

[Malachi Thorne]

Good Evening, All;

The following links will take you to each of the currently known US Marine Corps Uniform Specifications from the Victorian/Edwardian eras.  (Transcribing these documents for the re-enacting/CAS community has been a past-time cum assignment for me, in conjunction with my membership in the Grand Army of the Frontier).  Each of these specifications, as well as the interstitial General Orders and Special Orders that modified them, are as complete as I can currently make them, and are presented here for your edification and enjoyment.

A few caveats:

1.  In the 19th Century, the word "cloth" universally meant wool.  If a garment is made of something else, the regs will specify "linen", "cotton", or somesuch.  If the regs say "cloth", they mean wool.
2.  Likewise, the word "lace" refers not to your great-grandmother's antimacassar, but to metallic or woolen braid used for trim.
3.  Mohair has nothing to do with one of the Three Stooges, but is in fact a wool or silk braid, usually black.  If it is a color other than black, the regs will so state.
4.  The USMC Uniform Regulations of 1875 were delivered to me without the Enlisted section.  As soon as I aquire these pages, I shall transcribe them as fast as possible, revise the specification, and upload it.
5.  All of these transcriptions were done manually; Optical Character Recognition software did not work very well when I tried it on the M1875 spec -- I spent more time correcting errors than I spent manually typing the M1892 spec...
6.  The word "Arc" in the description of Enlisted Men's chevrons is deceiving.  While it would appear to mean a single rocker under the chevrons like a present-day Staff Sergeant, specimens of the period show three rockers under the chevrons.  In this instance, it would appear the words "Arc" and "Tie" mean a set of three rockers, or three horizontal bars under the sergeant's three chevrons, respectively.  The "device of the school of application" mentioned in the 1900 specs for Gunnery Sergeant is a bursting bomb surmounted over two crossed rifles.
7.  I may revise the list of notes further, depending on what kinds of questions you all ask me.

USMC Uniform Regulations for 1859:

http://members.cox.net/malachi.thorne/Uniform%20Regulations/M1859%20Regs.pdf

USMC Uniform Regulations for 1875:

http://members.cox.net/malachi.thorne/Uniform%20Regulations/M1875%20Regs.pdf  (see note 4)

USMC Uniform Regulations for 1892:

http://members.cox.net/malachi.thorne/Uniform%20Regulations/M1892%20Regs.pdf

General Order No. 427, July 18 1894, modifying Regulations of 1892:

http://members.cox.net/malachi.thorne/Uniform%20Regulations/GO427-USMCRegs1894.pdf

Special Order No. 50, July 25 1896, modifying Regulations of 1892:

http://members.cox.net/malachi.thorne/Uniform%20Regulations/SO50-USMCRegs1896.pdf

Special Order No. 55, December 16 1896, modifying Regulations of 1892:

http://members.cox.net/malachi.thorne/Uniform%20Regulations/SO55-USMCRegs1896.pdf

USMC Uniform Regulations for 1900:

http://members.cox.net/malachi.thorne/Uniform%20Regulations/M1900%20Regs.pdf

I have the honor to remain,

Your Obedient Servant,

Bvt. Captain Malachi Thorne
Commander, US Marine Detachment
Department of the Pacific
Grand Army of the Frontier

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy Capt. Thorne,

Quite impressive.  Your dedication to GAF and the Corps is commendable!  Thank you for the hours spent in transcribing these Regulations.  I am sure that this qualifies you as the world's foremost authority on USMC uniform regs for our period.

YMH&OS,

Brv't. LtC. R. H. Dorian
Chief Topographical Engineer
Grand Army of the Frontier

[Malachi Thorne]

Good Morning, Dr. Bob;

Thank you for your kind words; they are much appreciated!

While I would like to think I now know a thing or two about the US Marine uniforms of our timeframe, I regret that my residence on the left coast keeps me far away from the real authorities: the historians and curators of the US Marine Corps Museum/Historical Center in Quantico, VA.  I'll need to see what I can do to convince my beloved wife that next year's visit back to Scotland requires a stopover in Washington DC and environs...

I have the honor to remain,

Your Obedient Servant,

Bvt. Captain Malachi Thorne

[Guns Garrett]

"Arcs" referred to the curved "rockers" under the chevron ( Sgt Maj), whereas "ties", or "bars" referred to the straight bars across the bottom of the chevron (QMSgt, and original 1898 Gunnery Sgt)  The Gunny's ties were dropped in 1904, and two rockers were added back in 1924.  An excellent history of the Gunnery Sergeant rank can be found at this website:   www20.brinkster.com/gunny/gyhistory.html

Gunnery Sergeant insignia originally had the Eagle Globe and Anchor superimposed over crossed naval gun and rifle, which was replaced in 1904 with the familiar "bursting bomb" (with crossed rifles) or "pineapple"

Below is an excerpt from the above listed website:

"...The rank of gunnery sergeant ('gunny') was created in 1898. By World War I it was used as the platoon sergeant rank, and was identified by crossed rifles and a flaming bomb. It originally denoted a shipboard sergeant proficient in smallarms, signalling and naval gunnery, and institution of the rank played a symbolic part in the Navy's internal struggle over whether the Marines were primarily to stay on board ship and serve as part of the vessel's guncrew. In 1900 half of the Corps was based on board ships; By 1914 only 5% were so based, making a landward shift in the strategic direction of the Corps..."

..."A new rank, dating from the time of the Spanish War, also appeared in the 1900 regulations -- the gunnery sergeant. The original insignia prescribed for the gunnery sergeant was to be of short life and in appearance was unique anong Marine insignia. The design prescribed for the gunnery sergeant consisted of three chevrons and three bars with the "device of the school of application" -- a crossed rifle and naval gun behind a globe, anchor and eagle --in the center. This insignia gave way in the the next revision of the regulations, in 1904, to the design by which the gunnery sergeant was to be traditionally known, the bursting bomb and crossed rifles on a scarlet field set in the angle of three chevrons."
Re "Enlisted Rank Insignia in the U.S. Marine Corps 1798-1958" by Michael O'Quinlivan

Photos of original Gunnery Sergeant insignia can be seen at website:  www.angelfire.com/ca/dickg/oldgunny.html

This site also has a photo of GySgt Dan Daly receiving his Second Medal of Honor

[Lone Gunman]

Bvt Capt Thorne, etal,

I find it puzzling that these regulations were originally published basically devoid of illustration & that there is such a reliance on the phrase, "same as the standard sample". Woodcut illustrations were common in newspapers and books for decades before these regs were published.

White Helmet For all officers: A white helmet of the same shape and material as the standard sample adopted for enlisted men.

The above section in particular hasn't been much help as I endeavor to embellish the white helmet which I wore last year in its unadorned condition. I found one reference on the web at http://www.us-marine-corps.com/Headgear.htm which states that this older 'Shako' style emblem was used on the white enlisted helmet but I can't confirm that in any of my reference books.

I currently have my helmet outfitted as per the above website:



but also have the correct EGA to change to this configuration:



which sold on ebay a few years ago as a supposed original.  The above referenced website states that this EGA was only used on the black helmet. Based on personal experience with ebay it would not be beyond the realm of possibility that the second configuration is a counterfeit that could only be documented to the seller's creative imagination...but it looks pretty sharp.

I also haven't seen any of these white helmets with a chin chain attached but do have a period photo showing them with the side buttons (also in the one just above) which wouldn't seem to be needed if a chain were never attached.

If anyone could shed any light on this obscure subject it would be greatly appreciated.
(Note: I am only referring to Marine Corps helmets, there is a whole book written on 1872-1904 Army dress helmets).

Bvt Captain Lone Gunman
Commander, US Marine Detachment
Department of the Missouri

[Malachi Thorne]

Good Afternoon, Bvt. Captain Lone Gunman and Guns Garrett;

Captain Gunman, I too, was struck with the oddity of the lack of illustrations in the specifications I received and transcribed.  I can only speculate that this was a rudimentary means of controlling potential suppliers for the Victorian/Edwardian Marine Corps.  Interested contractors could request a specification, and would be able to assemble a pair of trousers or an enlisted fatigue blouse simply by reading the specifications, but with highly detailed items such as caps, helmets, emblems, and shoulder knots, they would need access to the Quartermaster's sealed patterns.  If the QM didn't believe the supplier to be a serious contender, or believed them to be a supplier of notoriously shoddy workmanship, this access could be denied, preserving the quality of key items of uniform.

As for your question regarding USMC helmets, I recall that Colonel US Scout posted something on the The Frointier Spot pre-crash pertaining to a magazine article detailing Victorian/Edwardian USMC Helmets.  I invite the Colonel's attention to this matter, for reposting in this thread.  I am grateful for the link you provided, though, and have added it to my collection.

Guns: My thanks for the clarification on the history of USMC Gunnery Sergeant rank insignia.  I've added your link to my collection.

I have the honor to remain,

Your Obedient Servant,

Bvt. Captain Malachi Thorne

[Ol Gabe]

Sirs, Staff & Etc.,
For the sake of discussion only, regarding the above-pictured USMC White Cover, would it not be in the purvue of the Historian of the USMC Band, Washington, D.C., to delve into their historical files and records and provide the GAF or an Officer of Known Stature, i.e. Present Duty, with the Historically-correct information as they, the USMC Band, are World-reknown for appearing in suchlike in the past under the baton of John Philip Sousa? Surely they have what we as GAF members seek someplace in the Archives and accessible to those that ask? Pardon my ignorance if this has already been done, what with the lapse of TFS it may have been posted but I missed it, otherwise, Endeavor to Persevere!
I remain, etc.,
'Ol Gabe
Bvt. Capt.,
Adjt.,
Dept. of the Missouri,
GAF
c/o Dunbar Station, Iowa Territory