This catalog is a descriptive and interpretive listing of the insignia
of the Army of the United States--other than buttons, epaulets, and
horse furniture--in the National Collections that were prescribed or
worn during the period 1800-1851. The subject of early American
military buttons has been covered by L. F. Emilio in _The Emilio
Collection of Military Buttons_ (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex
Institute, 1911), W. L. Calver and R. P. Bolton in _History Written
with Pick and Shovel_ (New York: New York Historical Society, 1950),
and David F. Johnson in _Uniform Buttons, American Armed Forces_,
1784-1948. (Watkins Glen, New York: Century House, 1948, 2 vols.). For
epaulets, see Mendel L. Peterson, "American Army Epaulets, 1814-1872,"
_Military Collector and Historian_ (March 1961, vol. 3, no. 1, pp.
1-14).
Most of the specimens described here are from the huge W. Stokes Kirk
Collection acquired in 1959, supplemented by the War Department
Collection and the numerous biographical collections of the United
States National Museum; in addition, a few insignia in the collections
of J. Duncan Campbell and others are included.
The unique W. Stokes Kirk Collection, unmatched in scope, volume, and
rarity, is worthy of special note. It was begun in 1878 by W. Stokes
Kirk, Sr., of Philadelphia, a dealer in U.S. Government surplus.
Struck by the beautiful design and delicate art work in some of the
early insignia, Mr. Kirk put aside all old and unusual devices for his
personal collection. As his business expanded, so did his interest in
military rarities and curios. After each bulk purchase from government
sources, he would have all the odd and unusual items sorted out for
his examination. The best of such items went into his personal
collection, which included rare firearms, powder flasks, insignia,
epaulets, military caps, and the like. W. Stokes Kirk, Jr., who
succeeded his father and expanded the business nationally until it
became almost as well known as Bannerman's Military Store in New York
City, maintained and enlarged the collection. After his death, in
1946, the collection was continued by his widow, Mrs. Linnie A. Kirk
Mosler. Items in this catalog from the W. Stokes Kirk Collection are
indicated by the letters "S-K" in parentheses following the United
States National Museum number.
Although this catalog is, in more than one sense, a developmental
history of American military insignia, it is not, and is not intended
to be, a definitive study. The picture is far too incomplete. Whereas
the record of Regular Army devices after 1821 is fairly clear--despite
the fact that the uniform regulations continued sometimes to use the
tantalizing phrase "according to pattern"--there remain serious gaps
in the pre-1821 period when regulations were exceedingly vague and
fragmentary at best; for example, the badges of the Regiment of Light
Artillery (1812-1821). These gaps will be filled only by excavating at
sites known to have been occupied by specific Regular units during
particular periods. Indeed, since this study was begun, four unique
and significant insignia were excavated at the site of a War of 1812
cantonment, and these greatly enrich our knowledge of the period.
The record of insignia of the veritable multitude of independent
uniformed Militia companies in existence during the period under
consideration may never be complete. The selection presented here,
however, is an excellent representative chronological cross section of
typical designs and variations of insignia worn by the uniformed or
"volunteer" Militia, as opposed to the "common" or "standing" Militia.
The best sources of documentation and dating for Regular Army devices
are the uniform regulations and ordnance regulations; these are
supplemented by pertinent records in the National Archives, notably
the letter files of the Purveyor of Public Supplies and of the
Commissary General of Purchases. The letter files are voluminous, but
in some cases badly mixed and in many cases incomplete. We have
conjectured a reason for this incompleteness. The two prime
contractors for military insignia during the period 1812-1821 were
George Armitage and William Crumpton, both of whom had their small
factories in Philadelphia within a mile of the office of Callendar
Irvine, Commissary General of Purchases. The paucity of written
transactions in the records in the National Archives between these
gentlemen and Irvine tends to bear out our assumption that most of
their dealings were conducted verbally in Irvine's office. This would
account for the lack of sketches and drawings of cap plates and belt
plates in files of the National Archives. In cases where no specific
documentary evidence is available, dating has been based on a careful
evaluation of design development and comparison with biographical
specimens that can be more fairly dated through knowledge of the
former owner's career. Excavated insignia from datable sites have also
reduced the problem considerably.
For Militia insignia worn about 1835, the best documentation is to be
found in _U.S. Military Magazine_, published between 1839 and 1842 by
Huddy and Duval of Philadelphia, and in _New York Military Magazine_,
published by Labree and Stockton of New York during 1841. In 1939,
Frederick P. Todd described the Huddy and Duval prints in detail
(_Journal of the American Military Institute_, 1939, vol. 3, no. 3,
pp. 166-176). However, evaluation and consideration of over-all design
development and comparison with dated biographical specimens of the
earlier period, before 1835, are difficult and must be done
cautiously, as there is no orderly pattern. One generalization does
seem clear: during the decade after 1821, when the Regulars discarded
large cap plates, the Militia almost universally adopted them and
continued to wear them well into the 1840's. Very few insignia include
the maker's name or initials, but when they do, bracketing within a
definite period is relatively easy. Similarly, when a cap plate
appears to be original to a cap, the design of the cap and its maker's
label, if included, are of great help. Finally, when there is nothing
else to rely on, the "feel" of the specimen, gained through the
experience of studying several thousand, has been used, although with
reluctance.
The year 1800 was selected as the opening date of the study because it
was in that year that the first metal ornament was prescribed to
designate a particular branch of service. The closing date of 1851 was
chosen because Regular Army devices for that year and thereafter are
well documented in uniform regulations, manuals, and catalogs of
manufacturers such as William Horstmann and Sons. Militia dress after
that general date becomes so increasingly complex that it should be
attempted only as a separate study.
Most of the specimens described in this study were struck from steel
dies; however--despite the relative wealth of knowledge on the
striking of coins--little is known of the exact process, especially
prior to the appearance of the punch press in the 1830's. Several
insignia dies dating as early as the War of 1812 period and a number
dating in the 1840's do exist, however. All of these examined were
found to be female dies, with the design in intaglio rather than in
relief. The design was worked into the die--the art generally termed
"die-sinking"--in the same basic manner as in coin dies. The die
sinker first softened the steel to suit his particular taste and then
incised the design, using a succession of small chisels. The steel was
then retempered to withstand high impact pressures. Although there is
no documentation on the subject, manufacturing techniques of the
period indicate that the following process was probably employed: the
die was locked in place at the base of a drop press, similar to a
guillotine, so that it could be struck accurately from above; a piece
of pure lead was then affixed to the bottom of the weighted drop and
allowed to strike the die a sufficient number of times to completely
receive the impression of the die and become, in effect, a male
counterpart; lastly, a thin sheet of brass, copper, or pewter was
placed on the female die and struck with the weighted lead male,
receiving the desired impression but without the excessive stretching
and resultant cracking that a steel-on-steel strike might have
produced. Examination of finished products in the national collections
bears out this theory of production; few if any of the specimens show
evidence of having been struck with a steel male die.
With only a few exceptions, all specimens have been photographed on a
1-inch grid. All references to right and left are made according to
heraldic usage; the heraldic right is always on the left as viewed.
During the months this work has been in progress, many people and
institutions have generously assisted in many ways. It is a pleasure
to thank them for their help.
Mr. Detmar Finke of the Office of the Chief of Military History,
Department of the Army, reviewed the Regular Army portions of the
manuscript and made many valuable suggestions. Mr. Frederick P. Todd,
director of The West Point Museum, graciously answered many questions
relative to both Regular Army and Militia insignia. Through the
courtesy of Mr. James Koping and Miss Elizabeth Ulrich of the
Pennsylvania State Library, The _U.S. Military Magazine_ of Huddy and
Duval was made available for unlimited use.
Thanks are also given to the following, who furnished photographs of
specimens in their collections: Mr. Waverly P. Lewis, Devon,
Connecticut; Mr. William E. Codd, Monkton, Maryland; The Filson Club,
Louisville, Kentucky; The West Point Museum; The Fort Sill Museum; Old
Fort Erie Museum, Ontario, Canada; The Niagara Historical Society
Museum, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada; The Washington County
Historical Society Museum, Fort Calhoun, Nebraska; the Valley Forge
Chapel Museum, and Dr. John Lattimer, New York City.
Mr. Michael Arpad of Washington, D.C., was especially helpful in
matters pertaining to the techniques of chasing and die sinking.
J. DUNCAN CAMPBELL
EDGAR M. HOWELL
_March 1, 1963._