Figure 6 



Figure 7. — Specimens in Campbell collection. 



disappeared from the service. In 1808, when the 

 Army was increased, the newly constituted regiments 

 of light dragoons, light artillery, and riflemen were 

 authorized to wear leather caps. The cap devices 

 for these units were prescribed as Roman letters, 

 "u.s.L.D.," "u.s.L.A.," and "u.s.r.r.," rather than 

 plates. The letters were to be of brass, 1% inches 

 "in length."^* 



Illustrated in figure 7 are the letters "u" and "l", 

 of brass, slightly more than 1 inch "in length" and 

 a letter d,", of pewter, 1 inch "in length." The 

 latter was excavated at Sackets Harbor, New York, 

 where elements of the light artillery dragoons and 

 riflemen are known to have served during 1813 and 

 1814. It seems obvious that pewter letters were 

 worn by the dragoons as consonant with their other 

 trimmings, for in July 1812 Col. James Burn of the 

 2d Light Dragoons requested oflicial permission to 

 issue such.'" 



** Todd, "Notes on the Dress," p. 10. .Mso, receipts from 

 George Green and Son, and letter dated .\ugust 6, 1808, 

 from J, .Smith (Commissary General at Washington) to 

 Tencli Coxe requesting '"brass letters U.S.R.R.'' (Records 

 AGO). George Green is listed in Philadelphia directories of 

 the period as a "brass founder and gilder." 



*' Letter dated July 8, 1812, from J. Burn to William Eustis 

 (Secretary of War) and letter dated July 9, 1812, from B. 

 MifHin (Deputy Commissary General of Purchases). Both 

 letters are in Records .\GO. 



\Vith the large increase in the Army in 1812 came a 

 change in the headgear of some corps and also a 

 change in insignia. The light artillery was to wear a 

 yoeman-crowned (i.e., wider at the crown than at 

 the base) black cap with "gilt plate in front," and 

 the infantry platoon officers and enlisted men were 

 finally to have the black cylindrical caps (first pre- 

 scribed in 1810) with "an oblong silver plate in front 

 of the cap bearing the name of the corps and number 

 of the regiment." *'' The rifle platoon officers and 

 enlisted men were also to wear infantry caps, but 

 with yellow trimmings.*^ The dragoons were au- 

 thorized "helmets" with "plates" in 1812, and the 

 foot artillery regiments in the fall of the same year 

 were ordered to wear caps like the light artillery 

 instead of the chapeaux de bras previously worn, which 

 would have necessitated the use of plates. 



The foot units received their new insignia almost 

 immediately, the cap plates having been designed, 

 contracted for, and delivered by late February 1812 

 for the 5th, 6th, 12th, and 15th Infantry Regiments " 



« General Orders, January 24, 1813 (Records .\GO). 



*' Letter dated March 30, 1812, from Co.xe to Eustis (Records 

 AGO); McBarron, "Regiment of Riflemen," p. 100. 



*' Bill dated February 24, 1812, from William Crumpton 

 (Records AGO). 



11 



