Introduction 



JN ALMOST ALL ARMIES it long has been standard 

 practice to use distinctive devices of cloth and 

 metal to distinguish between arms and services, and be- 

 tween individual units of each arm, to enhance morale 

 and develop esprit de corps. Colors of units of the Brit- 

 ish Army have had ancient badges emblazoned on them 

 since before the establishment of the present standing 

 army in 1661. By the end of the first half of the 

 1 8th century some of these badges had been authorized 

 for placement on horse furniture or for wear on 

 grenadier caps. This was especially true of the 

 regiments of horse and a few of the older regiments 

 of foot. The infantry regiments received numerical 

 designations in 1751, and these numbers were worn 

 on waist belts, shoulder belts, and cartridge-bo.x 

 plates. When the infantry units acquired county 

 titles in 1782, these names often were added to the 

 plates. In 1767 regimental numbers were ordered 

 placed on the buttons of officers and other ranks; 

 in practice these numbers were often combined with 

 other devices. ' 



In the American Army such devices have taken 

 many forms, ranging from distinctive buttons, plumes, 

 cockades, cap plates, shoulder-belt plates, and waist- 

 belt and cartridge-box plates to the well-known 



1 Park\n's Shoulder-Bell Plates and Buttons contains a wealth 

 of information on British regimental devices. 



' For history of the organization of the Army, see American 

 Military History, 7607-7953; Mahon, "History of the Organiza- 

 tion of the United .States Infantry"; and Jones, "History of the 

 Organization of the United States Field Artillery." 



Unfortimately, there is no single, completely satisfactory 

 source on the militia system of the United States. The following 

 works, however, contain sound information and, when taken 



shoulder sleeve insignia and distinctive unit insignia 

 of the present day. The origin of much of this 

 insignia and many of the changes in its design can 

 be tied more or less directly to the organization of 

 the Regular Army — its contractions and expansions 

 and its changes in arm and service designations — ^and 

 to the peculiar circumstances surrounding the origin 

 and growth of the volunteer or uniformed Militia. 

 Thus, a short discussion of the organization of each 

 is in order. - 



Organization of the Regular Army 



Two months after the War of the Revolution 

 officially ended with the signing of a peace treaty 

 on September 3, 1783, General Washington directed 

 the Army to turn in its arms and disband. ' Since the 

 Continental Congress had made no provision for a 

 permanent establishment, Washington retained in 

 service one infantry regiment and a battalion of 

 artillery to guard military stores and take over posts 

 to be evacuated by the British. * Early in June 1 784 

 Congress ordered these units disbanded except for 



together, provide an excellent background on the subject: Todd, 

 "Our National Guard"; Mahon, "Citizen Soldier"; Lunde- 

 BERO, "History of the North Carolina Militia"; Ansell, "Legal 

 and Historical Aspects of the Militia"; Gronert, "First 

 National Pastime in the Middle West"; and Riker, Soldiers of 

 Ike Stales. 



2 Uyitings of George Washington, vol. 27, p. 222. 



* Ibid., pp. 256-258; also letter dated January 3, 1784, from 

 Henry Knox, Commander in Chief of the Army, to President of 

 the Continental Congress (in Knox papers). 



