Artillery / Ordnance

[62nd Virginia]

Hi Group,
I have a dumb question. I have seen both Artillery and Ordnanace brass hat insignia on the internet, but I do not know the difference between the two? If I work on a cannon crew, can I wear an Ordnance insignia or do I need the crossed cannon insignia. Any input. Thanks....Tom

[Bear Flagger]

Ordnance is the department that cares for all weapons, muskets, bayonets, revolvers,etc.and artillery pieces. They are assigned to a post or staff not a regiment (somebody will find an exception). Ordnance is a staff position. Artillery is a branch of service, with the big iron that makes lots of noise and smoke. They sometimes serve as infantry and in at least one occasion cavalry. Officially the artillery color is red and ordnance is crimson.

[Boyd Miles]

Mississippi state regulations called for crimson trim for infantry and rifles, artillery had orange trim in January of 1861 but changed it in March of '61 to Infantry and Light Infantry, Green and Artillery, Red. Then in May they changed infantry to blue but kept artillery as red. What they got was mostly trimmed in black if at all.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

For brass insignia...one is crossed cannon, the other is a flaming bomb.

Curt

[Frederick14Va]

Tom..
... If your currently on an artillery gun crew, the proper branch insignia would be the artillery (Crossed cannons)... Ordnance is something entirely different... They are the ones generally that have made, maintain and supply the guns and ammunition that the artillery uses... as well as all the other weapons as well...

Depending on which side you portray, specific unit, as well as given time frame of the war would generally impress whether any such branch insignia of any sort was even used. Far too many reenactors are frequently seen heavily laden with hoards of fancy brass and trimmings, because they think it looks cool... regardless of who, what and when... If your portraying Federal thats one thing.. if your portraying Confederate thats another.... most of them werent issued the Federal issue brass insignia that you see the sutlers selling... and many reenactment units using... they normally did without... Just keep it simple...

[Julius]

Artillery as infantry you say.

http://books.google.com/books?id=gXM...page&q&f=false


also contained with in the offered reading one will find other usefull and not at all boring tidbits

[Bear Flagger]

Good find. I was had the Heavy Artillery that US Grant pulled off the defense of Washington in mind. It must have been a sight to see, a full regiment of vetrans marching to battle for the first time.

[Rob Weaver]

The heavy regiments were so big that they were treated essentially like understrength brigades, with each battalion acting as a regiment. The veteran infantry asked "What division is that?" It would be a pleasure to do the heavy artillery impression. Under-represented in late war scenarios in my opinion.