Quartermaster Sergeants

[swsoutherland]

Hello all. I have been doing a bit of research about the roles of QM Sgt. For every answer I find, I also find 3 more questions. Maybe some of you here can answer some without adding more.

I find references to company QM Sgts. but for Cav. units only. They are the #2 NCO only below the First Sgt. at the company level. They wear the standard 3 chevrons but with a single straight tie running across the top. I have also read that this emblem was for militia only and was not incorporated into the proper US army until 1866.

Three of my new questions are thus. Were there company QM Sgts. in US infantry units? What chevrons did they wear? (3 stripes, 1 tie? 3 stripes 3 ties? 3 stripes 0 ties?) Did they answer to the company First Sgt. or to a regimental QM Sgt.?

I look forward to any polite assistance offered. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

[tompritchett]

Three of my new questions are thus. Were there company QM Sgts. in US infantry units? What chevrons did they wear? (3 stripes, 1 tie? 3 stripes 3 ties? 3 stripes 0 ties?) Did they answer to the company First Sgt. or to a regimental QM Sgt.?

At company level there were no Quartermaster, Commissary or Ordnance SGTs per se. Rather these duties were usually delegated down to the other SGTs as an additional duty by the Orderly SGT (1SGT). The lowest level that you would see SGTs in these dedicated roles would be at the Regimental level and then usually only in the volunteer regiments. Therefore, if you are serving at company level in any of these positions you would report directly to the Orderly SGT and you would not wear any additional designations above your SGT stripes. You can always check the regimetal and company rosters for the unit you are portraying and doublecheck to see if there were such designated SGTs in the Regiment/Company and see at what level that they served in the unit.