pioneer badges

[Duff]

That depends how far before the war you want to go. The color for infantry in 1851 regs was white/silver, and everyone else was yellow/gold. But the 1861 regs created the idea of seperate branch colors and infantry moved from white to sky blue. Since we are infantry pioneers the regs say we should wear sky blue.


Also we are not portraying the Army of the Cumberland's "Pioneer Brigade" who wore yellow badges, in line with the engineers.

http://howardlanham.tripod.com/unireg.htm

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

There has indeed been some controversy regarding the white vs. blue for infantry in regard to the pioneer insignia. From 1833-55, white was the color for infantry and yellow for artillery, with the exception of the trouser stripe for artillery being crimson with yellow collar and eppaulette trim. This came about prior to the 2nd Seminole War and beyond the Mexican War. Prior to 1839, there were no chevrons for NCO's, only trouser stripes for sergeants and officers, with private soldiers and NCO's wearing worsted wool trim on the collars and eppaulettes for their designated branch. When the new regulations came about from 1855-58 calling for new colors for infantry and artillery, as well as naming colors for other branches such as cavalry (formerly dragoons), engineers, medical, etc., somehow the colors for pioneers were not changed officially. 1861 finally came with the official regulation changes , but there is some research showing that there were still some units issuing infantry pioneers insignia in white. What little photographic evidence there is seems to indicate the light blue as the color most units issued, but those photos seem to be mostly mid and late-war images, so my opinion would be that depending upon what year of the war you wish to portray, you can't go wrong with blue (with some exceptions for the Army of the Cumberland, etc), but white could be snuck by in a very early setting.

[Duff]

Thanks for clearing that up, Ross. Our portrayal will be mid-war, but this event goes by the 5 year cycle so perhaps if we are still doing this in a few years we will wear white.

[sappers]

Pioneer insignia are described in the 1863 revised regs. quoted in this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Instruction-Co.../dp/0967095719
Each major branch of service were authorized to form pioneer detachments but their use by the infantry as acting engine troops is best documented.
Branch of service colors are designated in the 1861 regs as light blue for the piping on infantry frock coats, red for artillery, green for medical, yellow for engineers, and yellow tape trimming for cavalry shell-jackets, red tape for artiller jackets. It gets crazy when you start looking in to state uniforms and realize that the 7th NYSNG were still in their gray uniforms in 1863! The "Pioneer Brigade" in the AoC wore yellow hatchet-chevrons, at the order of Genl. Morton, to recognize their function as engineer troops. Some state rifle regiments went to the field with frocks piped in green! Variations abound, but with all the great research gathered by organizations like the Company of Military Historians and dilligent amateur-sleuth
reenactors, with time and patience all can be revealed. It seems that prior to the 1863 regs., there were many variations of pioneer chevrons, including metallic badges and
other contrivances devised by the whim of each unit commander. 1863 regs. standardized many innovations developed in the field, and yet even after 1863 variations exist. When I assembled this little book is what to answer questions such as these and inspire others to dive into libraries, museums and photo archives to find answers to the many questions that remain. Burning powder can be fun, but successful research can be even more satisfying. --James L. McElhinney