What Yankee?What's the Yankee First Sergeant doing in the front row center of the first picture?
He's a prisoner of war. Next question.What's the Yankee First Sergeant doing in the front row center of the first picture?
He's a prisoner of war. Next question.
I never even noticed as I was looking at the fyre-arms.
Blame Matthew Brady and other picturre takerrs of the era. Pop guns, prrop swords to make the man more ferocious and improves his military bearing. He can tell his children that he capturerd all those Rebels and that they were posing with him. Alternatively, he could say they all got drunk, had a card game and he won so they became his prisoners.And they were nice enough to let him keep his sword.
Wellllll, the NCO sword and sash was issue and part of being a 1st Sgt and higher and is still part of the full dress NCO uniform on ceremonial occasions. The 1st Sgt had a worsted wool sash in red with the authorized M1840 sword and baldric. Did they carry them into battle? There's a few accounts of that happening but for the most part, no. As a former reenactor, I can say this about photos, using them as source "evidence" is not a good thing. Many were staged and many have been lost. Far, far better is 1st person accounts, reading quartermaster records, and stuff in museums. You'd be amazed at what will turn up. Part of a recent conversation on this was that folks haven't changed a bit in their wants, habits and vices, only the date and the means.Blame Matthew Brady and other picturre takerrs of the era. Pop guns, prrop swords to make the man more ferocious and improves his military bearing. He can tell his children that he capturerd all those Rebels and that they were posing with him. Alternatively, he could say they all got drunk, had a card game and he won so they became his prisoners.
The two band shorter sergeant's rifle (or short rifle) was reserved for the sharpshooter battalions in the ANV and the AoT.
All very true.Wellllll, the NCO sword and sash was issue and part of being a 1st Sgt and higher and is still part of the full dress NCO uniform on ceremonial occasions. The 1st Sgt had a worsted wool sash in red with the authorized M1840 sword and baldric. Did they carry them into battle? There's a few accounts of that happening but for the most part, no. As a former reenactor, I can say this about photos, using them as source "evidence" is not a good thing. Many were staged and many have been lost. Far, far better is 1st person accounts, reading quartermaster records, and stuff in museums. You'd be amazed at what will turn up. Part of a recent conversation on this was that folks haven't changed a bit in their wants, habits and vices, only the date and the means.
Glad to hear you took the plunge! This is one seriously addictive kind of fun!Thanks to you Dave I found NSSA joined the Buncombe Rifles instead of your team but thanks for introducing me to this