Union Army Uniforms and Insignia

Artillery Officers' Dress Uniforms

Field Officer in Dress Courtesy: Bob Borrell	Captain of Artillery Dress Uniform

The Captain is wearing embroidered crossed cannons on the hat. For a company officers the uniform frock coat is single breasted. The epaulettes have a red circlet with the regimental number. A foot officer's sword and a crimson sash hang at his side. His sky blue trousers have a one-eighth inch scarlet welt.

Captains of artillery commanded a battery. A battery of artillery generally was composed of six cannon all of the same type. Heavy guns were typically stationary in forts or part of a slow moving siege train, such as General McClellan brought to the Virginia Peninsula. Field artillery, also called light artillery, had mobile guns and easily kept up with infantry. If a field artillery unit was to accompany cavalry all its personnel were mounted and it was called horse artillery or flying artillery.

Images of field grade officers are uncommon and the majority of them served in the Regular Army or in heavy artillery regiments. The image shows an officer dressed similar to the engraving of the captain. A double-digit regimental number is above the crossed cannons on his hat, but is not readable. There were no Regular Army artillery regiments with double digits. His sword appears to be a field and staff officer's type. Epaulettes were worn for dress, while shoulder straps or shoulder knots were worn in the field or for undress.