www.creativecockades.com The Cockade Column - Army Cockades 239 years ago, on a hot June day, Congress authorized the enlistment of riflemen in the

          Web Version   Forward   Unsubscribe  
creativecockades banner 3a

www.creativecockades.com

buy war bonds by orson lowell 1943

The Cockade Column - Army Cockades

239 years ago, on a hot June day, Congress authorized the enlistment of riflemen in the service of the American Colonies, and the American Army was born.

A few weeks later, George Washington was named the first Commander in Chief of the Army. His job not only included fighting the British nation from which we were seceding. He must also take a motley assortment of state militias, privately raised regiments, and volunteers from around the colonies and meld them into one unified fighting machine.

Cockades played an important role.

One of Washington's first orders, less than three weeks after taking command, was that cockades would be worn to show rank. He designated that "the field officers may have red or pink colored cockades in their hats, the captains yellow or buff, and the subalterns green.”

13208

This easy and cheap method of identifying officers (instead of buying new uniforms for everyone) saved the Colonies' lean budgets.

However, the regular Army cockade continued to be what it had always been: Black.

Surrender of Lord Cornwallis - Trumbull2

Closeup of American troops in Trumbull's "Surrender of Lord Cornwallis"

Looking "Respectable"

By 1778, Washington's army was suffering through the hard winter at Valley Forge and France was offering to aid the United States in the war against Britain.

So Washington once again issued an order about cockades, this time telling the troops to add white to their black cockades, symbolizing the two nations' cooperation. These black-and-white cockades were seen throughout the war, and Trumbull includes them in his painting of the British surrender at Yorktown.

Officers generally wore silk or woven horsehair cockades, but in 1785 the regular troops got a new cockade: "A piece of black leather for the soldiers well polish'd is durable & has a respectable appearance," Secretary of War Henry Knox declared.

Maybe he was tired of seeing bedraggled and faded fabric cockades? At any rate, the soldiers were now assured of having "respectable" looking leather cockades!

map2

The American Revolution ended in 1783 and the country was now at peace - and in debt. Hoping to raise money to clear her bills (including back pay to war veterans) the United States opened up the sale of land in the Northwest Territory. But all was not peaceful in this new tract of land, because the native Indians contested the influx of settlers.

So ironically, the United States was forced to establish a new army to patrol the land they were selling to raise money to pay for the old army.

Sounds like the complicated financial politics of today, doesn't it!

1804-1830 Eagle Cockade 1

Original 1812 leather cockade in the Creative Cockades Collection

In 1795, people began putting American eagles on their black patriotic cockades and in 1798 Washington asked for some eagle samples to look at.

In 1799 a design was chosen and the American military cockade for the next 100 years established. The eagle itself changed over time, but the style of an eagle on a black cockade remained through the late 1800s.

All persons belonging to the army, to wear a black cockade, with a Small white Eagle in the centre. The cockade of non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates, to be of leather, with Eagles of tin. ~ James McHenry, Jan. 9, 1799

***

Join The Discussion!

My readers' replies to my Columns keep me on my toes and inspire new topics!

From Yankee Doodle's Cockade: Reader Doug noted that some sources say "macaroni" actually refers to a type of fashion or fashionable men during the 1770s. I too had run across this explanation for the term in the song but feel it's not the correct one.

My first reason is that the Macaronis were men, not "things." The song says Yankee Doodle called his feather the "macaroni," not himself.

My second reason is that the context of the song doesn't seem to fit what the Macaronis were all about. The song is characterizing Yankee Doodle as a country bumpkin, so it seems a far stretch to imply that he would even know what the Macaronis were, much less be imitating them. He would far more likely despise the Macaronis, since they were characterized as being effeminate fops.

Of course, this is just my opinion, but I felt that in context of the song "macaroni" better fit the slang for "military brass" than "effeminate fop."

Thanks, Doug, for bringing up this interesting tidbit!

***
1812 front silver b

Back issues of the Cockade Column are now available on my Pinterest site. Enjoy reading the ones you missed! If you are reading this online and want it to come right to your inbox, you can sign up on this form.

Need an eagle cockade for yourself? I carry them as well as many other patriotic cockades in my shop!

avatar-me

Thanks for reading... see you next week!

Regards,
~Heather Sheen
Owner, Creative Cockades

Shop ~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ Website ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

blogger facebook instagram linkedin pinterest
1px