SMITH PATENT SECOND LIEUTENANT OF ARTILLERY SHOULDER STRAPS

$500.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 142-110

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Military goods dealer James S. Smith of New York patented this form of shoulder strap on June 18, 1861. They used a gilt brass frame stamped to imitate dead and bright bullion embroidered borders and used pins mounted on the back to secure a backing with the appropriate branch of service color, on which might also be pinned false-embroidered rank insignia as appropriate. These were less expensive, but also more robust, not subject to snagging of the bullion strands or jaceron wire edging used on the embroidered straps, and also provided an easy way for an officer to show a promotion by just changing the rank insignia rather than having to buy a new set of straps. Smith also noted the borders were easy to keep clean bright by simple polishing.

This set is for a second lieutenant of artillery, showing a deep red ground, with no rank bars. The center faces show one small pencil-point moth nip on one and four or five pin-prick spots on the other, but the color is strong, only one nip shows on the dark blue edge and they show off very well. The dark blue backing is present on both, one showing a moth nip near the edge and the other eight or so small nips that don’t show through. Both have a couple of inoffensive loose threads.

These would be appropriate for both a Second Lieutenant of heavy or light (field) artillery, who usually had command of a section of two guns while in action. Those in the heavy artillery theoretically manned fortifications but often found themselves in the field, particularly as the war dragged on, often serving as infantry, and taking some of the heaviest casualties of the war.  [sr][ph:m]

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