Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-12
ARMY UNIFORM CHANGES
A New Undress Coat for Officers and
Gap for Officers and Men.
The Recommendations of a Board Are
Approved by the Secretary
of War.

Recently the Secretary of War convened
a board consisting of three line officers,
one from each arm, and three staff officers,
one each from the adjutant generals, in
spector generals and quartermaster's de-
partments, to determine the advisability Of
change in the undress coat for officers
and in the cap for officers and enlisted men.
|. The board has unanimously recommended
the adoption of a new undress cap for all
officers, except chaplains, and for all en-
listed men, ,-and also a new undress coat for
all officers except chaplains. The Secre-
tary of War has approved the changes.
and they will be Incorporated into the
army regulations.
The New Cap.
The new cap is Of dark blue cloth, with a
visor Of black patent leather, green under
meath, with four black metal eyelets for
ventilation, cap cord of gold bullion for
the officers cap and chin strap like the
one now in use for the enlisted mems cap.
The cap for general officers will have a
band of black velvet, and for all other Off
GERS, except chaplains, band of lustrous
black mohair braid The cap badge for
officers and enlisted men placed in front,
SO that the top of the badge will be slightly
below the top of the cap.
The cap badge for all officers will be the
coat-of-arms of the United States embroid-
cred in gold modified according to pattern.
The Undress Cont.
The undress coat for all officers except
chaplainS will be a single-breasted sack
coat of dark blue cloth or serge, with
standing collar. coat to close with flap
containing suitable concealed fastenings,
the skirt to extend from one-third to two
thirds the distance from the hip joint to
the bend of the knee, according to height
of wearer, cut to fit the figure easily;
shoulder straps and collar insignia to be
worn. The coat to be trimmed with lus-
trous black mohair fiat braid. During the
warm season post commanders may au-
thorize this coat made of white duck or
flannel, to be worn with white braid, but
without shoulder straps or collar insignia.
On undress duty a plain leather belt will
be worn under the undress coat, the sword
hook emerging through the opening of the
coat on the left side. For field service, or
when the pistol Is worn, the belt will be
outside the undress coat if SO directed by
the commanding officer.
Insignia for Conts.
The insignia for officers undress coats
will be as follows: For all officers, the let
ters L. S. embroidered in gold or made of
gold or gilt metal of Gothic design, fasten-
ed to each side Of the collar.
For all officers of the staff corps and de-
pdFIIHentS, tneir QlSunctlVe insignia, Wltn-
out wreath. embroidered in gold or made
of gold or gilt metal, fastened to each side
of the collar.
For all officers of the line, the present
forage cap ornament, embroidered in gold
or made of gold or gilt metal, fastened to
each side of the collar.
The new cap will, it is believed, remove
all objections that have been made to the
present forage cap. and will secure at the
same time a suitable undress cap, COM
Portable to the wearer and military in ap-
pearance. 1t will be known as the War
Department cap.
Two blouses are now authorized one for
garrison duty, the other for field service
the latter being entirely devoid of braid.
The new ornaments, to be worn by all
officers of the army, will serve to dis
tinguish them from their comrades of the
National Guard.
The change in blouse and cap for officers
will go into effect July 1, 1895 In order
that the supply of caps now on hand may
be utilized, the change for enlisted men
will not be made until January 1, 1896.