Evening star., 1924-05-11

houSewifely task. 1t was an appro-
pirate time for completing the hard
est job the soldier-artist ever at
tempted. The tapestry is valued at
$1,000 to $4,000. although Sergt Kuhn
says he will not part with his mas
terpiece. Gen. Pershing has seen and
admired the remarkable piece of
work.
A FTER the world war Sergt. Kuhn
was assigned to post in the
coast artillery service in Washington,
where he has been stationed from
that day to this. His regular work
is that of an expert craftsman, but
as a side line he designs all the in
sigma and coats of arms for the va
rious branches of our national mill
tary service. In this work he has to
study up the detailed history of each
regiment and to review the records
of ancient heraldry. The designs of
the insignia which the enlisted men
wear on their collars and the officers
on their shoulders are commemora-
tive OF stirring events which have oc-
CURED in the history of each regi-
ment.
The 1st Regiment OF cavalry use as
the crest a black hawk in honor of
tho LIST Dragons OF 1888 that wore
pointed stars and eagles on the tops
OF their shakos. The Sd Regiment of
cavalry, known as the Brave Rifles"
and now stationed at Fort Myer,
wears handsome insignia designed by
Sergt- Kuhn. The design consists of
a golden trumpet abreast a green
enameled field of scroll work, with
the words Brave Rifles" on the bor-
der.
During the Mexican war the facings
of the uniform of the Sd Cavalry were
green, while a golden trumpet was
their seal and mascot Speaking to
the Brave Rifles after the battle of
Chapultepec, in the Mexican war, Gen.
Winfield Scott exclaimed: Veterans.
you have been baptized in fire and
blood and have come out steel"
The coat of arms of the 1st Regi-
ment of coast artillery, designed by
Sergt Kuhn, bears the Latin motto
"Primus Inter Pares." A palmetto
tree is overspread by a tower show
ing an artilleryman holding a ramrod
in his hands. The scene is depictive
of the civil war battle at Fort Sumter.
Detachments Of the I'd Coast Artil-
lery occupied stations at Fort Nc
Henry and Fort Pickens during the
civil war Francis Scott Key com
posed 'The Star Spangled Banner"
during the siege of the former fort
ress, while the latter was the only
foritfication south OF Fort Monroe
which did not surrender to the con-
federacy. Sergt Kuhn has featured
these events in the handsome coat of
arms and insignia which he has made
for that regiment.
Kuhn's coat OF arms for the 4th
Coast Artillery pictures a cannon be-
ing choked down the mouth of the
British lion. The scene is descriptive
of what happened at the memorable
battle of New Orleans. The 18th
Coast Artillery Is stationed at point
where four of our national coastal
defenses converge A key in a clasp
ed hand is the coat of arms of this
regiment, accompanied by the Latin
motto What 1 have I will defend"
x* +
CERGT. KUHN has designed the
~ original coat of arms for every Ma
tiona Guard regiment in the United
States. The crest OF the minutemen OF
the organized reserve also was drawn
by this artist soldier. For the coast
defense of Delaware he has used Lord
Delaware's crest, with lion cubs be-
low. shown on a blue field illustra-
tive of the three former tenants of
Delaware-Great Britain, Holland
and Sweden-aIl of which use lions
in their crests and seals.
The design for the Baltimore coast
defense Is based on Lord Baltmores
original crest, with a key. depictive
OF Francis Scott Key and our ma
tional anthem, which he composed.
Tho coast defense history of New
Orleans teens with tales of the 10y
atty Of the Barbarian pirates and
| Andrew Jackson's three lines of de-
fenses that guarded the city. These
episodes were capitalized by Kuhn
in designing an appropriate coat of
arms with the pelican, the seal of
Louisiana above.
Yes, Kuhn. the artistic sergeant,
| has even gone so far as to play de-
tective and ferret out the silent Sc
crets Of frayed and torn flags which
occasionally are found in some aban-
doned closet or attic One notable
| exploit along this line occurred in
New York city.
| The fattered remnants of v~rar
able flag which was carried at Wash
| ington's first Inauguration were found.
An Army chaplain, who was a friend
of Sergt- Kuhn. was assigned the
commission of preserving and recon-
structing the ruined banner. Kuhn
took the assignment off his friends
hands as soon as he learned all the
particulars, as it was just such a sci
entif1o mystery as he delights in
working with. After a painstaking
perusal of Americas flag and her
aldry records, Kuhn finally was sue
| cessful in restoring the historic flag.
which now is carefully preserved In
the city hall in New York. The flag
is red, with the design of mortar,
| flag and trophy at its center. An
| eagle is shown seated on the peak
| of a gable. The Latin words on the
flag mean I'm peace, prepare for war"
Crater as Stadium.