Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-16
The Pomp of American
Service Uniforms
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

uLCle 10 say ABOUT the formal dress which
the special ambassa doris Of the United
States to the coronation of King George
vi OF Great Britain wore Particular
attention seems to have been given TO
the uniform of the general of the Armies,
John J. Pershing. Perhaps it has seemed
a trifle strange that Black Jack Pershing,
the hard-boiled cavalryman of empire
days in the Philippines should appear
bedight in pounds of gold braid, all
glttering like Broadway electric sign.
There is nothing to wonder about.
There are very few people who do not
dress up when they get chance and
soldiers are especially given to such
practices Pershing is the first man in
American history who has held the title
Of general of the Armies and there is no
military power on earth which can tell
him what to wear. Any officer who bears
the title of full general-and there have
been but few OF them-has the privilege
OF designing his own uniform. The chief
of staff of the United States Army bears
the title Of general while serving as
chief, but, unless there is a special act
of Congress comforting the title upon
him after his term has expired, he re-
verts to the title he held before having
been appointed chief.
In the case of Douglas Macarthur,
until recently chief of staff, he has
managed to retain his prerogatiye o,
designing his own uniform through get
ting himself named field marshal Of
the Philippine Army. He can let him.
self go, can carry field marshal's baton,
which no United States officer can be-
cause the post of field marshal does not
exist here General Pershing and Field
Marshal Macarthur have always been
snappy dressers. Indeed, they were con-
sidered the Beau Brummel and the
Beau Nash of the American forces.
AS matter Of fact, General Pershing
in his specially designed uniform and
Special Ambassador Gerard in his black
satin knee breeches, on the occasion
OF their attendance at the Westminster
coronation, looked as somber as pro-
fessional pallbearers compared TO the
way American officers and even private
soldiers looked in the earlier and gaudier
days of this Nation. There has been a
sore decline in show offlshness among
modern Americans. In his autobiography,
for example, John Hays Hammond, who
appeared officially representing the
United States at the coronation OF King
George v, said that American diplomats
were especially conspicuous at court
functions because of the quaintness of
their simple satin knee breeches They
stood out like sore thumbs. They would
have appeared far more modest and
democratic had they been attired in
colorful robes as were the other noted
guests. 1t seemed a bit of American
bravado to wear such consplcuously
plain clothes.
The American troops in the Revolt
tionary War were picturesque in the
extreme Every American is familiar
with the blue coats and buff trousers,
with boots or leggings and white satire
crossed straps passing from belt to both
shoulders, worn by officers and men of
the Regular Army. In addition there
were many independent militia COM
panies. There we're soldiers who wore
jackets and trousers lavishly edged with
fur and ooonskin caps with dangling
tails. There was nothing drab about
those boys.
The early artillery uniforms were prob
ably the gaudiest. Artillerymen affected
red to a large extent Blue coats con-
trasted with white breeches, but the
lapels and the skirts of the coats showed
revers of bright scarlet. All hands, in all
outfits, ran strongly to buttons. AS the
Nation was established and the inde-
| pendent militia, going home to farm
and forest left only regulars, greater
standardization of uniforms appeared
| and. as though in celebration of indie
| pendence, more superb ShoWiness. Even
| private soldiers wore helmets with cox
| combs of bristles arching down their
| centers. They resembled the helmets
| OF Roman centurions.
The infantrymen--private not off,
| cers-of some of the War of 1872 troops
| looked more like members of the chorus
! of some extravaganza than soldiery.
| With blue coats and white breeches,
| these gallant soldiers wore top hats, much
| the shape of coachmens hats and
| cockaded. Then there were other types
| which looked like butter churns. Officers
| wore fore and aft hats, feathered and
| plumed The uniforms of officers left
| little space uncovered by gold braid
| or other ornamentation. In the Mexl-
| can War period the comic opera cos
tunes were carried, If possible. even
| further. There were helmets and
| CIldptduH WHICH lOOkeu ike llle
ornate ones of the armies of Napoleon.
There were tall hats or caps. pretty
near foot tall, and surmounted by erect
| pompoms. which looked like especially
bushy ribboned papered toothpicks stuck
! in lamb chops, only on larger scale.
| X
| The Civil War brought more sober
military attire The darker blue was
| introduced and coat and trousers OF
| most outfits were of the same shade.
! Others wore trousers of lighter blue.
| For fatigue duty the uniforms were
plain. Every one remembers Gram S
| squarish SLOUGH hat. Cavalrymen wore
soft hats cooked on one side, with
| feather sticking from the band on the
other side. Boards seemed to be a part
of the uniform of the day. There were
some outfits which, indeed, wore helmets
| with spikes rising from them, almost
exactly like the German spiked helmets
of the World War.
Full dress was gaudy enough. The
dark blue of the uniforms was heavy
with gold braid. Epaulettes like wedding
cakes adorned the shoulders. Besides
the gold belt, high-ranking officers wore
gold sashes or scarves which passed over
| the left shoulder, tied on the right
side at the belt and ended In final
tassel of heavy gold threads.
All through the years the uniforms OF
the West Point cadets were gorgeous
affairs. Hats were high and jackets