George Washington's Epaulettes
date: label: date made
content: 1779
name: label: user
content: Washington, George
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description
label: Description
content: Gold bullion-thread tassels with gilt sequins and twisted bullion bows intermixed. They have a strap of metallic yarn and a buff wool lining.
label: Description
content: Specific History
label: Description
content: These epaulettes were worn by George Washington and can be seen in life portraits painted by celebrated American artist Charles Wilson Peale between 1779 and 1780.
label: Description
content: General History
label: Description
content: The British Army, which served as the model for the Continental army, adopted epaulettes as officers' rank insignia in 1768. Continental army regulations for the use of epaulettes were first published in the General Orders dated June 18, 1780. According to these orders, major generals were to wear an epaulette on each shoulder with two stars on each epaulette. A brigadier general wore an epaulette on each shoulder with one star on each epaulette.
place: label: Associated Place
content: United States
topic: label: Subject
content: Presidents
label: related event
content: Revolution and the New Nation
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Military
label: Exhibition
content: Price of Freedom
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.65779M
label: catalog number
content: 65779M
label: accession number
content: 223315
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Epaulets, pair of
label: Object Name
content: epaulettes, pair of
label: Other Terms
content: Epaulets, pair of; Insignia; Army; Holder, Epaulet; Officer
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 3/4 in x 9 1/2 in x 5 1/4 in; 1.905 cm x 24.13 cm x 13.335 cm