The Ordnance Sergeant
by Philip Katcher
It's pretty common in reenactment units that the individual who oversees
the unit's weapons, often a gunsmith by trade, wears the star over three
chevrons of the regulation ordnance sergeant. Since the unit portrayed is
an infantry unit, the chevrons and star are often regulation infantry sky
blue. Indeed, this insignia was worn by one of the leading characters in
the 20th Maine scenes in the movie Gettysburg.
It is, however, very questionable that such insignia would have been so
worn in the U.S. Army. The Confederate Army, however, may be a different
story.
Originally, both armies based their organizations on that of the U.S. Army.
According to Article XIV, Revised Regulations of the U.S. Army, 1861, "The
Secretary of War selects from the sergeants of the line of the army, who
may have faithfully served eight years (four years in the grade of non-commissioned
officer), as many Ordnance Sergeants as the service may require, not exceeding
one to each military post." Furthermore, "Ordnance Sergeants will
be assigned to posts [not regiments] when appointed, and are not to be transferred
to other stations except by orders from the Adjutant-General's office."
Indeed, "When a non-commissioned officer receives the appointment of
Ordnance Sergeant, he shall be dropped from the rolls of the regiment or
company in which he may be serving at the time."
Finally, "Ordnance Sergeants are to be considered as belonging to the
non-commissioned staff of the post, under the orders of the commanding officer.
They are to wear the uniform of the Ordnance Department, with the distinctive
badges prescribed for the non-commissioned staff of regiments of artillery;
and they are to appear under arms with the troops at all reviews and inspections,
monthly and weekly."
Specifically that uniform would include crimson stripes one and a half inch
wide on each trouser leg; a brass bursting bomb cap badge; three chevrons
under a star, all made in silk; a red worsted sash; and a crimson-trimmed
dress frock coat.
No changes in the basic assignments and requirements of ordnance sergeants
were made in the Union Army during the war. Indeed, when August Kautz published
his handy guide to non-commissioned jobs in 1864, towards the end of the
war, he wrote: "Each military post may have an ordnance sergeant, whose
duty it is to take charge of all surplus ordnance at the post. He is enlisted
for the position, and belongs to the post, and is not removed when the troops
are changed." Hence, there were no "infantry ordnance sergeants"
in Union regiments with sky blue chevrons and stars.
Life was not as simple in the Confederate Army. Confederate Army Regulations
of 1863 quoted the U.S. Army Regulations word for word, save for the section
on dress. According to that section, the ordnance sergeant would supposedly
wear red trim and chevrons, as the Confederate Army did not have a separate
Ordnance Department, and the duties of such fell under the artillery branch
of the service.
These regulations, at least as pertained to ordnance sergeants, were somewhat
obsolete even before they were published. According to a report from Adjutant
and Inspector General Samuel Cooper, dated April 25, 1861: "I would
therefore suggest, as an approximation to a proper organization at this
time, that the present authorized force of the Regular Army of the Confederate
States be increased by one regiment of cavalry and two regiments of infantry
as at present organized, and that there be added to the Adjutant-Gen.'s
Department two captains, to the Quartermaster's Department two majors and
six captains, to the Commissary-Gen.'s Department three captains, to the
Medical Department six surgeons and fourteen assistant surgeon (the Medical
Department of the U. S. Army
consists of thirty surgeons and eighty-four assistant surgeons), to the
Corps of Engineers five captain, to the Corps of Artillery one lieutenant-colonel,
two majors, and as many military store-keepers, with pay and allowance of
captain of infantry, as the service may require, not to exceed six, and
an ordnance-sergeant for each military post."
According to an Act of Congress, dated May 16, 1861, "SEC.6. That there
be added to the military establishment one quartermaster-sergeant for each
regiment of cavalry and infantry, and one ordnance-sergeant for each military
post, each to receive the pay and allowances of a sergeant-major according
to existing laws."
In other words, the initial plan was, as called for in regulations, to have
one ordnance sergeant at each post, divorced from line units. This soon
changed with the issuance of General Orders, No. 24., War Department, dated
April 16, 1862: "V. Every commanding officer of a regiment will select
from the non-commissioned officers of the regiment the one best qualified
for the duty of ordnance sergeant, and will appoint him acting ordnance
sergeant. Such on-commissioned officer will have charge of all the surplus
ordnance stores of the regiment, and will make returns of the same to the
Ordnance Bureau. The arms and accouterments of the sick and disabled of
the regiment will be turned over to and be accounted for by him. He will
exercise supervision over the arms and ammunition in the hands of the men,
and report any waste or damage to the division ordnance officer through
the colonel of the regiment. All such appointments will be reported through
the general headquarters to the Chief of the Ordnance Bureau." In other
words, ordnance sergeants from that point on appeared on the staffs of Confederate
infantry regiments and not just at posts.
Further explanation came with the publication of the War Department's General
Orders No. 46, dated July 1, 1862:
"3. Ordnance-sergeants of regiments will be subject to and make reports
to the brigade ordnance officers.
"4. Since the act of April 19, 1862, providing an ordnance-sergeant
to each regiment, the acting appointees, authorized under General Orders,
No. 24, current series, and made by colonels of regiments, will be reported
for appointment under the above act in cases where such report has not been
made to the Ordnance Bureau. Hereafter the appointment will be made to regiments
as to military posts, by the Secretary of War, and upon the recommendation
of colonels of regiments, through the Ordnance Bureau, the non-commissioned
officers recommended being at once placed upon duty in anticipation of the
appointment."
Finally, on May 20, 1862, the duties of the Confederate regimental ordnance
sergeants were officially spelled out by the chief of ordnance: "Duties
of ordnance-sergeants.
"First. To obey the direction of the division ordnance officer of the
brigade ordnance officer )if the brigade is a separate command) in all relative
to care and preservation of arms and duties connected therewith.
"Second. To take charge of all supplies, arms, and ammunition of the
regiment and make returns of the same according to "Ordnance regulations."
Issues to be made on written requisitions approved by the colonel or commanding
officer of the regiment; which requisitions are to be filed with his "Return
of property.'
"Third. To take charge of the ordnance wagon or wagons attached to
each regiments, and to see that it always contains at least fifteen rounds
per man of the regiment--surplus arms or accouterments to be turned over
to the brigade or division ordnance officer.
"Fourth. To supervise the condition of the arms of the regiment and
get a detail of at least two mechanics to assist him in the necessary repairs
to the arms, an account of these repairs to be kept as far as possible against
each man of the regiment; repairs to be made on the order of the colonel
of the regiment.
"Fifth. To take charge of the arms and accouterments of the sick of
the regiments in hospitals, which will be kept until the sick are sent to
the general hospital, when their arms be turned over to the brigade or division
depots.
"Sixth. In battle it will be the duty of the ordnance-sergeants to
remain with the ammunition wagons and act with the details assigned to them
from the regiments, under the orders of the ordnance officer, in supplying
the troops with ammunition, collecting arms of the killed and wounded, and
securing captured arms and ammunition."
Hence, while Union ordnance sergeants were few in number and marked by a
distinctive uniform, Confederate ordnance sergeants were as numerous as
Confederate infantry regiments, whose colors they may have also adopted.
Sources:
August V. Kautz, Customs of Service, Philadelphia, 1864
Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series IV, Vols. 1 & 2
Official, Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States, Richmond,
1863
Official, Revised Regulations for the Army of the United States, 1861, Philadelphia,
1863