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 Post subject: sword belt
PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:01 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:19 am
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Location: worcester, uk
Hi al
I hope someone can help with a quick question.
I’m in the process of putting together the leatherwork for a NCO dress uniform, and this weekend i will be picking up a sword & scabbard.

My question is this, should I go for a NCO baldric or for the NCO sword belt?

If anyone has a definitive answer for this, you help would be appreciated.
regards
Carl Smith
Co E 1st USSS (uk)


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 Post subject: Re: sword belt
PostPosted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:44 am 
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Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:33 pm
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Location: Old Northwest (Michigan)
Carl,

Greetings from across the pond, hope things are going well with the UK USSS this campaign season.

There is a famous "USSS at Falmouth" photograph of a guard detail from Co. F 2nd Regt. (Wyman White's company) awaiting inspection before being marched to their posts. Both the Sgt. and bugler wear baldrics (a leather cross belt with sewn in support where you insert the M1840 NCO or Musician's leather sword scabbard, there is a brass hook on one side of the scabbard that slides into the opening of the support).

This photo is the best evidence we have of what one USSS regiment wore during inspections and 'official duties' in garrison. I have no doubt that both regiments would have been equipped as such. Caspar Trepp's Ordnance reports from Dec 1862 to Sept 1863 do not list NCO/Musician swords or baldrics. However, just prior to the regiments being marched off on campaign, these ceremonial items would have been packed and returned for storage at the Washington Arsenal. When on active campaign, the USSS NCO's and buglers were not required to wear these symbols of rank.

Hope this helps.

Bill Skillman
Randolph Mess-USSS


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 Post subject: Re: sword belt
PostPosted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 2:23 pm 
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Location: worcester, uk
Thanks Bill

as the sword was a freebee, i thougth i'd put together the full dress unifrom. Told the wife it was for our dance, latter on in the year, but realy its so i can look good when manning the recruiting stand at events.

Regards
Carl Smith
Co E 1st USSS (uk)


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 Post subject: Re: sword belt
PostPosted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 4:50 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:33 pm
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Location: Old Northwest (Michigan)
Carl,

Due to the small numbers of USSS that are scattered all over the country we rarely get the opportunity to gather and recreate a Camp of Instruction or Weehawken 'garrison' (or even a Falmouth 'occupation') type event that could justify all of the 'pomp and circumstance' of a full dress review of officers, NCO's and privates.

However, I regularly attend the Michigan Battalion drill weekends each Spring at old Fort Wayne (a 1840's built earth-masonary fort astride the Detroit River and briefly housed the 1-3rd Michigan Vol. Infantry before their departure to VA during the CW) and wear the US infantry full dress uniform, Hardee hat with all the trimmings, baldric and sword, white gloves and bugle for dress parade. Unfortunately there are not enough MI USSS to show up kitted out in the greens, leggings, etc. I also wear the dress Regulation kit when officiating as Officer of the Day/bugler during SUVCW grave rededications.

Good luck with the baldric. Might check with Jan Berger out of Germany to see if he makes them; I believe I bought mine through the Blockade Runner or similar sutler.


Bill Skillman
Randolph Mess-USSS


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 Post subject: Re: sword belt
PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 7:19 am 
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Passing by on another thread when I saw this one....

The curious thing I find with these, is although called an 'NCO' sword, I have yet to scare up a period reference to corporals having/wearing them. It seems to always invariably be sergeants. Perhaps officially the door was left open for some duty where a corporal would be the senior ranking NCO... but I've always wondered about it.

(Obviously if someone CAN find a reference to a corporal carrying an NCO sword please post or point it out to me.)

If you have any particular questions about the baldric, I'm Europe-based, I have made them in the past, and I dragged across a good batch of source-notes and published works (Todd, etc.) through my many moves that should help with any questions. [Not a deliberate plug (just an accidental plug...?), but if you want to compare what's being offered to you against research you might not have access to in Britain, let me know.]

Frank


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