Epaulette insignia pad (Unit number)

Object Name

Insignia, Shoulder

Title

Epaulette insignia pad (Unit number)

Country

United States

Dates

Circa, 1865-1869, After the Civil War, the regular army was expanded to 45 infantry regiments from its wartime strength of 19. The act of Congress that authorized this included the creation of four regiments of "Colored Troops", racially segregated units with white officers and African-American enlisted men. The army had raised a number of volunteer United States Colored Troops (USCT) regiments during the war. The new regiments were the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st Infantry Regiments, and they set about recruiting mostly from USCT veterans.

By an act of 3 March 1869, Congress reduced the 45 regiments to 25, and the four colored regiments to two. The 39th and 40th Regiments were consolidated and renumbered as the 25th Infantry Regiment. In April the 25th established its first headquarters at Jackson Barracks, Louisiana, under command of Colonel Joseph A. Mower.

Subject

39th Infantry Regiment

,

African American

Description

A blue velvet circular shield with gold braiding around the outer edge. 39 sewn with gold braid in the center.

Provenance

According to the SHNH catalog card this insignia appears to have been used by General Baldey in 1867 as a first lieutenant in the thirty ninth regiment of the United States Infantry.
It was then donated to History Colorado by N.H. Baldey in 1917 (daughter to George W. Baldey). George Baldey was a private in the army in 1847-48; a private, sergeant, and first lieutenant, in the 2nd Colorado cavalry, serving in New Mexico, Missouri, and Arkansas in 1862-63; and a major and lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Missouri which would later become the 65th United States Colored Troops. He was brevetted Brigadier General and stayed in the regular army after the war being discharged in 1870. (https://www.geni.com/people/Brevet-Brig-General-George-Washington-Baldey-USA/6000000026228710825)

Used

Baldey, (Brevet Brig. General) George Washington, 1830-1914

,

uncertain

Inscription

Embroidered in gold thread on the object: 39

Object ID

SHNH.10972.1.2

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