Naval History and Heritage Command
The Navy Department Library
Uniform Regulations
United States. Navy Department.
Regulations for the uniform & dress of the Navy and Marine Corps of the United States.
From the original text and drawings in the Navy Department. Philadelphia: Printed from the Navy Department, By T. K. and P. G. Collins, 1852.[4], [5]-15, [1] p., 13 plates (11 colored), 36 x 29 cm.
This is the first American color plate book given to Navy uniform regulations. Illustrated with 13 large plates, 11 of which are in superb colors, the first four plates are colored and depict in full figure an officer wearing the designated uniform. The first four plates are Full Dress (Chief Engineer, Purser, Surgeon, Captain), Full Dress (Master, Passed Midshipman, Midshipman, Lieutenant), Service Dress (Captain, Midshipman, Surgeon, Purser), and Service Dress (Commander, Passed Midshipman, Chief Engineer, Master). There follow two colored plates of collar and cuff insignia, three colored plates of epaulets, one colored plate of head gear, and two black and white plates of head gear. Also in the rare book holdings of the Navy Department Library there is a second and partial copy of this work which is remarkable. The second copy has within it original drawings for uniforms and insignia, paste up changes, printed ephemeral uniform regulations, and manuscript correspondence in regard to uniform regulations from naval officers who include Admiral David Dixon Porter. There are also uniform illustrations bearing manuscript approval in 1863 by Gideon Welles, the Secretary of the Navy. This second copy is apparently a working dummy for a redo of the 1852 uniform regulations planned for issue post 1866 or later.
Related Resources
For a more information on Naval Uniforms view the Uniforms section of the Online Reading Room.
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