This may have been answered somewhere, but can anyone tell me why our American cousins decided to invert thier stripes? You see all Civil War being the 'correct' way up - so why the change? I have searched the interweb for an answer but to no avail.
I'm a hero with coward's legs.
Civi war 1860-something? Their uniforms are different to what they were in the 1940's. i guess fashion/style changed and plus the need for more pouches were needed in the 1940's for different Ammo (they didn't use the same guns as they did in the 1860's..i don't think). To be honest, I'm just guessing! lol
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A quick bit of googling:
http://civilwartalk.com/forums/campfire ... ripes.html
http://www.history.navy.mil/trivia/triv4-4a.htm
The second link indicates points-down were used for junior officers at some point in the US army, and that may be what your seeing in the civil war photos.
Seems to me like their was a need for uniformity, and as most NCOs were wearing them point-up at the time, that's what stuck.
Thanks all. However, there still does not seem to be a difinitive answer why. The evil part of me suspected it was a snub to the Redcoats, along with that driving on the wrong side of the road business! However, the US Cav bluecoats with the chevrons pointing down busts this daft idea!
I'm a hero with coward's legs.
