“As a token of respect for his memory, all the officers of this division will wear crape on the left arm for thirty days, and the colors and drums of regiments and batteries will be placed in mourning for sixty days. To still further show our regard, and to distinguish his officers as he wished, each officer will continue to wear on his cap a piece of scarlet cloth, or have the top or crown-piece of the cap made of scarlet cloth.”
The italics in the above extract are my own; but we may fairly infer from it:—
First, that up to this date the patch had been required for officers alone, as no mention is made of the rank and file in this order.
Second, that General Kearny did not specify the lozenge as the shape of the badge to be worn, as some claim; for, had such been the case, so punctilious a man as General Birney would not have referred in general orders to a lozenge as “a piece of scarlet cloth,” nor have given the option of having the crown-piece of the cap made of scarlet cloth if the lamented Kearny’s instructions had originally been to wear a lozenge. This being so, General Townsend’s quoted description of the badge as “a round piece of red cloth” is probably erroneous.
As there were no red goods at hand when Kearny initiated this move, he is said to have given up his own red blanket to be cut into these patches.
Soon after these emblems came into vogue among the officers there is strong traditional testimony to show that the men of the rank and file, without general orders, of their own accord cut pieces of red from their overcoat linings, or obtained them from other sources to make patches for themselves; and, as to the shape, there are weighty reasons for believing that any piece of red fabric, of whatsoever shape, was considered to answer the purpose.
ST. ANDREW’S CROSS.
These red patches took immensely with the “boys.” Kearny was a rough soldier in speech, but a perfect dare-devil in action, and his men idolized him. Hence they were only too proud to wear a mark which should distinguish them as members of his gallant division. It was said to have greatly reduced the straggling in this body, and also to have secured for the wounded or dead that fell into the Rebels’ hands a more favorable and considerate attention.