Ordnance Sergeant - Organization

Organization

According to Article XIV, Revised Regulations of the U.S. Army, 1861, "The Secretary of War selects from the sergeants of the line of the army, who may have faithfully served eight years (four years in the grade of non-commissioned officer), as many Ordnance Sergeants as the service may require, not exceeding one to each military post." Furthermore, "Ordnance Sergeants will be assigned to posts when appointed, and are not to be transferred to other stations except by orders from the Adjutant-General's office." It further states, "When a non-commissioned officer receives the appointment of Ordnance Sergeant, he shall be dropped from the rolls of the regiment or company in which he may be serving at the time." And also, "Ordnance Sergeants are to be considered as belonging to the non-commissioned staff of the post, under the orders of the commanding officer. They are to wear the uniform of the Ordnance Department, with the distinctive badges prescribed for the non-commissioned staff of regiments of artillery; and they are to appear under arms with the troops at all reviews and inspections, monthly and weekly."

"Each military post may have an ordnance sergeant, whose duty it is to take charge of all surplus ordnance at the post. He is enlisted for the position, and belongs to the post, and is not removed when the troops are changed." Hence, there were no "infantry ordnance sergeants" in Union regiments with sky blue chevrons and stars.

Confederate Army Regulations of 1863 quoted the U.S. Army Regulations word for word, save for the section on dress. According to that section, the ordnance sergeant would supposedly wear red trim and chevrons, as the Confederate Army did not have a separate Ordnance Department, and the duties of such fell under the artillery branch of the service.