Regulations
for the
Uniform
of the
United States
Marine Corps

May, 1875

     For the Brigadier General and Commandant: The same as now worn.

LINE OFFICERS

Full Dress

Coat

     For Field Officers: A double­breasted frock coat of dark-blue cloth, skirt to extend to the point of the thumb, the arm hanging naturally; two rows of large ­size Marine buttons on the breast, eight in each row, placed at equal distances the distance between each row, seven inches at the top and three inches at bottom, from center to center of the buttons. Standing collar one and one-half inches high, rounded ends; to hook in front at bottom, and trimmed with gold lace five-eighths of an inch wide, (Fig. 4, Plate 5;) gold tracing-­braid (Fig. 8, Plate 5,) around base of collar; top of collar edged with three-sixteenths inch scarlet cloth. (See design on Plate 2.) Cuffs to be trimmed with one and one-half inch gold lace, (Fig. 2, Plate 5,) backed by gold tracing-braid, (Fig. 8, Plate 5;) scarlet cloth in openings of knot. (See Plate 2.) Pockets, with three-pointed side-edges in the folds of the skirt behind, with one large-size Marine button on the waist, one at the centre, and one at the lower end of each side-edge, three and one-half inches from the bottom of the skirt, making six buttons on the back and skirt of the coat; side-edges to be piped with one-eighth of an inch scarlet; to have one point at the cen­tre of the edge, and to curve thence up and down to the top and bottom. (See Plate 2.)

     For Captains: Same as for Field Officers, except that the cuffs shall be trimmed with one-fourth inch round gold cord, (Fig. 7, Plate 5,) backed by gold tracing-braid, (Fig. 8, Plate 5.) See design, Plate 2.

     For First Lieutenants: Same as for Captains, except that the cuffs shall be trimmed as per design on Plate 2.

     For Second Lieutenants: Same as for First Lieutenants, except that the cuffs shall be trimmed as per design on Plate 2.

Trowsers

     For Field and Company Officers: Of sky-blue cloth, cut with medium spring at the bottoms; side pockets; two stripes of scarlet cloth down the outer seams, one-half inch wide, stitched on the outer edge, showing: three-eighths of an inch of light blue between; a stripe of one-eighth inch English Navy gold lace set on the blue between the scarlet stripes. (See Plate 2.)

Hat

     For Field and Company Officers: A chaco of dark-blue cloth on felt, bound around the base with five-eighths inch gold lace, (Fig. 5, Plate 5) and one stripe of one-fourth inch gold lace (Fig. 6, Plate 5) up the sides; two parallel stripes of one-fourth inch gold lace (Fig. 6, Plate 5) around the top, one-half inch apart; glazed leather visor, one and one-half inches deep; base line of hat to be curved slightly toward the back; gilt chain lined with black velvet, to be worn under the chin when on duty, and to loop up to a gilt tiger-head at the top and back when not worn under the chin; gilt tiger-head hooks at the sides, (Plate 10), Height of hat in front four inches; length of back, seven inches; diameter at crown, six inches by six and one-fourth inches. Ornament on front of hat - a richly-gilt United States shield, two and seven-eighths inches long by two and three-eighths inches wide; resting upon the centre of the shield a silver corps device of same design and dimensions as that prescribed for the officer's undress cap. (See Plate 5.)

Aigrette

     For Field Officers: Of red heron feathers, eight inches in length set on a gilt socket.

Plume

     For Company Officers: A scarlet plume of cock feather, each feather six inches long, and not to droop below the top of shield on front of hat. Gilt socket.

Sword-Belt

     For Field and Company Officers: Of crimson and gold lace interwoven, one and one-half inches wide; lined with white morocco leather, showing edges of one-eighth of an inch white; through the centre of the belt a stripe of crimson silk three-sixteenths of an inch wide; slings of same material and design. (See Fig. 1, Plate 5.) This belt shall be worn with full dress only.

Belt-Plate

     For all Officers: Gilt, rectangular, two and one­eighth inches wide by three and one-eighth inches long, with a raised bright rim; a wreath of laurel encircling the "Arms of the United States;” eagle shield, scroll, stars, edge of clouds, and rays silvered. (See Plate 5.)

Sword

     For all Officers: Ivory Mameluke grip, with two gilt embossed stars on each side of the same, set on a gilt circular plate sunk flush with the ivory. Blade rounded on the back, with the words “United States Marines” in a scroll on each side; length of blade from thirty-one to thirty-three inches. Scabbard of German silver; gilt hilt, bands, rings, and tip; the bands and tip to be embossed. (See Plate 5.)

Sword-Knot

     For all Officers: Of three-sixteenths inch crimson and gold cord, with bullion tassel. (See Plate 5.) The sword-knot will be worn with full dress only.

Epaulettes

     For Field Officers: Gold, with solid crescent. Device of the Corps in silver, placed within the crescent; (for design and dimensions of device: see Plate 4.) Dead and bright bullion, one-half inch in diameter and three and one half inches long. Insignia of rank to be embroidered on a scarlet ground and placed on the centre of the strap.

     For a Colonel: A silver embroidered spread eagle.

     For a Lieutenant Colonel: A silver embroidered leaf.

     For a Major: A gold embroidered leaf.

     For a Captain: Same as for the Colonel, except that the bullion will be one-fourth of an inch in diameter and two and one-half inches long, and substituting for the eagle, two silver embroi­dered bars.

     For a First Lieutenant: Same as for a captain, except that the bullion will be one-eighth of an inch in diameter, and there shall be but one silver embroidered bar on the centre of the strap.

     For a Second Lieutenant: Same as for a First Lieutenant, omitting the silver embroidered bar.

     Epaulettes shall be worn with full dress only. Full dress shall be worn on parades and other occasions of ceremony.

UNDRESS

Coat

     For Field and Company Officers: A double breasted frock coat of dark-blue cloth; two rows of large-size Marine buttons on the breast, eight in each row; distance between the rows of buttons, and length of skirt, the same as prescribed for the full-dress coat. Standing collar, one and one-fourth inches high, rounded ends to hook in front at bottom. Pockets, with plain side edges in the folds of the skirt behind, with one large-size Marine button at the waist and one at the lower end of each side-edge, three and one-half inches from the bottom of the skirt making four buttons on the back and skirt of the coat. Three small Marine buttons on the under seam of the cuff.

Trowsers

     For Field and Company Officers: Of sky-blue cloth, cut with medium spring at the bottoms; side pockets. A welt of scarlet cloth one-fourth inch wide let into the outer seams.

Cap

     For Field and Company Officers: Of dark blue cloth, Chasseur pattern; black ribbed silk band one and one-fourth inches wide; three rows of flat black silk braid, one-eighth of an inch wide, down each seam from the crown to the band; in the centre of the crown, a knot of same braid; also, one row around the edge of the crown. Visor of black glazed leather, one and one-half inches deep; one small Marine button on each side; black glazed leather chin-strap one-half inch wide.  Cap Ornament on front of cap. (See Plate 10.) Chin-straps to be worn down when on duty with troops.

Cap Ornament

     For Field and Company Officers: A fretted silver western hemisphere, struck from solid plate, with chased parallels; continents of North and South America of gold plate. To be surmounted by a spread eagle cut from solid silver and securely fastened by a tag of silver soldered on the inner side of the hemisphere. The hemisphere to rest upon the shank, between the stock and flukes of a fouled anchor embroidered in gold bullion; the inner edges of the flukes touching the hemisphere.  The dimensions to be as follows: hemisphere, three-fourths of an inch in diameter; the eagle, three-eighths of an inch from top of head to point of claws; spread of wings, one inch; width of anchor stock and shank, one-eighth of an inch; arms of anchor, including fluke, three-fourths of an inch in length from the peak of flukes to the apex of crown, and one-eighth of an inch in width; length of anchor over all, one and one-half inches.  The shank of the anchor to intersect the hemisphere between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer on the left, and the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn on the right.  (See Plate 5.) The whole to be on a ground of dark-blue cloth.

Sword Belt and Plate

     For all Officers: A white patent-leather belt, not less than one and one-half nor more than two inches wide. Style of belt, slings, and brass-mountings to be the same as prescribed for the full-dress belt. Belt Plate same as prescribed for full-dress belt.

Shoulder Knots

     For Field and Company Officers: There shall be worn on each shoulder of the undress coat a shoulder-knot of fine gold cord, three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, to consist of a twisted strap and clover-leaf shape; the twisted strap and clover-leaf end to be lined with scarlet cloth so as to show the scarlet through the openings only; the knot to be fastened by a small Marine button at the collar, and by two tags at the shoulder; tags to pass through the coat and tie on the inside. On the centre of the clover-leaf, insignia of rank, as prescribed for epaulettes. (See Plate 4.)

Fatigue Cap

     For Company Officers: A round fatigue cap of dark­-blue cloth, two and three-fourths inches high, (without visor,) and with one-sixteenth inch scarlet welt in the top seam; a black mohair band one and one-half inches wide; a knot of one-eighth inch black tracing-braid on the crown, with a black stuffed crochet button one inch in diameter on the centre of the design. Cap ornament on front of cap, same as prescribed for the undress cap; one small Marine button on each side; black glazed leather chin-strap, three-eighths of an inch strap to be worn down. This cap shall be worn on fatigue duty, and habitually when not in line with the troops.

Fatigue Jacket

     For Field and Company Officers: A dark-blue cloth sack coat, cut half-close, so as to define the figure, but loose enough to allow the sword-belt to be worn underneath; skirt to be one and one-half inches shorter than the undress coat. Standing collar, one and one-fourth inches high, rounded ends, to hook in front at the bottom; slits at the bottom of side seams six inches in length. The edges of the sleeves, collar, front, lower border, side-slits, and back seams to be trimmed with black mohair braid one inch wide, backed by one-eighth inch black tracing-braid; to be trimmed across the breast with black mohair braid three-eighths of an inch wide and one-eighth of an inch thick, with black silk frogs, and black stuffed crochet buttons one inch in diameter, according to design. (See Plate 3.) Rank to be indicated on the sleeves in black mohair braid, of same design as prescribed for the full-dress coat, omitting the scarlet. (See Plate 3.) This jacket shall be worn when on duty in line with the troops in fatigue dress, for all fatigue duties, and habitually when not in line. A fatigue jacket of same pattern, but of white linen duck, with white braid trimmings in place of the black, may be worn by officers in warm weather, when not on duty in line.

Mess Jacket

     For Company Officers: A round jacket of dark-blue cloth, lined with scarlet.  Collar, same as for full-dress coat.  Pointed cuffs, six inches deep, of five-eighths inch gold lace, (Figure 5, Plate 5.)  Sixteen small Marine buttons in a single row down the front, and three on the under seam of each cuff.  (See Plate 3.)  This jacket shall be worn on social occasions only.

Overcoat

     For all Officers: A dark-blue cloth overcoat, cut half-close; lined with scarlet, and closing by means of four frog olive-shaped buttons of black silk, one and one-eighth inches in length, and loops down the front of black silk cord three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, and at the throat by a long loop, a l’echelle, (without tassel or plate,) on the left side, and a black silk frog button on the right; single back piece, with slit in the bottom of back piece from fifteen to seventeen inches – according to height of wearer – and closing at will by small black buttons and button-holes in a fly flap. Collar, four inches deep, rounded ends, to stand or fall; sleeves loose, of single piece, with rank indicated on them in black braid, of same design as that prescribed for the full-dress coat, omitting the scarlet; on the front, lower border, edges of pockets, sleeves, collar, and slit in the back, a flat black silk braid one-half of an inch in width; also, around each frog button on the front, a knot of two and one-fourth inches in diameter, of black silk tracing-braid one-sixteenth of an inch in width.  (See Plate 3.) A cape of the same color and material as the overcoat, removable, and reaching to the edge of the coat-sleeve when the arm is extended; to button down the front by four small black buttons in a fly-flap; lining of the cape to be scarlet; edge of the cape to be bound with a flat black silk braid one-half inch wide; coat to extend down the leg from six to eight inches below the knee, according to height of the wearer. An overcoat of same color and material as that prescribed for enlisted men, but with the insignia of rank in black braid on the sleeves, may be worn by officers on marches, campaigns, and boat expeditions. On garrison duty in bad weather, the same coat may be worn by permission of the commanding officers.

Trowsers

     In warm weather the trowsers for officers shall be of white linen or duck.

Neck Wear

     For all Uniforms: A white standing collar, with a black silk cravat one inch wide – the tie not to be visible at the opening of the collar.

Gloves

     For all Mounted Officers: White gauntlets, or gloves.

     For all other Officers: White gloves.

Shoes

     For all Officers: Shall be of black leather, and come above the ankle.

Spurs

     For all Mounted Officers: Yellow metal or gilt.

Horse Furniture

     Same as prescribed for the United States Artillery, with the Corps device as described for the undress cap on each flank corner of the saddle-cloth.

Sash

     For use of the "Officer of the Day" only; of crimson silk net; to be worn over the left shoulder, and to fasten at the right side. Sashes will be furnished each post for this purpose.

(Abolished: See General Order No.3, Sept. 3, 1877.)

STAFF OFFICERS

Coats

     Full Dress: Same as prescribed for Line Officers of corresponding grades.

     Undress: A dark-blue cloth tunic coat, trimmed across the breast, on the cuffs, and on the collar, with black mohair braid and crochet buttons, as prescribed for the fatigue jacket of the Line Officers. Height and shape of collar, and length of skirt, the same as prescribed for the undress coat of the Line Officers On the shoulders, a twisted black silk cord one-fourth of an inch in diameter, the outer ends sewed into the shoulder seams, and the inner ends fastened at base of collar by a small black crochet button; two small black silk frog buttons on the waist behind. (See Plate 6.)

Trowsers

     Full Dress: Of dark blue cloth, cut with medium spring at the bottoms; side pockets; stripes of crimson and gold lace interwoven down each outer seam, according to design. (Fig. 3, Plate 5.)

     Undress: Plain dark blue cloth.

Shoulder-Knots

     Full Dress: Of one-fourth inch round gold cord, according to design. (See Plate 6.) Insignia of rank on the end of the knot, as prescribed for Line Officers.

Aiguillettes

     Full Dress: Of gold cord one-fourth of an inch in diameter, according to design. (See Plate 6.)

Chapeau

     Full Dress: Same as the present United States Army pattern, with a plume of red cock feathers. (See Plate 6.)

Belts

     Full Dress: Same as prescribed for Line Officers. (See Plate 5.)

     Undress: Black morocco leather; to be worn underneath the undress tunic.

Belt Plates

     Same as prescribed for Line Officers. (See Plate 5.)

Sword and Sword Knot

     Same as prescribed for Line Officers. (See Plate 5.)

Miscellaneous

     The overcoat, caps, white trowsers, neck wear, gloves, shoes, spurs, and horse furniture, shall be the same as prescribed for Officers of the Line.