A button was worn on either side of the collar, with laced buttonholes.
A Navy button, described as “the foul anchor and American eagle, surrounded by fifteen stars” reflects the growth of the United States from the original thirteen. While the order directed that a captain’s buttonholes be “worked with gold thread,” many contemporary paintings show lace instead of embroidery. For full dress, a captain’s coat was trimmed with gold lace on the upper edge of the standing collar, down the edges of the lapels, around the pocket flaps, and down the skirts of the coat. When second in command, a lieutenant’s epaulet was on the left shoulder, but when in command, the epaulet was shifted to the right. As under the previous order, only two officers were permitted to wear epaulets, two for a captain and one for a lieutenant. The 1802 uniform reflected the unofficial blue and white dress of the American Revolution.Īll combatant officers wore coats of the same basic pattern, and rank was indicated by the presence or absence of gold lace, the number and location of gilt buttons.
On 27 August 1802, Robert Smith signed an instruction which set a pattern for the dress of the United States Navy which is still in effect today-“blue and gold.” Although the first blue uniform coat was worn with white vests and breeches, the current dark blue uniform with rank stripes and devices in gold, is a direct descendant of the coat of 1802. Although the Navy Department had been created by Congress in 1798, it was not until 1802 that a uniform order was issued over the signature of a Secretary of the Navy.
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