How to Distinguish Rank by Uniform in the Civil War
- 1). Find the right arm of the soldier's jacket you want to classify.
- 2). Point to the top of the arm where it meets the shoulders; this is where the insignia will be. Both the Confederate and Union enlistees used similar insignias. These insignias generally look like a "V" with the addition of a few other lines. The ranks that are comprised in the enlistee category are Sergeant Major through Corporal. An officer will have an arm insignia as well as a collar badge.
- 3). Identify if the collar has a star or horizontal rectangle on it. If it is a rectangle, then the wearer is a Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, or Captain (one, two, or three rectangles). If it has a star, then the wearer is a Major, Lieutenant Colonel, or Colonel (one, two, or three stars).