Question About a Red Stretcher Bearer Brassard

[world war I nerd]

This detail from an H, Charles McBarren illustration depicts an Army Hospital Corps surgeon in Cuba during the Spanish American War. The surgeon is wearing the Army's recently adopted Geneva or Red Cross brassard. What's interesting about this particular painting are the red brassards being worn by the stretcher bearers just over the surgeon's right shoulder.

 

The man behind him, dressed in khaki is wearing another Geneva cross brassard, while the two litter bearers, by all accounts, look to be wearing solid red brassards. Could it be that the U.S. Army employed a red brassard to denote stretcher bearers in 1898? Or is this just a case of artistic license?

 

Has anybody with more knowledge on the uniforms of the Spanish American War ever read, heard or seen anything like this before?

 

Also of interest is what appears to be an early Hospital Corps Pouch slung from the left shoulder of the forward litter bearer.

 

Any facts, opinions, thoughts or wild guesses would be appreciated.

 

Thanks for looking.

[jgawne]

That is an interesting observation. Never noticed that.

 

My first inclination is to think there must be something behind it or else it would have been far easier to just paint them with crosses. However what I would lean to is that stretcher bearers were pulled from various places, like bandsmen, etc. as needed, so my working assumption would be they would get a different marking as medically untrained, then those actually in a medical unit.

[ADMIN]

This painting depicts the stretcher carriers exactly as the uniform regulations prescribe.

 

According to the 1898 U.S. Army Uniform Regulations for "company litter bearers," all must wear a "brassard of red cloth to be worn on the left sleeve above the elbow." Brassard of course is the English word for armband. At the time, the US Army regulations consists of many words that were borrowed from the British military terms.

 

The regulations go on to state that the stretcher bears (aka "litter bearers") are to drill with these brassards denoting their specialty. The Quartermaster Corp was to issue to each battery, troop, or company only four of these armbands / brassards. The battery, troop, or company could hand these out to the designated enlisted bearers. Upon the bearers transfer to another duty, the brassard was to be returned to the Quartermaster. The bearer would only be charged for the armband in case of loss or damage to the point it could not be reused. So, in short, it was not something someone could just take home on their uniform unless they wanted to receive a hefty bill.

 

On a side note, the medic armband or hospital corps armband in the picture happens to be worn by the doctor. But the uniform regulations allow its use by all, including privates and anyone "neutralized by the Geneva Convention." The main thing is that they must be assigned to the hospital corps.

 

The brassard in either case would be 16 inches long and 3 inches wide AND worn on the left sleeve just above the elbow. The stretcher bearer would clearly be a solid red. But the hospital corps one would have a cross that is exact 2 inches wide by 2 inches high.

 

(Of interesting note, it appears from the painting that the doctor's hospital corps armband may not be quite correct. The cross appears it may be too small, as it should officially only have 1/2 inch above it and 1/2 inch below the cross.)

 

Hope that helps!

Chris

[Terry K.]

The front stretcher bearer (black soldier)appears to be wearing the proper size cross on his armband

[world war I nerd]

Thanks Chris, you have explained exactly what I needed to know. However, your response also prompts another question ...

 

When did the Army stop using the red litter bearer brassard?

 

Here's a photo of men from D Company, 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry showing the red cross brassard.