Plate 4
Fig. 1. Infantry Second Sargeant, Tropical Campaign Dress. Khaki cap with brown peak and chinstrap, only the national cockade being worn by way of insignia. White tropical uniform with khaki paste buttons, brown leather waistbelt [the bayonet frog suspended from the left side] and two different models of bandolier, a tinned metal water bottle in a brown leather carrier on the left hip with canvas "bread bag" behind it. Native sandals or "huaraches" are worn in place of shoes [which was still common practice, particularly in warm weather, the loose white cott-on underdrawers might still be seen protruding below the rolled trouser legs in some cases]. Two "garance" red rank stripes on a khaki backing are held around the lower sleeves by thread loops.
Fig.2. Corporal Bugler, 36th Infantry Battalion, Campaign Dress, c.1917. This individual, from a period toward the very end of the war, shows a number of unusual. features which prefigure practices adopted by the 1919 dress regulations [it is by no means clear to what extent the 1919 dress regulations may have simply put an official "sea! of approval" on already existing practices V. Khaki cap, tunic, buttons and trousers, brown leather cap peak and chinstrap, belts, cartridge pouches and shoes. The tunic has patch pockets, no shoulder straps and bronzed metal unit numbers on the collar, all variations rarely to be seen during the civil war period [particularly on an other ranks uniform]. A single red rank stripe is sewn around the cuff, as well as circling the cap band [the latter practice was occasionally to be seen on officers caps, but was extremely rare among lower ranks]. The infantry branch badge on his cap band is printed or painted [possibly in dark green?l on a square khaki patch, with the cockade above. on each sleeve are two sets of "golpes" consisting of gold reversed chevrons on a "garance" red backing, each with 3 sets of dangling gold pompoms. Brass bugle with red cord around central portion, carried on a narrow brown leather strap on campaign. This unique belt and pouch rig appears in only the source photo for this figure, I've never seen another example depicted. Presumably this would be a locally-made "one-off" adaption, the pouches bear a strong resemblance to old cartridge carriers, possibly cut-down a bit, with belt loops added on the rear and extra pockets to the flap (could this conceivably be the model described in the regulations?].
Fig. 3. Cadet Drummer, Mexican Military Academy, Full Dress, 1910. [after a Joseph Hefter sketch] This should be regarded as a sort of postscript to Part 1 because of it's date, sorry but I've just re-found it among my files. This figure is a good example of the model 1905 other ranks full dress uniform, though the Cadets uniform was not entirely typical, having a number of distinctive features. Black leather picklehaulbe with brass fittings and Mexican Eagle as a front helmet plate, white horsehair plume. The blue-black cadets full dress tunic was [and still is, for that matter] double-breasted with long skirts, almost like a frock coat, collar and cuffs of black velvet edged with crimson piping, crimson 3-button cuff flaps, brass buttons. in place of shoulder straps cadets wore contre-epaulets of crimson cloth with gilt crescents and lace edging. On the sleeves are two sets of "golpes", each consisting of [unusually] 4 gold lace chevrons backed with crimson cloth and gold depending pompoms. Below these, on the lower sleeve, are two diagonal gold lace stripes designating an upperclass-man (this type of stripe is still used by cadets in the Mexican Army]. Blue-black trousers with a crimson stripe, black boots, white shirt and gloves, drum baldric and waistbelt of black polished leather with brass fittings, black-painted steel bayonet scabbard. The drum is brass, embossed with the Military Academy badge on the front, the hoops of alternating triangles of green, white and red, white cords and tighteners, black drumsticks with brass tips, black leather drum apron. Inset to the left is the "branch badge" of the Military Academy, according to Hefter the symbolism of this badge is as follows; the crossed cannon symbolize attack, the gabion [somewhat different from that used in the Engineer's badge] symbolizes defense, the upright torch symbolizes study and the 5 lightning bolts emenating from the flames symbolize the 5 years of the course. This badge would also be embossed on the waistbelt plate and worn on the cartridge pouch flaps of cadets armed with rifles.
A final note on sleeve rank stripes; officers continued to wear the same system used with earlier uniforms [on the service uniform, sometimes the campaign uniform as well], 1-3 narrow button- colour lace stripes for Junior officers, 1-3 wider stripes for senior officers. These would be of silver for cavalry, officers, gold for all other combat arms. N.C.Os. and enlisted ranks would have stripes of branch of service colour, according to the following system; 3 stripes for First Sargeant, 2 for Second Sargeant, 1 for Corporal and 1 on the left sleeve only for a 1st Class soldier.
Another good section to this article by Chuck, hopefully the last part, on the Villistas, will not be long in being researched, many thanks. T.D.H.
Uniforms of the Mexican Army: Constitutional Army 1913-1917
Back to Table of Contents -- El Dorado Vol V No. 4
Back to El Dorado List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1993 by The South and Central American Military Historians Society
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com