Uniform Regulations. United States Navy, 1852

FULL DRESS. [SEA OFFICERS.]
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Coat.

•   For a Captain -- shall be of Navy blue cloth, double breasted, lined and faced with white silk serge; two rows of large Navy buttons on the breast, nine in each row, placed four inches and a half apart from eye to eye at top, and two inches an a half at bottom. Stand up collar, to hook in front at bottom, and to slope thence upwards and backwards at an angle of twenty-five degrees on each side, and to rise no higher than will permit a free movement of the chin over it; to have a strip of Navy gold lace, one inch and a half wide around the top and down the front, with a strip of gold lace one-half of an inch wide around the bottom, as per pattern. The cuffs to be two inches and a half deep, with one strip of gold lace three-quarters of an inch wide below the seam, but joining it, and two strips of lace of the same width on the sleeves, above the cuffs, separated by a space of half an inch from each other, and a like strip of lace from the lower button to the end of the cuff, on the upper side of the opening, and four small size Navy buttons in the opening.
     The waist of the coat to descend to the top of the hip bone; the skirts to begin about one-fifth of the circumference from the front edge and descend four-fifths from the hip bone towards the knee, and to be lined with white silk serge, with one button behind on each hip and one near the bottom of the skirt in each fold. The pocket flaps to be pointed and laced all around with three- quarter inch lace, lined with white serge to show the edge of the lining, and to have four large Navy buttons underneath, showing one half of their diameter. Coat always to be worn fully buttoned.
•   For a Commander -- the same in all respects as for a Captain, except that it shall have lace one inch and a quarter wide around the top and down the front of the collar one strip of gold lace three quarters of an inch wide on the upper edge of the cuff, touching the seam, and one of the same width on the sleeve above the cuff, the two separated by a space of one-half of an inch, and a like strip from the lower button to the end of the cuff. The pocket flaps to be without lace, with but three large buttons underneath them, and but three small buttons in the opening of the cuff.
•   For a Lieutenant -- the same in all respects as for a Commander, except that it shall have lace one inch wide around the top and down the front of the collar, and but one strip of lace three-quarters of an inch wide around the upper edge of the cuff, touching the seam.
•   For a Master -- the same in all respects as for a Lieutenant, except that instead of lace, it shall have around the cuffs three medium size Navy buttons and three small ones in the opening.
•   For a Passed Midshipman -- the same in all respects as for a Master, except that there shall be no lace around the bottom of the collar, and no buttons around the cuffs.
•   For a Midshipman -- the same in all respects as for a Passed Midshipman, except that the collar, instead of lace, shall have embroidered on each side in gold thread, a foul anchor three inches long and two inches from bill to bill.
•   For a Boatswain, Gunner, Carpenter and Sailmaker -- shall be of Navy blue cloth, lined with the same; rolling collar, double breasted, two rows of large Navy buttons on the breast, eight in each row; pointed pocket flaps, with three large buttons underneath each, showing one half their diameter; three medium size buttons around each cuff and two small ones in each opening; one button behind on each hip, one in the middle of each fold and one in each fold near the bottom of the skirt. On each side of the collar to have one loop of three-quarters wide gold lace to show one inch and a half wide, and four inches long, with a small size Navy button in the point of each loop.

Epaulettes

    Captains, Commanders, Lieutenants, Pursers, Surgeons, Passed Assistant and Assistant Surgeons, Masters in the line of promotion and Chief Engineers, will wear two gold epaulettes of the dimensions, bullion and finish shown in the patterns, and with the following devices in silver, on the frog, viz: for:

•  Captains, an eagle and anchor two inches and five-eighths long, with a silver embroidered star above, one inch and one-eighth in diameter.
    The senior Captain in the Navy and the Commander-in-chief of a Squadron will have on the strap an additional star, one inch in diameter - the centres of the stars to be separated one inch and a half.
•   Commanders will have two crossed foul anchors, two inches long from crown to ring.
•   Lieutenants one foul anchor, two inches long.
•   Masters' epaulettes will be plain and of the same pattern as Lieutenants.

UNDRESS. [SEA OFFICERS.]

Coat.

•   For a Captain--shall be a frock-coat of Navy blue cloth, faced with the same, and lined with black silk serge; double breasted, with two rows of large Navy buttons on the breast, nine in each row, placed four inches and a half apart from eye to eye at top, and two inches and a half at bottom.
    Rolling collar, skirts to be full, commencing at the sop of the hip-bone and descending four- fifths thence toward the knee, with one button behind on each hip, and one near the bottom of each fold. Cuffs the same as for full dress.
•   For a Commander--the same in all respects as for a Captain, except that the cuffs shall have but two strips of gold lace around them, half an inch apart, one above and the other below the seam, but joining it, and three small buttons in the opening.
•   For a Lieutenant--the same in all respects as for a Commander, except that the cuffs shall have but one strip of gold lace around the upper edge.
•   For a Master--the same as for a Lieutenant, except that the cuffs shall have, instead of lace, three medium size Navy buttons around the upper edge.
•   For a Passed Midshipman--the same as for a Master, excepting the buttons around the cuffs.
•   For a Midshipman--the same as for a Passed Midshipman, except that medium buttons shall be substituted for the large buttons.

Shoulder Straps.

     Every officer entitled to epaulettes, shall wear above the shoulder seam of the undress-coat, shoulder straps, made according to pattern, as follows:

•   For a Captain -- of blue cloth, four inches long and one inch and three-eighths wide, bordered with an embroidery of gold, one- quarter of an inch in width, with the same device as prescribed for the frog of the epaulette, (except the star) embroidered on silver on the center of the strap.
    The senior Captain in the Navy, and the Commander-in-chief of a squadron, will wear in addition, a silver star, seven- tenths of an inch in diameter, on each end of the strap.
•   For a Commander -- the same as for a Captain, except that the device shall be the same as that directed for the epaulettes.
•   For a Lieutenant -- the same as for a Commander, except that, the device shall be the same as that directed for the epaulettes.
•   For a Master -- the same as for a Lieutenant, without any device.
•   For a Passed Midshipman -- a gold lace strap, one-half of an inch wide and four inches long.

     Shoulder straps to be always worn as distinctive marks, when the epaulettes are not worn.