I would like to know What the infantry standard bearer's rank was supposed to be during the Civil War. I am under the impression that a sergeant, called a color Sergeant, carried the flag, however, in quite a number of historical excerpts, the flag was carried by a corporal, and when the first Confederate battle flags were given, they seemed to be received by an Ensign. My impression was the rank of Ensign was a cavalry rank. I am not sure if the Ensign rank carried over to infantry, during the 1860's, and maybe the Ensign carried the flag on parade? and the Color Sergeant carried the flag into battle? And are many Corporals named in the histories because the Color Sergeant had already fallen? Or Did the Color Sergeant carry the main regimental flag and a Corporal carry a secondary flag as part of the regimental command? After consulting a number of paintings and historical accounts, I cannot say with certainty which rank was carrying the various Colors, at a particular time, for either North, or South. I am not simply trying to determine whether, when painting a toy soldier holding a flag, to add 2 chevrons, or three to the figure's upper sleeve, but to be accurate, and to understand, why? I thank all of you in advance for any insight you can confer on this question, whether it be fact, or opinion, and whether it be particular to the US Civil War era, or to Infantry/Cavalry standard bearer's in general. ---NandBtoysoldiers.wordpress.com
In Europe, the colours would be carried by the Ensign (the junior ranked officer) and protected by a picked body of seargents/corporals. The rank of Ensign was abolished in the US army following the 1815 Army reorganisation Act (it remained in the Navy).
As an example of Civil war organisation there is this from Bg Gen Silas Casey's 1862 drill manual
COLOR-GUARD.
- In each battalion the color-guard will be composed of eight corporals, and posted on the left of the right-centre company, of which company, for the time being, the guard will make a part.
- The front-rank will be composed of a sergeant to be selected by the colonel, who will be called, for the time, color-bearer, with the two ranking corporals, respectively, on his right and left; the rear-rank will be composed of the three corporals next in rank; and the three remaining corporals will be posted in their rear, and on the line of file closers. The left guide of the color company, when these three last named corporals are in the rank of file closers, will be immediately on their left.
- In battalions with less than five companies present, there will be no color-guard, and no display of colors, except it may be at reviews.
- The corporals for the color-guard will be selected from those most distinguished for regularity and precision, as well in their positions under arms as in their marching. The latter advantage, and a just carriage of the person, are to be more particularly sought for in the selection of the color-bearer.