Good Evening, All;
I have found four photographs, and a few paragraphs of references for Confederate shoulder-straps in Dr. Howard G. Lanham's
Straps: the Evolution of United States Army Shoulder Straps (no ISBN; auto-published via Johnson Graphics, Westminster, MD; available for purchase via Freehold Publications, 215 Washington Heights; Westminster, MD 21157-5632)
On page 141 of this book, the following text:
...At the beginning of the war the sourthern states processed a large number of uniformed militia units whose officers wore shoulder straps similar to the US Army. Some southern states published regulations prescribing shoulder straps after the outbreak of hostilities in 1861.
There were some differences from the US pattern. The state of Mississippi was similar except there were no branch of service colors and a crescent device was worn by general officers and colonels [citation: Sydney C. Kerksis, Plates and Buckles of the Amarican Military, 1795-1874; Stone Mountain Press, 1974; page 551] North Carolina was similar, except for the colors of the fields of general officers who had buff and infantry who had black. [citation: Ibid, page 549] South Carolina used a silver crescent on the straps of general officers and a gold palmetto tree on the straps of field officers. Company officers were similiar to the US pattern, but those of regimental officers were embroidered in silver and staff officers in gold. [citation: Richard Warren, "Officers, South Carolina Volunteer Forces, 1861", Plate 575, Military Collector and Historian, XXXVII, Summer, 1985 :89)
...
Photographic evidence, showing officers of early Confederate forces wearing shoulder straps is plentiful. This practice continued when these forces took the field, as illustrated by the well-known photograph of George Armstong Custer with the captured Confederate officers James B. Washington [citation: Francis A. Lord, Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia, Volume IV, West Columbia, S.C.; Lord Americana, 1984, page 138) In June 1861 the Confederate War Department issued orders establishing a system of grade insignia based on collar and sleeve insignia rather than shoulder straps. It should be no surprise that this order was not completely complied with, as an admonition against the use of shoulder straps appeared in the Richmond Daily Dispatch of March 21, 1862.
On page 142 of this same volume, is a full-page photograph of a South Carolina Militia Colonel's Shoulder Strap, with a triple-border and gold palmetto. Page 143 reproduces a CDV of 1st LT Elberts Jemison, First Texas Infantry, CSA, wearing a double-breasted frock coat with sleeve braid and a pair of shoulder straps with a single bar at either end. Page 144 reproduces a CDV of Captain Egbert A. Ross, 11th North Carolina Infantry, CSA, wearing a blouse adorned with shoulder straps similar to a US Army Captain. Finally, page 145 reproduces a CDV of an unidentified 1st LT wearing a frock coat adorned with home-made shoulder straps similar to US Army straps of the same grade.
It is also well-known that Confederate Naval Officers wore shoulder straps, albiet with one, two, three, or four stars, denoting lieutenants, commanders, captains, and flag officers, respectively.
From the above evidence, it is clear that some Confederate officers wore shoulder straps, at least early in the war. And, if it makes you happy, Arapaho Kid, I say go for it!
I have the honor to remain,
Your Obedient Servant,
Bvt. Captain Malachi Thorne