Leonard Wood

[Books OToole]

I was doing a little research on General Wood and I discovered something curious.

I have a (black & white) photo of Col. Wood & LtC. Roosevelt.  They are in their khakis.  The collars and cuffs are apparently blue.

This I confirmed with a color photo of Wood's jacket.

Shouldn't the collar & cuffs be yellow?

Books

[Delmonico]

Books, in many pld time photos yellow apears as a dark color similar to what blue would be.  I don't understand why, pehaps some one with more photo knowledge can help. 

[Books OToole]

Del;

I thought that might be the case until I found a color picture on line and it really is a blue collar and cuffs.

Why??

Books

[Advertising]

[Delmonico]

Since color film was not around (or rather was experimental) who ever colorized it didn't know as much a we do.

[Books OToole]

You don't understand.  Leonards Wood's tunic is in a museum.  It still exists and it has a blue collar with insingia that says U.S.V.

If you Wikkapedia Leonard Wood you can see it for yourself.

When, as a historian (mongerel or otherwise) you know the way something is supposed to be, but it ain't, it causes confusion.
The tunic of Col. Leonard Wood U.S.V. should have yellow collar and cuffs;  But it don't.

Books

[US Scout]

Books,

I took a look at the uniform photo and noticed the facings were DARK blue, not the lighter blue of the infantry.  DARK Blue was for staff and general officers.

I'm thinking this may have been his coat from when he was a Brig Gen of Volunteers in Cuba.  I wasn't able to see if there was any rank on the coat to help confirm or contradict this theory.

Its possible that in the photo of him and Roosevelt, they are wearing the YELLOW facings of the cavalry, but they turned out dark because of the photographical techniques of the period. 

Perhaps St George can enlighten us further.

US Scout
Brig Gen, GAF

[Drydock]

Woods was given a field promotion to brigadier and assigned 2nd Brigade before Santiago, and would have adopted the dark blue facings as soon as possible.  In the earlier B&Ws i have no doubt that the facings are indeed yellow, but appear dark.

The photo does indeed appear to be a uniform of a General of Volenteers.

[St. George]

US Scout's on target - Woods' facings indicate his higher rank, and are Dark Blue, while Roosevelt's are Yellow - indicating Cavalry.

Regrettably, photography of the time and subsequent reproduction of same, do not give an accurate idea of actual color.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!