Skip to Main Content
New York State Library Logo

Civil War Illustrations

Shoulder Knots

the shoulder knots that indicate five different military ranks

Caption: Shoulder Knots – No. 1. Commandant, features a star. 2. Colonel, features an eagle and shield. 3. Lieutenant-Colonel, features one horizontal bar . 4. Captain, features two horizontal bars. 5. First Lieutenant, features an oak leaf.

Source: Illustration from New York Illustrated News, September 2, 1861, page 284.