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Imperial
Navy Uniform Regulations (1) Naval uniforms remained
fairly consistent for several decades prior to the Napoleonic wars.
During that era numerous reforms and changes took place before they
achieved a sort of stability by 1812. From that point the uniforms
would go on unchanged until the end of Tsar Alexander I's reign.
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Date |
Naval Uniform Change |
|
1796 |
| |
12 November |
Order issued
prohibiting naval officers from wearing uniforms trimmed in gold. |
| |
17 November |
Silver sword knots established for officers.
A naval dark green uniform is introduced. It features a white collar,
no lapels, and dark green cuffs. It also has stripes sewn into the
sleeve that makes it possible to determine the division and squadron of the
officer. Trousers and sleeveless jacket are white, and the buttons,
sword, and buckles are gilded.
Scarves for flag officers are abolished.
Dark green uniforms with red collar, lapels, and cuffs with a white
sleeveless jacket and trousers with a stripe are issued to battalion
officers. The sleeve flaps color varies by unit (red, blue, white,
dark blue, yellow, violet, orange, green, black, or grey). battalion
field and chief officers are also issued a silver scarf.
Naval officers of the land service wore uniforms without stripes and with
white buttons.
Navigator uniforms lacked stripes and had a green collar rather than a white
one. |
|
1797 |
| |
3 February |
Boots for
seamen are introduced. Officers are authorized to wear fine leather
boots. |
|
1798 |
| |
20 August |
A regular statute on uniforms and
accessories for seamen and petty officers is published.
A black hat of soft wool and gold lace, wool tassels, and a black bow with
orange hem and button is to be worn. A dark green caftan with green
cuffs and copper buttons with a white sleeveless jacket is to be issued.
White trousers, suede gloves, a necktie, and black shoes are established for
petty officers.
Seamen are to wear a Dutch hat, a dark green sleeveless jacket (bostrog) and
dark green trousers. They are also to have a white sleeveless jacket
with green collar and cuffs, a thick working sleeveless jacket, a Dutch
working shirt with linen breeches, a long mantle with a coarse heavy cloth
lining, a canvas shirt, stockings, and boots. |
| |
28 December |
Order
prohibiting officers from wearing fur coats other than the uniform greatcoat
is published. |
|
1801 |
| |
18 May |
A
dark green uniform with six buttons, a stand up collar, folded flaps, and
white edgings around skirts and cuffs was introduced for admirals and
officers.
The sleeveless jacket is to be made of white cloth, as are the trousers.
The black hat is to have a gold tab and a small white plume.
Ship personnel will have two anchors embroidered in gold thread on the
sleeve flaps (silver in the rowing fleet).
Three anchors are to be embroidered on the admiral's collar, two on the vice
admiral's collar, and one on the rear admiral's collar. |
|
1802 |
| |
26 March |
Seamen are to
wear a dark green uniform with stand-up collar, and slashed cuffs with
flaps. The are also to wear white trousers and short boots.
Petty officers and seamen of naval battalions are also to wear the short
boots.
Straps worn on both shoulders particular to each battalion are approved.
Colors shown below:
| Battalion |
Baltic Fleet |
Black Sea Fleet |
| 1st |
red |
dark blue |
| 2nd |
white |
pale yellow |
| 3rd |
yellow |
orange |
| 4th |
light crimson |
|
| 5th |
turquoise |
| 6th |
rose |
| 7th |
light green |
| 8th |
grey |
| 9th |
lilac |
The same straps are to be worn on grey greatcoats with a stand up collar. |
| |
28 May |
New regimentals introduced for seamen and
petty officers.
Petty officers (and stores keeper) are to wear: a round hat of soft wool,
with the brim bent down on one side, and a bow of black ribbon with an
orange hem and button. The uniform is to be dark green with a stand up
collar, slashed cuffs and dark green flaps (trimmed in gold lace).
Trousers of dark green cloth, a white sweater with buttons covered with
cloth, and a grey greatcoat with white collar and shoulder straps (color
appropriate to the division), and boots completed the uniform.
Sailors receive the same uniform, but without the gold lace trim. |
|
1803 |
| |
2 May |
A uniform with embroidered collar and
sleeves is established for admirals and officers. White edgings are
abolished and gold shoulder straps are introduced.
Naval ordnance personnel are issued a similar uniform but with black cloth
collar and black folds on the flaps.
Navigators uniform lacks embroidery and shoulder straps.
Admiralty personnel have a uniform with embroidery and white buttons.
All personnel are given sleeveless jackets and trousers of white cloth,
black silk neckties, hats with tabs, dark green lapelled frock coats with
slashed cuffs and straight/oblique edges.
Grey greatcoats with collar the color of the uniform, and dark green working
trousers are issued to all personnel. |
| |
1 October |
Dark green
cloth with gold embroidery on the collar and cuffs is introduced for Naval
College officers (similar to the uniform of the personnel of the 1st and 2nd
military schools). Shoulder straps are gold as for naval officers.
Sleeveless jackets and trouser are white, silk neckties are black.
Hats feature a bow and tab, but no plume.
Dark green frock coats and trousers, along with grey greatcoats are also
introduced.
Cadets are issued similar uniforms but lacking the embroidery. The
shoulder straps are to be green with anchors embroidered in yellow thread.
They are to wear cocked hats with white tassels without plume.
A naval dirk is introduced in place of the cutlass. |
|
1804 |
| |
4 June |
Naval ordnance
petty officers are to wear a naval uniform with a black collar and black
cuffs. |
|
1807 |
| |
4 October |
Epaulets were approved for admiralty
personnel, naval artillerymen, generals and admirals, field and chief
officers. |
| |
12 November |
Retired generals and admirals, field and
chief officers, are prohibited from wearing epaulets. |
| |
31 December |
Silver
embroidery on the uniform collar and cuffs is introduced for medical
officers of the Navy Department. |
|
1808 |
| |
7 March |
A common
general's embroidery on the uniform collar, cuffs, and flaps is established
for naval admiral's and general's, and also for naval ordnance generals, and
for general's of the Naval College (they still retained the embroidered
anchor on their collar). |
|
1809 |
| |
5 June |
The plume on
admiral's and general's hats is abolished. |
|
1810 |
| |
|
M-1810 Tesak is authorized for gunners of
Guard's equipage and bombardiers. |
| 7 January |
Wearing
epaulets on uniforms (without embroidery) and frock coats is authorized. |
| 1 February |
Naval generals and admirals, field and chief
officers are authorized to wear a saber instead of a sword. By the
following year the saber would be the M-1811 navy saber. (2) |
| 16 February |
Color shoulder straps and epaulets with
embroidered crew's number are introduced in the Guard's crew, dark green in
the naval crew, light green in the rowing crew, white in the lighter crew,
and black in the ordnance brigades, and grey in the naval workshop
companies. |
|
1811 |
| |
9 February |
Those decorated with gold swords with "for
gallantry" inscription are authorized to wear them instead of the saber. |
| |
14 April |
Cutlasses with black shoulder belts are
introduced for ordnance privates of the Black Sea and Baltic fleets and for
naval defense brigades. |
| |
27 April |
Line officers of the Naval College are
authorized to wear dark green trousers with the uniform, and with the same
without embroidery. They are also allowed to wear the M-1811 navy saber instead of
the sword. They are also allowed to wear a shako under certain
conditions. (2) |
| |
29 April |
A pattern of cutlass is approved for Naval
College cadets. |
| |
5 June |
The plume on
admiral's and general's hats is abolished. |
|
1812 |
| |
|
A regular
statue is approved for uniforms and accessories of seamen and petty officers
of the admiralty department. |
