Russian Navy Uniform Regulations of 1857-1876

Imperial Navy Uniform Regulations (1) One means of understanding the military life is to look over the changes that were made to the uniforms of the soldiers and sailors of the period. Few new regulations were issued regarding naval dress during the years of the war, but one notable exception in 1878 was specific to the war itself.
Date		Naval Uniform Change
1857
	15 April	Naval Department officials are ordered to wear a round cockade in place of the earlier oblong version.
	19 June	Hats are to be worn in place of service caps in the navy.
	31 July	Eagles with spread wings are to be placed everywhere on the uniforms.
	31 October	Retired admirals, generals, and officers are ordered to wear uniforms without shoulder straps and epaulets.
	7 December	All privates are ordered to wear the M-1856 boarding cutlass in place of earlier cutlasses and the M-1810 artillery sword. (2)
1858
	January	Badges of white woven cord are introduced in private's shoulder straps to indicate a serviceman on leave. One stripe signifies temporary leave, two stripes signify indefinite leave.
	9 March	Boatswain and sergeants major are authorized to wear and the 1856 navy boarding cutlass. (2)
	11 April	Greatcoats are reintroduced in place of peacoats for navy privates and pupils of naval educational institutions.
	18 April	New regimentals are established for Saint Petersburg pilots. These consist of round wide brimmed hats with a black ribbon band bearing the inscription: лоцманъ (pilot). A dark green service cap with a peak and a chinstrap can also be worn. A wide half-caftan, a waist belt, dark green trousers (for winter) and white trousers (for summer), a necktie, a greatcoat, and boots complete the uniform.
	25 April	Boatswains and sergeants major have their lace arm stripes abolished as they are issued an 1851 Colt Navy revolver and an officer's saber.
	22 May	Many colored oarsman's shirts are abolished.
	12 July	An officer's white single breasted naval jacket is established.
	22 December	A monogram 'K' with a crown is introduced on shoulder straps and epaulets for the personnel of the 1st Naval His Imperial Highness' general-admiral's crew.
1859
	28 February	The half-caftan is replaced by uniforms. Officer's frock coats are introduced.
1860
	20 February	Shoulder strap numbers for crews, companies, detachments are abolished.
1861
	23 April	Epaulets with a metallic silver plated rim and a silver thread are established for medical personnel of the Navy Department.
	29 April	Shoulder straps with a white lining instead of shoulder plaits are introduced for medical personnel of the Navy Department.
1862
	20 March	A hood of camel cloth is introduced.
	9 November	Officers that graduated from the Higher Officer's class at the Naval College are authorized to wear an aiguillette.
1863
	2 December	Shoulder straps are approved for civil officials of the Navy Department
1864
	25 May	Sewing the officer's greatcoat with a turn down collar was introduced.
1865
	20 November	A black leather holster is approved for the 1851 Colt Navy revolver.
1866
	15 February	1851 Colt revolvers must be worn in holsters on the side over the thigh (not in the back). The holster for the 1851 Colt revolver is introduced for the sergeants major of the Navy College.
	21 June	Graduates of the Higher Officer's class at the Naval College are to wear a special breast badge in place of the aiguillette authorized in 1862
1867
	13 May	Common naval shoulder straps and epaulets with a white lining only are introduced for the Naval College personnel. Privates begin to wear naval regimentals, but with these white shoulder straps.
	25 December	Embroidered eagles are abolished, and stars are introduced on the shoulder straps and epaulets of the Navy Department generals.
1869
	31 May	Shoulder straps are abolished on the cloaks and greatcoats of naval physicians and the Navy Department civil officials.
	14 October	A black lacquered hat is introduced for privates.
1870
	13 October	A frock coat with a turn down collar (of a civilian cut) is approved.
1872
	12 January	Single breasted uniforms fastened up with eight buttons are introduced.
	15 January	The St. Andrew's Cross is to be embroidered in blue thread on the eagles of shoulder straps and epaulets.
	8 March	A dark green peakless cap with a black ribbon on the band and a cockade on the hat crown is established for privates and petty officers.
	14 July	Black laquered hats for privates and petty officers are abolished. Underwear shirts (tel'nyashka) with transversal white and blue stripes are introduced.
	8 November	Inscriptions on cap ribbons are approved for privates and petty officers.
1873
	3 February	St. Andrews' stars and plumes are granted on the arms of the Guard's crew hats.
1874
	12 March	It is established to set off with a white-orange-black cord the shoulder straps of the naval cadets.
	20 August	Naval personnel are authorized to wear a beard (except for the Guard's crew and Tsar's suite).
1875
	1 January	Regulations are introduced on the allowance of the Navy Department detachments for regimentals and accessories.
1876
	14 March	Shoulder plaits of silver cord instead of shoulder straps are to be worn by civil officials of the Navy Department.
	27 November	An officers black overcoat with turn down collar and shoulder traps is introduced.

In this section we will present information regarding the Imperial Russian naval uniforms during the military reform period following the Crimean defeat, but before the conflict with Turkey. Many new regulations were promulgated during this time affecting the appearance and function of the naval uniform. These are detailed below. In addition to this, whenever naval uniform artifacts of the period (buttons, headgear, cockades, etc) become available we will display them here.
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