Branch Badge

Two gold colored crossed muskets, vintage Springfield 1795 musket (model 1795 musket ), 3/4 inch high.

Crossed muskets were first introduced into the U.S. Army as an insignia for officers and infantrymen on November 19, 1875 (War Department General Order No. 96 dtd of November 19, 1875) to become effective on or before June 1, 1876. previous years were made to keep the insignia current with the changing styles of rifles being introduced into the Army. However, in 1924 the branch insignia was standardized by the adoption of crossed muskets and the Springfield Arsenal Model 1795 musket was adopted as the standard musket to be used. This was the first official U.S. shoulder arm, manufactured in a government arsenal, .69 caliber, flint lock, smooth bore, muzzle loader. The standardized musket now in use was first suggested by Major General Charles S. Farnsworth, U.S. Army, While First Chief of Infantry, in July 1921, and approved by General Pershing, Chief of Staff, in 1922. The device adopted in 1922 has been in continuous use since 1924. There have been slight modifications in the size of the insignia over the years; however, the basic design has not changed.