Throughout much of the 19th century, many branches of the burgeoning United States Army developed unique insignia to be displayed on the buttons of service and dress uniforms. During the Civil War, for instance, a common design was a shield containing the first letter of the branch name (A for Artillery, C for Cavalry, etc.) superimposed on an eagle with spread wings.
In 1902-1903, the Army replaced this system with a general service button displaying the United States coat of arms, i.e., the obverse of the Great Seal of the United States. The new button was prescribed for wear by members of every branch of service except those in the Corps of Engineers; they were allowed to continue to wear the famed “Essayons” buttons introduced within a few years of the establishment of the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1802.
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Designed for wear on the male and female versions of the coats worn with the Army Service/Dress and Mess/Evening Mess uniforms, our buttons are manufactured with 22K gold plating in a Hamilton-finish for brightness and are manufactured in four sizes: 36-ligne, 30-ligne, 25-ligne, and 20-ligne. Use the following chart to determine how many and what size button you should order.
| ASU Jacket | 36-ligne | 30-ligne | 25-ligne | 20-ligne |
| Male Officer | 4 | -0- | 4 | -0- |
| Female Officer | -0- | 4 | -0- | -0- |
| Male Enlisted | 4 | -0- | 6* | -0- |
| Female Enlisted | -0- | 6 ** | -0- | -0- |
* 4 pocket flaps, 2 epaulets
** 4 for front panel closure, 2 for epaulets
| Mess Jacket | 30-ligne | 20-ligne |
| Male | 6* | -0- |
| Female | -0- | 6* |
* Does not include chained buttons