Waseca County Military - Civil War. Worn on shoulder of uniform to protect from saber blow, commonly referred to as a "shoulder scale" perhaps because of the scaled design worked into the metal. Shoulder scales were worn as a dress distinction of the uniform coat and jacket of enlisted men of all branches; they were never worn on the sack coat. Attached to the uniform by a tongue on the bottom of the scale which slid through a brass attachment sewn onto the shoulder of the uniform coat that was called a scale slide. At the collar was a second piece called a scale button which turned and locked the scale onto the uniform. Design of insignia scales varied to indicate rank of the Civil War Union Army soldier or officer: 1) Privates (not finished off on the bottom), Corporals and Musicians; 2) Sergeants (have a bottom section that fits the shoulders); 3) Members of Noncommissioned Staff (has a series of rivets in the scales).
