Patch collectors have always had a basic foundation for their belief as to which was the first shoulder patch.

The answer, as reported in numerous sources, has always been the 81st Division “Wildcat” from World War I. Now, however, comes proof that at least one soldier wore shoulder patches over 50 years prior to the famous 81st Division.

A Civil War photograph was discovered that clearly shows Trooper Alex Smith of the Confederate Cavalry wearing patches on both shoulders. It is impossible to determine the exact color of the opposing pair of rearing horses with riders, but there is some reason to believe that they might have been black.

It is suspected that there is a possibility that Trooper Smith was a member of the Virginia Black Horse Cavalry. Smith’s home was only a few miles from the Virginia-Tennessee border and for him to have joined a Virginia unit would not have been unusual. There was such a unit, and the black horse patches would have made sense. However, there is no specific knowledge that the Virginia Black Horse Cavalry wore patches, but this trooper did, whether that was his unit or not.

The possibility exists that this cavalryman was the sole trooper to have adorned his uniform in this manner, but that possibility should not alter his potential new place in patch collector lore.

Given this evidence that the World War I 81st Division was not the first shoulder patch, have any members seen any concrete evidence (photos or written descriptions) of any pre-World War I soldiers wearing shoulder patches?

The Act is actually a Law enacted under Section 5001 of Title 15 of the United States Code, as follows:

TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE

CHAPTER 76--IMITATION FIREARMS

Sec. 5001. Penalties for entering into commerce of imitation firearms

(a) Acts prohibited

It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, enter into commerce, ship, transport, or receive any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm unless such firearm contains, or has affixed to it, a marking approved by the Secretary of Commerce, as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Distinctive marking or device; exception; waiver; adjustments and changes

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or (3), each toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm shall have as an integral part, permanently affixed, a blaze orange plug inserted in the barrel of such toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm. Such plug shall be recessed no more than 6 millimeters from the muzzle end of the barrel of such firearm.
(2) The Secretary of Commerce may provide for an alternate marking or device for any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm not capable of being marked as provided in paragraph (1) and may waive the requirement of any such marking or device for any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm that will only be used in the theatrical, movie or television industry.
(3) The Secretary is authorized to make adjustments and changes in the marking system provided for by this section, after consulting with interested persons.

(c) ``Look-alike firearm'' defined

For purposes of this section, the term ``look-alike firearm'' means any imitation of any original firearm which was manufactured, designed, and produced since 1898, including and limited to toy guns, water guns, replica nonguns, and air-soft guns firing nonmetallic projectiles. Such term does not include any look-alike, nonfiring, collector replica of an antique firearm developed prior to 1898, or traditional B-B, paint-ball, or pellet-firing air guns that expel a projectile through the force of air pressure.

(d) Study and report

The Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics is authorized and directed to conduct a study of the criminal misuse of toy, look-alike and imitation firearms, including studying police reports of such incidences and shall report on such incidences relative to marked and unmarked firearms.

(c) Technical evaluation of marking systems

The Director of the National Institute of Justice is authorized and directed to conduct a technical evaluation of the marking systems provided for in subsection (b) of this section to determine their effectiveness in police combat situations. The Director shall begin the study within 3 months after November 5, 1988, and such study shall be completed within 9 months after November 5, 1988.

(f) Effective date

This section shall become effective on the date 6 months after November 5, 1988, and shall apply to toy, look-alike, and imitation firearms manufactured or entered into commerce after November 5, 1988.

(g) Preemption of State or local laws or ordinances; exceptions

The provisions of this section shall supersede any provision of State or local laws or ordinances which provide for markings or identification inconsistent with provisions of this section provided that no State shall--
(i) prohibit the sale or manufacture of any look-alike, nonfiring, collector replica of an antique firearm developed prior to 1898, or
(ii) prohibit the sale (other than prohibiting the sale to minors) of traditional B-B, paint ball, or pellet-firing air guns that expel a projectile through the force of air pressure.

Originally gunslinger, gunfighter is a name given to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun.

Noted amateur etymologist Barry Popik has traced the term "gun slinger" back to its use in the 1920 Western movie, Drag Harlan. The word was soon adopted by other Western writers such as Zane Grey and became common usage. In his introduction to The Shootist author Glendon Swarthout says that gunslinger and gunfighter are modern terms and that the more authentic terms for the period would have been gunman, pistoleer, or shootist. While Swarthout seems to have been correct about gunslinger, we know that Bat Masterson used the term gunfighter in the newspaper articles he wrote about the lawmen and outlaws he had known.

In many cases the term gunfighter was applied to lawmen. Despite Hollywood and at times history painting a more noble picture of these lawman/gunfighters, there are very few instances where lawmen were dubbed gunfighters but were working only as lawmen. Generally, they were either both lawman and gambler, or lawman and business owner/operator, or lawman/outlaw. These very different means of employment, held at the same time, were more often than not the reason for many of their shootouts, rather than their noble enforcement of the law.

It is believed that the fear for the number 13 stems from primitive man being unable to count past 12. Numbers beyond 12 do now have an individual and independent name but are a combination of the first 12 numbers. With 12 being the end of the line, 13 was moving into unknown territory.

In Norse mythology the 13th number led to the death of Baldur, the beloved of the gods. When the 12 gods gathered for a banquet in Valhalla, Loki gatecrashed the party, increasing the number to 13, which led to the death of Baldur. It also happens that in Tarot cards, 13 is called "Death."

unlucky 13" is the reason why the thirteen loaves that bakers once supplied were never called by the number, but described as "a baker's dozen." The thirteenth loaf was regarded as a special bribe for the devil not to spoil the sale or the bread.

But 13 is not unlucky for all. The Mayas worshipped the 13 gods of the upper world. The Aztecs climbed 13 steps to their sacred places. Buddhists paid homage to 13 Buddhas. In Jewish faith, God revealed Himself by 13 attributes of bountiful mercy (Exodus 34: 6-7). The orthodox Jewish prayer book hold the Thirteen Principles of Faith. Jewish boys celebrate their Bar Mitzvah at age 13.

The number 13 in Greek is triskaideka and the fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia.

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