Corps Castle

When the Corps Castle is worn as insignia on a uniform, it is similar to the logo design but with a dull or shiny brass finish.

Beginning in 1841, cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York wore personal insignia of this type known as Gold Castles on their uniforms as they became commissioned officers in the U.S. Army.

[1] While there may be some truth to the French connection, the origins are also attributed to Colonel Jonathan Williams and a member of his staff, Alexander Macomb.

In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson appointed him commander of the newly created Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

[1] In 1807, he made the earliest known drawing of the Engineer Button adorned with a castle motif, worn on the uniforms of the West Point cadets during the War of 1812.

The castle was also a major element in the architectural design of the buildings at West Point, as typified by the old library built in 1841 that survived until 1961, when it was torn down.

[1] From the evidence, one would conclude that Williams and Macomb, both familiar with French military tradition and heraldry, designed not only the Corps castle emblem but also the Essayons button.

While the designs of the emblem and the button have changed, the castle remains a distinctive symbol of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.