British Army officer rank insignia were ordered to wear the same collar as other General officers, but no device in the collar. In 1880, War Office ordered to move rank badges from collar to shoulder. In 1921, the War Office abolished the rank of Brigadier General and introduced a new rank called Colonel Commandant (Officer commanding a Brigade) or Colonel on the staff (officer not commanding a Brigade, but staff officer). The badges of Colonel Commandant and Colonel on the staff were the same, consisting of a crown and three stars. In 1928, Brigadier rank was introduced by abolishing the ranks of Colonel Commandant and
United States Army officer rank insignia In 1851, it was decided to use only silver eagles for colonels, as a matter of economy. The silver eagle was selected based on the fact that there were more colonels with the silver eagle that those with gold, primarily in the cavalry and artillery, hence it was cheaper to replace the numerically fewer gold ones in the infantry. At that time on the shoulder straps, lieutenant colonels wore an embroidered silver leaf; majors wore a gold embroidered leaf; and captains and first lieutenants wore gold bars. The second lieutenant had no grade insignia, but the presence of an epaulette