United States Army Headbear Catalogue of United States Army Uniforms in the Collections of the Smithsonian Institution, II. Katalog over United States Army uniformer i samlingerne af Smithsonian Institution: 2) (Smithsonian studies in history and technology: nr. 30).
THE 1858 ARMY HAT
For Officers of the Ordnance Department: Same as for the General Staff, except the front ornament, which will be a gold embroidered shell and flame, on black velvet ground. For Officers of Cavalry: The same as for the Dragoons, except that the sabers will be reversed, with the number of the regiment in the lower corner.
THE 1858 FORAGE CAP
The adopted cap was therefore apparently a combination of the body of the French cap and the visor of the engineer's model. Attached to the inside of the crown with a red wax seal that reads "Office of Clothing.
THE 1864 LIGHT ARTILLERY CAP
The origin of this cap shape, which is generally similar to the 1851-1854 pattern although the details differ considerably, is unknown and no clue is given as to its correspondence with the period. The cap of the greaser very clearly has the countersunk point as prescribed in the Quartermaster Manual and shown in the Schuyler, Hartley and Graham catalogue.
THE 1872 REGULATION HEADGEAR
For General Officers, General Staff Officers and Staff Corps: Chapeau, according to pattern. For Infantry Officers: A gold embroidered cup, on a dark blue cloth ground, with the regimental number in silver within the bend.
THE FULL DRESS CAP
C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General
A number of examples of the cap were examined, including six sealed specimens (Figures 25, 26) and three officer models (Figure 27) that could be included in the same category. No clear indication was given as to exactly which insignia each branch of the service was to wear, possibly based on custom that had been in force since 1832. However, in light of the context of the original investigation, the latter seems more likely."^.
The assistant surgeon wrote that the little ventilator in the crown was worthless, which it apparently was; Colonel Glitz of the 10th Infantry found the cap well made, durable, light and comfortable; Colonel Andrews of the 25th Foot thought it "fit for its purpose"; Lt.
February 1882, after the adoption of the spiked and/or plumed helmet as a dress item for
Eagles for C a p : to be worn on the caps of all kinds of armies; eagle with national shield on breast, head encircled by scroll with motto "E pluribus unum," reaching down, meeting olive branch and arrows in eagle's talons; height, I/2 inch; greatest breadth between tips of wings, 1-2 inches. Hospital Wardens Wreath C a p : two olive branches joined below by a loop and knot, turned upwards and bent in an oval, converging at the top; height, 1Y2 inches; maximum distance between outside edges, 2Ys inches; maximum width of single branch, Ys inches. Taken as a whole, the response and commentary on the cap has been light and rather non-committal.
Whistler, commanding officer at Fort Riley, called it a "decisive improvement"; while Captain Morse of the 6th Infantry thought its quality excellent and the color good, though he asked for instructions on cleaning the pompoms.'"* Only the Miles Equipment Board of 1879 was strongly disparaging - openly favoring if it adopted. of a modification of the mounted helmet for all branches—stating in his published report that "the present shako.
THE LIGHT ARTILLERY-CAVALRY HELMET
Eagle.-In yellow metal, gilded; same pattern as in the coat of arms of the United States, with the national shield on the chest; In the center of the cross stands a sphere one (1) inch in diameter, surmounted by a short ringed neck, the first half (/a), the second five-eighths (Ys) of an inch in diameter, combined about a and a half ( / a ) inch high, of which. The scroll is three-quarters (%) inch in diameter, decorated to correspond with the top-piece fastening.
At the top of the roll, in the center, is a three-sixteenths (%6) inch high eye of thin wire, which holds a thin brass ring one-half (/a) inch in diameter to hold the cords and belts in position.
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Letter after letter spoke harshly of the unsuitability of all kinds of head-coverings for winter wear, and called for woolen hats and earmuffs.^" As to the actual weight of the helmet, an issue specimen complete with ribbons, cords, tassels, and plumes it proved to weigh 16. In 1881, when a helmet of a somewhat different pattern was adopted for the entire army, all of the 1872 models were ordered to the Philadelphia depot, where they were delivered to Horstmann & Bros., who cut them down to match the new style.
THE FORAGE CAP
The shape of the cap would therefore give a slope to the crown of one (1) to one and one-fourth ( I ' / i ) inches from back to front. A number of designated models of the cap were examined and all followed the specifications within allowable tolerances (Figure 34). The regulations were more specific regarding the insignia for the feeding cap than they were in the case of the dress cap, although the problem of size was not resolved until 1877.
The caps of general officers and officers of the General Staff and Staff Corps (all of whom were authorized to wear a headpiece rather than a cap) were required to wear a gold-embroidered wreath surrounding the silver letters "US".
THE FATIGUE OR CAMPAIGN HAT, 1872-1902
October, Meigs wrote the Adjutant General requesting that a board of officers be set up to con-
The board, in turn, requested all reports on the trials and was told that none had been received. No reports of the trial in Washington were actually received prior to the submission of the board's report.)'". The pattern recommended for adoption has been sent to the quartermaster-general's office, duly sealed for identification.
For all service purposes, black is considered to be the most preferred color.
C/IMPAIGH MAT
Size Numbers
These had to be secured with non-rustable wire; As with the 1899 trial models, they were required to have side ventilation grilles made of wire and the edges of the edges to be turned over and stitched or merely stitched. Of the examples examined, none met the 1883 specifications, that is, with the wire mesh side fans and two rows of stitching on them. Officers' cords were to be of gold for general officers and of gold and black silk mixed for others. For organizational identification of enlisted men in 1899, the company letter and regiment number were prescribed for wearing on the hat.
In the case of engineer troops, only the company letter had to be worn."^*.
THE 1881 HELMET
Helmets for Field Officers.—According to the pattern on file in the Grand Master General's office. The scroll is three-quarters (Yt") in diameter, decorated to correspond with the upper part fastening. Due to the confusion caused by the photos taken in January and published in the.
Kendall, 8th Cavalry, writing on the uniform in the Journal of the United States Cavalry Association, stated:
THE CORK OR SUMMER HELMET
Material, etc.—The shell shall be composed of two thicknesses of the best quality of cork, laminated or scarf-stitched, and securely cemented together with shellac. Outer covering shall be of the best grade of bleached cotton boring, in four (4) sections, nailed together and attached to the shell with shellac. Bands of the same material, about three-fourths {Yi) of an inch deep. 72, Army Headquarters, November 4, 1880, issued only to troops in warm climates and then instead of campaign hats, the necessity of being certified by the department commander.
The issue rate was one each for the first and third year of a subscription.
THE WINTER CAP
These were made up in clothing depots and distributed free of charge with the same geographical area provisions as for the fur models (Figure 56). The greatest depth of the earlobes should be approximately five (5) inches, continuing around the cap. The lining and interlining of the body of the cap to be topstitched in block pattern, as shown in the sealed standard sample, with not less than twelve (12) stitches per inch; the junction of the body of the cap with the lining is thus prepared to be sewn neatly and securely at about six (6) stitches per inch.
The overskirt and cape should have an interlining of furniture hair cloth to give that part of the shell stability, and applied as shown in the sealed standard sample.
THE INDIAN SCOUT CAMPAIGN HAT
Good quality cotton batting in the body of the cap, with an interlining in the cape and ears of furniture fabric, medium weight as shown in the sealed standard pattern, counting approximately sixty-two (62) threads to the warp and forty-two (42) threads to the stuffing. Measurements.—The height of the crown shall be approximately seven (7) inches at the foreskin, full in a circular slope as shown in the sealed standard pattern. Two examples of the hat, both from the War Department collection and unissued, were examined.
The brim has three rows of stitching and the black silk sash measures s/^ inch.
THE CHAPEAU, 1859-1936
To be of black silk plush with a rosette of black silk, elliptical in shape, about 5 inches long and 3 inches wide on the right side in the middle, slanting forward; in the center of this to be a strip of gold lace, the arms of the United States embroidered in gold or gilt gold. Corps of Engineers chapeau is also in the National Collections.*"' The 1859 specimen measures 18i/4 inches in overall length, the right fan 6 inches high, the left 6i/4. A number of biographical specimens of the lower fan pattern, which seem to have come into vogue, are in the National Collections and all are very similar to each other in size and build.
The version described in the 1912 specifications is best typified by that previously owned by Major General William Crawford Gorgas, Assistant Sm-.
THE 1895 FORAGE CAP
G. SAWTELLE,
In 1899, electrician sergeants were authorized to present "a symbol representing a forked lightning bolt" of German silver in a wreath of dead or unburnt gilt metal, and in 1901 the "Geneva Cross" of the Hospital Corps was changed to a modified Maltese cross of German silver , Yghy y^ inches One further addition was the insignia for the enlisted men of the Army Service Department at West Point adopted in 1900, the letters "Q. 34; white linen caps, corresponding to the pattern in the Office of the Quartermaster- general" was authorized for officers "during the hot season if authorized by post commanders." No ornaments may be worn on the front of the caps, but hood cords are prescribed: for general officers, of gold lace about % inch wide; for general staff and staff corps, of gold gold 1/^ inch in diameter; and for line officers, side cord, i/^ inch in diameter of the color of the arm of service A number of specimens of the 1895 model, except the white pattern, attributable to the regular Army, were examined and all conformed to the general to the specifications.
The military goods dealers are willing to sell it, but without exception they mind it, and some of the sharpest critics are members of the board of directors to whom its selection is committed. achieves a square top arrangement, a cross between a bicycle cap and a motor conductor's cap baseball cap a cross between the cap of a sleeping car porter and that now worn by naval officers, conspicuously barren of military cleverness On the other side of the fence was Lt.
MAKERS OF HEADGEAR
![FIGURE 18.—"The cloth detached from the [Scotch] cap, showing its attachment by button holes and tapes." (From Woodhull Report, 1868, fig](https://thumb-ap.123doks.com/thumbv2/123dok/11165413.0/39.854.488.742.546.967/figure-detached-scotch-showing-attachment-button-woodhull-report.webp)
