Civil War use of German style spiked helmets

This is a pretty interesting reference on the topic
From the same site:

Another unique German inspired American Militia helmet. This one is similar to a German 1842 in size and style but is much cruder. The spike looks almost as though it was designed by the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. The cruciform base is much smaller than the German counterpart and there is no pearl ring on the spike base. This has one cockade and is leather like the German variety but in red white and blue American colors. Not only is there no remaining liner but you can see that there was no hole in the center for the spike.pic
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We have no idea of the source of this helmet and welcome what you know.

http://www.pickelhauben.net/pickelhaube/1842American.htm
 
A very interesting American spiked helmet. The insignia is too funny. I would call it a lazy eagle. The eagle's wings are sagging from the standard U.S. eagle. Also the leaves and arrows hang lower. Perhaps this militia eagle was tired or some thing.
 
That's very eastern European looking. I wonder what inspired them to go in that direction when everyone else was so French inspired. The Russians were the losers in the Crimean, and their army demonstrated to be backward. The prussians wouldn't fight the Danes for 5 years, even then, that little war didn't get that much press.

Now this is a very eastern European looking uniform.

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I recall another pre war South Carolina militia unit that used a Napoleonic style dragoon helmet as part of their dress uniform.

Ill try to find & post the image or a link to the source.
 
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This is a pretty interesting reference on the topic
That is a neat discussion. I'd be surprised if the militia unit used the skull and crossbones motif in reality. That would be associated with pirates, especially in Charleston. Americans were infatuated with the eagle motif; I'd bet there was an eagle on the front of their helmets.
You can spot that chapka (sp? Ha, I know how to spell it in Russian!)a mile away can't you? The Poles were a people without a nation then. I'll bet every man in that NY unit spoke Polish as a primary language.
 
I recall another pre war South Carolina militia unit that used a Napoleonic style dragoon helmet as part of their dress uniform.

Ill try to find & post the image or a link to the source.

A friend of mine who for a time collected U. S. headgear actually owned one of those! He wound up donating it to the Confederate Museum in Richmond for a hefty tax write-off and they of course did absolutely NOTHING with it except put it in storage.
 
The South Carolina Palmetto Riflemen were also known as the Palmetto Jager. They were of German descent and the company rule book was printed in both English and German. The helmet looks very German and the company rule book call it the Pickelhaube mit Haarschweif (spiked helmet with horsehair plume). The the style of the uniform and silver head and cross bones insignia is form the Black Brunswickers. The Palmetto Riflemen were on active service around Charleston Harbor in February 1861 until the fall of Fort Sumter in April. They were again on active service from November 1861 until February 1862. They would have also had caps to wear on less formal occasions.
I received my copy of the summer 2015 edition of Military Collector & Historian: Journal of the Company of Military Historians yesterday.

I enjoyed the article on this plate & the history of the "Palmetto Jäger", AKA " The Palmetto Riflemen of Charlston, South Carolina" ( page 129).

I was somewhat surprised the unit disbanded during March 1862, with members joining other volunteer companies.



 
7th Mississippi Infantry I am glad you enjoyed the article. I purchase the plates so I get the plates early and it takes a bit of the fun out of receiving the Journal of the Company of Military Historians. but what can I say, I love the full color plates.
 
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Have you ever written an article for the Journal? They were suppose to publish an article I wrote about the uniforms of the Michigan Militia of the Civil War era in the summer issue, but I guess I will have to wait to the fall issue to have it publish. I did have a short article published a few years ago on Michiagn state issued gray uniforms of the Civil War.
 
An older discussion but thought I would post as I was going through some South Carolina posts. In 1860 there were 5 initial German Antebellum Militia companies in Charleston, SC before the war. The German Fusiliers 1775, German Riflemen 1841, German Artillery 1842, Palmetto Riflemen 1858, German Hussars 1859. Two others formed in 1860, The Charleston Zouave Cadets and Marion Riflemen as there was a large immigrant population in Charleston. In addition to this there were 3 Irish companies (Irish Volunteers, Meager Guards, Montgomery Guards), 2 Scottish Companies (Union Light Infanty and Highland Guards), 1 French Company (Lafayette Artillery) and the American Militia companies were The Washington Light Infantry 1807, Moultrie Guards 1835, Palmetto Guards 1852, Carolina Light Infantry 1858, Charleston Light Dragoons 1733. There was also a German company in the upcountry of South Carolina founded by the Charleston German immigrant society under Johann Wagener called the Walhalla Riflemen 1853.

Per your question about Pickelhaubes, The German Riflemen, German Artillery and Palmetto Riflemen wore the Pickelhaube for dress occasions and fatigue hats for drill. The German Riflemen used an 1842 style Pickelhaube with brass spike and officers used the white and black feathered plume. Most likely the helmet pictured above featuring the 1825 US Shako Eagle was used by them as I have not found any other group yet with that particular style helmet. The German Artillery appears to have used an 1845 Swedish style Pickelhaube which just meant the front visor was rounded instead of square per your original picture post from the Charleston Militia lithograph. The Palmetto Riflemen formed as a splinter group of the German Riflemen due to the voting of officers without a quorum present at their meeting in 1858. Capt. Melchers left the group and formed the Palmetto Riflemen that fall. They adopted the uniform of the Black Brunswickers staying true to their German roots per their Rules and Bylaws which you can find online.
The German Riflemen wore Dark Green Dunkelblau's (tunics) with Black cuffs trimmed in red and Black pants modeled on the Prussian Jaeger Corps. The German Artillery wore a Pickelhaube with brass spike and chin strap and what appears to be a Sunrise militia plate with crossed cannons. Their dress uniform was based on the 1832 US Artillery Coatee with gray pants and red stripe. The Palmetto Riflemen as you saw above wore the black uniform with Saxony Blue collars and cuffs and silver trim with the 1845 style pickelhaube and the Silver Totenkopf (skull and cross bones) traditional symbol and black horsehair attachment on the helmet.

The German Hussars wore the same style Dragoon helmet as the Charleston Light Dragoons. Most South Carolina Cavalry militia wore this style leather helmet each with a different style Shako plate on the front. Most associate the crescent on these style helmets with the Charleston Light Dragoons but there were many different helmets for these groups. I have found about 5 of these and identified them so far but it is not easy as there were around 30 Cavalry groups listed in the 1850's and some lasted a few years while some others were around since the early 1800's.

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The art work is from plate 934 of the Company of Military Historians Uniforms in America plate series. Christoph Meuller rendered the painting and the authors of the description are Christoph Meuller, Ron Field and Bill Bynum.

It was based on a oil painting purchased in the 1940s from a shop in Charleston S.C.by Col. Fredrick P. Todd and a wood engraving of an officer of the company published in the companies 1859 company rules. These images are supplemented by information from "Palmetto Riflemen Charleston Mercury, 18 May 1858: "A Ball, and Banner Presentation," Charleston Daily Courier, 18 January 1859:Andera Mehrlaender, The Germans of Charleston, Richmond and New Orleans During the Civil War Period 1850-1870, (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2011), 79-95: Robert s. Seigler, South Carolina's Military Organizations during the War Between the States (Charleston, SC: History Press 2008) 4: 230-231: Todd Notebooks. Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection, Brown University,Providence, RI: (N.A) Rules of the Palmetto Riflemen (Charleston, SC: Printed at the Office of the "Deutche Zeitung," 1859), 28-29. Online at https;//archive.org/details/rulesofpalmettor00palm, accessed 28 Augusta 2014.
 
Does this militia unit have any connection to the company of the same name, "Palmetto Riflemen," that served as Co. B of the 4th South Carolina and Co. C of Micah Jenkins' Palmetto Sharpshooters?

The Palmetto Riflemen (Jaeger) were a militia company from Charleston, SC founded in 1858. In 1861 many of these men joined the German Volunteers and left for Virginia while the remaining men joined other groups and the Jaegers disbanded. The other Palmetto Riflemen militia company was from Anderson, SC and was founded in August of 1860. They became Co. B of the 4th SCV and wore Dark Blue Frock Coats with Gold Trim originally with Hardee Style caps pinned up with Palmetto Tree hat plates. They put the letters PR on the front of their hats inside a gold wreath in April 1861 per their minutes. The Palmetto Riflemen fought in Virginia and upon the 4th SCV's disbandment in April 1862 they were banded together with the remnants of the 5th SCV and Hampton Legion to form Co. C of the Palmetto Sharpshooters under Micah Jenkins. Many of the companies from the 4th had dwindled in size due to disease, wounds and death and companies were consolidated. In the 5th some companies left upon the Confederate reorganization and were replaced with those members of the 4th. There are some notes in letters from one of the Palmetto Riflemen members of Anderson asking for Green Trim to be added to his grey coat from home in 1862. Thus indicating that the unit and/or Palmetto Sharpshooters adopted the riflemen colors for their uniforms during that year. 1862 should be noted that uniforms were at a low point of quality and availability based on logistics and commissary supplies so there is not much continuity in the troops during this year. It should be noted in 1863 that most of Micah Jenkins Sharpshooters were outfitted in the Dark Grey Blue English Kersey shell jackets and darker sky blue pants before leaving for the Tennessee campaign. Hope that helps.
 
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