JEB Stuart's hat

[John Davison]

 

[John Davison]

marinegrunt,
Could you imagine that thing in summer!

I can't imagine that under any condition! Ye Gods! With all that scruff in both armies you can bet the real winners were the lice!

 

[K Hale]

Here's a photo of Stuart without the beard, and you can see the underbite and weak chin. There's a reason why his West Point buddies called him "Beauty." Expired Image Removed

He's not that bad! Some might consider him hunky. The beard was a big improvement, though. It did look soft -- I've heard it described as "looking like Stuart was making out with a muppet."

 

[K Hale]

I've got a question although it doesn't have to do with hats. When he and Flora set up housekeeping and had some kids, he borrowed a couple of slaves from his aunt back in Virginia. Think they were Bob and Maria, but not sure. Anyway, Bob was very satisfactory with the horses but there was a problem with the woman. Apparently she hadn't wanted to come out to Kansas, wanted to go back to Virginia. The Stuart kids were afraid of her and Jeb abruptly sold her for some cruel thing she did to the girl. Whatever it was it was bad enough that he wrote his aunt, who was very elderly, that he sold her because he didn't 'want such a person' around his aunt. Does anybody know what happened there?

I've heard that same story, but no details. I too would like to know what went on.

 

[K Hale]

Now that is interesting. How did you arrive at that thought? I suppose if he wore it he would have to stuff his right hand into his jacket, as was the fashion. BTW. Why did they all model themselves after Napolean in those photos? Any significance or secret military fraternity salute?

When you stand posed for a photograph, the longer you stand, the more awkward it becomes in terms of what you are supposed to do with your arms and hands. It feels and looks odd for them to just hang there, and it gets worse the longer you have to stand still. Notice in this photo Stuart has found something to occupy both hands. Other options you often see include gripping the armrests of a chair, crossing your arms, holding your hands behind your back, or the old standby of sticking one hand in your jacket.

 

[BillO]

I have a beard and for a time it was pretty close to old testament and no it didn't bother me and no it really wasn't hot. The hair on top was warmer than the chin whiskers. The beard worked much like a radiator.

 

[Nathanb1]

Now that is interesting. How did you arrive at that thought? I suppose if he wore it he would have to stuff his right hand into his jacket, as was the fashion. BTW. Why did they all model themselves after Napolean in those photos? Any significance or secret military fraternity salute?

Well, someone asked. Seems like if you're going to help answer, it would be useful to see if we can find different hats with owner, so to speak.

And Ms. Hale has answered the posing question quite nicely.

 

[Nathanb1]

When you stand posed for a photograph, the longer you stand, the more awkward it becomes in terms of what you are supposed to do with your arms and hands. It feels and looks odd for them to just hang there, and it gets worse the longer you have to stand still. Notice in this photo Stuart has found something to occupy both hands. Other options you often see include gripping the armrests of a chair, crossing your arms, holding your hands behind your back, or the old standby of sticking one hand in your jacket.

And it was rude to stick your hands in your pockets.

 

[diane]

Just ran across this interesting drawing of Stuart at Yellow Tavern. The artist is John Price.

 

[K Hale]

Speaking of hats... I just remembered reading that the hat Stuart lost at Verdiersville wound up, by a roundabout route, getting thrown out from a California thrift store. Someone managed to trace the hat's route through the guy who took itoff the porch, to his or someone else's grandma's attic, and thence to a thrift shop somewhere in California, where the searcher was told that such a hat had been in the store's inventory, but was thrown out. The conclusion was that it was either in a landfill or adorning the head of some homeless person.

Now where did I read this? Hmm... maybe in Bold Dragoon... maybe in Cavalryman of the Lost Cause...

 

[diane]

Speaking of hats... I just remembered reading that the hat Stuart lost at Verdiersville wound up, by a roundabout route, getting thrown out from a California thrift store. Someone managed to trace the hat's route through the guy who took itoff the porch, to his or someone else's grandma's attic, and thence to a thrift shop somewhere in California, where the searcher was told that such a hat had been in the store's inventory, but was thrown out. The conclusion was that it was either in a landfill or adorning the head of some homeless person.

Now where did I read this? Hmm... maybe in Bold Dragoon... maybe in Cavalryman of the Lost Cause...

Yes! That's in Freeman's Lee's Lieutenants. After its capture, one of Stuart's men (who was captured along with the general's headwear) - forget who just now - noticed a Federal wearing it and like to had a heart attack. He figured the only way a Yankee would be wearing that hat was if he'd taken it off its dead owner. But the hat wearer lightly said the real owner was fine - and mighty spry, too! He had no idea who it was got away. Of course, later he certainly did know and kept the hat in a trunk for some time after the war. Believe he was in Michigan. He decided to have it refurbished and brushed up one day and took it to a hat maker...who mistakenly threw it out with a bunch of other second hand hats. AAUUUGGGHHH!!!

 

[K Hale]

He decided to have it refurbished and brushed up one day and took it to a hat maker...who mistakenly threw it out with a bunch of other second hand hats. AAUUUGGGHHH!!!

Yes! That's right! It was NOT a thrift shop, I was wrong about that. The guy who took it to the hat shop left it there way too long and the hat shop's policy was to toss out hats that nobody ever picked up after a certain period of time. That's absolutely right.

Maybe it was Michigan? I thought it was California, but who knows.

 

[K Hale]

And that, ladies and gentleman, is why priceless unique historical artifacts belong in museums AND NOT IN YOUR FREAKING MAN CAVE!

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

The office captured was Major FitzHugh, who was one of his staff officers.

 

[John Davison]

When you stand posed for a photograph, the longer you stand, the more awkward it becomes in terms of what you are supposed to do with your arms and hands. It feels and looks odd for them to just hang there, and it gets worse the longer you have to stand still. Notice in this photo Stuart has found something to occupy both hands. Other options you often see include gripping the armrests of a chair, crossing your arms, holding your hands behind your back, or the old standby of sticking one hand in your jacket.

Thanks for that! I've often wondered about that. They also seem to find a great deal of comfort clutching and displaying their Colt and Remington revolvers.

 

[rider]

Yes! That's right! It was NOT a thrift shop, I was wrong about that. The guy who took it to the hat shop left it there way too long and the hat shop's policy was to toss out hats that nobody ever picked up after a certain period of time. That's absolutely right.

Maybe it was Michigan? I thought it was California, but who knows.

It was Michigan, and it was Ford H Rogers, the Adjutant of the 1st Michigan Cavalry, in fact. That was one of the sources I found. He wrote about capturing the hat at Verdiersville and described it as "light brown" with a "long feather".

 

[Copperhead-mi]

Here's a photo of Stuart without the beard, and you can see the underbite and weak chin. There's a reason why his West Point buddies called him "Beauty." Expired Image Removed

Sort of resembles John Travolta.

 

[Vicksburger]

I'd like to know why Vicksburger thinks it's a fake. Clearly....no. Looks like him. But I'd love to hear why it's not. And maybe our Stuart expert will show up....

The reasons are: his uniform does not look right, looks like to me one of those you might see on Halloween costumes, the front of the uniform and buttons just look cheaply made, just not authentic. Second, his face. Its just not the same man, it is someone who vaguely looks like Stuart. Seriously, I thought this picture had been debunked, but if you guys are sure its him, maybe I will have to search where I came across this picture originally. My memory was in reading the caption that it alluded to the picture being of doubtful authenticity, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Nathanb1]

Well, maybe you can find that. We're curious, is all. There is something vaguely "off" about it, so I'd like to know. Of course, it could just be retouched, not a good picture, or something similar. I'll be looking forward to hearing!

 

[diane]

The reasons are: his uniform does not look right, looks like to me one of those you might see on Halloween costumes, the front of the uniform and buttons just look cheaply made, just not authentic. Second, his face. Its just not the same man, it is someone who vaguely looks like Stuart. Seriously, I thought this picture had been debunked, but if you guys are sure its him, maybe I will have to search where I came across this picture originally. My memory was in reading the caption that it alluded to the picture being of doubtful authenticity, but maybe I'm wrong.

Well, I'd always accepted the photo as legit but, yep, something's off. There are three buttons in rows instead of two, or singles. Maybe a little skinny for Stuart. But, also, at the first of the war it took him a little while to get his famous outfit together - he wasn't rich enough to buy everything he needed all at once. I've read somewhere that the first year or so of the war he was borrowing different things to make his uniform.