Whipple hat/havelocks

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Aug 25, 2012
whipple.JPG
A cloth Whipple hat/havelock.

One of the more unusually type of headwear of the Civil War period was the hat/havelock combination. The concept of a hat/cap with a built in Havelock sounds like a great idea, but fell short of its believed potential. The hat/Havelock came in several styles and was used by both the Union and the Confederacy.

1. Charles Pascal’s patent. This style was very much like a hat with Havelock up and the “Havelock” could be lowed to protect against but sun and rain. It was worn by several Pennsylvania cavalry regiments. It is often called the “Pennsylvania Cavalry Hat”.

2. Rhode Island issued a locally version of the hat/Havelock.

3. The Seamless Clothing Company provided the First and Second U.S. Sharpshooter a version of the hat/Havelock.

4. New Yorker Jonathan F. Whipple patented a havelock/hat that was issued several New England soldiers, particularly New Hampshire soldiers. This version looked more like a cap/havevelock. It was made in two version, stiff felt and cloth.

5. James M. Loomis of Chicago made hat/Havelocks similar to the Whipple version.

6. There was a Confederate version of the hat/havelock (I forget what it was called and could use some help).

The hat/havelocks were not popular and the soldiers thought the hat/havelock were to hat and heavy. It was not very military looking.
 
"What the heck kind of hat is this?"
When hats are being shaped one of the earlier stages is shaped like a cone. After weathering some hats tend to revert back to this shape depending on materials, quality of manufacture, &c.
 
Just finished the Ron Field article, Ugly as the Devil "A Field Guide to Havelock Hats in the Civil War", in the latest Military Images magazine,(Winter 2015). The Loomis or Herzog, the Whipple, the Purinton and Ham and the Pascal are all covered. Photographs of men wearing each type is shown.
 
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