Bearskins

[major bill]

Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War almost every state had at least a couple of militia companies that wore tall fur caps or what we know as bearskins. These were very popular in the 1850s. The high cost of this style of headgear limited the use of bearskins to wealthier militia companies. Most of the mulita companies that wore bearskins also had other styles of headwear that was worn for less formal duties.

When a unit left for active service their bearskins were put into storage.I do not know of any examples of bearskins being worn in combat during the Civil War.

Bearskins started in Europe with many southern European nations adopting them for grenadines in the 1660s or early 1700s while most northern European nations used the mitres for their grenadiers. The style used in the United States in the years leading up to the Civil War had a British look to them.

Some facts about the bearskins worn by the British Grenadiers Guards. The men's caps are made from Canadian back bear fur, while the officer's caps are made from female Canadian brown bears, dyed black.

The U.S. Marine Band still wear bearskins. In Europe bearskins are worn by ceremonial grenadier units and guards units; British Grenadier Guards, Belgian Grenadiers, Danish Life Guards, Italian Grenadiers, Dutch Grenadiers and the Swedish Life Guards. Bearskins may be fazed out do to animal rights activists protesting their use.

 

[Legion Para]

 

[Legion Para]

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-bearskin-too-big-for-war.117691/#post-1198778

Pictured below is a gorgeous and incredibly rare first model Bearskin as worn by the French Imperial Guard at Waterloo. It was sold at auction in 2013. This is as good as it gets.

These were worn in combat.

 

[AndyHall]

Only the Drum Major (or Assistant Drum Major in his stead) of the U.S. Marine Band in Washington, D.C. wears a bearskin. It does, however, go back to the ACW period.

Added: I'm not a veteran, but I went to a Marine Corps-based military high school and my senior year I was the band drum major. One day the band director, a retired Marine Band trombonist himself, asked me if I would be willing to wear a bearskin. I told him I would be glad to do it, if it was an actual bearskin, and not one of the shoddy acrylic things that most high school band uniforms are. I think that Scotched his plan, because that's the last I ever heard of that.

 

[major bill]

After the Civil War some U.S. militia companies started to wear white bearskins. I have never thought the white version looked very good on the men.

 

[major bill]

This is a couple views of the bearskins worn by the Detoit Light Guard. Note the major from the 51st Regiment was not much impressed. All I want to know is who drank the missing beer.

For full dress, the company wore tall black bearskins (also called showy bearskin shakos in one period source), which they had recently purchased for $1,500.http://civilwartalk.com/file:///K:/.../Mar 2010 Mich uniforms APR 2011 l.doc#_edn1 The fronts of the bearskins were embellished with two gold tassels. Alternate headwear was blue full dress caps with white pompoms. One major from the 51st Regiment, had a less shinning description of the Detroit Light Guard's bearskins; the "Detroit Light Guard in elegant uniforms except the monstrous cap, which is some twenty-four feet - or rather inches high, and as uncouth in appearance, as would be a quarter of a barrel of beer (minus the beer) upon their craniums."[ii]


http://civilwartalk.com/file:///K:/...r 2010 Mich uniforms APR 2011 l.doc#_ednref1 Katcher, Philip, American Civil War Armies (5) Volunteer Militia, Osprey Pub. Ltd., London, 1989, p. 16.

[ii] "Military', Grand Rapids Daily Eagle, January 24 1857, p. 3, col. 1.

 

[major bill]

The typical U.S civil War bearskin.

 

[major bill]

A less common U.S bearskin form 1857 worn by the State Fencibles of Philadelphia note the brim. This is almost a British sealskin style cap.