Hat of Lt. Col. Edward McCrady, 1st South Carolina Infantry

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Found on Old South Military Antiques. Hat worn by Lt. Colonel Edward McCrady, Jr. of Gregg's 1st South Carolina Infantry. The hat bears the hole from a bullet that wounded McCrady at Second Manassas on August 30, 1862. The previous day the 1st South Carolina saw some intense fighting in the infamous railroad cut there as part of Brig. Gen. Maxcy Gregg's South Carolina Brigade, however McCrady indicates in his official report that it was on the last day of the battle that he was wounded.

The bullet struck McCrady on the left temple, knocking him unconscious and breaking his skull, however he recovered and returned to command that winter. He later had two patches sewn over the bullet holes and replaced the silk liner so he could continue to wear it.

A palmetto tree insignia is attached to the hat as well as S.C.V. for South Carolina Volunteers.

A lot more info here: http://www.oldsouthantiques.com/os4017p1.htm
 
Another surviving South Carolina hat that's pretty well known and also mentioned at the link is that of Sgt. Thomas J. Duckett in Co. I, 3rd South Carolina Infantry, Kershaw's Brigade. Duckett enlisted April 14, 1861 and served throughout the war, was severely wounded at Chickamauga where he was also was lucky enough to have a hole shot through his hat, and finally captured at Bentonville.

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This photo was taken at the Gettysburg reunion in 1913.
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Here's Don Troiani's take on such a hat (it looks like a Hardee to me) in his print of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers.
This is actually the 1st South Carolina Rifles (Orr's Rifles) at Fort Moultrie in 1861. Their early war uniform consisted of Hardee hats with brass palmetto insignias.

I've also done a thread on Orr's Rifles for the Regimental Histories forum: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/1st-south-carolina-rifles-orrs-rifles.133518/

Before the war McCrady was in the 1st Regiment Rifles, South Carolina Militia, which was a state militia unit - different than Orr's Rifles (1st Regiment of Rifles, South Carolina Volunteers). Though it might've been inspired by the militia unit, I don't think there was any connection between the two.

To make it even more confusing, there were several "1st South Carolina's" serving in the Army of Northern Virginia, all of which were at 2nd Manassas: Orr's 1st South Carolina Rifles, Gregg's 1st South Carolina Infantry (both in the same brigade), and Hagood's 1st South Carolina Infantry.
 
QUOTE="Bruce Vail, post: 1699418, member: 15201"]Belongs in a SC museum for proper preservation and display, don't you think?[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately it was offered to various SC Museums and they were not able to pay the price that a private collector was able to pay. Museums are not always what one would expect, for example the Museum of the Confederacy is only able to display a fraction of their collection, same for the Gettysburg NPS Museum, Smithsonian and most others. Depending upon budget and space, some pieces never see the light of day, in the turnover of displays.

Many collectors will lend their pieces to various museums with the caveat that they are to be displayed for a certain period of time, in fact Shannon has a piece for sale that was lent to the Tredegar Museum for a period of time, might still be there.

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Belongs in a SC museum for proper preservation and display, don't you think?
Definitely. Would have been a good contribution to the Confederate Relic Room in Columbia. I do believe Duckett's hat is in the Museum of the Confederacy's collection.
 
Interesting. I had read elsewhere that there are stockpiles of Civil War artifacts here and there that never get displayed, just because there is a surplus of artifacts.

Seems like on-line display ought to be considered as an option.

By the way -- When you say Museum of the Confederacy are you talking about the Richmond museum now re-named American Civil War Museum?
 
QUOTE="Bruce Vail, post: 1699418, member: 15201"]Belongs in a SC museum for proper preservation and display, don't you think?
Unfortunately it was offered to various SC Museums and they were not able to pay the price that a private collector was able to pay. Museums are not always what one would expect, for example the Museum of the Confederacy is only able to display a fraction of their collection, same for the Gettysburg NPS Museum, Smithsonian and most others. Depending upon budget and space, some pieces never see the light of day, in the turnover of displays.

Many collectors will lend their pieces to various museums with the caveat that they are to be displayed for a certain period of time, in fact Shannon has a piece for sale that was lent to the Tredegar Museum for a period of time, might still be there.

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Yeah, with all the artifacts already out there, it's hard to imagine that many museum's are willing to pay top market prices, unless the objects are really, really special.
 
Interesting. I had read elsewhere that there are stockpiles of Civil War artifacts here and there that never get displayed, just because there is a surplus of artifacts.

Seems like on-line display ought to be considered as an option.

By the way -- When you say Museum of the Confederacy are you talking about the Richmond museum now re-named American Civil War Museum?
Yes, I'll probably call it the MOC for some time.....
 
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