Headgear Adornment

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Over the years there has been much discussion within the Reenactment Community on just how common was headgear adornment during the Civil War. We will probably never really know, and it varied from state to state and regiment to regiment.

Based on surviving headgear and photographs, headgear adornment was common in New Hampshire units.

 

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I can only add a few items from Michigan regiments. The State of Michigan purchased company letters for the first 3 infantry regiments. The company letters were worn on the front of the caps and the letters appear in many studio and out door photographs. After that I see many studio photographs of Michigan men wearing head adornments on their caps and sometimes on their hats. There are some out door photos which show various letters and other insignia. Although I have not overly studied this , I am of the opinion that while at set locations you would see a fair amount of adornments, this might not carry over to units on campaigns.

 

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After 150 years it is impossible to tell how commplace headgear adornment was among Confederate soldiers. It did exist. particularly early in the war.

First Lieutenant Eli N. Baxter, 1st Texas Infantry.

MG stands for the Marshall Guards.

1 TEXAS for the 1st Texas Infantry.

 

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The following photograph shows an unidentified member of the Sumter Light Guards, Company K, 4th Georgia Infantry.

 

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http://moconfederacy.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/23198A4E-0B2D-41C6-8034-158864612572

Forage cap of black wool; crown and band around lower portion of faded blue-green cloth with red piping; leather visor and strap with Virginia state buttons on either side of the cap; stamped brass letters on crown top: "13th Va / co / H". Crown is lined with a black and white check paper.

Forage cap made by Miss Annie Kennedy (b. ca. 1837) of Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, Virginia and worn by her nephew, Pvt. Kennedy Palmer, at the battle of First Manassas. It was part of the uniform of Company H (Boomerangs), 13th Virginia Infantry of Winchester, Virginia at the beginning of the Civil War. Palmer survived the war.

 

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Let us not forget the Western Theatre of Operations.

https://home.nps.gov/sand/learn/news/colorado-in-the-civil-war.htm

Private Joseph Aldrich served with the First Colorado Cavalry and died at the Sand Creek Massacre.

Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Collection
Call Number Z-517

 

[frontrank2]

My two cents, for what it's worth. I think letters and numbers were more prevalent early in the war, especially in the Army of the Potomac. As the war progressed and uniforms and caps needed to be replaced, brass numbers & letters were not. Now when Grant brought the heavy artillery units into the mix in 1864, they still had their's because they were stationed in fortresses where a more military atmosphere was maintained. The infantry out in the field had a more informal mentality.

 

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William M. Meade, CSA
Captain, Loudoun Cavalry
(6th Virginia Regiment)

 

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The following book contains detailed information on the requisitioning and issuing of headgear brass for the Iron Brigade in 1862 and 1863.