Palm/Straw Hats

[LegatusLabienus]

Sorry if this has been said thousands of times, but where could I get a good quality palm/straw hat that is accurate. I have a hardee but that thing gets really hot after a while and these two materials breathe a lot better.

 

[captaindrew]

The Blockade Runner was selling them but I just looked and most of their selection of those are currently out of stock. While there are period photos of soldiers wearing them I don't believe they were widely used, I can't imagine they'd hold up well to hard campaign use. I don't see any of the high quality hat makers making them. You say you have a Hardee, is this for a Federal impression? A better choice might be a good quality civilian slouch in a lighter color for warm weather. I'd always recommend Goober Grabber on Facebook or Dirty Billy for a good slouch hat.

 

[RedRover]

South Union Mills has some of their own make.

Men's Apparel - Men's Straw Hats - South Union Mills

www.southunionmills.com

The 7th New York National Guard in US service in 1861 turned to straw hats for some relief from the sun, other than their jaunty kepi's...

The veterans of the 22nd Massachusetts recalled making wide use of local hats, including straw ones, in the field. By September, 1862:

The veterans of the 3rd New Hampshire recorded that per General orders no. 40, May 22, 1863, the troops were to receive straw hats for summer wear...

The lads of the 64th New York noted that the troops in the Army of the Potomac liked straw hats, but could only get them on campaign principally...

Among the Union Cavalry commanders at Gettysburg, Generals Pleasanton and Custer were described as wearing straw hats...


The order books of the 1st Massachusetts cavalry noted in the summer 1864 the men were allowed to wear whatever citizens' hats they wanted (They were already doing so), including straw hats... but in no case with officer's hat cords etc. affixed.

General Hancock's "Veterans Corps" was authorized straw hat wear in the garrisons around Washington DC in 1864...

Sherman's troops after the march to the sea were described as rather worse for wear for clothing, and many making due with local citizen's hats, including straw ones, among units like the 2nd and 4th Minnesota...

...by the Battle of Bentonville in March, 1865 Sherman's troops generally were in similar dress according to the 75th Indiana's veterans...

Capt. Allan Dougall recalled of the troops at Bentonville (for which he was awarded the medal of honor);

They received new army clothing before the victory parade at Washington...

Post-war, Regulars in the Dept. of the South under Gen. Terry were similarly authorized to wear straw hats in hot weather, at least off parade... From June 4, 1870:

 

[rpkennedy]

South Union Mills has some of their own make.

Men's Apparel - Men's Straw Hats - South Union Mills

www.southunionmills.com

The 7th New York National Guard in US service in 1861 turned to straw hats for some relief from the sun, other than their jaunty kepi's...

View attachment 549160

The veterans of the 22nd Massachusetts recalled making wide use of local hats, including straw ones, in the field. By September, 1862:

View attachment 549168


The veterans of the 3rd New Hampshire recorded that per General orders no. 40, May 22, 1863, the troops were to receive straw hats for summer wear...

View attachment 549157

The lads of the 64th New York noted that the troops in the Army of the Potomac liked straw hats, but could only get them on campaign principally...

View attachment 549169
View attachment 549170

Among the Union Cavalry commanders at Gettysburg, Generals Pleasanton and Custer were described as wearing straw hats...


The order books of the 1st Massachusetts cavalry noted in the summer 1864 the men were allowed to wear whatever citizens' hats they wanted (They were already doing so), including straw hats... but in no case with officer's hat cords etc. affixed.

General Hancock's "Veterans Corps" was authorized straw hat wear in the garrisons around Washington DC in 1864...

View attachment 549161

Sherman's troops after the march to the sea were described as rather worse for wear for clothing, and many making due with local citizen's hats, including straw ones, among units like the 2nd and 4th Minnesota...

View attachment 549166

...by the Battle of Bentonville in March, 1865 Sherman's troops generally were in similar dress according to the 75th Indiana's veterans...

View attachment 549162
View attachment 549167

Capt. Allan Dougall recalled of the troops at Bentonville (for which he was awarded the medal of honor);

View attachment 549165

They received new army clothing before the victory parade at Washington...

View attachment 549163



Post-war, Regulars in the Dept. of the South under Gen. Terry were similarly authorized to wear straw hats in hot weather, at least off parade... From June 4, 1870:

View attachment 549158

The 16th New York on the Peninsula were shipped straw hats made by a ladies organization led by the wife of Colonel Joseph Howland. They wore them through the summer of 1862 and in the famous photo of the field hospital at Savage Station, several men can be seen wearing straw hats and it has been posited that they were wounded from the 16th. They had lost 58 killed and mortally wounded and another 173 wounded at Gaines Mill, including Colonel Howland and Lt. Colonel Samuel Marsh.

Ryan

 

[JOHN42768]

Sorry if this has been said thousands of times, but where could I get a good quality palm/straw hat that is accurate. I have a hardee but that thing gets really hot after a while and these two materials breathe a lot better.

Welcome, enjoy

 

[captaindrew]

The 16th New York on the Peninsula were shipped straw hats made by a ladies organization led by the wife of Colonel Joseph Howland. They wore them through the summer of 1862 and in the famous photo of the field hospital at Savage Station, several men can be seen wearing straw hats and it has been posited that they were wounded from the 16th. They had lost 58 killed and mortally wounded and another 173 wounded at Gaines Mill, including Colonel Howland and Lt. Colonel Samuel Marsh.

Ryan

It's been a while but I seem to remember a story that the guys thought that because of the number of casualties they had during the Peninsula that the straw hats stood out and made them a target so they ditched them. Can't remember a source for that, has anyone else heard that story?

 

[RedRover]

The 16th New York on the Peninsula were shipped straw hats made by a ladies organization led by the wife of Colonel Joseph Howland. They wore them through the summer of 1862 and in the famous photo of the field hospital at Savage Station, several men can be seen wearing straw hats and it has been posited that they were wounded from the 16th. They had lost 58 killed and mortally wounded and another 173 wounded at Gaines Mill, including Colonel Howland and Lt. Colonel Samuel Marsh.

Ryan

Indeed. The whole regiment was outfitted with the straw hats by the colonel. It was said after Gaines Mill that wearing white straw hats in combat was not necessarily for the best, as they stood out..., and seemed to draw fire...

A lieutenant of the 140th Pennsylvania was wearing a straw hat as then entered the fighting at Gettysburg. Nervous toward his fate, he exchanged it with a musician for the musician's plain forage cap...

There are some places, apparently, where one did not want to stand out too much from among the crowd.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Sorry if this has been said thousands of times, but where could I get a good quality palm/straw hat that is accurate. I have a hardee but that thing gets really hot after a while and these two materials breathe a lot better.

The only pine straw hat makers I am aware of are in the Gullah Geechee islands of the Carolinas.

My friend the costumer recommends this site. Gotta admit that the top hat has caught my eye.

Link:

Low Top Hat in Natural Straw - Handmade Brown Straw Hat for Men and Women - Etsy

This Top Hats item by carlesmartichapeaux has 145 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Spain. Listed on Jul 30, 2025

www.etsy.com

Note: Panama hats are made high in the Ecuadorian Andes in places like Otavalo. The fiber is a type of water plant. I have watched women weaving them by hand… not sure any machine could catch up.

 

[RedRover]

During the war, folks with plenty of pine needles about wove them into "pine needle hats" as a wartime expedient...

Union veteran John McElroy claimed the ugly pine needle and quilted calico hats widely worn were a proof of the error of rebellion, etc.

The instructions for the hobbyist may be found here...

The Pine-needle Basket Book

www.google.com

 

[LegatusLabienus]

The Blockade Runner was selling them but I just looked and most of their selection of those are currently out of stock. While there are period photos of soldiers wearing them I don't believe they were widely used, I can't imagine they'd hold up well to hard campaign use. I don't see any of the high quality hat makers making them. You say you have a Hardee, is this for a Federal impression? A better choice might be a good quality civilian slouch in a lighter color for warm weather. I'd always recommend Goober Grabber on Facebook or Dirty Billy for a good slouch hat.

It's for both federal and confederate, I'll look into both of those but I've got no experience with GG.

 

[LegatusLabienus]

Welcome, enjoy

Thank you, Sir.

 

[scooter748driver]

I have purchased hats from this company before - very good quality. Here is a link to a "Civil War straw hat" but there are more on the site:

Open Crown Straw Hat

www.riverjunction.com

 

[LegatusLabienus]

The Blockade Runner was selling them but I just looked and most of their selection of those are currently out of stock. While there are period photos of soldiers wearing them I don't believe they were widely used, I can't imagine they'd hold up well to hard campaign use. I don't see any of the high quality hat makers making them. You say you have a Hardee, is this for a Federal impression? A better choice might be a good quality civilian slouch in a lighter color for warm weather. I'd always recommend Goober Grabber on Facebook or Dirty Billy for a good slouch hat.

I've decided on grabbing a slouch hat of the likeness that Gen'l Sheridan wore, in a lighter material, from GG.

 

[captaindrew]

I've decided on grabbing a slouch hat of the likeness that Gen'l Sheridan wore, in a lighter material, from GG.

He does nice work, I have a couple of his hats. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Trooper "D"]

Sorry if this has been said thousands of times, but where could I get a good quality palm/straw hat that is accurate. I have a hardee but that thing gets really hot after a while and these two materials breathe a lot better.

C&C Sutlery
Sunbody Hats
One tidbit about palm leaf hats, they are not many cooler than a felt hat. That palm leaf is wrapped tight and doesn't really breath. Mine have huge brims to keep the sun off my face. One form of cancer at a time I say. But yeah, the sweat streams down my face and hair just as bad as felt.
Fo Yo In Fo
Cheers!

 

[Trooper "D"]

The 16th New York on the Peninsula were shipped straw hats made by a ladies organization led by the wife of Colonel Joseph Howland. They wore them through the summer of 1862 and in the famous photo of the field hospital at Savage Station, several men can be seen wearing straw hats and it has been posited that they were wounded from the 16th. They had lost 58 killed and mortally wounded and another 173 wounded at Gaines Mill, including Colonel Howland and Lt. Colonel Samuel Marsh.

Ryan

I thought that one unit had pith helmets for some space of time.