Pillbox caps

[major bill]

By the time of the Civil War the Britain Army had begun to wear pillbox caps. After the Civil War this type of headwear became popular with American soldiers, especially officers. Many photographs of officers or men wearing pillbox caps exist, but these images should not be confused with Civil War images. Pillbox caps worn by U.S. Army soldiers is a post war style and no, or perhaps almost no, examples can be found of Civil War soldiers wearing pillbox caps. So a pillbox cap in an image may be a foreign soldier, a post-Civil War soldier, a post-Civil War U.S. Marine, a member of a fraternal organization member, a bellhop, or even an organ grinders' pet monkey, but not a Civil War soldier. One problem with images of U.S. soldiers wearing pillbox caps is that the U.S. Army never authorized the use of pillbox caps.

 

[major bill]

Note post Civil War uniform suppliers sold more than one form of pillbox cap. Often calling them "undress cap" or "drill cap" and although popular with officers these were not regulation caps. In the late 1800s pillbox caps became popular with some state National Guard units and I can not speak on state National guard uniform regulations in regards to pillbox caps.

On a side note. Wearing military style pillbox caps became popular with the wives of officers, especially in the west. There are photos of Custer's officers taken with their wives wearing military pillbox caps with complete with military insignia.

 

[mofederal]

I have seen of an officer of the 3rd New Jersey Cavalry, the 1st US Hussars wearing one, although I think I have actually seen several images of men from the 3rd wearing them. I don't think the soldiers ever cared if the wear of an item was authorized or not. Soldiers in other war often wore what they wanted in a combat theater. The post war pictures I have seen I believe are all 7th Cav. officers.

 

[major bill]

Here is an image of the 3rd New Jersey Cavalry.

What he is wearing could be called a pillbox cap or not be called a pillbox cap. What they wore were a bit to tall be called a pillbox cap and too floppy. However, I have seen them referred to as pillbox caps. Is so their caps do not look too much like the standard pillbox cap. Exactly what to call their caps is open to discussion.

 

[mofederal]

Those caps worn in the images has always looked like to me a forage cap without the leather bill. The 3rd NJ images they always call them pillbox hats. I always thought they were a bill less forage cap.

 

[major bill]

The more classic pillbox ca. 1870ss - 1880s. Again non regulation.

 

[mofederal]

I have seen quite a few of these photos, to include civilian jackets turned into military use and other oddities for use as a military item.

 

[major bill]

I know pillbox caps were very popular in the British army. Pillbox caps may have been mostly for fashion because they do not appear to be particularly functional. I do not think many US cavalry officers would have worn them on campaign. Did Canadian Mounted Police wear them on campaign?