Real lancer cap?

[major bill]

The 1st Regiment, United States Lancers also known as Colonel Rankin's Lancers or the Michigan Lancers was organized at: Detroit, Saginaw and St. John, Michigan from November 30, 1861 to February 20, 1862. It was mustered out: March 20, 1862. This regiment receive uniforms and lances as well as other items. My question is about their caps. So far no one has discovered any photographs of this regiment with the exception of an officer who may be wearing a Wisconsin uniform. This leaves us with a description of their cap and this image.

Do these caps look like Civil War era British Army lancer fatigue caps? They do kind of look a bit like British lancer caps to me but the artist was not very detailed. Any thoughts on the rest of the uniforms?

 

[WJC]

The 1st Regiment, United States Lancers also known as Colonel Rankin's Lancers or the Michigan Lancers was organized at: Detroit, Saginaw and St. John, Michigan from November 30, 1861 to February 20, 1862. It was mustered out: March 20, 1862. This regiment receive uniforms and lances as well as other items. My question is about their caps. So far no one has discovered any photographs of this regiment with the exception of an officer who may be wearing a Wisconsin uniform. This leaves us with a description of their cap and this image.


View attachment 147055

Do these caps look like Civil War era British Army lancer fatigue caps? They do kind of look a bit like British lancer caps to me but the artist was not very detailed. Any thoughts on the rest of the uniforms?

Intriguing search. Good luck.
It is difficult to say from this. They do resemble the hat worn by British Lancers in the field as late as WWI, similar to an officer's hat, but without the bill.
Their time in service was so short there's probably little chance of finding anything- unless a photo turns up in somebody's attic.
Interestingly, Rankin was Canadian. Perhaps there is some photo of a British Lancer unit in Canada at the time that might be helpful.

 

[WJC]

The 1st Regiment, United States Lancers....
Do these caps look like Civil War era British Army lancer fatigue caps? They do kind of look a bit like British lancer caps to me but the artist was not very detailed. Any thoughts on the rest of the uniforms?

I went back to the December 21, 1861 Harpers Weekly that had the image you posted. The attached article says, the Regiment "is to be 1600 strong, armed and equipped like the 16th Regiment of British Lancers."<http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/december/colonel-rankin.htm>
I haven't found anything about the fatigue caps of 16th Lancers (aka The Queen's Lancers), but their museum might be able to help: http://www.qrlnymuseum.co.uk/16l.htm
Good hunting!

 

[major bill]

I have found where Rankin had the rest of the uniforms made in Detroit but have not verified he had the caps made in Detroit. Detroit had already made thousands of caps for Michigan troops so did have the ability to made the caps.

 

[major bill]

I think the image shows 9 button jackets with standing collars and epaulettes. The men's trousers have wide stripes.

 

[Package4]

Looks to me as if the author got lazy and depicted a British scene, look at the weapons and accouterments along with the uniforms. They have carbines and they are not Mississippis or Halls. The sword depicted also looks British or at least European.

 

[WJC]

Looks to me as if the author got lazy and depicted a British scene, look at the weapons and accouterments along with the uniforms. They have carbines and they are not Mississippis or Halls. The sword depicted also looks British or at least European.

Good observation. There certainly would have been images of the 16th Lancers- or some other British lancer regiment- available at the time.