Rebel Tricorne Hat

[Manassas 1861]

Found this unique ambrotype at the Library of Congress photograph archive. An unidentified Reb wearing an early war shell jacket, a tricorne hat, and posing with a maynard carbine. Ive seen other photos of Rebs with cocked hats, most of them were from Mississippi regiments.

 

[Manassas 1861]

Here are some Mississippi soldiers wearing tricorne's.

 

[RedRover]

The Military Board of the State of Mississippi, adopted a gray uniform for the State troops, and the hats to be cocked in 1861:

HAT.

"A broad brimmed black felt hat, to be looped up on three sides, when on parade, to be ornamented with cord, tassel and plumes, as hereinafter defined, according to grade; the plumes to be made of horse hair. For Major.General, a long flowing white plume. For Brigadier-General, the same as for Major.General, except it shall be red, tipped with white. Regimental Field and Staff Officers, same as for Major.General, except that the plume shall be all crimson, with a gilt number of the Regiment placed below the plume socket. For Captains, Lieutenants and men, the same as for Major-General, except that the plume shall be short and standing, and of the color of the facings of their dress, with a yellow metal number of their Regiments below the plume socket. The cords and tassels of the hat to be gold for all commissioned officers, and worsted for all non-commissioned officers and men, of the color of the facings of their dress, brass letter below the plume socket."
Interestingly, the Military Board of the State which adopted this uniform included the Governor, and General Jefferson Davis, before his election to the Confederate presidency...

The cocked hat is seen in lots of photographs, but it was evidently unlooped in camp and field. For example, here is Captain J.G. Bullard of the "Ben Bullard Rifles," of Company G, 10th Mississippi in 1861 in uniform...

This outfit was posted at Fort McRae with the Army of Pensacola as the war began. Here's a photo of some of the garrison, with hats unlooped...

Here's some 9th Mississippi chaps in camp. the jaunty tri-cornered hats not much seen...

 

[captaindrew]

Those aren't traditional tricorn hats like you'd have in the Rev War. They're simply slouch hats pinned up on two sides. It was common to pin one side up for clearance of your musket muzzle. Why the Federal Hardee hat in dress trim is pinned up on one side.

 

[H. J. Durgin]

Good point for a chat around Manassas 1861.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Those aren't traditional tricorn hats like you'd have in the Rev War. They're simply slouch hats pinned up on two sides. It was common to pin one side up for clearance of your musket muzzle. Why the Federal Hardee hat in dress trim is pinned up on one side.

Yeah! The wrong side because they went and changed the drill!

 

[Manassas 1861]

I found another soldier with a pinned up hat, but I don't know if he's a Mississippi soldier.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Although I´ve never studied them, there are a lot of images with the same ¨Jeff Davis and the South!¨ sign. Maybe somebody who knows more about it will chime in here.

 

[H. J. Durgin]

Was this a photographer that was in Corinth, Mississippi ??

 

[RedRover]

Flannel shirts were regulation "fatigue" dress under the Mississippi military board regulations of 1861.

"For fatigue, a red flannel shirt with a star of white on each side of the collar, for Infantry or Riflemen, a grey flannel shirt for Artillery, and blue for Cavalry."

 

[Manassas 1861]

Was this a photographer that was in Corinth, Mississippi ??

Yes, the photographer is unknown, but "Jeff Davis And The South" photographs were taken in Corinth, Mississippi.

 

[Manassas 1861]

Pvt. Jonathan Sweet, CSA.

 

[Borderruffian]

Found this unique ambrotype at the Library of Congress photograph archive. An unidentified Reb wearing an early war shell jacket, a tricorne hat, and posing with a maynard carbine. Ive seen other photos of Rebs with cocked hats, most of them were from Mississippi regiments.View attachment 500975

I don't know that that's a tricornerr hat I think it's a " Cocked" hat almost like ropers used wear in my Granddad's day so as not to interfear with their building a loop.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I found another soldier with a pinned up hat, but I don't know if he's a Mississippi soldier.

I'm pretty sure he probably is a Mississippi fellow.

I've seen that photo before.
(I'm thinking maybe in Portraits of Conflict: a photographic history of Mississippi in the Civil War
Roberts & Moneyhon 1993).

I briefly looked through my copy of this reference book, but didn't see him.
However, his early War "battle shirt" is almost identical to dozens of other early War Mississippi uniform images.

 

[Manassas 1861]

 

[Bentonville]

This soldier is from Florida I believe is sporting a 'soft' tricorn. Y'all tell me.

 

[Package4]

To reiterate what others have said, these are not tricorns, but slouch hats that are looped on two or three sides. The process involves sewing a button(s) to the crown of the hat and having a loop of thread(s) on the brim. You would then loop the cord over the button when needed to be cocked. Generally, this was an early war phenonium and is not usually seen later. The thought was it harkened back to the Revolution and the glory days of parting with an overbearing government.

 

[major bill]

The Union went one better and came up with a hat 'cocked' up on four sides. This hat did not become too popular. I am not sure the Mississippi 'tricorn' lasted that long.

 

[Nick B.]

I remember in the beginning of the "Gods and Generals" film they showed one Southern regiment (from Shenandoah if I'm not mistaken) as wearing overall uniforms looking like those from the Independence War, including tricornes. IIRC it was based on a real regiment but I lost the article describing it.

 

[RedRover]

I remember in the beginning of the "Gods and Generals" film they showed one Southern regiment (from Shenandoah if I'm not mistaken) as wearing overall uniforms looking like those from the Independence War, including tricornes. IIRC it was based on a real regiment but I lost the article describing it.

The "Continental Morgan Guard" or Company A, 31st Regiment of Virginia Militia (Frederick County), wore a revolutionary war style outfit. They mustered into Confederate service with the 5th Virginia Volunteers in 1861. They wore a tri-cornered hat with a buck's tail cockade.

Continental Morgan Guard, photos, Military Images, facebook.