The light artillery shako

[major bill]

Some people who see this type of headgear in civil War era photographs believe they are seeing a pre war shako, but the fact is the light artillery shako was worn through out the Civil War. The photo is from 1865. This image could well be confused with a militiaman.

 

[kepi]

Some people who see this type of headgear in civil War era photographs believe they are seeing a pre war shako, but the fact is the light artillery shako was worn through out the Civil War. The photo is from 1865. This image could well be confused with a militiaman.
View attachment 98137

I bet the upkeep on that uniform was a monster. We used to just touch up with masking tape and nail clippers for pennants before inspection.

 

[major bill]

You would have to remember to take it off before you walked through a door way.

 

[Malingerer]

Once upon a time I worked on on a gun crew as a volunteer at Chickamauga Nat'l Mil. Park and one of clearest memories was what a dirty nasty business it was - not super conducive to the wearing of military regalia. But - IIRC -there was a unit of yankee field artillery that wore these shakos all the way thru the Battle of Saylor's Creek. Maybe a Rhode Island battery? I'll check when I get home.

 

[zburkett]

From the photos I've seen this is the dress uniform that would be worn during salutes and ceremonies, not in the field. Todays Army does not wear dress blues into combat.

 

[Malingerer]

According to Chris Calkins, it was the First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Batteries G & H, that continued to wear their shakos into battle all the way through the end of the war.

 

[major bill]

Interesting, I would thought it would have been used only for dress.

 

[Package4]

I find it highly unlikely that veteran batteries such as the RILA G & H would have worn the ungainly shako for more than garrison and dress parade. I would even proffer that they were stored in an arsenal with the rest of the surplus gear. Anything is possible, but on campaign trying to keep one of these on while riding a horse or caisson would have been a nightmare.

Case in point, these were only issued to garrison troops according to Lt. Phillip Chase, 1st RILA Battery F

"With the outbreak of war, this cap and plume,
which could hardly have been more unsuitable for
field or combat wear, all but dropped out of sight.
A search of thousands of photographs for the period
1861-1865 has failed to uncover a single picture
of light artillery so uniformed, and a search
of letters emanating from the Office of the Quartermaster
General directing issues of such indicates
that but few were sent to the troops. Lt. Philip S.
Chase, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, said that
it was rare for a volunteer unit to receive the cap
and plume and that he saw very few of them during
the war." (171) p. 23

"In fact, the issues made during the period were confined to units in garrison at established posts." (188) p. 23

Source: United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 Catalog of US Army Uniforms in the Collection of The Smithsonian Institution II by Edgar M. Howell

In fact clothing returns for both batteries show that they were issued both the hardee and 1858 forage cap, but nowhere does it show the ungainly Artillery shako.

There may have been some "Heavies", pulled from the forts of Washington that may have had them briefly during the Petersburg campaign, but shakos are not fun to wear at anytime. I wore a repro 1851 for 1st Manassas one year and it did not last very long and I switched to a wheel cap.

As a collector of ACW headgear, I have omitted this piece from the collection as it was deemed ornamental and not field worthy, though it did enjoy more wide acceptance post CW until 1872, at military posts.

I do believe there were some NY LA units that wore them in the later war years in North Carolina, but only on parade.

 

[major bill]

Great post Package4. My main interest is uniforms and your post will help me ID uniform photos. I agree that if there is a light artillery shako that post war or pre war would be my first guess. In fact unless there was some information to associate it with the Civil War my first guess would be post Civil War era before 1872 when new uniforms were coming out.

 

[Dr.Mike]

In 1864, a contract was let with W.C. Dare of Philadelphia to produce 1,452 Light Artillery Shakos. It is not clear when they were issued out, or to which units, but they all were gone by 1867. Subsequent orders were placed with Horstmann Bros. & Co., also of Philadelphia.

 

[bdtex]

On display at the Jefferson Historical Society Museum in Jefferson,TX:

 

[major bill]

Bdttex I will give this some thought and see what others have to say but this does not appear to be a light artillery cap (shako) to me. I also think it may be post Civil War. Note the cross saber buttons.

 

[bdtex]

Bdttex I will give this some thought and see what others have to say but this does not appear to be a light artillery cap (shako) to me.

I dunno. Just passing on the pic. You guys know more about this subject than me. I just love uniform displays in museums. It's an old,nice looking cap whatever it is.

 

[Legion Para]

It is a shako, but not a Light Artillery shako.

 

[bdtex]

Bdttex I will give this some thought and see what others have to say but this does not appear to be a light artillery cap (shako) to me. I also think it may be post Civil War. Note the cross saber buttons.

Yeah. Saw the button. Not sure what kinda clue that is.

 

[Package4]

On display at the Jefferson Historical Society Museum in Jefferson,TX:

View attachment 115633

This is a pattern 1872 Shako

 

[major bill]

It is certainly similar to the pattern 1872 Shako, but leather top probably makes it a militia shako. Post Civil War Marine shakos are similar to this style as well but this in not a Marine Shako.