Union Cavalry Insignia on Confederate Caps ????

Peter Stines

Sergeant
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Location
Gulf Coast of Texas
Any photos or images of this ? I'm wondering if a Confed cavalry trooper might have lifted a Yankee cav crossed swords insignia and stuck it on his own cap ? Maybe he stuck it on upside down like some Rebs did with Yankee belt buckles. What about letters ? Just musing here folks.
 
Any photos or images of this ? I'm wondering if a Confed cavalry trooper might have lifted a Yankee cav crossed swords insignia and stuck it on his own cap ? Maybe he stuck it on upside down like some Rebs did with Yankee belt buckles. What about letters ? Just musing here folks.
This was a common practice early in the war when military supplies both captured and ordered were available, as previously noted both sides utilized the same basic insignia. Keep in mind that many state militia units were adopting US Army guidelines just prior to the war, thus they had the prescribed uniform, accouterments and insignia.

Below is the oil cloth wheel hat of John Gageby 1st VA Cavalry Co B, worn at Manassas, no crossed sabers, but the brass company letter:

Wheel1 (2).jpg
 
This was a common practice early in the war when military supplies both captured and ordered were available, as previously noted both sides utilized the same basic insignia. Keep in mind that many state militia units were adopting US Army guidelines just prior to the war, thus they had the prescribed uniform, accouterments and insignia.

Below is the oil cloth wheel hat of John Gageby 1st VA Cavalry Co B, worn at Manassas, no crossed sabers, but the brass company letter:

View attachment 343100
As the war went on the brass was required for more important items such as percussion caps and buttons, then the brass was no longer available for buttons and they turned to wood and surplus federal or captured buttons.
 
I have seen many photos of Confederates with crossed swords, but I seem to remember that most of them were from early war.
If I have the time, I do a research on the subject, it is a while that I am planning to examine the surviving hats and thousand photographs and analyze the insignia used, as they were worn and divide them by year.​
 
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