Union Officers kepi

[Hendrik]

Hello Lady,s and gentlemen's

What are your opinions about this kepi.
Its listed as a early postwar(late 1860) kepi but how do you give a date to this.
Is it the leather sweatband,cloth or officers braid.Buttons and chinstrap are civil war era.

Thank you

 

[Billw12280]

Hello Lady,s and gentlemen's

What are your opinions about this kepi.
Its listed as a early postwar(late 1860) kepi but how do you give a date to this.
Is it the leather sweatband,cloth or officers braid.Buttons and chinstrap are civil war era.

Thank you

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I am by no means an expert but usually the makers mark gives a good indication of a date unfortunately it looks like the makers mark is gone. You can check the button backs but that just dates the buttons not necessarily the cap itself especially within the few years after the end of the war as they tried to use up what surplus they had. You can check the chinstrap width too, I think they were 1/2" from 1872 on. The sweatband appears earlier but overall it looks to me, IMHO, to be an 1872 Forage Cap. @Package4 is usually my go to on these things, he is very knowledgeable, maybe he can elaborate more.

If you don't already have them John Langellier wrote a couple of very informative books on Civil War and Indian War headgear (US Army Headgear and Hats off). They are a bit pricey but definitely worth the money. A more economical book would be United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 by Edgar Howell, still a great book but usually a lot cheaper.

 

[major bill]

Nice cap. I can offer little more that what has been said. It looks a too tall to be based on the 1872 Forage Cap.

 

[Billw12280]

Nice cap. I can offer little more that what has been said. It looks a too tall to be based on the 1872 Forage Cap.

You're right, I've got my forage caps mixed up 1872 was when they lowered the crown to 2"-2 1/2" wasn't it? If I'm not mistaken the 1858 model was in use until the 1872 came onto the scene, correct? If so that poses a bigger problem with dating this one since there is no makers mark. The sweatband does look to be earlier since it is not the honey brown indicative of later manufacture. I'm sure somebody will be able to say what this is due to the stitch pattern and fabric but I am not at that point yet . Looks like I need to read through my books again.

 

[major bill]

This could well be a state issued or more likely a militia cap or private purchased cap.

 

[civilken]

a I'd like to say something about the cap but none of it would be important after the war a lot of surplus was made by the government and the G a R got a lot of it for their man who would wear their uniforms at meetings kind of mix and match good luck I hope you find out the name of the individual and they used it during the war

 

[UCVRelics]

Look and see if the buttons are original to the hat and if they are what are the back-marks of the buttons, that will tell the tale.

 

[Hendrik]

Thank you all,

Till wich year the officers used the Austrian braid as a rank indicator on the top of their cap.
The most 1872 model used by officers only has a gold chin cord

 

[Billw12280]

Thank you all,

Till wich year the officers used the Austrian braid as a rank indicator on the top of their cap.
The most 1872 model used by officers only has a gold chin cord

I'll have to double check when they stopped using the Austrian braid. They didn't officially start using the gold chin cord until later, I think late 1880's. The regulations back then were not enforced very well though so some officers probably did have the chin cord earlier.

 

[major bill]

Austrian braid on the caps was not an Army indication of rank in the Union Army. Some units did do this, but So did per war militia units. Also post war militia units did this.

 

[Package4]

Hello Lady,s and gentlemen's

What are your opinions about this kepi.
Its listed as a early postwar(late 1860) kepi but how do you give a date to this.
Is it the leather sweatband,cloth or officers braid.Buttons and chinstrap are civil war era.

Thank you

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I like it, the only aspect of the piece that does not seem correct is the chin strap and looks to be replaced. Most ACW officer's kepis did not typically have the brass buckle on the chin strap as did the enlisted wear. As UCVrelics stated, you need to see if the buttons are original to the piece, is the thread that fastens the buttons the same as that, of the balance of the cap, does it have the same fading/color loss and is there any evidence of another hole wear a previous button was fastened?

The liner, sweatband and overall appearance indicate mid to late war, early war versions typically have a longer brim. I do not like the chinstrap and feel that it has been added at a later date.