Enlisted men in the US Navy wore white cap covers in hot weather yet few photographs show sailors wearing these white cap covers. I was wondering how common these were. It could be hot in the south in the summers so were white cap covers common in the Confederate Navy?
Hello,
I have noticed the few images of the white covers for seamen's caps too.
The seamen might have made them from ship's stores, and at the direction of their captains, etc., as they were not purchased or issued by the Navy (judging by the ads. the navy put in the papers for seamen's clothing). Perhaps they were only worn as part of the "muster dress" or uniform, rather than the working dress of the crews that employed them.
In any case they were not universally worn in hot weather.
Here are the crew of the USS Mendota wearing them, with their fancy caps, with ship's name ribbons (Alva Hunter of the
Nahant, said the "everyday" wear caps were plain...): Notice the chap near the bottom center, without one...
In the summer, 1862 photographs of the USS Monitor's crew (which Seaman Geer says were taken on a hot day), they are not wearing them.
Also, regarding the straw hats mentioned, they actually were the "regulation" headgear for the Navy Uniform, from 1852, the white straw hat was worn with white muster dress in hot weather, and black ones (black tarpaulin cover over the straw one) with winter clothing for muster. It appears that
during the war, the thick blue cloth cap without a visor was employed for wear at sea,
and at muster (often with fancy embroidery, and the ship's name on its band ribbon, etc.) in spite of the regulations. I reckon the Navy had enough on its hands than to worry about such niceties...
The 1852 Regulation state:
"The outside clothing for Petty Officers, Firemen and Coal-heavers, Seamen, Ordinary Seamen, Landsmen and Boys, for muster, shall consist of blue cloth jackets and trousers, or blue woolen frocks, with white duck cuffs and collars; black hats; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes, or boots in cold weather. In warm weather, it shall consist of white frocks and trousers; black or white hats, as the commander may for the occasion direct, having proper regard for the comfort of the crew; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes; the collars and cuffs to be lined with blue cotton cloth and stitched round with thread. Thick blue cloth caps, without visors, may be worn by the crew at sea, except on holydays or at muster."
I understand the white collars and cuffs on the blue frocks were not required after 1859...
The 1864 Uniform Regulations state:
"The outside clothing for petty officers, firemen, and coal-heavers, seamen, ordinary seamen, landsmen and boys, for muster, shall consist of blue cloth jackets and trowsers, or blue woollen frocks; black hats; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes, or boots in cold weather. In warm weather it shall consist of white frocks and trowsers; black or white hats, as the commander may for the occasion direct, having proper regard for the comfort of the crew; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes; the collars and cuffs to be lined with blue cotton cloth, and stitched round with thread. Thick blue cloth caps, without visors, may be worn by the crew at sea, except on holidays or at muster."
Best,
Jesse Marshall,
Hernando, FL
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