United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 - Libreria Militare Ares

36 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY"of blue cloth, same pattern as for officers, ornamentedwith mohair braid of the same color asfacings of the coat; trimmings of yellow metal" forenlisted men. Officers' caps were to have plumesof cock feathers rising 5 inches above the top, thefront feathers reaching the visors, red for artilleryand white for infantry. Enlisted men were to havepompons, "pattern shape; ball and socket of yellowmetal," red for artillery, white for infantry, crimsonfor ordnance, and red with a white top for engineertroops.""The first contract was let on 30 October withBent Sc Bush of Boston for 18,000 caps, completewith trimmings at .12.49 each. No specificationswere included with the contract, but the caps were"to be equal to the sealed samples except that thebodies . [were to] contain two ounces of DoubleRing Russia and one half ounce of Coney each."'"By 1878 the unit price without trimmings wasquoted at .11.59, and by the next year had droppedto .11.16.'" The initial issue rate was set at one peryear of enlistment at a cost of .f2.00.^' The date offirst issue is uncertain. Although issue of the capwas ordered as early as 4 December 1872, becauseof a shortage of funds and the fact that manufactureof the new uniform coats was delayed, only1456 were issued during the fiscal year ending 30June 1873. By comparison, 14,382 caps were issuedduring fiscal year 1874.'^'Prior to 1876 no detailed description and measurementsof the 1872 headgear were given, thebidders being furnished official sealed samples ofthe enlisted models, and the lithographs includedwith General Order No. 76 providing guidance inregard to the officers'. Although sealed samples ofthe officers' headgear were on file in the QuartermasterGeneral's office, few suppliers of this latterappear to have used them, for as early as 1874there was enough dissension among senior officersabout the lack of uniformity in dress for the Secretaryof War to take action. In October of that yearhe directed the Quartermaster General to preparean accurate description of all articles of officers'dress for dissemination throughout the Army.'" Inrelation to the headgear, Meigs had the standardsamples which had originally been used by the 1872board forwarded to the original makers requestingthat they furnish the proper "trade specifications,"that is, detailed descriptions, for his use.'^" Basedon the information received and on samples retainedin his office, he then had a detailed descriptionof all items of officers' clothing drafted in theform of a general order and forwarded it to thePhiladelphia Depot for review and comment.^'The draft was commented on at some length bythe military storekeeper there, the comments includingvaluable descriptive material and severalsketches."' These together with the draft generalorder were returned to the Quartermaster Generaland referred to a board of officers set up to reviewmatters relating to the Quartermaster Department.""This board in turn drew up a completedescription, with illustrations, of all items of officerclothing which was published in the War Department'sAnnual Report of the Quartermaster Generalfor 1876. The illustrations, of "cuts," weremerely a reprint of the lithographs which accompaniedthe 1872 regulations. A description of thecampaign hat was not included, but rather that ofthe 1876 pattern, which had been recommendedbut not formally approved.'^The full-dress cap was described as follows (thedescriptions of other pieces of headgear will be includedbelow where appropriate):FULL-DRESS CAP.Pattern as shown in accompanying cuts numbered 5, 6,and 7, felt shell, covered with indigo-blue cloth; 3/a incheshigh in front; 4/2 inches high on sides; 6/2 inches high overthe swell of the back; crown 5/2 inches long by 5 incheswide; revolving ventilator in crown; gold-wire braid Ys ofan inch wide around the lower edge and around the crownat top, also, from top to bottom at each side and at back;patent-leather vizor unbound; patent-leather chin-strap Y^of an inch wide with gilt slide; gilt side or chin strap buttons,vest size, according to arm of the service; japanned orgoatskin sweat-leather, silk lining; plume-socket of leather oninside at front with metallic guard at opening on top andfront edge of crown; gold-embroidered eagle with shield onbreast, surmounted by thirteen stars in silver; length fromtop of stars to end of tail, lYs inches; width from tip to tipof wings, 1/2 inches; tips of wings joined by an arc of rays;embroidered badge of arm or corps in front; bottom ofbadge to be even with top of chin-strap.*"War Department Quartermaster SpecificationNumber 3, 31 May 1876, described in detail theenlisted model:WAR DEPARTMENT,QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICESpecifications for Dress-Caps.The body or shell is made of felt composed of equal partsof Russia, best coney-backs, muskrat, extra coney, and one-