United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 - Libreria Militare Ares

NUMBER 3049of strong split-leather of the same width, sewed in betweenllic cloth and the sweat-leather. The front rises straight andvertical one and one-half (I/2) to one and five-eighths(lYo) inch above the band, sides straight and slightly convergingtoward the crown. The back, about live (5) incheslong, rises from the band forward at an angle of 45 degrees,slightly convex.The crown is circular, about four and three-fourths (4%)inches in diameter, made upon strong "tarred board."The shape of the cap would thus give an incline to thecrown of one (1) to one and one-fourth (I'/i) inch fromrear to front.A straight horizontal vizor of patent enameled leather,about three-sixteenths (%o) of an inch thick, shaped as describedfor dress-caps. A small brass regulation button oneach side, immediately behind the end of the vizor, for chinstrap.The latter is made in two parts, of fine enameled leatherabout one-half (/a) inch wide, each part about nine (9)inches long, and arranged, as on dress-cap, to be lengthenedand shortened at will.Sweat-leather of Belgium leather, one and one-half (1 /a)inch wide.Lining of glazed muslin, fastened by its lower edge onlyto the inner stiffening of the band, the upper edge gatheredwith strong thread.Adopted May 31, 1876.M. C. MEIGS,Quartermaster General,Bvt. Major General, U.S.A.""Between 1876 and 1895 when another pattern wasadopted, the specifications were changed somewhat,but to no appreciable degree.""'Late in 1883 the Headquarters of the Army orderedthe black leather chin strap on officers' capsreplaced by a two-strand "cap-strap' of gold onsilver cord.'*^ It seems probable that this ordermerely legitimatized what had been in being forsome time, for of the nine officers' caps examined,all had the gold "cap-strap" rather than the leatherchin strap, one of them having belonged to anofficer '*' who left the Army over two years beforethe order was issued, and all show evidence of considerablewear. There was some minor confusionas to the style of these cords, some terminating atthe chin strap buttons in a figure eight, others havinga gold thread "slide" or "turk's head" on eitherside. In 1884 the Quartermaster General furnishedthe United States Army and Navy Journal withspecifications calling for the gold "slides,'' one-halfinch long and of three-eighths inch diameter.'*^A number of enlisted models of the cap havebeen examined and all follow the specificationswithin allowable tolerances (Figure 34). The officers'models are something again. With the exceptionof that worn by Maj. Gen. Winfield ScottHancock (Figure 35a) all are lower in the frontthan called for, several by as much as 50 percent(Figure 35b), even when they can be dated laterthan the officers' specifications of 1876.The regulations were more specific as to the insigniafor the forage cap than they had been inthe case of the dress cap, although the problem ofsize was not settled until 1877. Caps of generalofficers and officers of the general staff and staffcorps (all of whom were authorized the chapeaurather than the dress cap) were to carry a gold embroideredwreath encircling the silver letters "US"in Old English, except those of ordnance officers,which would carry a gold embroidered shell andflame, and of engineer officers, which were to beara silver turreted castle within an embroideredwreath of laurel and palm.'"" Cavalry officers wereto wear gold embroidered crossed sabers, edges up,with the number of the regiment in silver in theupper angle; artillery gold embroidered crossedcannon with the regimental number in silver "atthe intersection;" "" and for infantry, a gold embroideredbugle with the regimental number insilver in the "bend" or loop. Enlisted arm andbranch insignia followed those prescribed for thedress cap in design and dimensions.'"' In 1882 thebadge of hospital stewards was changed from thewreath and "US" to the wreath and caduceus.'"* Ayear later, officers of the Adjutant General's Departmentwere authorized to wear a "solid silvershield bearing thirteen stars'' within a gold embroideredwreath, and the following year signalcorps officers were authorized a gold embroideredwreath encircling two crossed signal flags with avertical burning torch at the intersection."* In1885 signal corps enlisted men were authorized thecrossed signal flags and torch (what they wore beforethat date is unstated) and the classification ofmusicians was clarified somewhat with "band"musicians being authorized a lyre in white metal,"field" musicians continuing with the bugle or"looped horn" with the number of the regiment inthe loop and the company letter above, the cavalrytrumpeters being authorized the cavalry crossedsabers with the number above and the letter below.The dimensions of the bugle and crossed sabers apparentlywere to be the same as those given in the1877 specifications, but nowhere were the dimensionsof the lyre and signal flags given in detail.At the same time, post quartermaster sergeants