United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 - Libreria Militare Ares

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58 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGYAdopted June 14, 1876. [Figure 40]M. C. MEIGS,Quartermaster General,Bvt. Major General, U.S.A.The first contract was let in June with John T.Waring & Co., Yonkers, New York, for 15,000 hatsat 11.25 each and the cost to enlisted personnel wasset at the same with an additional |.07 for the cordand tassel."" Because of the large existing stocks ofthe old model, no matter what its deficiencies, issuewas delayed until April 1877, and then with theproviso that they were to "be supplied only totroops in the field or on the frontier, as requiredby existing numbers.'""Early in 1878 the old pattern hats were beingsent to the military prison at Ft. Leavenworth forissue to prisoners, and the following fall all existingstocks were ordered turned in and shipped tothe Philadelphia Depot.'" There, in an attempt toFIGURE 40.—1876 campaign hat.
NUMBER 30 59salvage something from them, it was found that byreducing the width of the brim and reblocking thecrown, the old hats could be made to conform tothe new pattern, in appearance at least. Due totheir lack of strength and durability, however, theSecretary of War directed that they not be issuedto enlisted personnel, but rather reserved for saleto officers.^'" Issue to prisoners at Ft. Leavenworthcontinued and in 1881 a lot of 300 of those alteredwere sent to Washington for sale to District of Columbia'extra or Inauguration Police." The remainderwere apparently sold to surplus dealers.Throughout its life, this hat was worn with cordsand tassels of the pattern prescribed for the 1858hat, the majority of them from surplus 1858 patternstocks. These were priced at |.07 each."'It is obvious from its report that the board reasonedin its selection of a wool over a fur felt forthe new pattern, but no explanation can be foundin the proceedings or in allied correspondence forthe choice of the black color other than the blandstatement: "For all purposes ... it is believed thatblack is the most desirable color." On the contrary,recommendations in regard to campaign hats hadalmost universally called for a light color as opposedto dark because of the former's capacity toreflect heat and that of the latter to absorb it. Asearly as 1847 the commanding officer of the Regimentof Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen requesteda campaign hat of gray or drab color, and throughoutthe Mexican War and the years nearly up tothe Civil War, nonregulation drab colored hatswere common in the frontier army.'"' Despite theadoption of the black <strong>1855</strong> cavalry model and the1858 pattern for the whole <strong>Army</strong>, agitation for alight colored, as opposed to black, hat continued,culminating in a strong recommendation for suchin the Woodhull Report."^' Although the very outspokencriticism of the 1872 hat was aimed primarilyat its lack of durability, much of the correspondenceincluded criticism of the black colorbecause of its tendency to absorb heat.^^'Although there was no widespread voiced reactionto the new model one way or the other for thefirst several years of its use, what criticism thatwas heard generally related to the question of color.Actually, during the period more attention seemsto have been placed on the trials of the summercork helmet which had been initiated in 1875 andwhich were to continue for some years."^ By 1880the criticism was becoming more noticeable withthe question of durability coming to the surface.Early in 1882, Major J. C. Breckinridge, an assistantinspector general, in his report following anextensive tour of frontier posts, suggested that acampaign hat of better quality than the currentmodel in either black or drab color "according toclimate" be issued. He stated further that the priceof the issue hat was too low "to warrant a goodarticle" and that the enlisted men were buying nonregulationhats whenever they could afford them.^When this report came to the attention of Brig.Gen. Rufus Ingalls, the new Quartermaster General(Gen. Meigs had retired on 6 February), hedirected the Philadelphia Depot to turn the matterover to Captain Rogers, the Military Storekeeper,who was to furnish the Quartermaster General'soffice with several sample hats of different colorsand quality. Ingalls stated that the question ofissuing drab or slate colored hats had been frequentlybrought to his attention in the past months.Rogers complied, indicating in his letter of transmittala decided preference for a change in materialand color. "The only proper substance to usein the manufacture of hats of this character," hewrote, "is a fair quality of fur felt. They will costconsiderable more to begin with than the wool hats,but a reasonable careful man can make two ofthem last through a term of enlistment, whereas hewould want five of the wool ones." He then wenton, recommending the omission of the patented"Brasher" ventilator called for in the specificationsas being too expensive and its replacement by asimple eyelet.'^' Ingalls made a selection of fur felthats and requested authority to purchase 1000 fortest, stating that they would cost about $2.00 eachin quantity as opposed to the then current |.67 forthe fur model. The Secretary of War approved andthey were procured and issued to troops in theSouthwest.'^' By mid-1883 reports from the fieldwere so overwhelmingly in favor of the drab hats,in many cases considering them superior to thecork helmets, that another 1000 were ordered withlarge ventilating holes in the side. Following receiptof additional favorable opinions, the Secretaryof War in October directed that thereafteronly drab fur felt hats were to be procured, theseto have a large ventilator replacing the "Brasher,"which was considered essentially worthless, andthat samples should be sealed and specifications
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• ^ - :lP-'L^ry\'^ ^iT
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ABSTRACTHowell, Edgar M. United Sta
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ContentsPagePrefaceiiiThe 1855 Cava
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United States Army Headgear 1855-19
Page 11 and 12:
NUMBER 30report, stated: "The hat p
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NUMBER 30acorns %g inches long and
Page 15 and 16: NUMBER 30the pattern." The rate of
Page 17 and 18: NUMBER 30FIGURE 3.—1858 Army hat.
Page 19 and 20: NUMBER 3011model, number 60 in the
Page 21 and 22: NUMBER 30 13"the desired modificati
Page 23 and 24: NUMBER 30 15the sun in the top. The
Page 25 and 26: NUMBER 30 17FIGURE 8.—1858 forage
Page 27 and 28: NUMBER 30 19Hardtack and Coffee, ca
Page 29 and 30: NUMBER 3021FIGURE 11.—a, Brigadie
Page 31 and 32: NUMBER 30 23short "shell" jacket "f
Page 33 and 34: NUMBER 30 26broad, securely soldere
Page 35 and 36: NUMBER 30 27worn in the picture wer
Page 37 and 38: NUMBER 30 29This communication elic
Page 39 and 40: NUMBER 30 31FIGURE 17.—"The [Scot
Page 41 and 42: NUMBER 30 33time for issue in the c
Page 43 and 44: NUMBER 30 35be at too great a dista
Page 45 and 46: NUMBER 3037half (5/2) part of washb
Page 47 and 48: NUMBER 30 39trimmings for all enlis
Page 49 and 50: NUMBER 30 41ing the upper space for
Page 51 and 52: NUMBER 30rear one to a correspondin
Page 53 and 54: NUMBER 30 46FIGURE 29.—1872 enlis
Page 55 and 56: NUMBER 3047FIGURE 32.—^The Bent &
Page 57 and 58: NUMBER 3049of strong split-leather
Page 59 and 60: NUMBER 30 51''""MttfenFIGURE 35.—
Page 61 and 62: NUMBER 30 53(which he thought might
Page 63 and 64: NUMBER 30 55FIGURE 38.—Captain Be
Page 65: NUMBER 30 57campaign hat for the Ar
Page 69 and 70: NUMBER 30 61hat. In June 1899 the P
Page 71 and 72: NUMBER 3063the left side, pass diag
Page 73 and 74: NUMBER 30 65.LJU^.."*^..FIGURE 44.
Page 75 and 76: NUMBER 30 67to be sent to Washingto
Page 77 and 78: NUMBER 30 69with brass sliding-buck
Page 79 and 80: NUMBER 30 71FIGURE 48.—Officers'
Page 81 and 82: NUMBER 3073The adoption of the whit
Page 83 and 84: NUMBER 3075i >•^\Wiii I ifiiiniim
Page 85 and 86: NUMBER 30this last model made no pr
Page 87 and 88: NUMBER 30 79WAR DEPARTMENT,QUARTERM
Page 89 and 90: NUMBER 3081FIGURE 58.—1864 chapea
Page 91 and 92: NUMBER 30geon 1880 and Surgeon Gene
Page 93 and 94: NUMBER 3085FIGURE 63.—1895 forage
Page 95 and 96: NUMBER 30 87of not less than 9.24 g
Page 97 and 98: AppendixMAKERS OF HEADGEARThe chron
Page 99 and 100: List of AbbreviationsAAGAAQMAGAGOAQ
Page 101 and 102: NUMBER 3093all OQMG, LS, Clothing,
Page 103 and 104: NUMBER 30 95"Jesup to Thomas, 8 Dec
Page 105 and 106: NUMBER 3097OQMG, Reg. LR, Clothing,
Page 107 and 108: NUMBER 30 99October of 1870. See Me
Page 109 and 110: NUMBER 30 101'"* See above, pp. 35-
Page 111 and 112: NUMBER 30 103Monroe, Va., in 1878.
Page 113 and 114: NUMBER 30 105""Endorsement, 24 May
Page 115 and 116: ReferencesThe bulk of the source ma
Page 117:
M MBIiR 30 10910, No. 355-10, 19 Se
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United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 - Libreria Militare Ares

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