United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 - Libreria Militare Ares

62 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGYthe edge of the brim. Others followed closely the1889-1895 and 1899 specifications. Of those followingthe latter, all examined had sweat band insertsof papier mache rather than leather and hadthe brim merely stitched rather than turned over,and none examined had the aluminum and/or celluloidinserts called for in 1900. All carried thecontractor's name and date of contract. The officers'models examined all generally followed thevarious specifications, but were of a far superiorquality.Although nothing specific was said about the hatcords for either the 1876 black or the 1883 drabmodels until 1887, they were issued in fair numbersthroughout the entire period and presumablyworn.'"' In 1887 a gratuitous issue of one cord witheach hat issued was authorized, to be continueduntil old stocks were exhausted.""" Issue continueduntil the outbreak of war when procurement inlarge numbers was initiated."'"Although the old and new model cords were ofthe same length and were worn in the same manner,they differed radically in method of constructionand terminals. While the 1858 cord was madeof four strands twisted with tassels at either end,the 1899 cord was braided of 16 strands and carriedacorn terminals like the 1855 cavalry model and theCivil War period officers' models. Colors prescribedwere: Post quartermaster sergeant, buff; post commissarysergeant, gray; Hospital Corps, green; EngineerCorps, Scarlett and white, with alternatestripe running lengthwise; Ordnance, crimson; SignalCorps, black; Cavalry, yellow; Artillery, Scarlett;Infantry, blue." This infantry blue was soonchanged to white"" and in 1902 the Hospital Corpschanged from green to maroon and white with alternatestripes running lengthwise. Ordnance fromcrimson to red and black, again with alternatestripes running lengthwise, Signal Corps fromblack to orange and white with alternate lengthwisestripes, and Infantry from blue to light blue.Officers' cords were to be of gold for general officersand of gold and black silk intermixed forothers."'" For organizational identification of enlistedmen in 1899, the letter of the company andthe number of the regiment were prescribed forwear on the hat. In the case of engineer troops theletter of the company only was to be worn."^*Rection to the drab model was generally positiveover the years, and the fact that it was continuedfrom its inception until the early years of WorldWar II with only an alteration in the shape of thecrown bears mute evidence of its utility.THE 1881 HELMETIn January 1881, after protracted consideration,the full dress cap adopted in 1872 was discontinuedand a helmet, a rather modified version of thatthen prescribed for the Cavalry and Light Artillery,adopted for all personnel other than generalofficers and officers of the general staff and staffcorps."""The 1872 cap had never been liked and this combinedwith the growing popularity of the Germantypespike helmet both abroad and among Americanmilitia units resulted in the change."'"The change grew out of the report of the 1878-1879 Army Equipment Board headed by ColonelNelson A. Miles. This board, set up primarily toconsider the subject of entrenching tools "and alsothe equipment of troops in general" "" interpretedits mission in the broadest possible sense and dulysubmitted a voluminous report that seemed to gofar beyond the directed task and included a numberof recommended changes in Army dress."'^ Inregard to dress hats the comments and recommendationswere specific:The present shako and helmet of the Infantry, Cavalry,and Artillery are objectionable and cause great dissatisfaction.They are of poor material (felt) and badly shaped,and the Board accordingly recommends the adoption for allofficers and men of the line of the Army of helmets of thepatterns herewith submitted and which may be generallydescribed as follows:For all mounted officers of the line, a cork helmet coveredwith black cloth, with eagle and chin-chain of the patternsubmitted, further trimmed and ornamented with hat cordand braid arranged as now prescribed for the helmets of officersof Cavalry and Light Artillery: the plume to be detachable,of buffalo hair, and of the color of the facingsof the corps.For all dismounted officers of the line, a cork helmet coveredwith black cloth, with spike and eagle and chin-cha-nof the pattern submitted. The chin-chains of foot officerswill not be worn down habitually; it will be attached to