United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 - Libreria Militare Ares

64 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGYFIGURE 43.—^Dress helmets: a, for line officers of foot troops (note "tiger head" side buttons);b, for all mounted line officers.General Sherman, retaining the cuirassier modelin Washington and sending the others back toPhiladelphia.When Meigs reported that the proposed uniformchanges would entail a deficit of something over1525,000 for that fiscal year, Sherman disapprovedalmost all those which could not be effected withoutcost, among them the helmet. The Secretaryof War concurred with the endorsement: "Nochanges will be made at any time which involve anexpenditure not clearly within existing appropriations,and great care will be taken to avoid adeficiency.""""The issue of the dress cap versus the helmet wasfar from dead, however. Feeling on the subjectran higher than had been realized, for late the nextyear a group of some 573 officers sent General Shermana signed petition requesting the adoption ofthe helmet in place of the cap."" The petition.which was given considerable publicity in the service-orientedpress,""" seemed to ring a bell with Sherman,for he had the petition referred to Meigs forcomment and directed that the sample helmetsrecommended by the Miles Board the previousyear, together with a comparison of cost of the thenregulation enlisted cap and the helmet, be sent tohis office.""" When this was done, Sherman indicatedthat he would approve for all arms a black felt,as opposed to a cork, helmet and asked for a costestimate. Meigs relayed the request to Philadelphia.Somewhat confused, Rogers wired Meigsback for information as to which of the samplesSherman preferred so that it might be used as aguide in checking cost and preparing furthersamples."" Without waiting for an answer, Rogersrequested Allien & Co. of New York, who it will beremembered prepared the Miles Board samples, tosend to Philadelphia the blocks and dies used in