United States Army Headgear 1855-1902 - Libreria Militare Ares

United States Army Headgear 1855-1902Catalog of United States Army Uniforms in theCollections of the Smithsonian Institution, IIEdgar M. HowellTHE 18 55 CAVALRY HATThe settlement of the Oregon boundary questionand the victory over Mexico added a wide stretchof territory to the Union and vastly increased theresponsibilities of the Army. Following the conclusionof the War with Mexico, however, the RegularEstablishment was reduced to a peacetimestrength smaller than that authorized after the Warof 1812. Although continued representations byGeneral Winfield Scott, Commander-in-Chief of the.A.rmy, resulted in a small increase, it was not untilJefferson Davis, a West Point graduate and a volunteerregimental commander in the late war, becameSecretary of War in 1853 that some positiverelief was to be had. Under Davis' prodding thatadditional units were urgently needed for frontierservice, the Congress on 3 March 1855 authorizedfour new regiments, the 1st and 2d Cavalry and the9th and 10th Infantry' to be added to the line establishmentsof two regiments of dragoons, one ofmounted riflemen, eight of infantry, and four ofartillery.General Order No. 4, 26 March 1855, which assignedthe officers to the new regiments, specifiedthat the units would be uniformed like their oldercounterparts except that the trimmings on the capand coat of the cavalry were to be yellow insteadof orange.'In July a board of officers of the cavalry regiments,set up to determine the horse equipmentand arms to be issued them, reported among otherthings:"We recommend a hat instead of the present cap, to bemade according to the pattern furnished, with the excep-Edgar M. Howell, Department of National and MilitaryHistory, National Museum of History and Technology,Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560.tions to be noticed. The hat to be looped up on the rightside and fastened with an eagle, the eagle to be attachedto the side of the hat. The letter of each company to be infront for the enlisted & the number of the regt. for officers.The chin strap to be fastened on the sides.The hat for officers to be the same as for enlisted menwith the exception mentioned. The hat for enlisted mento have one black feather on the left side two for companyofficers and three for field officers. The hat to be black. Thecords to be yellow, secured so as to be easily removed. Thecord for officers to be gold and for enlisted men to beworsted.^The report was approved by Secretary of War Davison 23 July ^ and three days later Brevet Major GeneralThomas S. Jesup, the Quartermaster General,forwarded the pattern hat furnished by the boardto Major George H. Crosman, commanding thequartermaster depot at Philadelphia, and directedhim to initiate procurement as soon as possible."On 3 August Crosman contracted with N. Fisherof Philadelphia for 2000 "hats for cavalry" at $1.05each.'General Order No. 13, 15 August 1855, prescribingthe arms and accouterments of the two cavalryregiments, described the hat as follows:For Field officers—Black, trimmed with gold cord, andaccording to pattern in the Quartermaster's Department; tobe looped up on the right side, and fastened with an eagle,the eagle being attached to the site of the hat; three blackfeathers on left side; the number of the regiment to be infront. The hat will be worn instead of the cap now used bythe other troops. For all other Officers—same as for fieldofficers, except that there will be but two black feathers. Forenlisted men—same as for officers, except there will be butone black feather, a worsted, instead of a gold cord, and theletter of the company substituted for the number of theregiment.'Besides its black color, the only details about thehat given in the record are that it had a chin strap