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I have a couple of clone kepis in stock that I'm offering at a reduced price. One is the Kite Virginia kepi, the other is the Williamson NC forage cap.
Kite kepi
Here is the text from the original advert:
With pleasure I am able to offer another "clone" kepi. This is an 1864 cap Id'd to a Virginia cavalryman named William Kite. It is classic Richmond Depot style.
On April 26, 1864, General John Imboden called for reserve units throughout the Shenandoah Valley to muster for the defense of Virginia.
A few days later, on May 2, Chrisman’s Boy Company, made up of youths mostly 17 years old and younger, arrived at Imboden’s command at Grassy Dale, Virginia. There they received their flag from the ladies of Harrisonburg. They served in Imboden’s brigade fighting at the Battles of New Market Gap, Piedmont, Lynchburg, Buford’s Gap, and Hanging Rock.
In August of 1864 the Boy Company was sent to Richmond. There they served as Libby Prison guards, and later in the defense lines around Richmond. As members of Chrisman’s company turn 18 years of age they transfer to regular army units. A token few surrendered at Appomattox.
The kepi is made using Ben Tart's blue/gray kersey. The two chinstrap buttons are original white glass, and there is a third glass button at the rear of the cap, presumably for a rain cover. Lining is natural osnaberg fabric while the sweatband is unpainted canvas. The leather chinstrap uses a japanned iron buckle which has been faithfully reproduced.
The visor maintains the shape and composition of the “Richmond Depot” kepi; it is made of tarred cloth covered pasteboard with a wide cloth edging sewn on by wide stitches of undyed (white-natural) thread.
This is a carefully crafted stitch for stitch copy of the original. It will make a great addition to your collection.
Comes with a data sheet w/photos of the original.
One Kite kepi in-stock @ 7 1/4, normally $125, on sale for $115 Ppd.
Williamson cap
Amzi L. Williamson Forage Cap
Co. B, 53rd North Carolina Infantry
This forage cap can be found on page 145 of the Confederate volume of Echoes of Glory. Since that series of books was published I had always wanted to see the cap in person. I made contact with the owner several years ago and it took two years to finally get the owner, the cap, and yours truly in the same place so I could study it.
It was a pleasure to look at this cap in a context other than Echoes of Glory. Firstly, the jean wool exterior is more vivid color than is seen in the book. Secondly is the lining fabric, which is nice printed homespun patterned cotton, something unique to this cap. Note, Amzi’s initials and the date "1863" are scratched onto the underside of the visor.
What makes this cap so special is that it’s an impeccably id’d Confederate enlisted forage know to be worn at Gettysburg. His North Carolina jacket also survived the war and is in the same hands as the cap.
Amzi Williams enlisted on May 8, 1863 at Mecklenburg County, North Carolina as a private in Co. B of the 53rd North Carolina infantry. After less than two months as a soldier he was wounded July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg. He returned to duty November 30, 1863. The following spring he was wounded again at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. He was hospitalized at Charlottesville, Virginia in one of the Confederate hospitals. No doubt he was carried there via the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, passing through Gordonsville, Virginia.
Gordonsville was an important stopping point where Confederate wounded were examined and either left at the hospitals there, or taken to Charlottesville hospitals, or on further to the Lynchburg hospitals. The extensive fighting that took place in May 1864 saw tens of thousands of Confederate wounded carried by rail along this medical corridor of Gordonsville, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Danville.
Williamson returned to duty in November 1864 and later was detached to the Medical purveyor’s office in Richmond where he finished out the war.
This reproduction of the Williamson cap is made of Ben Tart Sumac jean, which will fade in sunlight to a color amazingly close to the original. A key feature of the cap is the lining. This lining has been carefully reproduced exactly as seen in the original. This custom lining is exclusive to this project. The original shows remnants of sewing indicating a sweatband and a chinstrap. It is unknown what those were. A brown leather sweatband has been used and a chinstrap added. Coin buttons have been used on the chinstrap.
One in-stock @ 7 1/4- normally $105, on sale for $98 Ppd.
If interested, please email me at my new email address: cwkepi@comcast.net
Thank you,
Greg Starbuck
Kite kepi
Here is the text from the original advert:
With pleasure I am able to offer another "clone" kepi. This is an 1864 cap Id'd to a Virginia cavalryman named William Kite. It is classic Richmond Depot style.
On April 26, 1864, General John Imboden called for reserve units throughout the Shenandoah Valley to muster for the defense of Virginia.
A few days later, on May 2, Chrisman’s Boy Company, made up of youths mostly 17 years old and younger, arrived at Imboden’s command at Grassy Dale, Virginia. There they received their flag from the ladies of Harrisonburg. They served in Imboden’s brigade fighting at the Battles of New Market Gap, Piedmont, Lynchburg, Buford’s Gap, and Hanging Rock.
In August of 1864 the Boy Company was sent to Richmond. There they served as Libby Prison guards, and later in the defense lines around Richmond. As members of Chrisman’s company turn 18 years of age they transfer to regular army units. A token few surrendered at Appomattox.
The kepi is made using Ben Tart's blue/gray kersey. The two chinstrap buttons are original white glass, and there is a third glass button at the rear of the cap, presumably for a rain cover. Lining is natural osnaberg fabric while the sweatband is unpainted canvas. The leather chinstrap uses a japanned iron buckle which has been faithfully reproduced.
The visor maintains the shape and composition of the “Richmond Depot” kepi; it is made of tarred cloth covered pasteboard with a wide cloth edging sewn on by wide stitches of undyed (white-natural) thread.
This is a carefully crafted stitch for stitch copy of the original. It will make a great addition to your collection.
Comes with a data sheet w/photos of the original.
One Kite kepi in-stock @ 7 1/4, normally $125, on sale for $115 Ppd.
Williamson cap
Amzi L. Williamson Forage Cap
Co. B, 53rd North Carolina Infantry
This forage cap can be found on page 145 of the Confederate volume of Echoes of Glory. Since that series of books was published I had always wanted to see the cap in person. I made contact with the owner several years ago and it took two years to finally get the owner, the cap, and yours truly in the same place so I could study it.
It was a pleasure to look at this cap in a context other than Echoes of Glory. Firstly, the jean wool exterior is more vivid color than is seen in the book. Secondly is the lining fabric, which is nice printed homespun patterned cotton, something unique to this cap. Note, Amzi’s initials and the date "1863" are scratched onto the underside of the visor.
What makes this cap so special is that it’s an impeccably id’d Confederate enlisted forage know to be worn at Gettysburg. His North Carolina jacket also survived the war and is in the same hands as the cap.
Amzi Williams enlisted on May 8, 1863 at Mecklenburg County, North Carolina as a private in Co. B of the 53rd North Carolina infantry. After less than two months as a soldier he was wounded July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg. He returned to duty November 30, 1863. The following spring he was wounded again at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. He was hospitalized at Charlottesville, Virginia in one of the Confederate hospitals. No doubt he was carried there via the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, passing through Gordonsville, Virginia.
Gordonsville was an important stopping point where Confederate wounded were examined and either left at the hospitals there, or taken to Charlottesville hospitals, or on further to the Lynchburg hospitals. The extensive fighting that took place in May 1864 saw tens of thousands of Confederate wounded carried by rail along this medical corridor of Gordonsville, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Danville.
Williamson returned to duty in November 1864 and later was detached to the Medical purveyor’s office in Richmond where he finished out the war.
This reproduction of the Williamson cap is made of Ben Tart Sumac jean, which will fade in sunlight to a color amazingly close to the original. A key feature of the cap is the lining. This lining has been carefully reproduced exactly as seen in the original. This custom lining is exclusive to this project. The original shows remnants of sewing indicating a sweatband and a chinstrap. It is unknown what those were. A brown leather sweatband has been used and a chinstrap added. Coin buttons have been used on the chinstrap.
One in-stock @ 7 1/4- normally $105, on sale for $98 Ppd.
If interested, please email me at my new email address: cwkepi@comcast.net
Thank you,
Greg Starbuck
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