Whipple Cap

[Michigander]

Gentlemen;

does anyone know of a source of an authentic style Whipple Cap, besides Dirty Billy? Thanks for your assistance.
Richard Jones
Flagstaff, AZ

[Matt Reed]

Re: Whipple Cap

Gentlemen;

does anyone know of a source of an authentic style Whipple Cap, besides Dirty Billy? Thanks for your assistance.
Richard Jones
Flagstaff, AZ

Just curious...what is the Whipple cap? I went to Dirty Billy's site but didn't see anything labeled that.
Matt Reed
Oklahoma

[2ndNHDOC]

Re: Whipple Cap

Try this link. http://www.dirtybillyshats.com/us29.htm.

It was a hat used in early war Militia units usually from New England

Brian Schwatka

[Michigander]

Re: Whipple Cap

Just curious...what is the Whipple cap? I went to Dirty Billy's site but didn't see anything labeled that.
Matt Reed
Oklahoma

Matt;

Brian is right the Whipple Cap was primarily issued to militia units from the NE, it was also the initial headgear issued to the Berdan's Sharpshooters prior to their being outfitted with forage caps. It is also an ugly thing in my opinion!
Richard Jones
Flagstaff, AZ ;)

[John of the Skulkers Mess]

Re: Whipple Cap

And a similar version has been seen on a couple of Illinois soldiers (1st Ill. Cav. for one, it ran in Military Images) Comrade Greg Schuller came across it, somewhere among early Chicago suppliers.


Wasn't there a photo of J.C. Fremont (pre-war) wearing something like that?


John Pillers
imaskulker

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Whipple Cap

Check out Paul Loane's headgear book, it has a good section in there about seamless caps made by Loomis in Chicago and Whipple in NYC. The Whipple cap that Billy makes is from Whipple's original patent information sent to Bill by myself several years ago. They're a good approximation but I think a little pricey.

As far as I know the originals were made by Seamless Clothing Manufacturing Company in NYC, and it appears that variations on the pattern existed. There are some that look well-formed and have excellent shape (like the bright blue mint condition one in the collection of Don Troiani), other that looked a bit less well formed and somewhat dumpy (this could have been through extensive use-after all, they were only made from thin wool felt), and some that are actually made from sewn pieces of cloth.

If you didn't already know, there is one original USSS identified seamless cap. It was the war-time property of Leonard Small from Carmel, Maine, who enlisted in Co. D 2nd USSS. His seamless cap and his dark green forage cap were both found inside of his Tiffany & Co. knapsack. The seamless cap is gray wool felt without any seams, no sweatband (may have been removed or fallen out over time), a leather hat-band, chinstrap, and black rubber buttons. the front has a leather visor. The chinstrap of this particular seamless cap is run down through slits cut in the brim; the Loomis cap, of similar manufacture, was made with these slits so the brim of the cap could be buttoned up.

A while back I tried working with some reputable hat makers to get some plain gray blanks made up. The plan was to finish them myself and supply my mess with some nice looking early-war seamless caps but the project was eclipsed by researching and trying to produce a seamless overcoat (ha!).

Brian White

[signalman]

Re: Whipple Cap

You might find this of some interest. Both of these quotes came from Scientific American Articles. I had found them on-line at http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-b...=ABF2204-1005-8
I have not tried the link in some time so here is the information: Scientific American./New Series, Volume 5, Issue 6 Pages 86 and 93. The quotes are as follows.

Page 86
"Military Cap.-Mr. J.F. Whipple, of New York City, is the patentee of an invention in the military caps It consists in a cap having its crown and a cape for the protection of the back of the head and neck made of a seamless piece of felt or other soft material, and having a peak of leather or other moderately stiff material, to the sides of which the cap is kept in proper shape. The Seamless Clothing Manufacturing Company of New York City, are the assignees of the invention."
Page 93
"1,845.- J.F. Whipple (assignor to the Seamless Clothing Manufacturing Company), of New York, for Improvement in military caps:
I claim the military cap having its crown and its cape composed of felt or other soft material, and having solid cape united with the sides of leather or other moderately stiff material, substantially as described."
Hope this helps a bit.
Regards,
Jay Roger

[Matt Reed]

Re: Whipple Cap

Oh yes...I just bought Military Headgear by Paul Langellier and remember the hat now from that. I had previosly thought you might be making some reference to a hat from the Whipple Expedition in 1852 or 3. Thanks for all of the info though.
Matt Reed
Oklahoma

[keminsinger]

Re: Whipple Cap

I know this is a little late to the party, but I didn't know where else to put this. If folks want to see what Whipple hoped his hats would look like, here's his patent for them from 1861:

https://www.google.com/patents/US32849?dq=whipple&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o8svVeGYBILUgwT6pICgDA&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAg

As a New Englander, these hats interest me and I'd love to see an outfit commit to doing an 1861 impression with some of these.

Keith Minsinger