Blue forage caps in the AOT.

[RebelReefer]

I'm just wondering how often "before and after 1863" it would have been to have seen an U.S. army forage cap on the head of the average private in the Army of Tennessee?



sinc,

Ethan Gallo

[VMI88]

Re: Blue forage caps in the AOT.

I'm just wondering how often "before and after 1863" it would have been to have seen an U.S. army forage cap on the head of the average private in the Army of Tennessee?

Ethan,

This doesn't exactly address your question, but since it involves captured headgear in the AOT it might be of interest:

. . . I think that all had exchanged their Enfields for Springfields on the battlefield by this time . . . and many had changed their guns more than once as we had also changed our cedar canteens on the battlefield or by purchase from men who had more than one cloth covered, block tin, oval shaped Yankee canteen, and those who had not picked up a U.S. blanket, good black hat, blue overcoat or shelter tent, could usually buy such cheap, if needed, of men who had more than one.”

The above quote is from an unpublished manuscript by W.E. Preston of the 33rd Alabama Infantry, Army of Tennessee, writing about the battle of Murfreesboro in January 1863. While he doesn't address army caps, it does seem that dress hats would be approriate for some Confederate impressions.

[K Bartsch]

Re: Blue forage caps in the AOT.

I'm just wondering how often "before and after 1863" it would have been to have seen an U.S. army forage cap on the head of the average private in the Army of Tennessee?



sinc,

Ethan Gallo

Ethan,

After an exhaustive analysis of all extant photographic images, soldiers' letters, diary entries, official reports and memoirs, I can say with absolute certainly that the US Army forage cap was worn by soldiers in the Confederate Army of Tennessee 32.4 times prior to 1863. After 1863, the cap was worn 47 times. Does this seem in line with the research you have conducted?

Just kidding of course! :wink_smil Nevertheless, if you are seeking to "justify" wear of your federal forage cap as part of an AoT impression, I think you'll be hard-pressed to do so. While we should never say "never" when it comes to the material culture and history of this turbulent period in American history, I think you'll find that most folks here strive for a plain, everyday, common (PEC) impression. Therefore, you'd do better to leave the Federal forage cap to your Federal impression. Finally, as you know, prior to Chickamauga in Sep 1863, Bragg's AoT was not left in control of the field and thus oportunities to harvest Federal forage caps would have been extremely limited.

One final note. Not to single you out, but for everyone's benefit, I think you'll find folks will be more willing to respond to queries here if you provide some eveidence you've attempted to do some research on the matter at hand yourself. Put another way, try to avoid asking a question like: "How many soldiers in the AoT wore Federal trousers?" Instead, after applying some of the great research guidance and techniques supplied by people like Curt Schmidt, you'll be able to pose your question perhaps thusly, "I've studied clothing issue records of our unit the XXth Alabama and can find some evidence the men did not recieve trousers again from the Confederate QM department after an issue in July of 1862. I've also read that trousers had a service life of no more than around 6 months in the field. I've looked at battle reports of Army of the Cumberland units who faced the brigade to which the XXth Alabama was assigned for most of its history, but there was no mention by federal commanders of rebels in this brigade being clothed extensively in US uniform items. Finally, there are a few published letters from soldiers in the reg't who mention needing trousers badly and their happiness at acquiring a pair during the Chickamauga campaign. Based on what I've seen it looks to me like 5 to 10 percent of XXth Alabama soldiers may have worn Federal trousers at any given time after 1863. Does anyone disagree?"

Again Ethan, not to single you out, and this is not personal at all, but I sense there is a move to raise the bar here on this website and requests for "spoonfeeding" probably won't result in outright flames or wrath, but, won't get much results -- particularly if not posted in the "Camp of Instruction" folder.

Cordially,

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Blue forage caps in the AOT.

Ethan,

US forage caps were worn by the AoT at a frequency somewhere between "always" and "never." :wink_smil

All jokes aside, as asked, your question is unanswerable with any degree of certainty.