Headwear for Army of the Potomac

[crgswyr]

Was wondering people's opinion on a Hardee hat for a generic Eastern Theater Union impression. I know the Iron Brigade wore Hardee's and they were more previlant in the West. My new unit does a generic Union impression when needed. It seems they are popular among many of the union impressions but looking at photos the forage cap seemed more popluar. Is the Hardee had becoming a re-enactorisom? If I was potraying a certain unit I could research, but just as a generic what would be better? I prefer Hardee hat, but my preference may not be the best impression.

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

I think that eastern units had a mix of everything looking at photos. Civilian headgear, but also Dress Hats. I think a forage cap and a prevailing civilian hat would suit you well for most events. If you had all three, you would be fine 99.9% of events.

[LeftCoastYank]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

I agree with MarkTK: It seems to me that, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the standard issue item -- in this case the iconic forage cap -- is usually the safest choice for Union impressions.

[Ambrose Bierce]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

Both the forage cap and the Hardee were issue items. No reenactorisms as far as that is concerned.

Recommend you get a good one of each so you can portray whichever unit you want. This will allow you to continue to have a basic Federal impression that allows for flexibility. As Mark said, a civilian hat would also help round out the impression, but you can also reshape the Hardee if you choose.

While Western troops do indeed seem to favor slouch hats, plenty of units serving in the Western theatre wore forage caps. You will be good with one of each.

Hope this helps.

[Palmyra Possum]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

From “American Civil War Armies: Union Troops” by Philip Katcher (p 7):

The most popular cap was the issue forage, or fatigue cap. Besides making some 41,663 in their own depots, the US Army purchased 4,766,100 forage caps between May 1861 and October 1865. In a study of enlisted men photographed in the field with the Army of the Potomac between 1862 and 1865, 77.5 per cent of infantrymen wore these caps and 85 per cent of the cavalrymen.

From “Insignia of the Common Union Solder” by Curt Holman, originally published in Camp Chase Gazette, March 1991:

In Philip Katcher's article in the September-October (1984) issue of Military Images, he studied photos of Eastern soldiers with six or more field soldiers in each image. His sources were: Military Images, Divided We Fought, The Photographic History of the Civil War, They Who Fought Here, and Hunt & Embleton's The American Civil War. Of a total of 156 enlisted men Katcher examined, 93 men were photographed in such a way that their headgear could be clearly seen. His results were: 63.4%, plain caps. (NO INSIGNIA AT ALL!) Insignia was worn by only 19.3% and of that, only 18.2% wore corps badges. Mr. Katcher's conclusions were: "Based on the photographs studied, we can describe the ‘typical’ infantryman of the Army of the Potomac from 1863 to 1865. He wears an unadorned issue-type forage cap. His coat is either a frockcoat or a fatigue blouse, but it covers only a shirt and not a vest. His accoutrements are complete and worn as issued. It is a very plain but serviceable garb".

[robwall1861]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

For what it's worth, I used to be a member of the 27th Connecticut ('98-'05) and our primary issue headgear was the Type II forage cap. Our unit was part of the 1st Division/2nd Corp so the original unit was attached to the Army of the Potomac. Being a hat guru, I definitely got a good slouch hat so that when I was allowed, I was able to wear it (preferred it over the standard issue forage cap).

Just my .02 and hope this helps....can't say if any updated research has been done since but...:)

[roundshot]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

The following description, written by Federal Col. Charles E. Sprague and quoted from Capt. E. A. Nash’s History of the 44th New York Volunteer Infantry (Morningside, 1988), provides some interesting enlightenment in this regard:

“As we stood in line in marching order [prior to the Battle of Chancellorsville], we were a fair specimen of an American regiment. We stood about three hundred rank and file. Few regiments had anything like the nominal strength which a regiment should have. We were a sunburned, hearty set of fellows; we looked as if we could eat a square meal whenever we got one . . . We were not punctilious about regulations as to dress. Our regulation uniforms of semi-zouave pattern had been turned in, and we had frock coats, blouses, or jackets, just as it happened – anything blue would do. In hats and caps there was also much variety; the hideous regular army cloth cap, with slanting peak, which some turned up and some turned down – each way it looked worse; or the more knobby French shape, with straight visor or the McClellan cap, with top falling forward – these had been sent on from home or purchased when on furlough; or the army black felt, which was generally worn with the crown depressed in the center; or other varieties of black soft hats, which were worn in spite of regulations. But every one had on his cap or hat the red Maltese cross, the badge of our division [1st Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac]. Some had leggings, some had not; some old hands were in favor of stuffing the trousers into the stockings and tying them with strings. The broad shoes furnished by the government and usually called “gunboats” were the most fashionable foot wear; this was apart of the uniform which private enterprise did not much improve on. Only one thing about our get up would have pleased a military critic – our guns were clean and bright.”

[RW0369]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

From the Columbia Rifles Compendium:

General Orders No. 9 was distributed to this same brigade in March 1864, in part to eliminate hats from inspection and reviews:

Hereafter on inspection and reviews . . . Every man must appear at inspections and reviews wearing a forage cap with red patch. Hats will not be allowed to be worn in the ranks . . .

It appears that General Orders were issued regarding headgear and footwear. Dress hats were allowed if issued to the unit, if forage caps were issued hats were not allowed. With the caveat that it appears hats became more common while actively campaigning, as the campaign progressed.

Just me: Unless specifically documented otherwise, I wear a forage cap when portraying the Army of the Potomac.

[Will Hickox]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

Tables from U.S. Quartermaster reports reproduced on C.J. Daley's website indicate that quartermaster depots in the east had larger amounts of forage caps than hats, and vice versa in the western depots, and so troops based in the eastern theater tended to be issued with caps, and those in the west with hats.

My research in the Provost Marshal records in the New-York Historical Society also showed that from 1863 on (when the PMs were tasked with issuing a basic set of clothing and gear to recruits), PMs in New York districts always issued forage caps.

Page from clothing book of 7th PM District showing clothing received:

Record of clothing issued to substitutes in September 1863. Each man received a cap:

So a soldier assigned to the Army of the Potomac--especially recruits from 1863 on--was more likely to received a cap than a hat, except in certain units like the Iron Brigade and the 9th New York Cavalry that preferred the black felt hat.

Earlier, in July 1861, gray Brooks Brothers uniforms issued to the 12th New York Infantry fell apart, and were replaced with sack coats, dark blue pants, and what the colonel called "Kossuth hats" (the 1858 army hat). Photos indicate these were replaced soon by frock coats, light blue pants and forage caps.

When the 14th NY Heavy Artillery formed in late 1863-early '64, the colonel was very particular about uniforms. The regiment was issued with both the hat and forage cap, which were supposed to be decorated with the letters, numbers, and crossed cannon. An Alfred Waud sketch from May 1864 indicates that the 14th's men were wearing caps in the field, with an army or civilian hat here and there.

Sorry, photos didn't load.

[Palmyra Possum]

Re: Headwear for Army of the Potomac

"Volunteer Cavalry: The Lessons of the Decade" by Frederick Whittaker (p 46):

The United States cavalry uniform is quite comfortable, no doubt. But there is as little doubt that it is by all odds the most completely hideous under the sun.

Especially is this the case with the present regulation hat. Without its brasswork, in the simplicity of its native felt, it is a steeple-crowned reminiscence of Praise God Barebone and the Bump Parliament, anything else but martial and heroic. Cocked up at one side, with its shabby-looking brass ornaments, and one little mangy feather, it reminds one of a broken-down brigand. Anything more hideous was never put on a soldier's head.

I remember well, that when my first old regiment was mounted an sent to the front, the road was strewn for miles with "that d—d old hat," as our men called it, thrown away as soon as our parade days were over. Afterwards, for a couple of years, there was no sort of regularity in head coverings. A dress parade of one of our regiments reminded one of Donnybrook Fair, as regards hats. Every sort of battered old tile was used, and the effect was ludicrous. But when Sheridan took command, by a general order he compelled the adoption of the forage cap, and after that there was no trouble. True, the regulation forage cap, as issued, was even more worthless than the hat, in point of make. But the sutlers sold very nice little caps of similar pattern, and nine-tenths of the men preferred paying two dollars for a decent and serviceable cap, to drawing one at sixty cents, literally worthless.

War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney, 1861-1865 (p 136, 11/25/64):

Forage caps issued. Considerable dissatisfaction among the boys.