Forage caps and how they are worn

[FlemSmythe]

Recently I have notice a trend. Guys are shaping there brims on there forage caps much like they would a baseball hat. Are there any articles on this subject anywhere? I tried the search function and came up with zilch.

Peter,

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[Johan Steele]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Follow the photo evidence, I've yet to see a photo of a union soldier w/ a forage cap brim shaped like on a modern baseball cap. If anyone has any photos showing such that would be the way to prove it... Originals that I have seen, period drawings and photo evidence all seem to be lacking for that.

[markmason]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

A lot of flipped up brims, but NEVER shaped like ball caps. However, some Type I style brims will give a appearance of sloping downward a bit. This is due to the shape of the brim and not from intentional creasing or shaping

[CJDaley]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

There was a strong belief through most of the mid-19th Century that the
larger your forehead, the smarter you were (It's a whole phrenology thing).
To this end, fashion dictated that you wear your hat/cap on the back of
your head so that you show the most amount of your forehead as possible.
(this also dictated hair styles as well). This is why many (but not all) photos
of CW soldiers have the brims of their caps flipped up or they are wearing a
cap with a straight brim with the cap on the back of the head.

However, in an attempt to void all absolutes in the world, there are images of
soldiers with brims curled down. Here is one I had on file and thought I'd
post them for debate and argument. (if you have any in your collections,
please share with the group)

Here is a group of soldiers from company F 4th VT. I do think one or two
could be wearing McDowell caps, but there are a couple that are wearing
standard forage caps and the brims aren't flipped up or straight. (Sorry for
the poor scan quality, this was done off my old scanner) (See attachment)


In the same vain, here is a small collection of what most 'kewl' guys in the
hobby would consider 'unauthentic' hats. So (in my worst Clint Eastwood
impression) You have to ask yourself one question: If a guy showed up to
one of your events wearing a hat like this....would you let him fall in with
you? Well, would you...punk?

Unauthentic Hat 1: From group shot taken around a 200 Pound
Parrott Rifle Located in Fort Gregg on Morris Island, SC – 1865
http://www.civilwarphotos.net/files/images/062.jpg


Unauthentic Hat 2: Taken from a group shot around The "Dictator"-
Petersburg, VA October 1864
http://www.civilwarphotos.net/files/images/290.jpg


Unauthentic Hat 3: Colonel James H. Childs 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry - Westover Landing, VA, August 1862
http://www.civilwarphotos.net/files/images/241.jpg


Go ahead...talk amongst yourselves....

[FlemSmythe]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Thankyou Mr. Daley for the interesting info and most of all the photos!!

[theknapsack]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Heres a few pictures of soldiers wearing forage caps. I think they themselves can succesfully debunk the baseball cap thing. Notice in the first picture they are wearing, as Mr. Daley stated, very tilted back. Same with the next picture, you get the feeling they are wearing their caps very high. The man with the forage cap in the third picture wears his fairly low, but i suspect these men were trying to recreate (in a CDV) a winter camp so he would try to stay warm. The fourth picture as well the men are wearing their caps high.

Riley Ewen

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Check these guys out.

[cwarren64]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

I've always thought that the hats on most of the photos I've seen are tilted back on the head so the shadow caused by the brim does not obscure the face in the photo. I've had photographers tell me that in the past. Just a thought...
Warren Clark

[CJDaley]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

I think they [the photos] themselves can succesfully debunk the baseball cap thing.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt the first guy in the first picture wearing his cap like a baseball cap?


I think you can find hundreds of thousands of pics of guys wearing their brims up or flat. However, I just don't want folks to think that if you wear it the other way (bent downward) that it's a sign of being some sort of ignorant farb.

[13thnhv]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Chris, One of the styles of caps that you sell (made by Joel) and I can't remember the name of it, although I own one, has a naturally curving brim like a baseball cap. You couldn't flip it up or flatten it if you wanted to, without destroying the finish. It's a thin bill and curved. Looks like the one you point out in the photo above, guy on the left, just like it. Joe

[hardtack1864]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Ditto, I just got my "type 1" cap and it bends a little down like a baseball cap, though not quite that bad.

[Bill Cross]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Here is a group of soldiers from company F 4th VT. I do think one or two could be wearing McDowell caps, but there are a couple that are wearing standard forage caps and the brims aren't flipped up or straight.

Chris,

They've GOT to be farbs, they have A tents.

I just hate it when you debunk our prejudices this way. :tounge_sm

[FlemSmythe]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

That brim almost looks like a McDowell. Maybe his hat shrank causeing it to pull the brim that way.

:tounge_sm

[MassVOL]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

The brim is like the McDowell style. And I believe the one that Chris sells made by Joel Bohy's Medical Corps hat.

[Csayankee]

Re: Forage caps and how they are worn

Forgive me If I missed the answer. But in regards to the Photo's that Mr. Dailey provided with the brim of the hat pulled down. Was this a style that one would do, ie: would they get the hat and pull the brim down or was this a natural occurence with long periods of wear.

Thanks
Daniel MacInnis