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A friend & I were recently discussing the following account that was written by First Lieutenant William Owen in regards to the Washington Artillery during the Maryland Campaign of 1862:
We did some "shopping" in Hagerstown, devoting ourselves chiefly to the "dry-goods line," and bought water-proof cloth and some dress patterns to present to our lady friends in Richmond, where they were in great need of such things. I should have liked to carry a wagon-load back. One merchant had upon his top shelves, where they had lain for many years, about one hundred old-fashioned, bell-crowned beaver hats, with long nap upon them, just the style our fathers wore, and caricaturists are wont to place upon the head of Brother Jonathan. These were discovered by some funny fellow, who appeared upon the street with one upon his head. The new "mode" took like wildfire, -- as new fashions always do, -- and the store was soon relieved of the stock of beavers, and the streets were thronged with men with the new "Brother Jonathan" hat. They wore them upon the march, and went into the battle of Antietam with this most peculiar head-gear for warriors.
He seemed to recall some other general accounts mentioning the odd headgear worn by the Washington Artillery men during the battle of Sharpsburg, but couldn't remember the actual individuals or where he read it. Does anyone know of any besides the one above? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
A friend & I were recently discussing the following account that was written by First Lieutenant William Owen in regards to the Washington Artillery during the Maryland Campaign of 1862:
We did some "shopping" in Hagerstown, devoting ourselves chiefly to the "dry-goods line," and bought water-proof cloth and some dress patterns to present to our lady friends in Richmond, where they were in great need of such things. I should have liked to carry a wagon-load back. One merchant had upon his top shelves, where they had lain for many years, about one hundred old-fashioned, bell-crowned beaver hats, with long nap upon them, just the style our fathers wore, and caricaturists are wont to place upon the head of Brother Jonathan. These were discovered by some funny fellow, who appeared upon the street with one upon his head. The new "mode" took like wildfire, -- as new fashions always do, -- and the store was soon relieved of the stock of beavers, and the streets were thronged with men with the new "Brother Jonathan" hat. They wore them upon the march, and went into the battle of Antietam with this most peculiar head-gear for warriors.
He seemed to recall some other general accounts mentioning the odd headgear worn by the Washington Artillery men during the battle of Sharpsburg, but couldn't remember the actual individuals or where he read it. Does anyone know of any besides the one above? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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