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Hat Cords on Civilian hats

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  • Hat Cords on Civilian hats

    Gents,

    Why did Confederate troops wear Federal hat cords on their civilian hats? Was it for decoration purposes? I was just curious. I used the search function with no help and was hoping someone could answer my question. This is something I've seen reenactors wearing, but haven't found a reason why. This isn't a "reenactor-ism" is it? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

    Cody G. Williams
    Cody G. Williams
    4th Arkansas Infantry, Co. F the "Montgomery Hunters"
    Missouri State Guard
    CWilli0832@yahoo.com

    Decendent of A.J. Williams, 3rd Iowa Cavalry Company C.

    "They met the storm, no man flinching, and their fire was terrible. To say they did well is not enough. Their conduct was splendid. They alone repelled the charge."
    - Gen. Lew Wallace, Feb. 20, 1862 about the 1st Nebraska at Ft. Donelson.

  • #2
    Re: Hat Cords on Civilian hats

    Originally posted by NebraskaFed
    Gents,

    Why did Confederate troops wear Federal hat cords on their civilian hats? Was it for decoration purposes? I was just curious. I used the search function with no help and was hoping someone could answer my question. This is something I've seen reenactors wearing, but haven't found a reason why. This isn't a "reenactor-ism" is it? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

    Cody G. Williams

    If you look closely at photographs and surviving originals, you find that it wasn't always a "captured" US issue cord on those hats either. Many appear to be furniture or drapery ties. I was able to find 2 sets of old silk ones nearly identical to the cord on the Kincheloe hat on Ebay(!), and if the seller hadn't been so downright ugly I would have bought every one she had. My guess is that they connotate military "high fashion" of the 19th Century. Besides, what rebel wouldn't want a jaunty(ier) looking hat, as long as he could get away with it without making himself too much of a target?

    Rich Croxton
    Rich Croxton

    "I had fun. How about you?" -- In memory of Charles Heath, 1960-2009

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    • #3
      Re: Hat Cords on Civilian hats

      Hi Cody,

      Please see the attached item, which shows a hat lying near a dead Confederate killed in the fighting around the Alsop House in May 1864, and draw your own conclusions. Alas, I had to chop off some of the image due to the limitations of the software on my computer; however, this should still be of some assistance.

      You can see the entire image at the "American Memory" (Library of Congress) website and I've included the URL and description of the image in the attachment so you can find it easily.

      Regards,

      Mark Jaeger
      Last edited by markj; 06-04-2007, 03:10 PM.
      Regards,

      Mark Jaeger

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