Tweet
I posted on the other site about the ventilators Nick ************ reporduced. Got a neat response from Paul Loane:
Hello all. Just a couple words about Nick ************'s forage cap "ventilator." I didn't know quite what to expect when Nick asked to borrow one of the examples in my collection to copy. It's a fairly delicate thing and I was not confident it could be reproduced today with any fidelity. Boy, was I wrong. When I compared his product to the originals on the three "vented" caps I own (used by men in the 19th Maine, 111th and 128th Pennsylvania) it was essentially identical. My congratulations go out to him for a superb job!
I was interested to learn some of you thought these devices were pretty effective. I've been a Rev. War reenactor for almost 35 years and so don't get to "experience" using repros of the CW stuff I've collected all my life. I always figured the ventilators had to be of at least some benefit since there are enough signs of their popularity. In addition to the three caps mentioned above, I have three dug specimens and three images of men wearing them (two un-ID'd and one private from the 23rd Pa.). I believe many years ago I saw a CDV of a soldier wearing one in his Pattern 1858 Army Hat as well. The vents have no markings and I have been unable to find out if there was ever a patent for them (it doesn't seem so) or who even manufactured them. The solution of those mysteries will come, I'm sure. And, if any of you know of soldiers' letters that talk about these or other "cooling" devices for caps, I'd love to hear from you.
Just a word of caution to my CW reenactor cousins: while popular, these ventilators were private purchase items and appeared "now and then." I think it would be incorrect to have an entire regiment wearing caps adorned with shiny ventilators placed in the same position as if they were issued with the headgear. And, feel free to shoot the first guy who buys five of them and installs them on top of his cap in an awe-inspiring circle!
In the meantime, enjoy the cooling, authentic breeze at the next reenactment and thank the unknown yankee who gave us the ventilator! Best wishes.
Paul Loane
co-author, US Army Headgear 1812-1872
Hello all. Just a couple words about Nick ************'s forage cap "ventilator." I didn't know quite what to expect when Nick asked to borrow one of the examples in my collection to copy. It's a fairly delicate thing and I was not confident it could be reproduced today with any fidelity. Boy, was I wrong. When I compared his product to the originals on the three "vented" caps I own (used by men in the 19th Maine, 111th and 128th Pennsylvania) it was essentially identical. My congratulations go out to him for a superb job!
I was interested to learn some of you thought these devices were pretty effective. I've been a Rev. War reenactor for almost 35 years and so don't get to "experience" using repros of the CW stuff I've collected all my life. I always figured the ventilators had to be of at least some benefit since there are enough signs of their popularity. In addition to the three caps mentioned above, I have three dug specimens and three images of men wearing them (two un-ID'd and one private from the 23rd Pa.). I believe many years ago I saw a CDV of a soldier wearing one in his Pattern 1858 Army Hat as well. The vents have no markings and I have been unable to find out if there was ever a patent for them (it doesn't seem so) or who even manufactured them. The solution of those mysteries will come, I'm sure. And, if any of you know of soldiers' letters that talk about these or other "cooling" devices for caps, I'd love to hear from you.
Just a word of caution to my CW reenactor cousins: while popular, these ventilators were private purchase items and appeared "now and then." I think it would be incorrect to have an entire regiment wearing caps adorned with shiny ventilators placed in the same position as if they were issued with the headgear. And, feel free to shoot the first guy who buys five of them and installs them on top of his cap in an awe-inspiring circle!
In the meantime, enjoy the cooling, authentic breeze at the next reenactment and thank the unknown yankee who gave us the ventilator! Best wishes.
Paul Loane
co-author, US Army Headgear 1812-1872