Two
Rebel Hats
By Fred Adolphus, May 28, 2014
The slouch hat is one of the most enduring icons of the Confederate soldier, ranking alongside his kepi, bedroll, shell jacket and pants cuffs tucked into his socks. Indeed, the slouch hat came to be the quintessential American military campaign headgear by the end of the Civil War, meeting with both universal usage and approval during the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War and World War One. It was superseded by the helmet once American troops got to France in 1917, and remained marginalized until the Vietnam War, when it made a huge come-back as the jungle hat. Since then, American soldiers have worn a version of the slouch hat in Southwest Asia in the form of the "boonie hat." No American soldier, however, has taken ownership of the slouch the way Johnny Reb did in the War for Southern Independence.
By Fred Adolphus, May 28, 2014
The slouch hat is one of the most enduring icons of the Confederate soldier, ranking alongside his kepi, bedroll, shell jacket and pants cuffs tucked into his socks. Indeed, the slouch hat came to be the quintessential American military campaign headgear by the end of the Civil War, meeting with both universal usage and approval during the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War and World War One. It was superseded by the helmet once American troops got to France in 1917, and remained marginalized until the Vietnam War, when it made a huge come-back as the jungle hat. Since then, American soldiers have worn a version of the slouch hat in Southwest Asia in the form of the "boonie hat." No American soldier, however, has taken ownership of the slouch the way Johnny Reb did in the War for Southern Independence.
Image 1: Winslow Homer captured the essence of the Confederate slouch hat in his 1866 painting, "Prisoners from the Front." Both the drab white, turned up slouch, and the black, possibly imported hat are both present in this incredibly accurate rendering of Lee's soldiers during the Siege of Petersburg. Painting from the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, New New York.
Image 2: Confederate veteran Allen C. Redwood sketched this iconic image of one of Jackson's "foot cavalry," to include the turned-up slouch hat. Image courtesy of Battles and Leaders, Volume 2, Part 2, page 515.
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Image 3: Dynamichrome brought the Confederate prisoner photo from Gettysburg to life by adding color. The center soldier wears a black wool hat. Image courtesy of Dynamichrome and the Library of Congress.
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Image 4: Frederick Ray's centennial watercolor depicts how ingrained the association of the turned-up, wool hat was with the image of the Confederate infantryman. Artwork by Frederick Ray.
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The
Confederate slouch hat was adopted for numerous reasons: it was well-liked,
practical and available (when caps were not).
Despite the regulation prescribing the French kepi-style cap for wear by
all soldiers and officers, many were not able to obtain the cap. They had to use the common citizen slouch
hat. Moreover, the slouch hat was found
to be more practical: it was comfortable and provided better protection against
the elements (sun, wind and rain). General Order Number 4, from the Texas State
Adjutant General's Office, dated June 10, 1861, reflects the overall sentiments
in favor of the slouch hat. The order
calls for each volunteer to supply himself with "one hat," among
other things, noting that the clothing need not be a uniform, but rather
"…of a type to be used for warmth and utility…" A public in the Clarksville, Texas
"Standard" newspaper offered similar
advice to volunteers of the 29th Texas Cavalry in August 1862. Therein, an "Old Soldier" remarked,
"The best military hat in use is the light-colored soft felt, the crown
being sufficiently high to allow space for air over the brain. -You can fasten it up as a continental in
fair weather, or turn it down when it is wet or very sunny."[1] It is not, therefore surprising that so many
volunteers took their wool hats with them to muster. This headgear was so comfortable that it was
never fully replaced by the military cap and was, in fact, retained by most
soldiers throughout the war, even as caps became readily available. The soft felt or wool hat predominated as the
Confederate army headgear. Captain John W. Greene, a Union officer escaping
from Camp Ford prison in East Texas, drives this point home with his comments
on the universality of the wool hat, stating, "As a disguise, we donned
the gray jacket and wool hat of the Confederate uniform, which had been
obtained through the assistance of negroes, and bidding our comrades farewell,
we passed out of the stockade..."[2]
The first Confederate hats were common citizen hats by and large, but as the war dragged on, the government began to produce, or procure army hats. The focus of this study is on the latter: the government issued hats. These were simple and cheap, made of felted wool, rather than higher-quality rabbit hair. For the most part, these two typical quartermaster hats consisted of the very cheap, low quality, Southern made, undyed drab hat, and the slightly higher quality black hat, frequently imported from Great Britain. These two types have come to define the rugged look of Johnny Reb, and this study tells their story.
The ubiquitous and fashionable black hat is the first of the two typical hats to be studied. I have found the most evidence for imported, British-made hats being used in Texas and Virginia, but they were probably used throughout the Confederacy. The contracted black wool hat probably predated the government made drab hat, simply because it was quick and easy to let contracts for high quality hats, while it took some time to set up government hat factories, and these were not as proficient as the existing hat makers. During the first part of the war, quartermasters were content to let contractors supply hats, while they concentrated on making shoes, shirts, drawers, pants and jackets, and the easily fabricated cap. Likewise, contractors made relatively few caps, leaving this to the depots. The Confederacy imported hats until the end of the war, as Confederate Quartermaster General A.R. Lawton's guidance to foreign procurement agents in 1864 indicates, "A cheap and serviceable felt hat would be very acceptable to the Army."[3]
Some surviving clothing contracts from the Trans-Mississippi describe the black wool hat ordered by Confederate quartermasters throughout the war. Indeed, numerous photos, descriptions and surviving hats attest to its widespread usage everywhere in the South. Two agreements orchestrated by Confederate Quartermaster, Major Minter, include specifications for hats from Justin McCarthy, and Lippman & Koppel. Justin McCarthy's agreement called for, "...Five Thousand good black Wool Hats the quality and style of which to be of the pattern (as near as practicable) known as the U.S. Cavalry Hat." The price per hat was set at $5.00 each. Delivery was to be made before May 1, 1863 at San Antonio.[4] Lippmann & Koppel's agreement called for the import of 6,000 hats at $6.00 each, delivering them before April 6, 1863. The specifications called for, "...Five hundred dozen, more or less, of good black Wool Hats, of the quality and style of a hat exhibited to Mr Koppel, partner of the said firm Lippman & Koppel, and Known as the "Army Hat"..."[5]
Notably, both agreements called for the same type of hat that the U.S. Army issued to its troops, that being the pattern 1858 army hat (without any trimmings, however). The Union army hat and the earlier pattern cavalry hat both had the same basic shape and outward appearance. Both were black felt with high, slightly tapering crowns. The cavalry hat had a 3" wide brim and a 6 1/2" high crown, while the army hat had a 3 1/4" wide brim and a 6 1/4" crown.[6] This reflects the prevailing popular style of hat, as well as the Quarter Master Department's affection for the "Old Army" style hat.
By the spring of 1863, imported hats were arriving in Texas. Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Fremantle, a visiting British officer, alluded to this on April 6, 1863, remarking, "At noon I crossed to Brownsville and visited Captain Lynch, a quartermaster, who broke open a great box, and presented me with a Confederate felt hat to travel in." F.J. Lynch provided Fremantle with the hat that he would wear throughout his travels in Dixie.[7] Fremantle also commented, at the same time and place, that troopers of Duff's 33rd Texas Cavalry, "...all wore the high black felt hat...ornamented with the 'lone star of Texas'."[8] This gives the impression that the imported hats, of the style Minter ordered, were being issued to Texas soldiers already, and that Fremantle's Confederate felt hat was one of the same. Further evidence suggests the issue of British-made, imported hats in South Texas during 1863, as well. The 4th Arizona Cavalry drew hats at San Antonio in May costing $6.00 each, the exact price of the Lippmann & Koppel hats. In June, the 3rd Texas Infantry, stationed at Brownsville, drew some "Uniform Hats" at $5.00 each. Both the price and the description indicate that they were McCarthy hats.[9]
A shipment of 5,460 "Black Wool Hats" arrived in Brownsville, Texas in the fall of 1863 on the blockade runner Sir William Peel. The Peel invoice offers more evidence for British-made hats arriving in the Trans-Mississippi. It also correlates with statements made by the Chief of the Texas Clothing, Captain E.C. Wharton in May and July of 1863. Wharton requested that black wool hats be given the troops in place of caps, and he compiled clothing requirements for hats, rather than caps, as well. Not having the facilities to make hats, he stated that he had to rely that year on imports for this article.[10]
Corresponding to the written records, there are a few surviving, bona fide imported British-made hats, and several probable imports, as well as numerous photos of likely imported hats. The problem is that it is difficult to distinguish between an imported enlisted hat and a similar one made in the South. Therefore, the study is not an exact science, but, enough evidence proves that imported black hats were common, so at least some the hats selected as examples are likely to be British imports.
Before imported hats were available, local contractors offered "felt" hats to quartermasters. In the summer of 1862 at Matagorda, the 26th Texas Cavalry some of these hats, priced at $2.25, $2.50 and $3.00 each, but without mentioning their color.[11] In April 1862, the 3rd Texas Infantry received some "hats, citizen" for $2.35 each, and in the summer of 1863, they received some "black hats" at $2.25 each. Also during the summer of 1863, the 36th Texas Cavalry drew "Hats, Cavalry" at $1.25 each. The later may have been part of the "Old Army" stock captured in San Antonio in February 1861.[12]
Several private hat makers operated in the East Texas, and provided locally made contract hats for the Confederacy. These included the Southern Hattery in Marshall, the C.S.A. Hat Factory in Gilmer and some smaller contractors in and around Harrison County. The C.S.A. Hat Factory advertised that it made hats for Southern Troops, while the Southern Hattery manufactured hats "...exclusively for Texas Confederates".[13] Two agreements made at Jefferson, Texas provide some details. One agreement made on 19 January 1863, with I. & L. Benz of Harrison County was for the delivery of 200 wool hats, at $3.00 each, by 10 March 1863, with another 500 more to be delivered later. Another agreement with a Mr. R. Knight was for the delivery of 1,000 wool hats per month at $3.50 each, to commence 10 May 1863. [14] Indeed, during January 1864, members of the 11th Texas Infantry drew "Wool Hats" for $3.00 apiece, possibly some made by I. & L. Benz.[15]
The first Confederate hats were common citizen hats by and large, but as the war dragged on, the government began to produce, or procure army hats. The focus of this study is on the latter: the government issued hats. These were simple and cheap, made of felted wool, rather than higher-quality rabbit hair. For the most part, these two typical quartermaster hats consisted of the very cheap, low quality, Southern made, undyed drab hat, and the slightly higher quality black hat, frequently imported from Great Britain. These two types have come to define the rugged look of Johnny Reb, and this study tells their story.
The ubiquitous and fashionable black hat is the first of the two typical hats to be studied. I have found the most evidence for imported, British-made hats being used in Texas and Virginia, but they were probably used throughout the Confederacy. The contracted black wool hat probably predated the government made drab hat, simply because it was quick and easy to let contracts for high quality hats, while it took some time to set up government hat factories, and these were not as proficient as the existing hat makers. During the first part of the war, quartermasters were content to let contractors supply hats, while they concentrated on making shoes, shirts, drawers, pants and jackets, and the easily fabricated cap. Likewise, contractors made relatively few caps, leaving this to the depots. The Confederacy imported hats until the end of the war, as Confederate Quartermaster General A.R. Lawton's guidance to foreign procurement agents in 1864 indicates, "A cheap and serviceable felt hat would be very acceptable to the Army."[3]
Some surviving clothing contracts from the Trans-Mississippi describe the black wool hat ordered by Confederate quartermasters throughout the war. Indeed, numerous photos, descriptions and surviving hats attest to its widespread usage everywhere in the South. Two agreements orchestrated by Confederate Quartermaster, Major Minter, include specifications for hats from Justin McCarthy, and Lippman & Koppel. Justin McCarthy's agreement called for, "...Five Thousand good black Wool Hats the quality and style of which to be of the pattern (as near as practicable) known as the U.S. Cavalry Hat." The price per hat was set at $5.00 each. Delivery was to be made before May 1, 1863 at San Antonio.[4] Lippmann & Koppel's agreement called for the import of 6,000 hats at $6.00 each, delivering them before April 6, 1863. The specifications called for, "...Five hundred dozen, more or less, of good black Wool Hats, of the quality and style of a hat exhibited to Mr Koppel, partner of the said firm Lippman & Koppel, and Known as the "Army Hat"..."[5]
Notably, both agreements called for the same type of hat that the U.S. Army issued to its troops, that being the pattern 1858 army hat (without any trimmings, however). The Union army hat and the earlier pattern cavalry hat both had the same basic shape and outward appearance. Both were black felt with high, slightly tapering crowns. The cavalry hat had a 3" wide brim and a 6 1/2" high crown, while the army hat had a 3 1/4" wide brim and a 6 1/4" crown.[6] This reflects the prevailing popular style of hat, as well as the Quarter Master Department's affection for the "Old Army" style hat.
By the spring of 1863, imported hats were arriving in Texas. Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Fremantle, a visiting British officer, alluded to this on April 6, 1863, remarking, "At noon I crossed to Brownsville and visited Captain Lynch, a quartermaster, who broke open a great box, and presented me with a Confederate felt hat to travel in." F.J. Lynch provided Fremantle with the hat that he would wear throughout his travels in Dixie.[7] Fremantle also commented, at the same time and place, that troopers of Duff's 33rd Texas Cavalry, "...all wore the high black felt hat...ornamented with the 'lone star of Texas'."[8] This gives the impression that the imported hats, of the style Minter ordered, were being issued to Texas soldiers already, and that Fremantle's Confederate felt hat was one of the same. Further evidence suggests the issue of British-made, imported hats in South Texas during 1863, as well. The 4th Arizona Cavalry drew hats at San Antonio in May costing $6.00 each, the exact price of the Lippmann & Koppel hats. In June, the 3rd Texas Infantry, stationed at Brownsville, drew some "Uniform Hats" at $5.00 each. Both the price and the description indicate that they were McCarthy hats.[9]
A shipment of 5,460 "Black Wool Hats" arrived in Brownsville, Texas in the fall of 1863 on the blockade runner Sir William Peel. The Peel invoice offers more evidence for British-made hats arriving in the Trans-Mississippi. It also correlates with statements made by the Chief of the Texas Clothing, Captain E.C. Wharton in May and July of 1863. Wharton requested that black wool hats be given the troops in place of caps, and he compiled clothing requirements for hats, rather than caps, as well. Not having the facilities to make hats, he stated that he had to rely that year on imports for this article.[10]
Corresponding to the written records, there are a few surviving, bona fide imported British-made hats, and several probable imports, as well as numerous photos of likely imported hats. The problem is that it is difficult to distinguish between an imported enlisted hat and a similar one made in the South. Therefore, the study is not an exact science, but, enough evidence proves that imported black hats were common, so at least some the hats selected as examples are likely to be British imports.
Before imported hats were available, local contractors offered "felt" hats to quartermasters. In the summer of 1862 at Matagorda, the 26th Texas Cavalry some of these hats, priced at $2.25, $2.50 and $3.00 each, but without mentioning their color.[11] In April 1862, the 3rd Texas Infantry received some "hats, citizen" for $2.35 each, and in the summer of 1863, they received some "black hats" at $2.25 each. Also during the summer of 1863, the 36th Texas Cavalry drew "Hats, Cavalry" at $1.25 each. The later may have been part of the "Old Army" stock captured in San Antonio in February 1861.[12]
Several private hat makers operated in the East Texas, and provided locally made contract hats for the Confederacy. These included the Southern Hattery in Marshall, the C.S.A. Hat Factory in Gilmer and some smaller contractors in and around Harrison County. The C.S.A. Hat Factory advertised that it made hats for Southern Troops, while the Southern Hattery manufactured hats "...exclusively for Texas Confederates".[13] Two agreements made at Jefferson, Texas provide some details. One agreement made on 19 January 1863, with I. & L. Benz of Harrison County was for the delivery of 200 wool hats, at $3.00 each, by 10 March 1863, with another 500 more to be delivered later. Another agreement with a Mr. R. Knight was for the delivery of 1,000 wool hats per month at $3.50 each, to commence 10 May 1863. [14] Indeed, during January 1864, members of the 11th Texas Infantry drew "Wool Hats" for $3.00 apiece, possibly some made by I. & L. Benz.[15]
Image 5: Black wool hats predominate in Company D, 4th Regiment, Arizona Brigade, late 1863. These hats are representative of locally manufactured, and possibly imported hats. Image courtesy of the Ellis County Museum, Waxahachie, Texas.
Image 6: Pvt. Joseph E. Mayfield, Company H, 4th Texas Cavalry, wears a black wool hat that was probably imported from Britain. He received new clothing from the Houston Depot on about January 1, 1864, and the depot was issuing imported wool hats at the time. Image courtesy of Southern Methodist University, Lawrence T. Jones III collection.
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Image 7: Pvt. J. F. Robinson, Company A, 33rd Texas Cavalry, wears what may have been an imported British hat. Robinson served in the Western Sub-District of Texas where large quantities of these hats were issued. Image courtesy of Southern Methodist University, Lawrence T. Jones III collection.
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Image 8: This unidentified German Texas cavalryman, probably in the Western Sub-District of Texas, wears has an imported jacket, waist belt and black hat. Image courtesy of Southern Methodist University, Lawrence T. Jones III collection.
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Image 9: Col. Julius A. Andrews, 32nd Texas Cavalry, wears what is possibly an imported black hat. Andrews served in the Western Sub-District where imported British hats were the norm. Image courtesy of Southern Methodist University, Lawrence T. Jones III collection.
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Image 10: An unidentified Confederate veteran poses with his Montgomery Depot uniform and black hat (possibly imported). Image courtesy of Southern Methodist University, Lawrence T. Jones III collection.
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Image 11: Charles Ellis Munford, Letcher's Virginia Light Artillery, wore this imported black hat from Paris, France. Munford fell at Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862. While this is not an enlisted hat brought in on a Confederate contract, it is representative of many that were imported shortly thereafter. This view shows the faux embroidery, stamped brass, crossed cannons. Artifact courtesy of the Virginia Historical Society.
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Image 12: An inside view of Munford's hat depicts the distinctive lining, gilded maker's label, and the checked-surface, wide sweatband. The sweatband is especially typical of imported hats. Artifact courtesy of the Virginia Historical Society.
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Image 13: A black hat worn by Buck Ransom, 12th Virginia Cavalry. Ransom was wounded at Brandy Station. The slice in the back of the hat, paralleled by a cut in the lining, is from a saber cut. The spot below the cut is a bloodstain. Ransom's hat has two features in common with other imported hats: a green, striped lining as seen in Munford's hat; and, it is black wool felt. Artifact courtesy of Gary Hendershott Museum Consultants.
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Image 14: An inside view of Ransom's hat exhibits the green, striped lining that can be associated with imported hats. Artifact courtesy of Gary Hendershott Museum Consultants.
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Image 15: A close-up view of the Hendershott hat provides details of the wool felt, the inexpensive material that cheap, enlisted hats were made from. Artifact courtesy of Gary Hendershott Museum Consultants.
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Image 16: This black, wool hat worn by a North Carolina soldier at Gettysburg may have been imported. Artifact courtesy of the Mike Cunningham collection.
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Image 17: Col. James H. Beard, commanding the Consolidated Crescent Regiment, was killed at the Battle of Mansfield wearing this imported hat. It may have been an officer quality hat, judging from the maker's stamp. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 18: A side view of Beard's hat shows its black band and tassels. This accessory may have been added after Beard obtained the hat. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 19: Beard's hat from a top right perspective. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 20: Beard's hat from a top left perspective. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 21: Beard's hat from a front perspective. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 22: Beard's hat from a rear left perspective. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 23: Beard's hat has a lavender-colored lining clearly stamped with the maker's logo in the crown. Typical of imported hats, the sweatband is very wide and has a checkered finish. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 24: The sweatband in Beard's hat has a size label glued to it (6 7/8), and the band itself bears an embossed maker's stamp. Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 25: The crown lining of Beard's hat has the maker's stamp, "Christys London, Patent Machine Made." What is unknown is whether the hat was part of a large Confederate contract or one sold privately having run the blockade as a "luxury item." Artifact courtesy of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Louisiana Parks.
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Image 26: Col. Walter L. Mann, wore this hat while commanding Bradford's & Mann's Texas Cavalry. The regiment served in Galveston during the latter part of the war, and would have had access to the imported hats issued from that vicinity. The hat cord and artillery badge are probably post-war embellishments. Artifact courtesy of the San Jacinto Museum of History collection.
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Image 27: The inside of Mann's hat has a black leather sweatband, but the lining is missing, if indeed it came with one. Artifact courtesy of the San Jacinto Museum of History collection.
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Image 28: This black wool hat is believed to be a British import article. Regrettably, it is without its provenance. Artifact and image courtesy of the Robert Jaffee collection.
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Image 29: A top view of the hat gives a perspective of the crown. Artifact and image courtesy of the Robert Jaffee collection.
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Image 30: An inside view of the Jaffee collection hat shows the wide sweatband, a feature noted on confirmed import hats. Regrettably, import hats are not marked as such, so historians today are left guessing about the originals. Artifact and image courtesy of the Robert Jaffee collection.
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Image 31: In a close-up view, the sweatband appears to be made of doubled over fabric. Artifact and image courtesy of the Robert Jaffee collection.
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Image 32: William R Cox, 2nd North Carolina Infantry wore this hat, that looks very similar to to a hat next to a fallen North Carolinian at the Battle of Spotsylvania. Perhaps both are imported. Artifact courtesy of the North Carolina State Museum collection.
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Image 33: Researchers have surmised that the fallen Confederate soldier in this image was in a North Carolina command. His hat has been magnified in the following image. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Image 34: The North Carolinian's hat is nearly identical to the Cox hat (Image 32). Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Image 35: This hat's only provenance identifies it as belonging to an unidentified soldier in the 3rd Company, Richmond Howitzers. Les Jensen examined it thoroughly, and suggests that it is a British import hat. Artifact and image courtesy of the Museum of the Confederacy.
Images 36 & 37: The numerous images of the fallen Confederates at Fort Mahone has a common thread: all had black wool hats. I doubt that this was a coincidence. I think the hats were British imports. Using the numbering system from an earlier article I wrote about these soldiers, I am describing the fallen here accordingly. The following two images depict Soldier 80 and a magnified image of his hat. The hat has a welt binding the edge of the brim, and a narrow grosgrain band. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Images 38 & 39: These images show Soldier 83 and his black hat. The bound edge of the brim is intact, but the sweatband has apparently been removed. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Images 40 & 41: These two images include Soldier 86 with two black hats next to him. Both hats have narrow grosgrain bands, but the hat closest to Soldier 86 appears to be a simple basting stitch rather than a welt. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Images 42 & 43: The inside of Soldier 82f's hat is visible, showing it to be without a sweatband, and perhaps, without a binding welt around the brim. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Images 44 & 45: Soldier 84's hat is indistinct, but it appears to have a welt binding around the brim. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Images 46 & 47: Despite that mud that covers Soldier 79's hat, the image is clear enough to see the narrow grosgrain band. The brim may lack the usual welt binding around the edge. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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We
can now turn our attention to the Southern-made, undyed, drab wool hat. The use of this type of hat was universal
throughout the South, as numerous surviving examples, contemporary descriptions
and photos attest. While my own research
focuses on the Trans-Mississippi Department, the evidence found there is
applicable to the rest of the Confederacy.
Captain E.C. Wharton's records are a useful starting point, since
Wharton was the Chief of the Clothing Bureau in Texas until February 1864.
Wharton's first remarks on the topic are from May 16, 1863, when he specifically stated that wool hats should be issued in place of caps. Again in July, he mentioned that black wool hats, instead of caps, should be given to the troops. Finally, he established his own hat factory late in 1863, in order to fabricate "a plain but serviceable wool hat ‑ of which the Troops stand much in need."[16] When justifying the need for a hat factory in Texas, Wharton said it was difficult to procure either caps or hats through contracts, due to their "exorbitant" prices ($4.00 per hat). He had a pressing need for 10,000 hats that November, and asserted a government factory could make good wool hats in large numbers at a rapid rate for not over $3.00 each.[17]
Wharton's first remarks on the topic are from May 16, 1863, when he specifically stated that wool hats should be issued in place of caps. Again in July, he mentioned that black wool hats, instead of caps, should be given to the troops. Finally, he established his own hat factory late in 1863, in order to fabricate "a plain but serviceable wool hat ‑ of which the Troops stand much in need."[16] When justifying the need for a hat factory in Texas, Wharton said it was difficult to procure either caps or hats through contracts, due to their "exorbitant" prices ($4.00 per hat). He had a pressing need for 10,000 hats that November, and asserted a government factory could make good wool hats in large numbers at a rapid rate for not over $3.00 each.[17]
Image 48: This image of Arkansas soldiers attests to both popularity if the simple wool hat and the usage of light colored, drab hats by Confederates. Image courtesy of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Image 49: Sergeant William J. McKeage's hat, Company A, 49th Tennessee Infantry, is typical of the plain drab hats made and worn in the South. McKeage must have received the hat prior to his deserting to the enemy on December 15, 1864. Artifact and image courtesy of the Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis, Missouri.
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Image 50: Sergeant Thomas Jacob Duckett, 3rd South Carolina Infantry wore this typical Confederate, drab hat at the Battle of Chickamauga. The image shows him at a veteran's re-union after the war. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Image 51: Duckett experienced a near miss at Chickamauga, when a bullet tore through his hat but left him uninjured. Artifact and image courtesy of the Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia.
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Image 52: This view of Duckett's hat shows the caption he wrote for it on the outside. Artifact and image courtesy of the Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia.
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Production on
Wharton's wool hat did not begin until early 1864. Until then he procured black wool hats
through the blockade, which have been described under contracted uniforms.[18] Wharton, however, did not establish the first
government hat factory in the Trans-Mississippi. Captain N.A. Birge operated the first factory
at the Shreveport Depot in early 1863.
He transferred 91 of his wool hats in the first quarter, and 542 in the second
quarter of that year, and the depot was still transferring wool hats in 1865.[19]
Captain Wharton even commented about
this successful hat factory in November 1863, opining that it was too far away
to supply his clothing bureau.[20]
Image 53: This drab hat, worn by A.L.H. Kernion, 23rd Louisiana Infantry, was the type that Wharton had intended to manufacture. The red, woolen-tape band reflects the regiment's service as heavy artillery in Mobile in 1864. Artifact courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Image 54: The front of Kernion's hat has black ink markings and artwork. These include "VICKSBURG" over a flaming, ordnance grenade or bomb, with "C" and "S" on either side of the bomb. Under the bomb are a set of crossed cannon barrels with "23rd" and "LA" on either side of the cannon. Artifact courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Image 55: A close-up provides details of the front markings. The ordnance bomb was a popular motif with Louisianans in general; the crossed cannon reflect Kernion's heavy artillery service; "23rd LA" signifies his original regiment prior to consolidating into the 22nd Louisiana; and, "VICKSBURG" commemorates his campaign service. Artifact courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Image 56: The rear of Kernion's hat is marked with an arched "LOUISIANA." Kernion probably received this hat after his regiment stationed at Mobile. It may be an Alabama state-issue hat that was sold to Confederate authorities for issue to non-Alabama troops. Artifact courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Image 57: The rear, close-up view highlights the weave of the half-inch, red woolen tape. Artifact courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Image 58: The interior view of Kernion's hat shows the wide sweatband, made of folded cotton cloth. Artifact courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Image 59: Lieutenant Colonel Gustave Cook's hat is very representative of the common Confederate drab hat in its color and material. The original shape has been lost due to improper storage. Cook commanded the 8th Texas Cavalry in the Army of Tennessee. Artifact courtesy of the Museum of Southern History.
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Image 60: A top view of Cook's hat show a post-war crease in the crown. Cook's granddaughter, Mary Ford, worn the hat when she was a child, which may account for the Spanish-American War era creasing. Artifact courtesy of the Museum of Southern History.
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Image 61: As with the first image of this hat, this image indicates that the hat was folded flat long enough to give it permanent crease marks length of the brim especially at the front and rear. This may also explain the crease in the crown. Artifact courtesy of the Museum of Southern History.
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Image 62: The inside of Cook's hat his granddaughter's name, "M.C. FORD," but the sweatband is missing. The crease marks are also visible where the hat's brim was folded up at the sides and pressed flat for storage by the family (long before it came to the museum). Artifact courtesy of the Museum of Southern History.
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Image 63: Unfortunately, this wartime of Cook does not show him wearing his drab hat. Cook, pictured in the center, was in his late twenties at the time. Image courtesy of the Museum of Southern History.
Captain Wharton's
detailed hatter, Private Aaron T. Fuller of the 26th Texas Cavalry, began
construction on the hat factory on about December 4, 1863, and fabricated hats
there for the rest of the war. The
factory's first location is unclear: either San Antonio or Washington
County. Early in 1864, however, Major
John H. Kampmann assumed management under the name "Government Hat Factory." Kampmann had the factory in full production
by April, which enabled him to send hats to Houston for general issue. In May, Kampmann moved the operation to La
Grange, Fayette County, where it operated until the end of the war.[21]
Image 64: Collector Steve Osman acquired this drab hat from a "time capsule" full of Civil War memorabilia that had been sealed in 1888 and opened in 1972. The “Rebel Hat” had been folded to about the size of a dollar bill and nailed to the back board. The authorities were going to discard it, but Steve Osman took it, and over time, carefully unfolded it. According to the hat's provenance, it was salvaged from the Gettysburg battlefield. The first owner marked the bottom of the brim, "REBEL HAT." Artifact courtesy of the Steve Osman collection.
Image 65: The time capsule, Gettysburg hat is as pliable as a worn blanket. Osman has placed the restored hat over a smaller, replica hat to hold its basic shape. Its color was a natural white, but it is somewhat soiled. Regrettably, none of my images turned out well, but the salient features are nonetheless apparent. Artifact courtesy of the Steve Osman collection.
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Image 66: Another perspective of the time capsule hat, without showing as much of the damage, gives an idea of what it must have looked like when worn at Gettysburg. It is easy to imagine that Wharton might have made simple, drab hats like this one. Artifact courtesy of the Steve Osman collection.
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Regrettably, neither
the Shreveport nor the Texas factory mentioned the color of their hats or any
other specifications. A hat picked up on
the Fort Smith, Arkansas battlefield may be a product of one of these
operations. Furthermore, Lieutenant G.W.
Grayson, 2nd Creek Regiment, described one of these Confederate-made hats in the following passage: “Our
government had issued to our men certain wool hats which appeared to be
manufactured of the plain sheep’s wool without any coloring, while the hatter
seemed not to have seriously concerned himself about the symmetry and poise of
any individual hat. They were all
apparently on one block and driven together in long stacks, and when one came
near a stack of them he could distinctly discern the odor of the raw
material. It smelled very like getting
inside of a pen where a drove of sheep is confined. Now these hats, while not comely of shape and
general appearance, had the further disadvantage of losing after a short
service even the little shape and semblance of figure that had been given them
by the manufacturers. The entire brim
would invariably flop down, leaving little other signs of its former self than
a dirty string, while the crown, without any apparent provocation, would push
sharply up in the center, converting the whole into the exact figure of a
cone. These hats being a dull whitish
color were very susceptible to the
effects of dust and dirt, and naturally had a dingy appearance at best, which
became execrable after a month’s wear.
One such hat had well-nigh served its time and collected its full share
of dust and discolorations was owned and worn by McAnally.”[22] Grayson's description is not very
complimentary, but it definitely captures the full essence of the drab
Confederate enlisted hat!
Image 67: A Confederate-made, drab hat recovered from the Fort Smith battlefield matches Grayson's description. Chaplain Ozem Gardner, 13th Kansas Infantry, took this hat and a sword from the body of a fallen Confederate soldier as souvenirs about September 1, 1863. The high point on this hat, and the floppy brim are symptoms of a poorly blocked hat. The hat's natural state is its first stage of blocking: the cone. As its shape deteriorates, the top of the crown pushes upward and the brim flops downward. It relaxes, so to speak, returning to the cone form. This hat is an example of the reverting process. Artifact and image courtesy of the Kansas Museum of History.
Putting aside the very prolific,
privately acquired hats that Southerners wore, the quartermaster essentially
issued two basic types: the Southern-made drab hat, and the imported British
black hat. Two Rebel hats that embedded
themselves in the imagination and lore of the Southern Confederacy as the
quintessential slouch hat. Long may it
endure!
Image 68: The statue honoring the Capitol Guards, 6th Arkansas Infantry depicts a defiant soldier wearing the Southern slouch hat. Image in public domain, McArthur Center, Little Rock, Arkansas.
The
author extends his gratitude to all of the institutions and private individuals
who made the images in this article available (as credited in the
captions). Readers are reminded that the
images herein are the property of Adolphus Confederate Uniforms, except where
noted as being in the public domain or the Library of Congress. Even if an artifact or image is
credited to a public institution, the image itself is the property of this
website, having been made by, purchased by or given usage of to the
author. Please do not reproduce these
images without the obtaining the author's consent.
Bibliography
[1]. Grady, John C. and Felmly, Bradford K., Suffering to Silence, 29th Texas Cavalry, CSA Regimental History, Nortex Press, Quanah, Texas, 1975, p. 12.
[2]. Greene, John W., An Incident of the Civil War, Camp Ford Prison and How I Escaped, Barkdull Printing House, Toledo, Ohio, 1893, p. 42.
[3] Official Records, War of the Rebellion, Series 4, Volume 3, page 674, Letter A.R. Lawton, QM General to Major J.B. Ferguson, QM, Richmond, Virginia, September 21, 1864.
[4] NARA, Record Group 109, Confederate Papers Relating to Citizens or Business Firms, Microfilm 346, between Major Minter, quartermaster and McCarthy, November 5, 1862, for hats (hereafter, Confederate Contracts).
[5] Confederate Contracts, between Major Minter, quartermaster and Lippman & Koppel, October 6, 1862, for hats.
[6] Howell, Edgar M., United States Army Headgear, 1855-1902: Catalog of United States Army Uniforms in the Collections of the Smithsonian Institution, II, Smithsonian Institution Press, City of Washington, 1975, pp. 3-6.
[7] Lord, Walter; The Fremantle Diary: Being the Journal of Lieutenant Colonel James Lyon Arthur Fremantle, Coldstream Guards, on his Three Months in the Southern States, Little, Brown & Company, Boston, 1954, pp. 7, 9 & 12 (hereafter, Fremantle).
[8] Fremantle, pp. 7 & 9, 2 Apr 63.
[9] NARA, Confederate Record Group 109, Compiled Service Records for Texas, M323, Rolls 273-280, 3rd Texas Infantry Regiment; and, Arizona, M318, 4th Regiment, Arizona Brigade, (hereafter, CSRs).
[10] Captain Edward C. Wharton, Chief Quartermaster, District of Texas, records 1862-1864, NARA, Record Group 109, Confederate Inspection Reports, M935, Reel 8, 89-J.41 through 158-J.41 (hereafter, Wharton), this reference 95-J.41.
[11] CSRs, Texas, Rolls 131-136, 26th Texas Cavalry Regiment.
[12] Texas State Archives, Confederate Quarter Master and Commissary Records, Record Group 401, Box 839, Folders 1 and 6, inventory of Old Army stock seized by Texas State forces in San Antonio, February 1861: included 4,857 Hardee hats.
[13] Bill Winsor, Texas in the Confederacy: Military Installations, Economy and People, Hill Junior College Press, Hillsboro, Texas, 1978, pp. 55-56
[14] Texas State Archives, Confederate Quarter Master and Commissary Records, Record Group 401, Box 851, Folder 20, contracts made by Captain Asa W. Wright, Post Quarter Master at Jefferson, Texas.
[15] CSRs, Texas, Rolls 344-355, 11th Texas Infantry Regiment.
[16] Wharton, this reference 89-J.41, pp. 71-72; 112-J.41; 113-J.41; and, 141-J.41.
[17] CSRs, Texas, Roll 132, 26th Texas Cavalry Regiment, records of Private Aaron T. Fuller.
[18] Wharton, 92-J.41 and 95-J.41.
[19] Captain N. A. Birge, Quartermaster Officer, Department of the Trans-Mississippi, University of Texas, Center for American History, General Papers of the Confederacy, Birge, Box 2C487, Folders 10, Birge expended 158 pounds of wool in making hats at his Shreveport Depot during the second quarter of 1863.
[20] CSRs, Texas, Roll 132, 26th Texas Cavalry Regiment, records of Private Aaron T. Fuller.
[21] CSRs, Texas, Rolls 273-280, 3rd Texas Infantry Regiment.
[22] A Creek Warrior for the Confederacy; The Autobiography of Chief G.W. Grayson, edited by W. David Baird, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman and London, 1988, page 97.
Bibliography
[1]. Grady, John C. and Felmly, Bradford K., Suffering to Silence, 29th Texas Cavalry, CSA Regimental History, Nortex Press, Quanah, Texas, 1975, p. 12.
[2]. Greene, John W., An Incident of the Civil War, Camp Ford Prison and How I Escaped, Barkdull Printing House, Toledo, Ohio, 1893, p. 42.
[3] Official Records, War of the Rebellion, Series 4, Volume 3, page 674, Letter A.R. Lawton, QM General to Major J.B. Ferguson, QM, Richmond, Virginia, September 21, 1864.
[4] NARA, Record Group 109, Confederate Papers Relating to Citizens or Business Firms, Microfilm 346, between Major Minter, quartermaster and McCarthy, November 5, 1862, for hats (hereafter, Confederate Contracts).
[5] Confederate Contracts, between Major Minter, quartermaster and Lippman & Koppel, October 6, 1862, for hats.
[6] Howell, Edgar M., United States Army Headgear, 1855-1902: Catalog of United States Army Uniforms in the Collections of the Smithsonian Institution, II, Smithsonian Institution Press, City of Washington, 1975, pp. 3-6.
[7] Lord, Walter; The Fremantle Diary: Being the Journal of Lieutenant Colonel James Lyon Arthur Fremantle, Coldstream Guards, on his Three Months in the Southern States, Little, Brown & Company, Boston, 1954, pp. 7, 9 & 12 (hereafter, Fremantle).
[8] Fremantle, pp. 7 & 9, 2 Apr 63.
[9] NARA, Confederate Record Group 109, Compiled Service Records for Texas, M323, Rolls 273-280, 3rd Texas Infantry Regiment; and, Arizona, M318, 4th Regiment, Arizona Brigade, (hereafter, CSRs).
[10] Captain Edward C. Wharton, Chief Quartermaster, District of Texas, records 1862-1864, NARA, Record Group 109, Confederate Inspection Reports, M935, Reel 8, 89-J.41 through 158-J.41 (hereafter, Wharton), this reference 95-J.41.
[11] CSRs, Texas, Rolls 131-136, 26th Texas Cavalry Regiment.
[12] Texas State Archives, Confederate Quarter Master and Commissary Records, Record Group 401, Box 839, Folders 1 and 6, inventory of Old Army stock seized by Texas State forces in San Antonio, February 1861: included 4,857 Hardee hats.
[13] Bill Winsor, Texas in the Confederacy: Military Installations, Economy and People, Hill Junior College Press, Hillsboro, Texas, 1978, pp. 55-56
[14] Texas State Archives, Confederate Quarter Master and Commissary Records, Record Group 401, Box 851, Folder 20, contracts made by Captain Asa W. Wright, Post Quarter Master at Jefferson, Texas.
[15] CSRs, Texas, Rolls 344-355, 11th Texas Infantry Regiment.
[16] Wharton, this reference 89-J.41, pp. 71-72; 112-J.41; 113-J.41; and, 141-J.41.
[17] CSRs, Texas, Roll 132, 26th Texas Cavalry Regiment, records of Private Aaron T. Fuller.
[18] Wharton, 92-J.41 and 95-J.41.
[19] Captain N. A. Birge, Quartermaster Officer, Department of the Trans-Mississippi, University of Texas, Center for American History, General Papers of the Confederacy, Birge, Box 2C487, Folders 10, Birge expended 158 pounds of wool in making hats at his Shreveport Depot during the second quarter of 1863.
[20] CSRs, Texas, Roll 132, 26th Texas Cavalry Regiment, records of Private Aaron T. Fuller.
[21] CSRs, Texas, Rolls 273-280, 3rd Texas Infantry Regiment.
[22] A Creek Warrior for the Confederacy; The Autobiography of Chief G.W. Grayson, edited by W. David Baird, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman and London, 1988, page 97.