Here is an article of Federal Civil War regulation headgear commonly referred to as a M1858 forage cap. It has a verbal identification to the 22^nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry regiment. This all-original, dark blue forage cap is maker-marked and is a complete specimen. In very good original condition, the forage cap is constructed of dark indigo blue wool, and comes complete with its tarred leather visor (brim), leather chin strap, two original, eagle ‘Shield’ brass side buttons, original leather sweatband, and its entire original interior lining. No brass insignia on crown. Cap measures 6” high when the crown is extended and features a 7” wide, thin black bridle leather visor, a.k.a. brim. Leather visor lays flat and is strongly stitched to the cap brim. The narrow leather chinstrap measures 11” long and retains its two original leather adjuster loops plus a brass ‘slide’ buckle. Strap has no slash cut at the button ends. An original, vest-size, eagle “shield” brass button is secured to each end of the chinstrap and then sewn to the body. Both buttons are in very good condition and show a bronze patina along with some green verdigris. No backmarks.

The dark blue wool forage cap exterior is in good original condition with a number of scattered tiny moth nips at the front and at the back panel. Original stitching is tight and strong along the brim and back seam, but does suffer from a 1” separation at the very top of the vertical seam at the crown. Crown exterior features a sewn-in, wool-covered, stiff circular pasteboard disc that measures 6” in diameter and slants or droops downward toward the face when cap is worn. Crown’s exterior edge shows two small moth nips but rest of the dark blue wool cloth surface very good.

Interior crown surface has a polished, dark brown cloth lining with minor tearing that displays a maker’s label. The small label (1¼” x 1”) is glued to the center interior of the crown and reads “Size No. 6 / 7 3/8 / U. S. Army. / L. J. & I. Phillips.” Louis J. and Isaac Phillips of New York City had army contracts in 1861 for over 35,000 forage caps, for 200,000 forage caps in 1862, and contracts for some 533,000 such caps in 1864. The buckram stiffener in the lining is 2½” high behind the sweatband. Forage cap retains all of its original polished brown cloth interior lining which is in very good overall condition with some slight seam separation at the inner center seam. Cap’s leather sweatband is made of thin, Morrocan leather and is in fair to good condition with light edge scuffing and tearing at the back. Center seam of the sweatband is completely unstitched. Top and bottom sides of the leather visor exhibit just normal wear with some edge scuffing but no rips or tears.

A great representative forage cap of the common Union soldier of the Civil War.

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