This is a good example of the Civil War regulation issue forage cap with brass crossed cavalry sabers on the top and a silver numeral “1” below it. The cap follows the standard pattern, with the dark blue wool body fitted with a tarred/painted leather visor and flat circular top stiffened inside by a piece of thick pasteboard, and is provided with a glazed leather adjustable chinstrap held by two small general service eagle buttons on the sides. The interior is lined with polished cotton, and fitted with a thin leather (usually impressed goatskin) sweatband.

This has good color, tight seams, some small moth nips and tracking and a few holes that have been repaired with a matching piece of blue fabric inserted behind them. One is on the wearer’s lower left front. The others are mostly on the rear, at upper right, middle left, and on the bottom edge at center, a common spot for moth bites that some collectors think is due to a soldier’s habit of smoothing down the back of the cap with a sweaty or dirty hand while putting it on. The sweatband shows wear, some cracking and finish loss, and is missing a short section above the wearer’s left ear, but is in place. The brown polished cotton lining is complete and in very good condition. The chinstrap is in place, complete, and the style with a fixed friction buckle and one retaining loop. Some contractors used this pattern, some the pattern with a floating buckle and two retaining or stop loops, and some supplied both, probably from different subcontractors.

This pattern of fatigue cap, versus the “dress hat,” was adopted in 1858, essentially a descendant of the army shako with the stiffening removed or after exposure to the elements on campaign. It was the standard Union army headgear in camp, on campaign and in battle. Probably every soldier had one at some time and most went through several. Few preserved them after returning home and large army surplus stocks were sold off for resale as workman’s caps, etc. This is a key piece in any Civil War collection and the insignia, likely added by a collector, makes it especially appropriate for a cavalry display.  [sr][ph:m]

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