A very good example of a piece of import headgear issued to units in the Army of Potomac. In the summer of 1861 the U.S. government ordered 10,000 complete army uniforms from the French firm of Godillot. These were the French army chasseur, or light infantry, pattern, both dress and fatigue, and complete with gear. The purchase was intended to ease supply problems and also test their usefulness for US troops. These were shipped in November 1861 and were awarded to regiments in the Army of the Potomac on the basis of drill competitions. They did not go as far as hoped: many were too small, but regiments known to have received them included the 18^th MA, 62^nd and 83^rd PA, and a regiment in New York’s Excelsior Brigade.

The dress uniform included these Model 1860 French infantry shakos fitted with front plates featuring an American eagle perched over an infantry hunting horn, surmounted by a separate red, white and blue rosette. The shako is black leather, with external bands applied at the base, around the crown, and in two V-shapes at either side with a ventilation hole between. The bound visor has a green underside with an impressed “2c” over “D,” perhaps the individual French maker- other examples show a variety of markings. The leather interior shows a slightly rubbed black ink stamp, “4 1/2", likely a size marking. The seams are tight. The body of the hat is solid, with good black color oxidizing slightly toward brown in places and just minor rubs or handling marks. The smooth leather top, bands and visor show a couple of scratches, etc., but no flaking.  The visor is firmly attached. The light brown leather lining is fully intact, though the sweatband and chinstrap assembly are missing, with just short portions of the straps inside the crown. (When present, these are usually torn and fragmentary.) The eagle front plate is in place, with no bends or breaks, a nice patina to the brass, and the red, white and blue rosette is in place as well, showing just some minor flakes to the paint. The top front of the shako has a narrow slot on the front edge, behind the rosette, for insertion of the base of a green feather plume for dress wear or nattier pompom for the field, though those seem have limited use by US troops.

Period photos show U.S. troops wearing these uniforms, including the shako, and the shako plates have been excavated in wartime camps. Even after those troops shifted back to more conventional US uniforms and gear, the shakos saw use, being reissued to bandsmen in the Veteran Reserve Corps, who show them off in some period photos.

These shakos are not militia pieces or just of the period, but are known to have been issued in the Army of the Potomac during the war and merit a place in a collection of Civil War headgear.  [sr] [ph:L]

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