Formed in 1866, the Grand Army of the Republic endured to 1956, with the death of its last member. Reaching a membership high of over 400,000 in 1890, it was a force to be reckoned with in politics and veterans’ affairs. This is a nice example of a G.A.R. veteran’s hat by Stetson in Philadelphia, and so marked in raised embossed lettering on the brown pebbled sweatband still firmly in place inside.

The hat is black felt, creased fore and aft, and with a narrow black ribbon around the base of the crown, knotted on the left side. It is fitted with a twisted black and gold hat cord with woven gilt acorn ends. The black has oxidized to brown and the gold to a soft mustard yellow. There are a few loose threads but no major fraying.

The hat is fitted with a standard stamped gilt brass G.A.R.-in-wreath hat badge. This was damaged at some point with the bar running across the wreath with “G.A.R.” becoming detached from the rear of the wreath on the wearer’s right and the “G” bent inwards producing a tear to the hat. No fabric seems to be missing, but we have not risked trying to bend the bar, and the “G” back into place. The hat badges show up on their own and this one could be replaced and the tear easily concealed, but we prefer to leave things untouched as they come in here and it displays well as is, though the veteran may have had a few choice words for a careless comrade.  [sr] [ph:m]

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