This is a great example of the “regulation” cap worn by Union Civil War veterans who were members of the Grand Army of the Republic, the largest of the veteran organizations that wielded both great social influence and political power in the later 19^th century. It follows the then current US military cap patterns in being a low-crown kepi more less like that adopted by the army in 1872, but still strongly evokes the wartime uniform worn by most of the veterans.

The cap is in excellent condition, with strong, unfaded color and no moth damage. The seams are tight. The G.A.R. side buttons and the narrow chinstrap are in place. The bound visor is firmly attached, has very good surface on top and just a few minor flakes on the underside. The interior is very good. The sweatband shows some minor losses along the lower edge from wear and a partial tear over the wearer’s left ear, but is complete, fully intact, has good color and even retains a small size label reading 6 3/8. The interior is fully lined with a light brown cotton and the underside of the top is quilted, a nice sign of quality.

The owner’s name is written in ink inside the sweatband: “James Whitton.” A previous owner identified him as James Whitton (sometimes more fully identified in the records as James R. Whitton or Whitten in the records,) who served in Co. H and Co. B of the 59^th New York, a fighting regiment in the 2^nd Army Corps. Most of that regiment came from the New York City area, but much of Co. H and some of Co. I came from Ohio, where Whitton enlisted at Bellville in Company H in March 1862. Unfortunately, he does not show up in the 1890 veteran census and we, in fact, find a James R. Whitten with a government headstone (though no unit listed) in the Bellville cemetery, who was born in 1844, a good fit for enlisting in 1862, and died in July 1867, a bad fit, so to speak, for the cap, which certainly dates later.

A quick check of the name brings up several other candidates who might be narrowed down with some research, but this cap is a really nice example the G.A.R. uniform cap in any case and would look great in a collection of veterans’ material.  [sr] [ph:m]

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