"ACW Cavalry: Hats, Kepis, or Forage?" Topic

What type of hat did Union and CSA cavalry wear? Did they vary by unit, year, and theater? Mix and match?

CSA was a mix while the Union were more standard with the kepi.

Mix and match. Slouch hats were desired by many as they kept the rain and sun off their necks.

For officers it was a matter of vanity in many cases. Do I look better in a kepi or a hat?

For the EMs it was often a matter of what the unit was issued or were able to obtain as replacement clothing.

Good advice but, as for infantry, Western Fed cav would be more likely to wear hats than kepis for the reasons given above.

I'm asking because Pete Pig now has their resculpted dismounted cav packs available.

What hat was standard issue for the Union?

Standard issue for troopers for field use was the forage cap, but especially in the West lots and lots of hats were used – for example, Wilder's brigade mostly wore a small grey hat

I'm asking because Pete Pig now has their resculpted dismounted cav packs available.

What hat was standard issue for the Union?

At the scale you are working on, it doesn't really matter whether you are using "federal" or "confederate" figures. Use the ones you like and paint them appropriately.

By regulation in the Federal army, each trooper (indeed, every soldier) was issued with both a dress hat and a forage cap. Likewise, he was issued with both a dress coat and a fatigue coat. The dress hat was the "Hardee" patterm, which, when issued, looked like an old Pilgrim hat from the 17th century, sans band and buckle. It was to be worh with the dress jacket for dress occasions.

He was also issued with a cap and "sack coat", which were to be worn on occasions of fatihue duty and when in the field. That this was the standard followed can be seen by large numbers of images of US Regular troops in the field, all wearing sack coats and forage caps.

Keeping this all in mind, who wore what decidely comes down to a unit/place/time affair. Some units never got the dress hat. Some units, like the "Iron Brigade" chose to wear the hat exclusively.

As a general rule, absent any documentation, you can paint the Federals in caps and coats, But like I say, it's a general thing, and not wholly accurate for any of the theatres, Eastern or Western.

As to Confederates, there were many CS regiments who used forage caps, some who used hats, and a lot with mixed head gear. You have to keep in mind that the CS uniform regulations were patterned upon those of the US Army, with colour and decorative/insignia changes. The general pattern of the equipment and clothing, however, mirrored that of the Federals. Short jackets, caps, almost identical accoutrements. Again, it's very much a unit/place/time call as to who wore what.

When painting cavalry, I have almost always used whatever figures I liked, without consideration of the nomenclature except for what they were armed with, and painted them appropriately for whatever unit I was building.

respects,

As time passed the hat became more and more common( almost universal in the Western Armies by 64 and 65) and worn a lot in the East too (though not nearly as common)! This was true of all branchs Inf, Arty, Cav, Eng and so on! The hat was usually Black or Dark Brown or Dark Blue with some variations on grays. It came in many styles but the Slouch Hat was prime, and of course weather and hard use combined to give it a very "worn shape and feel"!

Thanks. Very useful info!