Silent Pool | 18 Apr 2014 12:43 p.m. PST |
"It Is a Truth Universally Acknowledged, That a Single Man in Possession of a Good Musket, Must Be in Want of a Tricorn Hat." So wrote one of the Bronte Brothers. The Tricorn hat must surely be the best item of clothing to have been seen during the AWI – along with a Red Coat
Thanks to DAF for the picture. |
Dr Mathias | 18 Apr 2014 1:20 p.m. PST |
Are those tricorns or 'cocked hats'? Is a 'cocked hat' a tricorn or bicorn, or neither? Forgive my ignorance. |
Florida Tory | 18 Apr 2014 1:24 p.m. PST |
I'm sure it was John Austen who wrote that! Rick |
Sigwald | 18 Apr 2014 1:39 p.m. PST |
Those would be military cocked hats |
Herkybird | 18 Apr 2014 1:50 p.m. PST |
A good question is when the Tricorn became standard wear for troops! In the British army it was known initially as the Ramilles hat, suggesting 1708 for them??? I would be interested if anyone has info on this! |
piper909 | 18 Apr 2014 2:21 p.m. PST |
A subtle distinction, but I think by the Revolution soldiers were wearing cocked hats, technically speaking. I personally prfer the earlier, more streamlined tricorn. But this is to quibble. Both seem a cut above the shako, I have come to feel (tastes change!) |
piper909 | 18 Apr 2014 2:45 p.m. PST |
The tricorn seems to be ubiquitous by the time of Marlborough's campaigns, almost overnight after c.1700. It replaced the one or two-sided turned-up hats of the 1690s. |
Mserafin | 18 Apr 2014 3:15 p.m. PST |
The tricorn seems to be ubiquitous by the time of Marlborough's campaigns, almost overnight after c.1700. It replaced the one or two-sided turned-up hats of the 1690s. Which begs the question of whether the tricorn wasn't just a different way of turning up the sides of a basic hat with a brim. I have no knowledge if this is what actually happened, but that's how it's always struck me. |
Sparker | 18 Apr 2014 3:36 p.m. PST |
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Cardinal Hawkwood | 18 Apr 2014 5:09 p.m. PST |
and there it is
hat lace..the true cause of the modern military salute. |
spontoon | 18 Apr 2014 5:28 p.m. PST |
Care to elucidate, Cardinal? |
Supercilius Maximus | 19 Apr 2014 3:53 a.m. PST |
@ Dr Mathias, "Cocking" was simply turning up the brim of a felt hat and fastening it to the crown in some way. A tricorne was simply a hat that had been "cocked" on three sides. The felt from which these hats were commonly made was referred to as "beaver" and there is actually a Burns poem/song entitled: "Hey, Johnny – co ck up your beaver" (which I think is about joining the Army, but seems to make people smile for some reason
). The move from tricorne to bicorne was a result of the European fashion of the brim becoming narrower at the sides (and also sometimes the front), the resulting shape being more suited to two "cocks" (front and back) than the three of the earlier, fuller brim. You notice the point at the front becoming "flatter" and more bicorne in appearance around the 1760s in Prussia, just towards the end of the SYW. The feather in the NCO's hat indicates 4th Battalion, RA; British gunners had red turnbacks until October 1782, when they officially changed to white. However, it is unlikely that the white turnbacks were seen much in America before the war ended. Old coats were turned into a single-breasted frock coat, according to a court-martial record c.1770, and it seems these looked similar to the coats worn by the 40th Foot at Germantown (which, in addition to cuffs, also have turnbacks and collars unlike the Light Infantry roundabouts which were waistcoats with the sleeves of the regimental coat added). |
seneffe | 29 Apr 2014 2:41 p.m. PST |
Re hat lace as the cause of the modern salute- I believe that it was because the existing traditional military salute required removal of the hat and so when white/yellow/silver/gold hat lace became more common from the 1730s onwards there was a consequent risk of discoloration of the nice lace by the soldiers' often grubby fingers. Hence the move to a form of salute which only required the hand to be raised towards the hat. Cap wearing Grenadiers adopted a more modern form of salute earlier, but the first (British) reference I know to hat wearing troops using the modern salute is in the drill book of the Norfolk Militia about 1760. I expect there is an earlier reference somewhere though. That's my understanding at least- though I would defer to the Cardinal as he raised the point. |
Early morning writer | 29 Apr 2014 9:39 p.m. PST |
SM, can you advise how the other regiments were distinguished, sir? I've been casting about for how to indicate the different regiments of artillery when I paint up my figures. So, now I know some will need a feather added (in 15 mm!). |
Supercilius Maximus | 30 Apr 2014 11:09 a.m. PST |
I think the 4th's black feather was the only distinguishing mark – certainly that would be visible in 15mm. |
coolyork | 26 Jul 2014 8:37 p.m. PST |
Keep in mine hats as with all clothing items stem from the fashions of the time much like bell bottom pants of the 1970's Tricorns where just a hat to those of the 18th century and where almost out of fashion when the AWI stated.Like all fashions it took awhile before they dissapeared . The cocked hat was a finale version of the "tricorn" and primarily worn by the military .Fashion if funny thing . Broad brim hats have had the longest and most successful record of all hats from anchient times to cowboy and the boonie hat because it has a actual function. Tricorns not so much . |
95thRegt | 27 Jul 2014 6:14 a.m. PST |
The Royal Artillery went to leather,or cut down caps fairly early on in the War. So you probably wouldn't see them on gunners after 1775. Bob |
Ironwolf | 27 Jul 2014 6:26 a.m. PST |
Can anyone say what companies make the wagons in the background in 15mm??? I'd like to add a couple of those to my collection. Thanky |
Early morning writer | 27 Jul 2014 7:28 a.m. PST |
ironwolf – check out both Minifigs and QRF (Freikorps – the commissary range). Not sure, but I know I have seem them so they are out there. |
Ironwolf | 28 Jul 2014 3:22 a.m. PST |
Early Morning, thanky for pointing me in a good direction. found them in the Freikorps – the commissary range. |
dantheman | 28 Jul 2014 4:21 p.m. PST |
I think Blue Moon also makes those wagons. |
historygamer | 30 Jul 2014 6:50 a.m. PST |
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Major Bloodnok | 31 Jul 2014 5:01 a.m. PST |
The "Tricorn" was never called that in its lifetime. It is a cocked hat. What happens over time is the cocking changes over time and becomes what people call a bicorn, which is still a cocked hat. The cocked hat of the AWI has a shorter point in front. It is worn with the front point over the left eye so that the other corners/points do not interfere with the musket when at the shoulder. I believe the 4th Regiment wore theirs back to front. |