"Headwear for union at Shiloh" Topic

In very broad strokes would the plain Hardee be the most common headwear?

Probably not. I think they would either have the kepi or forage caps based on the engravings from the time.

Jim

I'd have to say forage caps and modified Hardees (into slouches) for the Union, and kepis and slouch hats for the Confederates.

But to your point, I don't think many Union troops wore the regulation Hardee hat as issued.

"based on the engravings from the time" Be careful about this: many engravers just used stock images of troops for uniform details -- they were not trying to be photographically correct.

I suspect more western Union troops wore slouch hats--or Hardees so abused they'd pass for slouch hats--than engravers admitted to. The engravers, after all, had to distinguish sides in black and white. But there was some comment to that effect among Army of the Potomac troops sent west later in the war.

At that point in the war given the composition of the Union army at Shiloh I suspect that forage caps would be very common, probably followed by slouch hats – and Hardee hats would be distinctly uncommon

Even the US regulars present (2nd and 4th Cavalry, 15th, 16th and 19th Infantry) would be more likely to wear forage caps as the regulars had forage caps for wear in the field

Gunfreak, here is a link to a discussion of that very topic.
I think the answer is probably a mix of all 3.

link

Thanks bashy, looks like several units used the hardee at shiloh.
So i guess unless i find specific info about specific regiment. I'll have to dp some in hardee. Some in kepi and some in slouch hats.