The Civil War Catalog

Page Four of  Five

The Plantation - wide brim - $125 Pecan color shown

This hat was popular with the western troops in the Trans-Mississippi Department, in the cavalry, and with the Texas troops who fought in the East. The low telescoped crown and the wide, curled brim give this hat a shape as distinctive as the person who wears it.

In the photograph to the right, a member of the Clinch Rifles, Co. A, 5th Georgia Volunteers enjoys a pipe while wearing a plantation hat.

Courtesy Albert Shaw Collection

This 1862 pencil and wash drawing by A.R. Waud shows the First Virginia Cavalry wearing this popular style.

The image to the right is a plantation with a medium brim.

Plantation - Medium Brim - $ 110

Pecan color shown

The Mosby - $ 90

coffee color shown

This flat crowned hat was made famous during the War by Colonel John Singleton Mosby. The photograph shown right is Isa Clark of the 14th Missouri-Birge's Sharpshooters (Union) wearing a Mosby style hat.

Courtesy Valentine Museum, Richmond

The image on the left shows Mosby wearing this style with one side turned up and a feather for added style.

Courtesy Library of Congress

The photo to the left was taken at Fort Totten,

one of the defenses of Washington, DC.

It clearly shows a Mosby style hat that has

seen some weather and become slightly

rounded on the crown.

Courtesy Library of Congress

The Derby - $ 90 Coffee color shown

Designed by William Coke II, a London aristocrat, as a hard hat for his groundskeepers, this became a British favorite. Americans adopted it with gusto in 1860. Not too formal it gave the wearer a dressy look, but with a jaunty air and just a hint of good humor. The photograph on the right shows Isa's brother Nelson Collis also of the 14th Missouri-Birge's Sharpshooters from Elgin, Illinois. Nelson is sporting a derby which by all appearances does                                                                                 not fit properly.

Courtesy Valentine Museum, Richmond

Both photos are Courtesy of the Clearwater Hat Collection

After a hard day's march a Colonel with the First Texas cavalry had given strict orders against straggling and foraging. He had just gotten comfortably to bed when a big hog set up a most unearthly squealing in the camp. The colonel immediately began to rouse an orderly to send for the officer of the day, when a major, opening his eyes, yawned out: "Lie down, Colonel, that is none of our men." "How do you know it is none of our men?" "Well, Colonel, I have campaigned a heap more with this regiment than you, and I have found out that when the First Texas strikes a hog it never squeals but once." Modern Eloquence, copyright 1900 by the University Society.

All original material copyright©2003 Clearwater Hat Company