Civil War Museum, Jefferson Davis Hat

[Lando]

I will start by saying I wish I had pictures but sadly I was not allowed. I was in New Orleans recently and I made a stop at the Civil War Museum there, which incidentally is right across from the D-Day museum. The Civil War museum is an old building with mostly confederate weapons and uniforms, but they had one things that really took me. They had the Confederate President Jefferson Davis' hat there, perfectly preserved as if it were just waiting to be worn. I can only describe it as a very sharp western derby, but in really quite amazing condition. I tried to see if I could find some images online that might showing paintings of him in the hat, but to no avail. I thought I might just share though, in case any of you are in New Orleans anytime soon.

 

[Rick Blaine]

This 'un?

 

[Lando]

No. It was more like this, but in a rich shade of brown with a much sharper roll on the brim:

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Rick, that hat you showed us is a "Jefferson Davis Hat," but not Jefferson Davis' hat. Jeff Davis was the sec of war previous to the civil war and he invented that hat you pictured as the standard dress hat of the army. So that photo is of the general army hat as required by regulations circa the 1850s/60s. In fact, the device on the side (the eagle) is called a Jeff Davis Hat Device, believe it or not.

 

[monbla256]

Right you are! And he did not wear a black/dark blue hat with his Grey C.S.A. uniform as well as the front device says"U.S.", hardly something you'd see on the head of the C.S.A. army

 

[Rick Blaine]

Rick, that hat you showed us is a "Jefferson Davis Hat," but not Jefferson Davis' hat. Jeff Davis was the sec of war previous to the civil war and he invented that hat you pictured as the standard dress hat of the army. So that photo is of the general army hat as required by regulations circa the 1850s/60s. In fact, the device on the side (the eagle) is called a Jeff Davis Hat Device, believe it or not.

Ah-ha! Thanks! I did not know that. I am always eager to push back the frontiers, both wide & deep, of my ignorance.

 

[danofarlington]

Right you are! And he did not wear a black/dark blue hat with his Grey C.S.A. uniform as well as the front device says"U.S.", hardly something you'd see on the head of the C.S.A. army

oops

 

[Guttersnipe]

Jefferson Davis never wore a Confederate uniform that I'm aware of. As the President of the Confederate States of America, like his counter part Lincoln, he was a Commander-in-Chief, but not a member of the armed forces. There were two versions of the black military hat posted, the pattern 1855 and the pattern 1858. The official title was the "Army Dress Hat" but they were more widely known as the "Hardee" hat (after Lt. Col.(US)/Lt. Gen. (CS) William J. Hardee - who literally wrote the book on US Infantry tactics). On occasion they were referred to has Jefferson hats, though. This example has officers dressing with the device for staff and general officers. There was also a patten of shoe issued to the US Army commonly called the Jefferson Bootee because it was adopted during Jefferson's tenure as Secretary of War.

---Sorry for the geek out. Former Civil War reenactor/volunteer docent at Fort Point---

 

[gtdean48]

Jefferson Davis never wore a Confederate uniform that I'm aware of. As the President of the Confederate States of America, like his counter part Lincoln, he was a Commander-in-Chief, but not a member of the armed forces. There were two versions of the black military hat posted, the pattern 1855 and the pattern 1858. The official title was the "Army Dress Hat" but they were more widely know as the "Hardee" hat. On occasion they were referred to has Jefferson hats, though. This example has officers dressing with the device for staff and general officers. There was also a patten of shoe issued to the US Army commonly called the Jefferson Bootee because it was adopted during Jefferson's tenure as Secretary of War.

Most images I recall were of him are in a suit of the era, never a uniform. Well there is that one story of him being finally captured in Fitzgerald, GA wearing a dress....

 

[danofarlington]

Jefferson Davis never wore a Confederate uniform that I'm aware of. As the President of the Confederate States of America, like his counter part Lincoln, he was a Commander-in-Chief, but not a member of the armed forces. There were two versions of the black military hat posted, the pattern 1855 and the pattern 1858. The official title was the "Army Dress Hat" but they were more widely known as the "Hardee" hat (after Lt. Col.(US)/Lt. Gen. (CS) William J. Hardee - who literally wrote the book on US Infantry tactics). On occasion they were referred to has Jefferson hats, though. This example has officers dressing with the device for staff and general officers. There was also a patten of shoe issued to the US Army commonly called the Jefferson Bootee because it was adopted during Jefferson's tenure as Secretary of War.

---Sorry for the geek out. Former Civil War reenactor/volunteer docent at Fort Point---

I was going to say, how could you possibly know all that? It is interesting but I didn't know those things could be known 150 years later. I guess some of that information was carried forward. Amazing what details are available about times long past.

 

[CitizenGenet]

Jefferson Davis never wore a Confederate uniform that I'm aware of. As the President of the Confederate States of America, like his counter part Lincoln, he was a Commander-in-Chief, but not a member of the armed forces. There were two versions of the black military hat posted, the pattern 1855 and the pattern 1858. The official title was the "Army Dress Hat" but they were more widely known as the "Hardee" hat (after Lt. Col.(US)/Lt. Gen. (CS) William J. Hardee - who literally wrote the book on US Infantry tactics). On occasion they were referred to has Jefferson hats, though. This example has officers dressing with the device for staff and general officers. There was also a patten of shoe issued to the US Army commonly called the Jefferson Bootee because it was adopted during Jefferson's tenure as Secretary of War.

---Sorry for the geek out. Former Civil War reenactor/volunteer docent at Fort Point---

As a recovering CW reenactor, I can confirm this.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Jefferson Davis was the Colonel of the First Tennessee Infantry in the Mexican-American was, though. He was also still in the Army during the Blackhawk Indian war. When the Confederacy was first beginning he assumed he'd be named general of all the C.S. armies. But instead they named him president. He is said to have considered turning it down and going into the Army anyway but they persuaded him not to do that.

 

[monbla256]

Found this pic on a Civil War site. It shows the "uniform" coat Lee wore when he signed the peace with Grant at Appomatox. Looks like a uniform coat to me. I was not aware that civilians wore gold braid rank on collars and sleeve braiding as is on this coat. If this is NOT a UNIFORM please let us know WHAT it is considered

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

What am I missing, monbla256? Lee was a general. We were talking about Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy. Who was talking about Lee?

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

Lee was a general. We were talking about Jefferson Davis

Yes, there is a difference between the two you know

 

[monbla256]

What am I missing, monbla256? Lee was a general. We were talking about Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy. Who was talking about Lee?

MY mistake. getting dyslectsect in my old age. (Can't spell either )

 

[danofarlington]

MY mistake. getting dyslectsect in my old age. (Can't spell either )

Speaking of Texas, what about General Hood? Did he have any kind of interesting hat? I'm not sure I remember what he looks like.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Yeah, I wasn't going to bring this up, but...

...finally captured in Fitzgerald, GA wearing a dress....

:gossip: "This cartoon presented a disarmed and thoroughly cowed Jefferson Davis surrounded by Union soldiers. Davis wearing a dress and bonnet, suggesting that not only Davis himself but the entire Confederacy was characterized by feminine attributes." :eeek:

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Of course, that is Yankee propaganda. The truth is Davis was not caught in his wife's dresses trying to get away. Ah, but war propaganda isn't fun without an "occasional" little fib, eh?

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

Shame on you Mr. Blaine. You're from Dixie and you brought THAT up?!!!