Historical Hats & Reenacting History

[Mighty44]

On my maternal side I have a GGGrandfather who served on the Ironclad gunship, USS Benton. In researching the Benton & its battle record during the Civil War I found this unidentified pic of a sailor who served on the Benton. The USS Benton had a crew of 200 men living onboard. US Naval uniforms of the day displayed the name of their ship across the front of their cap. If you look closely you can see the name Benton (in reverse image) across his cap.

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The USS Benton patrolled both the Mississippi River & the Yazoo River of Louisiana & Mississippi. It was involved in 31 battles during its commission including the Battle of Vicksburg where it was considered the flagship of the battle.

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Fascinating stuff.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

An amazing history!

Fascinating stuff.

The USS Benton was commissioned early when the war first began. The Naval unit that would serve on her was first a heavy artillery unit stationed at Cairo, IL to protect the confluence of the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers there. The artillery unit was a natural to serve on an ironclad gunboat once the Benton was ready. In 1862 Fort Defiance was then built to protect Cairo.

 

[moehawk]

Cool in the summer, & keeps biting flies at bay.

Flies, yes. Wyrms, not so much...

 

[M Hatman]

On my maternal side I have a GGGrandfather who served on the Ironclad gunship, USS Benton. In researching the Benton & its battle record during the Civil War I found this unidentified pic of a sailor who served on the Benton. The USS Benton had a crew of 200 men living onboard. US Naval uniforms of the day displayed the name of their ship across the front of their cap. If you look closely you can see the name Benton (in reverse image) across his cap.

View attachment 620016

The USS Benton patrolled both the Mississippi River & the Yazoo River of Louisiana & Mississippi. It was involved in 31 battles during its commission including the Battle of Vicksburg where it was considered the flagship of the battle.

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I have to dig around now. I think I have at least one document from the Benton.
Nice history Jack!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I have to dig around now. I think I have at least one document from the Benton.
Nice history Jack!

Thanks Mark. I’d like to see what you have. At the time the war broke out, that line of my ancestry was living at Barry township, Pike county. He went to Cairo to enlist.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Today June 25th, marks the 148th anniversary of The Battle of the Little Big Horn. Amid some controversy Custer’s scout, Curly, a member of the Crow tribe survived until his passing in 1923. This was Curly’s hat he wore late in his life.

The surviving victors of the battle posed in 1948.



On a side note, what remains of Custer’s flag carried in battle was sold at auction just a few yrs ago for $2.2M. The buyer remains anonymous (thought to be William Koch).

 

[BobHufford]

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Today marks the 160th anniversary of the death of William T. Anderson at the Battle of Albany (modern day Orrick, MO) when Anderson & 80 of his men were engaged in battle by 350 men of the 33rd Infantry of the State Militia. The 33rd Infantry led by Lt. Col. Samuel P. Cox had been specifically formed & trained to track down & kill “Bloody Bill.”

After Anderson’s remains were taken into town & photographed, Cox allowed his men of the 33rd to decapitate the remains, cut off a finger to get a ring, & divide up Anderson’s possessions as common souvenirs. The official photographer of the 33rd Infantry kept Anderson’s hat but the hats whereabouts (& that of his skull) are unknown today.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Jefferson Davis, West Point graduate, genuine hero of the war with Mexico, former senator from Mississippi, U.S. Secretary of War, & President of the CSA was captured on May 10th 1865. He sat for photographs four yrs later in the hat & clothes he was wearing that day. His clothes & some of his personal effects are in the Museum of The Confederacy, Richmond, VA.

 

[DocCasualty]

Learn Our History Today: On December 5, 1839, General George Armstrong Custer was born in New Rumley, Ohio. Raised in Monroe, Michigan, Custer briefly taught school after graduating high school but soon decided he would enroll at West Point. Custer was well known for his pranks and high jinks while at the military academy, and he graduated last in his class. Under normal circumstances his career may have been doomed, but the breakout of the Civil War in 1861 and the great need for officers gave Custer a quick appointment in the Union Army.

He served throughout the war, first in minor roles as a runner for General Winfield Scott at the First Battle of Bull Run, then as an aide to several other Union Generals. During the epic cavalry engagement at the Battle of Brandy Station in June 1863, Custer was serving as an aide to General Alfred Pleasanton. At a key point in the battle, he abruptly joined the fight and led a charge into Confederate positions. His actions at Brandy Station earned him a direct promotion from the rank of Captain to the rank of Brigadier General.

Custer was put in command of a brigade of Michigan cavalry, which he led into multiple engagements and charges, including the Battle of Gettysburg. In nearly all these engagements, Custer was always very conspicuous and at the head of his charging men, dressed in flamboyant clothing and waving his saber. At the end of the war, Custer was demoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel due to post war downsizing and sent west to fight hostile Indians. In the west, Custer fought in several successful engagements against Indians, including the Battle of the Washita in 1868. He also took part in an exploratory expedition into the Black Hills in 1874. He grew to be one of the most famous American generals in the West due to his continued flamboyant style and success in battle. In 1876 however, Custer met an untimely end at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, in which he and a large contingent of his men were killed by a force of Indians numbering in the thousands.

Also, on this day in U.S. history:
1792: George Washington is re-elected as President
1848: President James K. Polk confirms the discovery of gold in California and triggers the Gold Rush of 1849.
1933: The 21st Amendment to the Constitution is ratified and the 18th Amendment is repealed, ending Prohibition.

Help us to keep history alive in America by sharing Learn Our History with your kids and grandkids! Try Learn Our History’s new streaming service and access our entire library of animated videos FREE for 7 days! Check out our great streaming options at trylearnourhistory.com.

Image-Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

 

[belfastboy]

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Learn Our History Today: On December 5, 1839, General George Armstrong Custer was born in New Rumley, Ohio. Raised in Monroe, Michigan, Custer briefly taught school after graduating high school but soon decided he would enroll at West Point. Custer was well known for his pranks and high jinks while at the military academy, and he graduated last in his class. Under normal circumstances his career may have been doomed, but the breakout of the Civil War in 1861 and the great need for officers gave Custer a quick appointment in the Union Army.

He served throughout the war, first in minor roles as a runner for General Winfield Scott at the First Battle of Bull Run, then as an aide to several other Union Generals. During the epic cavalry engagement at the Battle of Brandy Station in June 1863, Custer was serving as an aide to General Alfred Pleasanton. At a key point in the battle, he abruptly joined the fight and led a charge into Confederate positions. His actions at Brandy Station earned him a direct promotion from the rank of Captain to the rank of Brigadier General.

Custer was put in command of a brigade of Michigan cavalry, which he led into multiple engagements and charges, including the Battle of Gettysburg. In nearly all these engagements, Custer was always very conspicuous and at the head of his charging men, dressed in flamboyant clothing and waving his saber. At the end of the war, Custer was demoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel due to post war downsizing and sent west to fight hostile Indians. In the west, Custer fought in several successful engagements against Indians, including the Battle of the Washita in 1868. He also took part in an exploratory expedition into the Black Hills in 1874. He grew to be one of the most famous American generals in the West due to his continued flamboyant style and success in battle. In 1876 however, Custer met an untimely end at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, in which he and a large contingent of his men were killed by a force of Indians numbering in the thousands.

Also, on this day in U.S. history:
1792: George Washington is re-elected as President
1848: President James K. Polk confirms the discovery of gold in California and triggers the Gold Rush of 1849.
1933: The 21st Amendment to the Constitution is ratified and the 18th Amendment is repealed, ending Prohibition.

Help us to keep history alive in America by sharing Learn Our History with your kids and grandkids! Try Learn Our History’s new streaming service and access our entire library of animated videos FREE for 7 days! Check out our great streaming options at trylearnourhistory.com.

Image-Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

I have long thought that Custer's life offers such a valuable life lesson for us all......."Custer's "Luck"........he was incredibly lucky......until he wasn't.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

In 1876 however, Custer met an untimely end at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, in which he and a large contingent of his men were killed by a force of Indians numbering in the thousands.

After his death Custer’s legacy was created in large part by his widow, Libbie, & perhaps a little spin by the military.

1933: The 21st Amendment to the Constitution is ratified and the 18th Amendment is repealed, ending Prohibition.

 

[Zombie_61]

Today June 25th, marks the 148th anniversary of The Battle of the Little Big Horn. Amid some controversy Custer’s scout, Curly, a member of the Crow tribe survived until his passing in 1923. This was Curly’s hat he wore late in his life.

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Curly must have been a very successful scout it he was as invisible as this display is representing him.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Louis Kossuth (1802-1894) was the democratic governor of Hungary. After Russian armies crushed his government in 1849, he arrived in the U.S. in 1851 seeking asylum wearing a wide brim hat.

Louis Kossuth

New regiments of the cavalry were given a similar uniform hat in 1855 & in 1858 it became known as the Model 1858 & given to all branches of service. Informally it was known as the Kossuth hat because of the resemblance; the Hardee in honor of William Hardee who served in the US Cavalry at the time; & the Jeff Davis who was US Secretary of War when the uniform hat was commissioned.

Lt. Col. John Kimball of the 15th Massachusetts Infantry displays his regulation uniform hat with the embroidered eagle side pin & feathers held with a knit rosette & button.

This artilleryman holds his uniform hat with the crossed cannon insignia, brass side pin & a feather on the right side. The hat is pinned on the left side to not interfere with his musket.

Mounted troops wore their hats pinned up on the right side. Only the branch insignia is used with a feather on the left.

An abbreviated style known as the “Burnside hat” with lower crown caved in for a more stylish appearance.

A more rakish style popular at the end of the Civil War & after.

A regular army infantryman at the end of the war.

A veteran Union infantryman wears a campaign hat.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Arguably the most famous Hardee/Campaign hat in American history.

1878

1880