The sunken crowned kepis were notorious for collecting rain.

Readily available since it was a standard issue in the Union and Confederacy.

Worn all over the world in different occupations Advantages: Officers also wore the “Austrian” knot or braid n their kepi to show their rank. Kepi-One of the Most Popular Civil War Hats

The color on the hat represented your army division and went as follows There are many original hats still available complete with battle damage and insignia. Enlisted men commonly had these or the forage hat. It was standard on both sides and the hat rests in the imagination when people think back on the Civil War.

One of the most popular hats was the Civil war kepi hat. Headgear was important to let a soldier keep his eyes, face, and neck safe from the sun. There were also brass emblems on a few hats to show the rank of the soldier. Different colors are what indicated the division of the army you were in. Generals, infantry, cavalry, artillery, and naval forces had their own hats. These wide-brimmed hats could be bent and contorted to anyone’s liking. They come up often in Civil War photos of the period. Confederate hat brims were often made of tarred cloth to conserve leather for shoes and other clothes: especially toward the middle of the war.Ī slouch hat would be great to wear in a reenactors outfit. Hats worn in the Civil War were usually made of wool or jean wool. Hardee hats were the ceremonial “dress” hats standard with the Union army. Slouch hats and forage hats were also worn in the heat of battle.

The kepi is the one that you see when you look at most enlisted men in the Civil War armies. One thing to keep in mind is that although hats had to match their uniform colors, material shortages and damage to their own hats meant many wore whatever hat they could find. When you think of Abraham Lincoln, you probably think of Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat that you see him wearing in his travels. Hats are one thing we think of whenever imagining the Civil War era. These are more expensive than the fake ones, but if you are a collector they are the only way to go. Online stores sometimes have more vintage civil war hats for sale that look more authentic. Many places still sell these hats to reenactors and collectors.

Some different types of civil war hats were the kepi, slouch, and forage cap. Soldiers in the Civil War wore many different types of hats. To see my full affiliate disclosure please click here. This means I will make a small commission, at no cost to you, if you buy something on them.

Beehive hat civil war