The kepi became a common part of the American civil war soldier’s uniform, used by both the North and South, typically in shades of dark blue, grey, or brown. Slightly different in shape from the French version, the American kepi, also called a forage cap or bummer cap, was a slightly less structured form that tapered toward the top. The dark blue kepi was favored by the Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson as can be seen in the monument made to his memory in Manassas, Virginia where the Battle of Bull Run was fought. By 1902, the kepi was discontinued as part of the U.S. military outfit, though it remained the quintessential cap for the French gendarme up until very recently. 
In the mid 1800s the western United States was a place of mixed identity, where old world confronted new world and nature was being made pliant to the development and the expansionist ambitions of the American frontiersman. To the east the face of American identity was also being transformed by the events of the Civil War. The United States grew in size, pushing further and further west, while consolidating its composition as a unified nation. A feature of costume that appeared in this time period and represented a combined east-west American aesthetic was the slouch hat, reminiscent of the cowboy hat and Mexican sombrero.
This hat, in contrast to the kepi, diverted from the European-inspired military style and projected a singularly American look. The term slouch hat came to be applied to variations of hats worn by the Confederate army although it would also come to be used by the Union army. The slouch hat looked something like a cowboy hat, with a brim that turned up in a concave gesture and wide enough to protect one from the elements. The average slouch hat’s brim width was about 3” with a crown height between 5” and 7”. They eventually could be found in many colors such as black, grey, tan, brown but the more popular were the hats made of medium brown or black felt and the cavalry officers would have them trimmed with gold cord while the enlisted men would use worsted cord for their trim. The slouch hat, so well-suited to the spirit of the mid-1800’s American, rising to consolidate a new identity for the nation, would become standard issue for the cavalry of both the Union and Confederate armies by the end of the Civil War.
| The Civil War Store offers products of interest to the reenactor and collector of U.S. Civil War replicas and Civil War gifts. We offer authentic Civil War items, Civil War gifts, Civil War replica cannons, Civil War Battlefield Accessories, Civil War Hats, Civil War replica rifles and Civil War replica pistols. Choose from Civil War reenactment and theatrical gear, authentic items and collectibles. In the near future we will be adding reenactment quality fixable Civil War bayonets and Civil War Swords. Recession Special: Customers who place orders in January 2009 will enjoy a savings of 9% off any subsequent order between January and December 31st 2009. |
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With the recent historical presidential race, the country finds its focus once more on Illinois, the land of Lincoln. 
Lincoln became president in 1860, just before the Civil War (1861-1865) engaged the entire nation in a battle ostensibly about slavery but ultimately about unity and what it meant to live up to American ideals. Lincoln was a republican who had served previously in the Illinois legislature and rallied the nation around the concept that even to speak of succession from the union was a criminal offense and that he would fight to defend the union of the United States.
