Quick little “cap” history in regards to the “kepi” mentioned.
The Federal uniform from that period had commissioned officer issued a western style heavy felt hat, but allowed the wearing of personal headgear, often in the form of elaborate hats; the most common style was also a western type, although many “Class A hats” were very stylized bowlers, or other popular headgear, there was no set requirement for commissioned officers.
Non-commissioned officers and enlisted men were issued either a kepi, for cavalry personnel, or a boomer for artillery and foot soldiers.
Boomers were a few inches taller than kepis, for a reason.
The taller cap tilted forward some, and non-coms wore their rank insignia and or chevrons on the top or crown of the boomer, facing so it could be read from the front, making it easier for mounted troops to discern who was who, both to identify the non-coms from the enlisted men, as well as friend from foe.
With Kepis, the cap was short, making it stay put when riding, especially through trees and brush, with the insignia worn on the front of the cap, just above the bill, because mounted men are most often the same height off the ground, with the chevron or insignia on the crown, you would have a hard time distinguishing who was who.
Both boomer and kepis were made of heavy wool felt to wear well, with boomers having a leather brim, while kepis for enlisted men has a pressed felt brim, non- com and commissioned officers kepis had a leather brim.
Both were most often issued in a one size fits all style, todays 8 ½ hat size; the felt would stretch to fit as the hat was worn.
If you run across an original kepi with a lining, keep it, as the standard issue Federal boomers and kepis were issued with no lining….lining were added after the cap was “worn to fit”, often by the soldiers themselves, as sewing skills were a requirement for most men in those day.
One last little uniform tidbit.
Ever notice in the original photos from those days a lot of the cavalry men had canvas sewn to the backside and inner thigh of their pants?
Reason is the issue pants are made of wide weave wool, very warm in winter and cool in summer, but because the cavalry saddles didn’t have fenders like western saddles, the inner thigh and back seat of the pants would get horse sweat and dirt ground into them, causing the loose weave wool to wear quickly, plus the wool would “ball up” in little pills, very uncomfortable to sit on for long periods.
Soldiers would take the extra canvas that traveled with them for tent repair and wagons covers, and sew a canvas insert into the inner thigh and seat, to better keep the pants from wearing out and balling up.
Same reason they tucked the legs of the pants into their boots, to lessen the wear, although the uniform code called for the pants leg to be outside the boot.
This practice became more common during the Indian war period, was not all that common during the civil war.
