is known. On the other hand, a number of con- 

 tcmporai-y' Mexican War ilhistrations show enlisted 

 men wearing bands of white, red, and yellow. A careful 

 search of Quartermaster General records for the period 

 reveals no purchase of any material for such specific 

 use. 



Illustrati\c of the care with which clothing estimates 

 were made at this period is the following list of com- 

 ponents and estimated costs of the forage cap in 1843- 

 1844:^'' 



iyi2 



"/24 



15%2 



1%2 



21/96 



221/2 



18 



$1-01%5 



1.01 Vo 



Actual cost 

 Est. cost 



Another aspect mu.st be considered. A number of 

 these caps have been examined, all from the War 

 Department Collection and thus a.s.sumed to be enlisted 

 issue items. Some definitely show signs of wear, but none 

 shows any evidence of ever having had a band at- 

 tached, and all ha\e the folded "cape" which could be 

 let down to cover the neck in bad weather. Because of 

 the cape and the positioning of the buttons at either 

 end of the chin strap, the band would have had to go 

 under the cape, thus largely negating its efTecti\ene.ss as 

 a distinguishing device. Oddly enough, the one known 

 authenticated ofTicer's cap (fig. 36) "'-' and all the 

 caps shown in contemporary photographs of officers arc 

 capeless (see also fig. 37). However, all the enlisted 

 men's caps examined have capes, including one definite 

 pattern piece. The best explanation for the appear- 

 ance of the bands in so many contemporary illu.stra- 

 tions is that they were secured by individual troop 

 units and worn without War Department authoriza- 

 tion. A known instance is the Regimental Band of the 

 1st Dragoons, which was authorized by the regimental 

 commander "a double stripe (like Sergeants) on their 



Figure 36.— Officer's Forage Cap, 1839-1851. West Point Museum. 



43 



