Wool Overalls and two yellow bands of worsted or 

 cloth around the Cap with the number of the Regiment 

 on a blue ground in front." "'^ It should be noted that 

 while an organizational band wore the uniform of 

 the regiment or corps to which it belonged, the com- 

 manding officer might purchase from post or company 

 funds "such additions in ornaments as he may judge 

 proper." '"* 



The cadets at the Military Academy undoubtedly 

 wore a band on their forage caps even though the 

 regulars apparently did not. Since changes in cadet 

 dress were generally settled — at least during this 

 period — by direct correspondence between the Super- 

 intendent and the Secretary of War without reference 

 to the Commanding General or the Quartermaster 

 General,"'' this is not unusual. One such band has 

 survived (fig. 38), worn by General George M. Mc- 

 Clellan when a cadet 1842-1846. It is of black velvet, 

 2 inches wide and the edges turned under and 

 tacked, 22/2 inches in circumference."^'' The device 

 "U S M A" in modified Old English script lies within 

 a wreath of laurel with palm fronds on either side, 

 the band of gold embroidery of highest quality and 

 workmanship. 



Probably as a concession to the bitter winter weather 

 at West Point, the cadets were originally allowed to 

 add a band of fur to the caps, a practice discontinued 

 by order in 1843."' As in the case of the leather forage 

 cap, the cadets had to be told how to wear the new 

 one, a number of them having removed the stiffening 

 of the crown to give a more rakish appearance.""' It 

 should be noted that no extant photograph of a cadet 

 wearing this cap shows the presence of a cape as on 

 the enlisted models. The order published in 1846 de- 

 scribing the dress of the newly organized Company of 



Sappers, Miners and Pontoniers, the "Engineer 

 Soldiers", prescribed for wear on the forage cap a 

 "band of black cotton velvet with a yellow castle in 

 front according to drawing and pattern in clothing 

 bureau". ^"^ 



When the 1844 Uniform Board met it considered 

 carefully both the quality of the forage cap and the 

 quantity issued. It was the considered opinion of the 

 members that (as had proved true with the 1825 pat- 

 tern) one cap issued every five years was not sufficient. 

 They recommended that one cap "as improved by Col. 

 Stanton" be issued annually unless an oil cloth cover 

 was provided (a commentary on the "water-proofed" 

 cloth used). With the oil cloth cover, provided, caps 

 should be issued three times in the five year period.'" It 

 is not known what Stanton's improvements were, but 

 they apparently involved both the quality and the pat- 

 tern.'" Despite the recommendation of the board the 

 cap continued to be issued only once in five years. 



The caps that have been examined, supplemented 

 by the officer's specimen (fig. 36)''" fall into three 

 basic types within the general pattern. Type one (figs. 

 39-41 ), which in profile is most similar to those illus- 

 trated in the lithographs, has a sharply pointed, almost 

 perpendicular patent leather %isor, 2^2 inches at its 

 widest and lO/o inches from side to side, welted to 

 the headband with leather. A patent leather sliding 

 chin strap immediately above the vi.sor terminates in 

 two brass general service buttons. The whole of the 

 cap proper is of dark blue wool cloth. The crown is 

 10 J/) inches in diameter, with the rise to the crown of 

 four pieces 2 inches high, welted to the crown. The 

 headband is 2/2 inches wide of one-piece construction. 

 Attached to it is the "cape," 4 inches wide when un- 

 folded, buttoned to the headband at the chin strap 



Figure 38.— U.S. Military Academy Forage Cap Band, ca. 1842-1846. 



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