Figure 51.— Cap, 1851. 



top and lined with black cotton. The sweatband of 

 brown leather, fitted with drawstrings, is stitched in- 

 side the cap body with no welt around the outer lower 

 surface."* 



It is of interest in regard to the manufacture of these 

 caps that in 1851 the Army purchased its first sewing 

 machines for use at the Arsenal.'^'' Despite initial glow- 

 ing reports on the machines,^^* and extensive experi- 

 mentation on both caps and clothing, the innovation 

 was not considered a success, the personnel of Ae 

 Arsenal feeling that while perhaps practical for "the 

 requirements of populous and civilized life" they were 

 not "the answer for the hard wear and tear ... of our 



frontier semce." As a result, use of the machines was 

 continued only for those elements of the uniform "not 

 exposed to much hard usage." '" Actually, few of the 

 caps examined show evidence of any but hand sewmg 

 except for the colored cap bands, which for the most 

 part are machined hemmed top and bottom.^ 



The cost of this new headgear was $1.17 for the 

 basic cap and $1,733/4 for the cap complete with 

 insignia, cover, band, and pompon. Engmeers, who 

 had a more elaborate cap device, paid slightly more. 

 The basic cost of the 1832 cap was $1.13 ($1.15 for 

 the 1833 dragoon model). With all insignia and trim 

 the price ranged from $2.32 for the noncommissioned 



63 



