Hat

[Shamrock]

Trying to put a uniform together for the Muster in Sept 07. Sgt Peter Gannon was in B Troop at the time of the Little Big Horn. Which hat would he be wearing? Black or Tan campaign hat?

regards,
Pat "Shamrock" Gannon

[Delmonico]

Most likely not the issue hat, a sutler at the Yellowstone sold lots of "straw hats."  This palm leaf although Sunbody lists it as a ladies hat, would be a good one as this style was a popular "straw hat." at the time and palm leaf are also corret to the period.

https://ssl.webwize.com/Sunbody/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=57&CFID=7544040&CFTOKEN=72693560

[Drydock]

THe correct issue hat would have been the M1874 black campaign.   In fact, Custer was known for insisting his men wear correct issue.  Most field photos of the 7th do in fact indicate this. 

Though he rarely did himself.  In defense, officers were expected to outfit themselves and purchase their own uniforms, while enlisted were issued uniforms.  Thus it was expected that officers would show a wide variance in uniform, and not considered odd or hypocritical at that point in history.

THe brown, or Drab hat did not come into spec until 1881, and was not generaly in the field until the mid 1880s.

The black 1874 was fielded very rapidly, as it replaced the despised M1872 folding "Andrews" campaign hat.

[Tommy tornado]

A lot of the western troops also would have worn civilian hats purchased from the sutler.  Some might have also still been wearing the Hardee Hat from the Civil War.

[St. George]

By the time of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, June 25/26, 1876 - Custer's troopers would've been issued the Model 1872 Campaign Hat - the old Models 1855 and 1858 'Hardee hat" being phased out by 1870.

That there was a 'change' wouldn't've affected troopers on campaign, since the Contract was let in June of 1876 - with John Waring & Co., of Yonkers, New York.

The Contract was for 15,000 hats, at $1.25 Each, with an additional .07 for the cord and tassel of the Enlisted version.

This is the hat that replaced the roundly despised Model 1872, and had a shorter brim, sewn edge and a ventilator in the crown.

No matter what the circumstances and how much the earlier model was disliked - there remained a sufficient stock of the old model to delay issue of the new one until April of 1877, and to "be supplied only to troops in the field or on the frontier, as required by existing numbers."
(OQMG, LS, Clothing, RG 92, NA)

Thanks to the low quality of the issue item - troopers in the field often purchased civilian hats from the Sutler and from whomever had some to sell - but in Custer's command - it's doubtful that he allowed a lot of leeway, since he valued the 'presentation' of a unifom appearance for his men.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!