Introduced in the late 1850s, the forage cap was intended to be the alternative headgear to the dress hat known better to collectors as the Jeff Davis or Hardee hat. Intended for wear on "fatigue” duty, it quickly caught on for general wear in the army and has become the iconic piece of Civil War headgear. This one fits the "Type-2” style in modern collector parlance, with flat visor and fairly wide crown. Its dark blue wool body is in fine condition and shows genuine use in the field with its original chin strap, side buttons and visor in place. The sweatband and lining are also in excellent condition.

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