A Private Looks at Quilted Hats

[Jubilo]

While at the recent Battle of Bentonville Reenactment I noticed a Confederate feller who was hailed as "Cornbread," who sported a quilted, bee-hive looking hat. What was unique about its appearance was that to me it looked incredibly historic/authentic/etc., almost like an A.C. Redwood line drawing. I have notice such hats in photographs of Confederate prisoners at Camp Douglas but have never before seen one worn. It might be interesting to hear from any fellers who wear this unique headwear. Did both Blue and Gray wear them?
all for the old flag,
David Corbett

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

I've done a bit of research on these, as I've been known to produce one example of an original, atributed to Pvt Landon Cheek (as seen in "Echoes of Glory"). What I've found is that they were very poor substitutions for a proper hat or cap, most often amongst the poorest of the working class or when proper hat materials were not available. There seems to be two surviving examples, one (the Cheek hat) that is more of a pork pie style, while another surviving example (a gift to Gen. Lee that he gave a staff officer) was more a beehive style. They were labor intensive to make, but easy to produce, using scrap jeancloth or heavy cotton in multiple layers, with a painted cloth sweatband. They may or may not look stylish depending upon one's tilt toward that look, but I will tell you from experience they are not necessarily the wisest choice on a very hot day or particularly when its raining. They retain moisture and aren't comfortable. Some period references I have on them include AoT troops extensively, late war particularly, and also many of the guards at Camp Sumter (Andersonville) had them as evidenced by writings of former Federal POW's who complained that there caps were "traded" for the cheap, low class cloth hats of the guards. From a modern standpoint, these quilted cloth hats are either very under-represented, or completely over-represented, depending upon the event. Several years ago they were quickly becoming the hardkewl fashion accessory, with a few quality vendors like Nate Petersburg, Don Smith, and Joe Blunt making some excellent repros. Most of them either stopped making them or at least slowed down so the market wasn't flooded, and many of the buyers quickly found out why they weren't fun to wear, even if they looked cool. Today there are still some quality makers like Cody Mobley, Don Smith, Joe Blunt, and I'm sure I'm missing a couple, but just like the folks who we try to replicate, you'll find there is no substitution for a fine felt hat compared to quilted cloth scraps on your head. I'm still a fan of them despite all that....

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Here is one example, produced by Cody Mobley, based on the Lee hat. It is more of a beehive style.

[Spinster]

Mistah Corbett,

Its likely you met Tom "Cornbread" Key, of South Carolina--one of the true unsung heros of the hobby, with a wealth of fieldcraft and information contained in that hard shiny head. Had the quilted hat not been pulled down, its likely you would have been blinded;).

Cornbread concentrates his portrayal on the common soldier--the private, the common farmer, north or south. In additional to his real military service, his reenacting resume includes the Red River Campaigns, Banks Grand Retreat, and Into the Piney Woods.

He has also been known on occassion to wear a dead armadillo on his head--it too was not government issue, and was both a poor and smelly substitute, if contemporaneous accounts can be relied upon.

His wife Sherry is equally impressive in her depth of knowledge of the mid-19th century. She, however, is given to higher class headgear, and I had a hard time giving her bonnet back when she lost it at my abode....

We spent some quality time with some oxen back in the winter, and Tom will be one of the wagoners for In The Van this August.

I'm glad to know he already has his ugly hat ready to rock.

[Rob Weaver]

What does that hat look like when it's on your head? How is it uncomfortable? I had a quilted French bush hat that I used to wear camping and fishing. It was a very versatile chapeau: foldable, indestructable, shaped to your head when wet. This hat almost makes me want to do Confederate...

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

What does that hat look like when it's on your head? How is it uncomfortable? I had a quilted French bush hat that I used to wear camping and fishing. It was a very versatile chapeau: foldable, indestructable, shaped to your head when wet. This hat almost makes me want to do Confederate...
I you have a hat made of decent weight jean, its not too bad, but most of the time to get a hat to keep any shape, you have to layer the hat with either more jean or some kind of batting between layers. Thats when it becomes unfun to wear. As CHS would say, "your mileage may vary...."

[LibertyHallVols]

I borrowed Terry Sorchy's hat for the ONV's "Retreat from Bentonville" event last summer. It was made by either Nic Clark or Cody Mobley, not sure who... but workmanship was fantastic.

It was a nice, soft, comfortable hat, especially for a cold event like that.

However, it was also rainy and it did get a little heavy as it took on water. Not so much that I couldn't remain standing upright ;) but it was noticable.

Not sure about them being over represented. On those occasions when I see them, it is usually one or two guys in a battalion. I would theorize that is because of cost.... LOTS of sewing in those li'l puppies!

[unclefrank]

Mistah Corbett,

Its likely you met Tom "Cornbread" Key, of South Carolina--one of the true unsung heros of the hobby, with a wealth of fieldcraft and information contained in that hard shiny head. Had the quilted hat not been pulled down, its likely you would have been blinded;).

Cornbread concentrates his portrayal on the common soldier--the private, the common farmer, north or south. In additional to his real military service, his reenacting resume includes the Red River Campaigns, Banks Grand Retreat, and Into the Piney Woods.

He has also been known on occassion to wear a dead armadillo on his head--it too was not government issue, and was both a poor and smelly substitute, if contemporaneous accounts can be relied upon.

His wife Sherry is equally impressive in her depth of knowledge of the mid-19th century. She, however, is given to higher class headgear, and I had a hard time giving her bonnet back when she lost it at my abode....

We spent some quality time with some oxen back in the winter, and Tom will be one of the wagoners for In The Van this August.

I'm glad to know he already has his ugly hat ready to rock.

I would really like to see a photo of this man with dead armadillo on his head! Ewwwww!

[Spinster]

Frank

Not happening.

So many things happen at events with no cameras.......