Infantry Private's Coat
date: label: date made
content: ca 1840
label: associated date
content: 1834 - 1851
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description
label: Description
content: Dark-blue cloth lined with white serge and edged with white kerseymere. Brown leather forage cap with slightly darker leather bill.
label: Description
content: General History
label: Description
content: The soft leather forage cap was introduced in 1833. There seems to be no historical reason for the distinct change in the style of the cap. Since soldiers wore their uniforms day and night, it has been reported that the forage cap came in handy at night. With the strap buckled under the chin tightly it was a big help, according to one hospital steward, "to keep out of our ears, ear-wigs, centipedes, cockroaches, etc."
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: related event
content: Expansion and Reform
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Military
label: See more items in
content: ThinkFinity
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.22729 [dup2]
label: catalog number
content: 22729
label: accession number
content: 64127
objectType: label: Object Name
content: jacket
label: Other Terms
content: jacket; Man; Army; Infantry; Private; Enlisted Man
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wool (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: blue (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: yellow (trim color)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (buttons material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 22 in x 16 in; 55.88 cm x 40.64 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall (padded): 24 in x 18 in x 4 in; 60.96 cm x 45.72 cm x 10.16 cm