Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic example of the classic Civil War Confederate Enlistedman’s Kepi. Recently obtained from an old collection, this cap is a stellar example of the issue headgear of the Confederate Soldier. Confederate issue enlisted headgear seldom comes on the market. We are pleased to offer this example, which is the first IMA has had the privilege of offering!

This is a great example of an Early War Confederate Enlisted Man's Kepi, being made to approximate the Chasseur Pattern Caps of the French style. This cap dates from the early-mid of the Civil War, and likely was produced through the Richmond Clothing Bureau, which outsourced much of its labor to local seamstresses and tailors. The kepi is made of a butternut colored homespun jean cloth wool with a homespun linen checkered pattern lining. The cap body is made of two pieces which are seamed at the front and rear as is the band. The visor is a single thickness of black painted (laquered) fabric, binded with a oilcloth edging. The cap was likely made without a chinstrap, which was common.

The cap is classic early war shape, and was likely was once gray in color. However, most Confederate gray dyes turned brown fairly quickly in the field, and the cap probably saw service in the present color. The dyes, which was made using Walnuts, had a tendency to fade quickly, giving uniforms the coloration we today know as “butternut”. The kepi is in excellent and sound condition showing evidence of heavy use with scattered holes in the body that apparently are the result of that heavy use rather than mothing. A great early war Confederate enlisted kepi of unquestioned authenticity.

Ready for display!