This is a regulation issue forage cap with an interesting sweatband and insignia likely added by a collector to represent an artillery unit in the 6^th Corps, Army of the Potomac. This has good color and is a solid cap showing some moth bites along the lower edge of the body and along the reeded edge of the crown. There is some wear to the nap of the fabric and some smaller pinhole size nips that are not against the buckram lining at the base or light-color reed at the top and do not stand out as much. The visor is firmly attached. The chinstrap and side buttons are correct, but may have been replaced at some point- many, perhaps most, have been.

The lining is polished cotton, in place and intact, with a few tiny holes. The sweatband is all there and in place, but show some chipping along the upper edge and old repairs to separations in two places. These look very much of the period and the cap appears to be a genuinely issued and worn example. Sweatbands were often made of goatskin with a simple, impressed pattern. This one uses an unusual, more decorative, pattern with double lines intersecting to mark squares or diamonds. It might be possible to identify the maker by comparison with marked examples. In any case, it is an interesting study piece.

The insignia on it consist of an original crossed cannon artillery insignia pegged in place on the interior, and a false embroidered company letter “B” on a vertically oriented red velvet Sixth Corps cross. We don’t find any individual batteries with that designation assigned to the corps, but there were some larger artillery organizations with it such as the 2^nd CT Heavy Artillery and battalions of the 4^th and 9^th NY Heavy Artillery that may have had a company B. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the insignia has been on it forever. The cap itself is dead real, but over the years many collectors have added insignia to original caps to represent a given unit. There is the possibility we are wrong on this point and someone may recognize the cap and know its provenance. If so, we would be interested to hear. It displays very nicely in any case and the insignia are appropriate. [sr] [ph:m]

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