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INDIAN WARS OFFICER’S “CHAPEAU DE BRAS” DRESS
UNIFORM HAT – NICE SPECIMEN IN EXCELLENT CONDITION:
Introduced in 1859, the
“Chapeau de Bras” remained a part of the uniform of
general officers, and officers of the general staff and
staff corps until it was officially removed from the
uniform regulations in 1936.
Retaining the name which originated with the French
army, Chapeau de Bras refers to a specific feature –
they were manufactured so that they would fold flat and
could be conveniently tucked under the officer’s arm
when not being worn. Hence the name - literally, an
“arm hat”.
These hats were manufactured in
two forms – one style (encountered in very limited
numbers among surviving specimens) had a “stiff crown”
which held its round shape whether it was being worn or
not. This hat is of what must have been the more
popular style – based on the number of surviving
specimens - which has a crown that collapses flat when
it is not being worn – a feature which made carrying it
more convenient and better suited to storing it in the
officer’s baggage. This sort of variation was available
to the officers as their uniforms, hats and equipment
were all purchased by the individual and within certain,
but fairly liberal, limits the officer’s preferences
were only restricted by his own ability to pay for
special features.
This Chapeau-de-bras was manufactured by the well known
firm of Bent & Bush Uniform and Hat Company of Boston,
Massachusetts. Dating back to the 1840’s, Bent & Bush
were one of the most popular hatters among U.S. Army
officers during the 19TH Century and they
offered an extensive line of high quality kepis,
campaign slouch hats, dress caps, the Models 1872 and
1881 plumed and spiked dress helmets, and of course,
these Chapeau-de-bras.
Specific terms were applied to the parts of the insignia
attached to the right side of the hat. The “loop” is
the strip of gold bullion to which is attached the eagle
insignia and uniform button, and the “cockade” is the
pleated black ribbon which backs and surrounds the
loop. The majority of surviving specimens from the
Indian Wars period utilized the Model 1872 cap eagle in
metal as the loop insignia.
While the army regulations did not provide specific
dimensions, based on surviving examples which are
identified to officers whose periods of service serve to
date their hats, certain conventions seem to follow the
evolution of the shape and size of these hats. For
example, the chapeau de bras owned by Major General
McClellan who resigned from the army in 1864 features a
significantly higher crown. The loop his hat is
considerably wider, the wings of the eagle insignia
extend beyond the loop, and the cockade is round. This
same exact pattern of chapeau appeared in the 1864
printing of the Schuyler, Hartley, and Graham catalog.
By the mid-1870’s, the crown of these hats was
significantly lower, the loop was much narrower, and the
wings of the eagle were now within the border of the
loop. The chapeau de bras identified to Major General
William Gorgas, Assistant Surgeon conforms closely to
the 1877-1881 pattern, and of the surviving identified
specimens, most closely resembles the specimen offered
here. The crown of the Gorgas hat, like the one offered
here, is much lower than the crowns of the earlier
patterns. The loop on the Gorgas hat and the loop on
this hat are virtually the same size – 4 ¼” long and 2
¼” wide, and the cockades are likewise elliptical on
both hats rather than the round cockade of the earlier
patterns.
This fully dressed specimen of the Chapeau de Bras has
survived in very good condition with all of the
decorations intact. Made of heavy weight black fur
felt, it measures 17 ½” long from point to point and 4
½” high at the top of the crest. The hat is bound with
black ribbon around the edges and the two diagonal
chevrons on both sides of the brims are fashioned from
same black ribbon. The bullion loop on the right side
as noted above measures 4 ¼” long and 2 ¼” wide with the
edges finished with a raised gold bullion beaded edge,
very similar to the type of edge found on the officers’
rank shoulder straps. The loop is decorated with a
brass Model 1872 Cap Badge and a brass general service
officer’s uniform button.
The fur felt retains a nice even finish with no fading
and very little evidence of wear. The fur felt is fully
intact with no moth nips or other damage. The ribbon
trim is intact as is the brim ribbon tie on the front.
The fore and aft tips of the brim show some wear, but
probably where it chaffed against a storage container.
As noted above, officers purchased their own uniforms,
and they had considerable latitude in selecting the
trim. This hat comes complete with the original ostrich
crest feathers (three individual plumes sewn together at
the butts) and both of the bullion knots which decorate
the front and rear of the hat – the feathers and knots
being in excellent condition. However, neither the
feathers nor the knots were ever attached to the hat. I
suspect the officer purchased this hat with all the
trimming pieces – perhaps in anticipation of a pending
promotion which may not have come to pass – and for
whatever reason he never assembled the trim on to the
hat to finish it and prepare it for wear. That this hat
shows so little evidence of having been worn – if at all
- argues for it having remained as the officer purchased
it and he never had it finished. I have left these
pieces as I obtained them, but should the new owner
choose to, attaching the feathers and the bullion knots
would be a very simple task.
The brown leather sweat band is present and fully intact
on the interior of the hat, showing very little wear and
no tears or other damage. The stitching anchoring the
bottom edge of the sweat band to the lower edge of the
crown is mostly intact with some separation where the
stitching has given out, but the sweat band stays in
place as it is, the stitching holes are intact and not
torn through, and if so desired, the edges could be
restitched. The white silk lining is fully intact and
very clean, with a fully legible maker’s logo and name
printed on the crown – “BENT & BUSH, BOSTON”. Again,
the interior of the hat, like the exterior, show little
if any evidence of having been worn.
Nice examples of Indian War era Chapeau de Bras such as
this specimen are not particularly common, as so many
exhibit the effects of age and poor storage. This
Chapeau has all the proper trim and presents as a very
attractive example of a high ranking officer’s
headwear. This hat would be a remarkable addition to a
collection of US Army headgear or to display with an
Indian Wars officer’s grouping. (1012)
$650
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