Hardee hat facts for kids

A Hardee hat with infantry decorations. The brim is pinned on the right, which was not the usual way for infantry.

The Hardee hat was a special hat worn by soldiers during the American Civil War. It was also called the Model 1858 Dress Hat. Some soldiers even nicknamed it the "Jeff Davis" hat. This hat was the official uniform hat for many soldiers in the Union Army. Soldiers from the Confederate States Army also wore it.

However, many soldiers did not like the Hardee hat. It was made of black felt, which made it very hot and heavy. Because of this, many soldiers chose to wear lighter hats. They often preferred a forage cap or a slouch hat instead. Still, some Union soldiers, especially in the western parts of the war, did wear the Hardee hat. These hats were often plain and changed by the soldiers themselves.

The Hardee hat became very famous because of the Union Army's Iron Brigade. This group of soldiers wore the Hardee hat as their special sign. They were even known by the nickname "The Black Hats."

Who Was Hardee?

The Hardee hat was named after William J. Hardee. He was an officer in the U.S. Army for many years. Hardee worked at West Point, a famous military school. He was in charge of the cadets there from 1856 to 1860.

Before the Civil War, Hardee was a lieutenant colonel in the 1st U.S. Cavalry. In 1855, he wrote an important book. It was called Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics. People usually just called it Hardee's Tactics. This book became the most popular training manual for soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. William J. Hardee joined the Confederate States Army in March 1861. He later became a high-ranking general.

What Did the Hat Look Like?

U.S. Army rules said how the Hardee hat should be decorated. Each hat had a shiny brass badge. It also had a wool cord that showed what type of soldier wore it.

• Infantry (foot soldiers) had a sky blue cord.
• Artillery (soldiers who used cannons) had a scarlet (bright red) cord.
• Cavalry (soldiers who rode horses) had a gold cord.

The rules also said how the brim of the hat should be pinned up. Cavalry and artillery soldiers pinned their brim on the right side. Infantry soldiers pinned their brim on the left side.

Images for kids

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  William J. Hardee wearing a Hardee hat

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  General Schuyler Hamilton wearing a Hardee hat

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  Franz Sigel wearing a Hardee hat

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  A picture from 1866 showing a U.S. Cavalry Sergeant in full uniform with a Hardee hat

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  An unknown soldier in a Confederate uniform and Hardee hat