Hat, Cocked

Object Name:

Hat, Cocked

Object ID:

2016.036.01

Creator:

Warnock & CompanyClothier

Place of Origin:

New York, NY

Date:

1861-1862

Description:

A. Military uniform hat. Worn by General Fitz-John Porter (1822-1901) during the Civil War. Made by Warnock & Company, New York, NY. Bicorne (cocked) chapeau-de-bras. Black beaver skin with two angled 1.5" black silk ribbons. 6.5" x 2.25" gold bullion panel with twisted high relief gold wire borders. Applied to this backing is a 2.75" x 2.75" gilt American eagle and legend banner, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", and a General Staff button (eagle with American shield on chest). All mounted on a large oval black silk panel. Black ostrich plumes on top of folding hat and heavy gold bullion wire-type tassels mounted on each end (one is detached). Brown leather sweatband. Red silk lining is embossed in gold with image of a building and text, "ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL. / No. 519 B-WAY / NEW YORK / WARNOCK & Co.

B. Hatbox. Front and back panels, only surviving pieces of hatbox. Blue cardboard with red paper band border. Printed paper label on front of cover with image of a building and text, "FROM / ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL. / No. 519 B-WAY / NEW YORK / WARNOCK & Co. / FASHIONABLE / HATTERS. / Mr.", followed by pencil inscription, "A Jos Porter / 66 Union Place". 10" high x 19" wide.

Material:

Textile
Beaver
Feather
Silk
Metal
Gold

Dimensions:

H-13 W-19 inches

Provenance:

This hat and other uniform accessories descended from General Porter to his son, Holbrook Fitz-John Porter (1858-1939), then to his grandson, Fitz-John Porter (1889-1973), then to his great-granddaughter Peggy Porter Poole (1916-2014), then to his great-great-grandson, David Dixon Porter Poole, who gave them to a cousin, the donor, David Cornell Adams.

Fitz-John Porter was born in Portsmouth, NH, on August 31, 1822, the son of Captain John and Eliza Chauncy (Clarke) Porter. He was the nephew of War of 1812 naval hero Commodore David Porter (1780-1843) and the cousin of Civil War naval hero David D. Porter (1813-1891). Porter attended private schools and graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, in 1845. He went on to serve in Mexican-American War and was an artillery and cavalry instructor at West Point.

When the Civil War began, Porter was commissioned a colonel in the 15th U.S. Infantry but was soon promoted to brigadier general and placed in command of a division of the Army of the Potomac. On July 4, 1862, in recognition of his admirable performance as commander of V Corps during the Peninsula Campaign, Porter was promoted to major general of volunteers. Porter's corps was then sent to reinforce Major General John Pope's Army of Virginia. Porter was openly hostile toward Pope, so when the two generals repeatedly clashed over the disposition of troops at the Second Battle of Manassas, and the battle ended in disaster, Porter was court martialed, found guilty of disobedience and misconduct, and was dismissed from the army on January 21, 1863.

Credit Line:

Gift of Deborah Stewart Adams and David Cornell Adams, in honor of Peggy Porter Poole and David Dixon Porter Poole

People:

Porter, Fitz-John (1822-1901)

Subjects:

Civil War, Military uniforms, Eagle