Skip to main content

Link to Smithsonian homepage

Smithsonian Music

Main menu

  • Calendar
  • Listen
  • Learn
    • Ask Smithsonian
    • Collections Spotlights
    • Music Stories
  • Watch
  • Blog

Kearsarge Cap

Object Details

Description
During the Civil War enlisted men in the U.S. Navy wore flat hats like this one, which belonged to Nathan Ives, who served aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge when it engaged the C.S.S. Alabama in 1864. These ships fought off the coast of Cherbourg, France on June 19th after the C.S.S. Alabama had repairs done in the French port. With weaker firepower than her Union counterpart, the C.S.S. Alabama was torn apart by a shot that penetrated the vessel at the waterline.
Location
Currently not on view
Data Source
National Museum of American History
associated person
Ives, Nathan
associated date
1861 - 1865
Credit Line
B. T. Nash
Physical Description
wool (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 3 in x 11 in x 9 1/2 in; 7.62 cm x 27.94 cm x 24.13 cm
Object Name
hat
Other Terms
hat; Man; Navy; Enlisted Man

Featured In

  • Civil War 150:Navies
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Link to Smithsonian homepage

  • About
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
Back to Top