Figure 1.--Here is a detail from a wonderful image of 13 boys, probably standing in their school yard. Several of them are clearly holding grey Civil War style Confederate kepi caps. Thus we know the portrait was taken some place in the South. Their attire is, however, not Civil War era clothing. The albumen portrait was taken in the 1890s. Note the elongated style of the kepis that the boys are wearing. The boys all wear the same style cap. This means hat it was an item required by the school, either as a kind of uniform or for a special event.

The kepis worn by Federal and Confederate troops were essentially the same, only in different colors. And they of course became very popular with boys. Grey or beechnut for the Confederates and blue for the Federals. We do occassionlly see one major stylistic variation. Some kepis were done with much higher bodies than the standard kepi. There were other minor differences, but this was the principal difference we hsve noted. This left the flat top at a greater angle than the sandard kepi. These elongated kepis were not commonly worn by boys, but we have seen a few examples. The elongated kepis seem most common for uniforms in the first year of the Civil War. We are less sure about the 1850s before the War. These elongated caps were much less common as the war progressed. Presumably boys' fashions followed suit.

Standard Kepi

The kepis worn by Federal and Confederate troops were essentially the same, only in different colors. And they of course became very popular with boys. Grey or beechnut for the Confederates and blue for the Federals. This kepi which was not very high is the principal uniform cap we see in Civil war photographs. It is also the most common kepi we see boys wearing.

High Kepi

We do occassionlly see one major stylistic variation. Some kepis were done with much higher bodies than the standard kepi. There were other minor differences, but this was the principal difference we have noted. This left the flat top at a greater angle than the sandard kepi. These high elongated kepis were not commonly worn by boys, but we have seen a few examples. The elongated kepis seem most common for uniforms in the first year of the Civil War. We are less sure about the 1850s before the War. These elongated caps were much less common as the war progressed. Presumably boys' fashions followed suit.

Created: 1:55 AM 4/24/2008
Last updated: 9:50 PM 10/22/2009