Extensively documented and published campaign hats worn by Captain Charles E. Nash Co. F, 19th Maine Infantry. Discovered in 1968 in New England, each hat is maker marked and accompanied by an 1897 dated browned ink tag in Nash’s hand on the back of his calling card. Each tag notes the campaign/battle in which it was worn. Additionally, the tag accompanying the Wilderness battle hat also states that the hat was bullet struck during Longstreet’s charge. A description of each hat is as follows.
Wilderness Battle Hat. Constructed of supple, high-quality fur felt with a ¾ in. grosgrain binding that has faded to brown, a ½ in. black silk ribbon affixed to the base of the 5 ½ in. crown, and a twisted black silk and gold bullion pattern hat cord. Interior features a 2 ½ in. brown leather sweatband and a 2-piece silk lining, (bottom section partially separated and with an adjustment drawstring attached at top); upper section attached to uppermost dome of crown and with gold imprinted manufacturer and retailer information: “Warburton’s / Army Hat / Patented Dec. 16, 1862, / Made expressly for / B.H. Stinemetz / Washington, DC.”
Pinned to the front of the hat is a white first division, II Corps, post-war veteran corps badge.
The bullet strike described in the tag is clearly visible, with the projectile having entered at the top right rear of the hat passing through the back of the hat and exiting on the left rear side.
Accompanying tag reads, “My army hat worn in the battle of the Wilderness. Shows rents made by a bullet during Longstreet’s charge in the forenoon. Chas. E. Nash Nov. 13, 1897.”
The Wilderness slouch hat is published in the Time Life Civil War series, “The Killing Ground: Wilderness to Cold Harbor,” page 57.
Petersburg Campaign Hat. Constructed of supple, high-quality fur felt with a ¾ in. grosgrain binding that has faded to brown, a ½ in. black silk ribbon affixed to the base of the 5 ½ in. jauntily creased crown, and a twisted black silk and gold bullion pattern hat cord with acorns and black net. Interior features a 2 ½ in. black lacquered leather sweatband and a 2-piece blue silk lining (bottom section with adjustment drawstring attached at top; upper section with faint gold embossed panoply of flags around a spade shield surmounted by an eagle).
Affixed to the front of the hat is a metal backed large bullion Infantry horn with a twisted wire border and to the right side of the hat a metal backed bullion Hardee hat eagle with a twisted wire border.
There is a small ¼ in. hole in front and a ¾ in. hole in back of the crown where it was creased from use.
Accompanying tag reads, “My army hat worn during the Petersburg campaign June to Aug. 25, 1864. Chas. E. Nash Nov. 13 1897.”
Charles Elventon Nash was born in Vermont in 1838 (d. 1904). He enlisted in the 19th Maine Infantry as a 23-year-old printer in August of 1862 in Hallowell, Maine. He was commissioned as 1st Lieutenant, and later promoted to Captain of Company C.
During its term of service, the 19th saw the worst of the fighting, participating in Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Bristoe Station, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Mine Run, Spotsylvania Court House, Po River, Totopotomy, North anna River, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Deep Bottom, Reams' Station, Strawberry Plains, Hatcher's Run, Boydton Plank Road, Fort Powell, Amelia Springs and High Bridge. Nash was wounded 25 August 1864 at Reams' Station.
After mustering out in November 1864, Nash married Sarah Livermore (1838-1919). By the 1870 census they had two children, Mary (4) and Edward (1). He appears in the city directories of the county as a printer and editor during his post-war career.
[With:] The following publications:
SMITH, John Day. “The History of The Nineteenth Maine Regiment.” Minneapolis, MN: The Great Western Printing Company, 1909. See pages 238-239 for a postwar photograph of Nash.
“Reunions of The Nineteenth Maine Regiment Association.” Augusta, ME: Press of Sprague, Owen & Nash, 1878. Charles E. Nash was a partner in this company. Nash’s account of the Battle of the Wilderness is published on pages 16-18.
North South Trader Magazine. Vol. V, No. 3. March-April 1978. “The Army Hats of Capt. Chas. E. Nash,” by James C. Frasca, pages 16-22, 24, and 26.
