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1813 Pattern Leather Infantry Cap Whenever modern artists and illustrators attempt to depict the American regular soldier of the War of 1812, he is invariably shown wearing a piece of headgear unique to that time. A tall black leather shako, with a curved front piece raising above the crown, a small rectangular plate, and white cords hung diagonally across the front. This is the accepted view of this well-known article of uniform, and is recreated universally in the re-enacting community, In its day, it was never considered to be tombstone like in shape, nor was it referred to as a shako. To attempt to piece together the story of this cap from the fragmentary record that remains, we must first go to the surviving written record. The Commissary General of Purchases, Callender Irvine, first proposed the switch from a felt cap to a leather one to the Secretary of War, William Eustis, the day after Christmas in 1812. His reasoning being that the leather caps, although more expensive, would, . . . last three to four years with decency, under any circumstances two years . . . while the felt shako would last, . . . but one year & will not look decent half that time, the first wetting injures it's good appearance.
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