Artillery officer's Hardee hat. This is an impressive and high quality hat, entirely complete and in excellent condition, nearly identical in manufacture to the specimen photographed in the Time-Life reference book on the Civil War, pg 105.
The hat has the stiff oval officer's Hardee Hat insignia on its right side, a crossed cannon artillery device embroidered and sewn under a regimental "3". Excellent hat cord with large braided acorns plus a lush officer's grade pair of ostrich plumes in outstanding condition, affixed by black silk cockade with Eagle "A" button at center. The sweatband is 2 3/4" wide burgundy Morocco leather with gold embossed upper edge, very supple and in exceptional condition. Felt is very fine and soft; the ribbon trim on brim is approximately 1/4" wide.
This hat belonged to Major John S. Stevenson who mustered into Company A of the Naval Artillery, Pennsylvania Volunteers, eventually the 3rd Regiment Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. After serving heavy guns at Fort Delaware and other fortifications Stevenson was given command of vessels that patrolled the river systems below Richmond. He was captured by Rebel guerrillas and sent to Libby Prison in 1863, but received his release later that year and returned to service. He is mentioned in the Official Records has having command of a four-boat flotilla which included gunboats in an excursion against Rebel shipping on the Chickahomony River. Stevenson mustered out in July of 1865, whereupon he returned to his wife and family in Pennsylvania.