CIVIL WAR CONFEDERATE KEPI BELONGING TO CAPTAIN ALBERT RENNOLDS OF THE 55TH VIRGINIA INFANTRY.
inv # 02-13994

We are excited to offer an identified Confederate kepi from an exceptionally well fought Virginia regiment. The 55th Virginia fought in countless battles including 2nd Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Cold Harbor and Richmond. Their service culminated with being present at Appomattox Court House during the surrender of General Robert E. Lee and his Confederate forces.

The kepi was obtained directly from Captain Rennolds’ descendants in 1992, as indicated by the included notarized letter. Captain Rennolds was an honorary graduate of the Virginia Military Academy and enlisted as a private on Oct. 21, 1861. He was elected second lieutenant in April of 1862, first lieutenant in June of 1862 and captain in July of 1862. Captain Rennolds was likely nearby when General “Stonewall” Jackson was accidently shot by members of the 18th North Carolina in formation adjacent to the 55th Virginia. The surgeon of the 55th Virginia was the first man to attend the mortally wounded general.

The body of the kepi is blue green wool but analysis indicates it was originally bright blue. The kepi band is black wool broad cloth. The front seam of the cap rises 2 1/2″ and the back seam extends 5 3/4″ to the crown. The crown is 4 1/2″ in diameter. The kepi band is 1 1/4″ high both in the front and in the back. The kepi features 1/8″ wide flat metallic gold braided trim. There are 2 ribbons of braid forming a quatrefoil at the crown with a single ribbon of braid surrounding the quatrefoil. Just above the kepi band are 2 ribbons of metallic braid. The front, back and sides also have 2 ribbons of braid extending from the top of the band to the crown. The double ribbons throughout the kepi indicate the rank of captain.

The inside of the kepi is lined with what appears to be coarsely woven off white cotton fabric. Over the cotton is a brown finely striped silk fabric. A 1 1/2″ wide pasteboard stiffener is under the leather sweatband. The crown is stiffened by a similar pasteboard material. The sweatband is 1 1/4″ wide leather that appears to originally have been black. The visor is black lacquered leather with no edging or trim. The 1/2″ wide chinstrap is also of black lacquered leather originally with 1 keeper on each side. The side buttons have a geometric decoration and are commonly referred to as Golden Age style.