Headwear of Aguinaldo's Commanders

[insurrectomad]

My attention was drawn to various headwear worn by commanders of the First Republican Army, when photos I saw recently, raised questions in my mind. one was a photo of Gen. Urbano Lacuna wearing a black hat of felt? Was this part of the "Freedom or Death" image as I have seen a picture of Gen Llanera also sporting a black felt hat somewhere? Lacuna was wearing gaiters and not riding boots as most other generals are seen in. In many photos the officers epaulets are soft, and without rigid Russian shoulder-board appearance. There was also a photo of officers en route to Guam wearing white cloth caps with a cloth peak. on all the caps one could see the stud button that would normally have held down the front of the crown like the "cheese-cutter" style popular with the workers in Europe and America. The elite "Negra Force" was dressed all in black (Special ops. Commandos) but thought to be a very small company. Gen. MacArthur had his picket scouts on the day & night proceeding the Battle of Columpit, to inform him instantly they see Gen. Mascardo's (Bataan Regt?) approaching. He told them they could be clearly identified by their square shaped black hats and black uniforms. That would suggest either Mascardo had his own special company independent from Gen. Luna's "Negras". Lastly i saw a photo of Aguinaldo and his officers wearing pith helmets just like the Ginet ones of the Phil. Scouts in WW2. Can anyone confirm that black felt hats were worn in the Phil/American War as I have a wide brimmed black felt hat I would like to put into service. Did any of Americans still wear black hats in the Philippines? Cheers David
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[r2ro]

To MadInsurrecto: I haven't seen any Filipino Insurrecto Officers wearing any black felt hat. What I have seen is they wear the Tan Campaign hat, Regular straw hat and some of the straw hat look like Plantation Owner hat with narrower brim with black band on the hat. Also some of them wore the Canvas leggings or the wrap around leather leggings and some of them look like wearing the knee high russett " Combat boots ". I don't think the US Army were wearing the black slouch hat during their Philippine Campaign, it was only used during the Civil War and Indian Campaign.