The answer to your questions may be "It's hard to say" However, you might get some info by going to this URL: http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/PhotoDB.html This site has a catalog of photographs from the civil war. When you get to this site, type "Illinois Cavalry" in the search box. You will get another page with two or three check boxes, including "Illinois" and "Cavalry". Check both of those boxes and click on "find matching photos". You will get a list of photos, many of which are from the 17th Illinois. You can order photos, but they will send you a photocopy before you have to pay for them. I did notice a description of one soldier: RG98S-CWP62.29 "Waist up image of Pvt. Arthur N. Root, Co. B, 17th Regt., Ill. Vol. Cav. His kepi is decorated with his branch of service, co. letter "B", and regimental number '17'." So, I suspect that many of the 17th did wear Kepis or Bummers rather than Hardee hats. Incidentally, the word "Kepi" is often misused in referring to a Forage Cap or "Bummer". They look much alike, except the bummer has a higher crown, and tends to "flop" over when well worn. The true Kepi has a lower crown, and pretty much keeps it's shape. You might also want to check this site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/photos/cwphoto.htm It has many photos on line of Illinois soldiers, some Cavalry. Page 1 has a 16th IL Sergeant wearing a Hardee. Page 2 has a Lt. and a Capt. wearing a Hardee. Page 6 has one wearing a kepi. There are also a mixture of shell jackets and fatigue blouses (sack coats). For a private, the shell jacket would have 9 buttons, a sack coat 4 buttons. Some of the shell jackets are trimmed, some are untrimmed. See what I mean about "it depends?" Hope this helps. Jack Cox Researching Co. K, 7th Ills, Co. G, 61st Ills -----Original Message----- From: Fossitt, Chris [mailto:ChrisF@communitypress.com] Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 1:38 PM To: IL-CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [IL-CIVIL-WAR] Illinois Cavalry To all; I'm researching my gggrandpa's Cavalry regiment for a painting I plan to do. I'm hoping someone can answer some questions that I have.... Question #1: Can anyone tell me what the uniform for a private in Co. E, 17th Illinois Cavalry would look like? From several photos of various Illinois Cavalry regts., I assume that it was a shell jacket with a high collar and two buttons on each side. But in most of the photos I've seen, there's no yellow trim on the collar and cuffs like you would expect on a cavalry jacket. Could the trim be another color? Would the trim be absent? Question #2: Would a private have worn a kepi or a Hardee hat? Again, I've seen several photos of soldier in Illinois Cavalry regts., and most seem to have worn short Hardee style hats. Was that a dress hat, or would they wear the Hardee hat into battle? Question #3: I have a hand-written note from Captain Charles Parker of the 9th US Cavalry (post-war), to my gggrandpa, Simeon Shaver, Co. E, 17th Illinois Cavalry. It reads... Capt. 9th Cavalry Fort Robinson Neb Charles Parker Simeon Shaver Private Co. E 17 Ill Cavly. "Most of the boys are calling upon me. Leo Grollmond came yesterday. Yours today. Hope your attorney will get all the dates right. Poor Crotzenburg died first." C.P. Capt. 9th Cavly. Does anyone have a guess as to what this note is discussing? Was veterans legally required to go through lawyers to collect a pension? Thanks! Chris Fossitt