when did the US cavalry start wearing campaign hats?

[Alpo]

I'm watching Thunderheart.

 

Val Kilmer's character, the 1/4 Sioux FBI guy, falls asleep and has a vision. He is running with women and children at Wounded Knee. They don't give good tight close-ups of the calvaryman chasing them, but he is definitely wearing a Smokey Bear hat

 

Wounded Knee took place in 1890.

 

Correct costuming?

[Subdeacon Joe]

AI Overview

 

The US Army officially adopted the campaign hat in 1883 for general use, but a version with a flat brim was officially adopted in 1911. It was retired in 1942 but then specifically reintroduced for drill sergeants in 1964 to distinguish them from recruits. 

Campaign hat timeline

1872: The hat's predecessors, wide-brimmed civilian hats, began to be adopted by the Army for use in the Western frontier.

1883: The broad-brimmed campaign hat was formally introduced as part of the Army's uniform.

 

ADDED:

 

From a quick perusal of various sites,  including auctions of vintage militaria, for "US Cavalry Campaign Hat 1890" it looks like considerable personalization in shaping was allowed.

 

BUT....hard to tell if that reshaping happened during or after the owners served.  The few pictures I've found of the period from 1883 to the Spanish American War of use in service look more like a civilian slouch hat than the classic Smoky Bear campaign hat.   Photos i found,  dated 1890 to 1898.

 

 

 

 

 

This one was just described as Indian Scout, I suspect late 1870s or early 1880s.

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2025 by Subdeacon Joe