Keeping dress uniform pieces presentable could be a formidable task while traveling or while on board ship. Rear Admiral Francis Higginson kept his hat in a metal case to protect it when not in use. Higginson’s naval career spanned several decades. He took part in the blockade of Charleston, South Carolina, during the Civil War (1861-1865) and commanded a battleship in the Spanish American War (1898). He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1899.