I have seen photos of post-Civil War state militia officers wearing
Prussian style helments (the uniform of the Mississippi Natchez
Fencibles being the one I can name off hand). Perhaps checking for
local militia unit histories will reveal the original user of the
helmet.
Kimo Tichgelaar
----------------------------------------------------------------"Outside
of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, its too dark to
read." Groucho Marx