Men At Arms 039 - The.British.Army.in.North.America.1775-1783

ROBI~ ~1:\Y

GERRY

DlBLETO~

() SERIES EDITOR: LEE JOHNSON

THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH AMERICA 1775·1783

I.

TeXT BY

ROBIN MAY AND GERRY EMBLETON NEW COLOUR PLATES AND TEXT REVISION BY

GERRY EMBLETON

t!mm

MILITARY

THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH AMERICA 1775·1783 INTRODUCTION

I""'Ueuten.nl Gene.... John Burgoyne - 'Gentleman Johnny' - ptaywright, politician and 'tne soldiers' friend',

he British have rarely disliked a war more than the American Revolution and ha\'c nc\"cr been less eager to serve in the armed forces of the CroWll. If it had not been for Scotsmen, who joined the ann)' in considerable !lumbers. rccmiling would have been an e\'cn bigger fiasco than il was. The Whig Opposition W"dS againsl the war to the ex:tCI1l of sometimes glol")ing publici), in British defeats, and. as history was mostl)' ",,'nnen b}' Whig his.arians in the following cenllU)'. the nOlable achievements of the redcoats in AmeriGt were played down. When b;ul1e honours were distributed none al all were aW"drded for the Revolution, a sh'lIllcful omission. )'el the mal"'..el is nOI tllal the troops foughl so badl)'. bm so well. Al American textbook Ic\"cl. the redeo.us h;I\'c been made illlo ogres. lhough to balance this. many of the more s)'mpalhctic commClllS on thcm ha\'c becn \\'rillcn by AmeriC::llls, Courage \\':LS nC\'cr in shon suppl)" For shccr gulS, the r(:
Howe"

Sir Hen..... Clinton, succeuor •• Commandaf'ln·Chlet 1nAmeric.a.

or always loyal, always dependable regimentS Sland in magnificent contrast to a meall, bickering Congress. alld part-time soldiers almost coming and going as they pleased. The standard gcneralis
RAISING AN ARMY When the Seven Years' War ended in 1763. Greal Brilain proceeded to decimate the army which had done so Illuch to \\'in her an empire. All inrantry or lhe line were disbanded
this meant that the rest of the empirc was pitifull}' under,policed. llatl'ed of standing armies at home and abroad could hardly be laken fllnher. The evet1L~ leading up to Ihe American Revolution are not the concern of this book, bIll scn~ral points must be stressed where the redcoats wcre concerned. Firstly, though many Britons were not con,inced that Canada was wonh possessing, none doubted the importance of the American colonies
LOCATION OF THE ARMY IN 1775 Infantry

""'"' ""....,.

Isle 01 Man

19 regIs. 1regt.

16regts

4.151

12,egts

2.718

3""',,,

'"

21regts.

9.815

'.385

A private 01 tne PIcket Company of tne 11th Foot, In about 1771,

"909

These companies were the forerunners of the regimental light companies which appeared very shortly afterwards. The cap appears to be f1.lr-trimmed; the crown, royal cipher and regi. mental number are in brass. The red coat of the 11th was lined White and laced dartl. green, with red and green stripes In the reglmental lace, (Reproduced by gracious permission of H.M, The Queen)

Glbra~a<

'·9" 7regts

Wesllndies

3"","

-. """"'"

t8regls

M~

Cavalry 11.396

'''"''

'"

3.339 8.580

'"

38,254

6,869

This makes a grand total of 45.123 men 10 guard an empire, plus gunners, some invalids. and the soldiers of the LlSt India Company, IOgelher with a Royal Navy at almost the lowest ebb in its history under the Earl of Sandwich. who was 'Too infamous to ha\'e a friend. Too bad for bad men to commend.'

A priva" 01 tta Pleket Company 01 the 13th Foot, In that regiment's yellow-Iaeed eoat; the eap ornament" bra.., and the eapltaellapartlculare.empleol the wide lIarletyol Impl"OIIiHd light Inf.ntfyeepa. (Repro6l>c:ed by grKkH.t. pennl••lon 01 H.M. TheQueenJ

Six rears aflcr this, I\'hcll the military ......a r was ow:1" ill/\Illcrica cxn'p' for skirmishcs and Ihc formalilies, Ihe ann... had reachcd the 110,000 mar"- £)7.000 of Ihem stalioll(..d in AmeriC;I and the We" Indies. This dOl'" llOt include the 70 or SO Loyalist regilllelll'l ;\lU\ formations, the ;lO,OOO German mercenaries and the fluctuating !lumber of Indians \I'ho fought on Ihe British sidc, Rt.'(Tuiting had never been morr difficult Lhan for this war. Apart from the unpopularity of the conflict, the 1770s were tht' last \'ears before till' lndu.:>trial Rt.'\'ohllion imrodllced a l;lI-ge numl)('I' of Ihe working d:L~'i("S to a fate \\orse than taking the King'., Shilling - the nightman: world of prbon-lil.e facton n,e" \lere the last H:ars when Br;tilill \\,15 lIlore an agricultur.tl than an indusu;al mllion, "hen {'\'cn the poorest coumn'men could expect to rat well, and \lhen {'nc1osurcs had not \'t"I wrecked the rural \\";\\ of life. So 11ll' temptation to join up \I
Io....;ng rl....·ealing repon ;:lbOlIl equipment. dated 15June 1784, soon aner lh~ w·d.r was o\'er. shows that notice was taken of complaints if senior officers made them. It is a Report of me Procecdings ofa Committee of Gcner.tl Officers Rt.·garding the Equipment of Soldiers. and the li.stl"t! recommendations received approval: 1 Ordnance Cartridge Box at present in use found to be inconvenient.

2 Powder-Horns and Bullet-Bags of Light Infantry were never used during the late war.

3 Matches & Match-Cases of Grenadiers are becoming obsolete. 4 Grenadiers' swords were never used during the last war.

(It was proposed that all these articles be abandoned.)

5 The whole battalion to be accoutred alike, with the addition of two articles for the Light Infantry, e.g., Hatchel & Priming Hom, which may be carried either with the knapsack or as the Commanding Officer shall think most convenient. 6 Shoulder-belts to be of equal breadth, and to have the Ammunition divided; to cany the Pouch on the right side, and the Magazine on the feft. 7 Pouch & Bayonet-Belts 10 be of Buff leather & both to be 2 inches broad, the Bayonet-Carriage [frog] to slip on & off the belt with two

loops. 8 A leather cap worn by some of the Light Infantry during the late war is strongly recommended. 9 Propose a black woollen cloth gaiter with white metal buttons & without stiff tops in place of the black linen gaiters at present in use.

So somclhing had been learnt from the campaign ill America. Back in [775, it must have seemed 10 sollle thaI there would be no campaigns from which to learn. for recruiting was practically stationary. In December. Ed\\';.u·d II;:u"\'ey. the A{ljll\am-Gcncral. lamentcd: 'Sad wo,'k nenwhcre in recruiting. In these damned limes we must esert zeal.' Ill' was right, for apa.n from the many reasons fOT not joining lhe anny, mere were other disa
Gene..t Sir Guy c.rteton, UYlour of C.nada and Lat..., •• Lord ~hestllr, ~ first lIOfttnO"'"

.......,.

Until I i:":-.. \dum rfieiH'd one-and-a·half guineas. but 0l.!I there ""tre far tOO few of them. pardoned crimUla] and deserters were welcomed. tnt fL . Ifl. "'i.S the required height. though '''OlIn .00 looked as if they miglll grow .....ere enli'led, .... he..eas the lame, the ruptu..ro and tho prone 10 fitS .....e..e not. After 171 ..... hen ~loga b..oughlthe French into Ihe .....ar, ..ecruiling became mOi'e urgent. Volllllteel"S gOl thrtt pounds and. as in 1775, a discharge in three)~ or al the end of ihe war: and in Scotland and the London area. thc 'ablel>ocI' I i79 - but what sowed the anny was the fact th;:lt man)' now othet" drawings in this series came forward 10 \'oluntecl" 10 ;I\"oid being pressed and to bendil from be.r tne late.. date.1 He wea,. a the verv fair tenus. wIllt. blankatcoat, Ol" capote, with a hood; it has light blue trim In I i78. 12 new H:gilllents off001 were raised and 17 marc had been .t cuff and Mm, a light bl.... rai~d I»' 1780. FOUl" rc.:gimcnts of lighl dragoons were raised bet\,'een rosette on tne hip, and is 1778 and 1781. Old n.-gimellts were enlarged. a ~'Stem tllC king prefast.ned with bpes of the ..me felTed as he suspected (rightl)' in man)' cases) thai colonels of the ne'" colau... Long blue ovenlls, or regimcnL'i would placc 100 many relati\'es in them. To.....ns. 100, raised "alt.r tJOusen. are wom, and ao underjacketwlth slaeves 01 regimenL'i - the BOth (Rapt Edinburgh VolullIcers) was one - and also Itron" white corduroy would ga\'c generous boulllics. Less happily, the s)'stem of dmfting \\~IS much in h.v. b.eo typical. The red· evidence, a badl), mauled regiment being forccd 10 send its oflit:ers, ,kulledcap has browofu.. trim NCOs amI drummers home to recruit whilc its surviving privatcs transand tall. (New Yorte. Public ferrcd lO another regimelll also in Heed of mcn, bm not deslillltc. This LIbrary) seriously interfered with PS/Jllllll' corps. Somc draflees of the mack Walch mutinicd rmher than join the 83rd and be forced 10 abandon thcir kills. and 30 ,,"ere killed in a pilched haule. The recruillo the infantr)' found himsclfin a regiment of some 477 men divided inlo len companies forming a single baualioll. One comp.1.n)' consisted of grcnadiers, who no longer hurled btTenade:.. but were the !:llIest and strangesl men in the regiment. Another was made lip oflighl infalllrpnell, wir)' Iroops who were the regiment's crack shots. Thesc choscn men werc placed 011 Ihe flanks. Recruils were subjected to cndless arms drill. oflen a rugged ordeal 011 inadequate rations. The basic infantry weapon was lhe '(\rowlI lless'

.'

J

8

An aerial view of Fort Niagara, which eould kIIrdly be less like the log 'Iockade of Hollywood legend.... ,tlning history ,trekhe, from t1579 to t8t5, when It wa, handed back to the USA -It had been taken from the French In 1759. The redoubts oatefrom tnG-1,whikthe , t _ bIockhou.... each mounting two c:annon on the gun-deek, "'... wall, five feet thick.. In the foregr'O\l'f>d are the ~e and the south blockhouse; on the righl b the north b1ockhovH; In the fa, blIckground Is the 'caslle' with Ita bakehouH; Isolated on the left I. the magazl...; and to the left of the blocktlQu'. in the foreground is a range of ,lore buildings. (Old Fort Niagara Association Incorporated)

Fort Nlapra - the south blockhouse I. shown - was not only very .trongly built. but was

'tnteglcally important.

During

the Aevolution It we. the main base for Loyalist and Indian g_nilla.. notably ~ Rangera and the lroquoi' led by Joseph Brant. (Old Fort Niagara Anoclatlon Incorporaled and Grove McClellan)

muskct. with a carbine for thc Gl\'alry. while fusiliers carried a fusil. The finest Ikilish firearm of the war. thc Ferguson breech~loader invcllled IJ}' thc dashing ~1~or ratrick Fcrguson. was only used by 100 or SO picked marksmen in America. Rcgimental doctors. as recruits found. \'aried from good to ghastl\'. And as for the consolations of religion. it was an irreligiolls age, and though each r<:giment officialh had a chaplain. few evcr appearcd. Scrgealll Lamb, thc diarist and 'iurgeon's matc of the 9th. c1aimt.:d he kncw matl\ piolls soldiers. and thcre was no rcason for him to lie. Dcspitc the origins of many mcn. and thc brutish li\'cs thcy had endured, thc average redcoat cannot havc been so vcrr different from his sucCCSM}rs " Celltlll)' or more later. William Cobbett. thc grcat radical politician and writer. thought highly of soldiers. I-Ie joined thc army in 1784 and became a sergeant-mitior. lie once \\TOte: 'I like soldiers, as a class in lirt:. beller than allY othcr dcscription of men. Theil' convcrsation is morc pleasing 10 me; lhcy havc gencrally seen morc than other 111en; they have less vulgar prejudice abOlll Ihem. Amongst soldiers. lcss Ihan amollgsl all}' other description of men. ha\'c I obsern'd thc \'ices of lying and h)pocl'isy,' Wrillen permission from an oniccr was needcd for Cobbell's admired pri\'ate soldiers 10 man)'. The reglliations for wh'es and women on campaign belong to the ncxt chapu'r. In harr-lcks at home - though true barracks on I)' date from the 17905 - husbands and win"s \\'ere cmitled to scl"cencd-off beds in barrdck rooms. As for the $landard of officers. it was perhaps higher than il had been in lhe Sc\'cn

'ears' War, in which so many of them had pre\;ollsly fougln. This is nOl the book to argue the few pros and m.m)' cons of the purchase S)'Stem of commissions which restricled so many officers ....ithOul primle means to junior ranks and allowed mere YOllths to command them. There was no general in the Rcvolution quitc so ineffcctivc as Abercromby of Fon Ticonderoga (I i58), but nor was there a \\'olfe. And Sir William Ilo\\'c, regardless of his feelings about the war, ....~dS not the equal of his incompal,lble elder brother, Lord George Augustus I [owe, ki[led at Ticonderogajllst before Abercromby did his worst, which included allowing the B[ack Watch to be massacred. [ronically, Howe, BurHoyne and Clinton were all r-.lernbers of Parliament and it W'eI"\'e overseas. This not only meant Ihal lunalics and infants were not obliged to take Ihe field, but Ihat the ambilious mighl rise fasler because many officers prefern:d 10 stay at home 011 half-pay rather than serve, To readl the lOp in the I iiOs it "'as beSt 10 be in the Guards or the ca''alry. bUl thai was to hold good for m'lIl)' )'c.u'S to come. The real slumbling-block \\.\.~ the number of scl'villg soldiers who simply did not lI'ish to fight Americalls. Lord Percy, hiler Duke of NOl'lhumberhllld. whose conduct on tile lirst day of tile Revolution helped save the retreating Ilritish AmlY. was Olle of lIIallY officers who could not Slomach thc \1<11'. After disunguished sen'icc in [ii6, he I'Clurned hotTlc. Fortunately for Ilrilish arms, there were plclll)' who could, plelllY of c:arccr onicers who gOt 011 with the job along with it hard core of finc NCOs. And undcl' thcm \\
Two contrasting methods M,yor l\orle Roche in action in Ireland in Allgust I7iS. as reported by lhe J)1Ib/;'ljar/nwl. First he organiSl.,,<1 a procession: Major Roche. bearirlQ a large Purse of Gold. Captain Cowley A great number of likely re<:ruits

An elegant Band 01 Music. consistirlQ of French Horns, Hautboys, Clarionets, and

Bassoons,

p1ayirlQ 'GOO Saye the King' A large Brewers Dmy with five Barrels of Beef, the

Horse richly capansoned and ornamented with ribbons, Two Draymen with Cockades, to serve the Beef.

The Recrultlng 5efjeant,

Drums and Flies. Anotllef- Division of Recruits, The RecruitirlQ Soldiers,

10

A prodigious concourse of Spectators

Englllved powder hom of unusual Interest. rnSC:ribedwrth.

detailed map and the legend: PER ROBERTSON / CORPLL IN CAPT PEYTONS COMP:Y/IN THE 9TH REGT./1ST AUGUSTlNE / MARCH 11 17457. and: THE CITY OF HAVANNA ILLUMINATED AT THE EMBARKATlON OF THE BRmSH (slc:) TROOPS JULY THE 7TH 1763

0'''''

(Metropolitan

MUHUm

The following spcech was then made by i\ol'!.ior Rochc to thc Populace. 'Gentlemen and Fellow Countrymen'Being appdnted, through the Favour of our most excellent

Governor, to raise a Body of Men for the Selvice of his Majesty, I think it the most happy Cin::lMnstalce of my Ufe to be the TnstnJment of leading you forth to Honour and Renown. 'The Laurels fought for and obtained in all Parts of the Globe last War, ha.... e procured us a Fame so glorious as not to be equalled by any Peopie i"l any Age ( a FOO'Ie not to sullied by the A$auttsof Prejudice nor the Effects of T me. Not an .bdion i"l which we were not victorious, not a SIege i"l which we were not honoured. Will you, my dear Countrymen, permit those Laurels to fade or those ktions Insldeofa reconstructklnofa late 18th-century British Army knapsack. The light tan blanket, with two brown stripes woven In oneslde,andabroadarTOwand royal cipher stamp, Is copied from an orlglnal from HMS Jersey of 1783 vintage, now In the New WindllOr, N.Y., Cantonment Collection. (P. R. N. KatcherCollectkln)

to be forgotten? No, forbid it Hea....eo.let us nowthat we have it i"l OUI" Power, ~ to latest Posterity a Renewal of our Fidelity, and a Confirmation of OUI" Loyalty. A more nelJer presented itself, nor had

critical Period

we e\IeI" a fairer Opportunity of shewing OUf Attad1mef1t to the

illustrious House of Hano.... er, than the present, as his Majesty's deluded subjects in America are in open Rebellion, and, like unnatural children, would destroy their ever indulgent Parent, forgetting the Torrents of Blood spilt, and Heaps of Treasure extended for their Presef'\lation, 'His sacred Majesty now calls us, and our Fidelity obHges us, and I hope your Inclination prompts you, to obey the diclates of so good and Ienieot a Master. let us then, my bra.... e and

glorious Cause of 'We have it in our Power by Unanimity and inex-

loyal countrymefl, join Hearts and Hands, and cheerfully step forth in the our Creator, our King, and our Country.

haustible Resources, to reduce those daring Rebels to a due Obedience to their Sovereign,

and Submission to the Laws of their Country, which will give a fresh COO\Iic1ion to all Europe that Hibernian Laurels ha\19

not

faded by Time, but on the contrary are increasing in BOOm

and Verdure.'

Barrels oroccr and grandiose specches might suit the Irish, but IlOl thc Black \-\latch, whose 2nd ba.ualion I'Wi raised again in 1779 arlcr having bccn disbanded for somc rears. Stern Highlandcrs expcctcd, and got, stern recruiting poslers. llere is ,Ill cxcerplclcarly aill'led at men ol"iron: -You who, uncorrupted by the univcrsal depr.wilY ofyollr soulheJ1J coulltrymcn;havc ,,~thst()()d, ullmoveablc ~L~ a rock, alllhc as..<;
Lisled helo\\' arc lhe most expensive commissions and the leasl expensi\'c, those omil1ed being those ror lhe Dr;tgoon Guards and Dragoons, ;tnd the FOOl Guards. Artillery commissions I,·cre nOl pur-

British Infantry officer's sword, now In the City of Lancaater Museum, of the type commonly carried just before and during the Revolution. A crimson and gold swordknot was usually attached to the guard. IPeterW. Joslinj

11

LEFT A Roy.1 Artillery c.rtrldge pouch; the I.rge pouch conce.l• • wood.... block drilled for nlM CIlrtri6ge•. The frog .t the front of the be" held fISt the coni of • prlmlng '11Ik .nd m.y h.ve held Hf'It prlcke... (Chlr1eston MuHYm) RIGHT The blldge Of! the Roy•• ArtIllery powch lIIultrated lett is mlde of b. . . . .nd bM:ked with red Ie.ther. M.ny Inf.ntry reg.. !menU: hid specl.1 bIdgeI of their own. (Cherieston Museum)

chased. When it is rcali.)Cd that an infanu-y m~~r gO{ a mere 17 shillings a da}' less hea\"}' stoppagcs. and how much it cost him to buy his commission, it am be sc..-en how important pri\'ate means were. 111e whole purchase s}'Stelll was a highly org;mised and profitable business, the kc) figure being the colonel of a rcgimcnt who, ha\lng oought or obL.~illcd his cOlllmand, could do what he liked with it. recouping his expcnSt."S by selling cOlI\rni~iolls, and llsing his annual allotment of funds to the benefit of his mcn or 1.0 line his own pockets. The nation acceptcd the purchase !»'Sicm. notju~IIx.-cause it was a corm pi age, but because il was fell that well-heeled oOicers ,,'ould havc a sLakc in thc slatus (IUO and IlOt be ~I menace to the sl:lte.

FIRST AND SECOND TROOPS OF HORSE-GUARDS

Fl'Sl: LioutElOll'l!-CoIore 8eco'ldLiouten!ll1t·CoIore

£5.500 £5,100

Comet 8lld Ma,or Go.Id:nlndMa,or

£4,300 1:4.100 1:2.700

Exerr4lt 8lld Captoo BogadIef8lldl..ieoJtEllla1tOf'Adjutant IndLioutenant So.b.8rigadief8lld Cornet

CI,m 1:1,200

MARCHING REGIMENTS OF FOOT

-

UevtOlWll-~

C3,m 1:2,600

Cllptain Captan-l.JeoJlenant

C1,5OO

'"""""'" -

£llOO C500

"00 THE REDCOATS' WAR

12

When thc 'shot heard rOllnd the world' .-angolll 011 LesingLOIl Green on 19 April I i75. some redcoats at IC
Snowshoes, dating from c:. 1780 -theessentlat requirement for all troops In tne North Americ:an winlef'. (Court"I/,Cltyof lJ¥erpooI Museum.)

Thomas Bootnbll Par1l
most of the previous se\'en or so )'ears, life in Boston (or unwelcome British troops had been nOI unlike their successors' life in Ulster in the late 20th cenlu'1', Ihough eo.'en more unpleasalll. The food in the 1770s was worse, billets were \\'orsc, resuictions on an)' sort of action were ",orse, to 5<1)' nothing of lhe harsher discipline and the distance from horne. TIle classic confrontation, the 'Boston Mass.'lCrc' of 1770, found nine men of the 29th drivcn be)'ond endurance 10 shoot at a murderous mob, whose victims were promptly C
13

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The tr;mspon sim.lliOIl in America was !>Iightlv beller than in the French and Indian War when Bmddock and other Ilrilish commanders sometimes despaired of getting hold of wagons. Everything from fourhorse wagous to sledges were Llsually hired during Ihe Revolution. Special vchicles were lI'iCd as ammunition carls. others as hospital wagons and forge carts 'compleat with :unils and beIlOl\'s'. Ilorses. too, were bought 01" captured. ·rhe drivers of the \"I'.'hicles w'ere hired ci\'ilians. A single statistic will shm\ the scope of the problem: from December 1776 to March 1780, I-Iowc and Clinton continually lI'>Cd an average of 739 ,,'agons, 1,958 horses and 7f'lO dri\·crs. Rivers and lakes were a vital fonll of tr;mspon in the W,II~ cspeciall) as good roadswcre in almost ;l~ short sllppl) as Ihe)' had been ill Wolfe'sda)', and fleets of llatboats, IXllmux, sloops and other \'cSSl'I" were in conSI;U1l IISC, some from Brit~lin. lIlan)' lIlore bought. hired or Sl'i/ed locally. The organisation, 3,000 miles from hOllle, needed fur !ouch emcrprises was so vast that the wonder is that the w~tem worked as well as it did. There was so Illllch incompetence In the administration of the anl1\ at home Lhat hOIlt.'SL. efficient llIen often desp
The ~rlal of General Frazar at Saratoga, 1777: an e"llralling by W. Nutter after J, Graham, published In 17i4.Although.tytl.ed, the co.tume. of the figure. In ttll.~lntlng.recorTeCtlnttoelr

details of campaign dress In North A1neric.a. Kneeling and kissing Frazef"s hand Is ItIs nephew, wtto MfVed In a bat· talion f ~ from reglmenUll light companies. He _a.. a ¥er)' IohortjllCket rwalstcOllt7) and

IndIan legllln;s. Other fl;ures _Ilrshort/ackets and Ion; olleraUs.Ontheleftlsa ;rernldter, the malch and bra's ;renade' 1I1,lble on the bllCk of his pouch beh:. (National Army MUMYmI

ABOVE, LEFT T1Ml regulation

bellrskln up ofth8 period, T1Ml p111tll I• ...nltll met8l. five inchon hlgh,wIttlth8bKkground IllP8nn«! bUIck to ~kll the motif .tand 0\It. T1Mlcap Is t2 inchfl: hl.gh w1~1 th8 fur. Sometime. ttNt bllCk. w ornamented with cord. and ta I., T1Ml plat. Wll. mo... or I... tM urne design for both dNmm.,.. and glllnadi.,.., the dNmm.,..' being .mbellished with dNm, lind trophit!s of fla9S, (National Anny MUlHlum) ABOVE, RIGHT BlICk vl.w of a grenadl.r" cap ofth. 97th Foot, 179..·8,Onth.backwasanoval red patch u.u.lly bearing the reglrnent81 numbei"••nd badge if llny, na.....ape.ndde<:oratlon Vlllied, _ regimenta adding

sped.1 blldgeS. tassels and cords, or ft'ont plat. . of apecilll reglment81 dealgn, lNatiotYl AnnyMuaeum)

agl'ccd. lllis was parll)' due 10 Ihe anitude of the British commanders, I lowe, Burgo~lle and others demanded high siandards of conduct. .....hich naturally could nOi alw.ws Ix: maintained - 1'01)' 'co,,'bo}'S' sold slolell li,·cstOck. to Burgoynt·'s anll\', BtU beca.u.sc Briton "'
15

16

what it often was. Occasionally, in the heat of battle or thc mornent of surrendcr, rc\"enge and misunderstanding might pro\"oke a near atrocity. But this was a w~tr where Colonel Simcoe. the brilJiaru Brilish commander of the Loplist Quccn's Rangers. could send a me5s:"lge to an enemy' senuy telling him that he would be shot if he did not retire, and shout to an American officer 'You are a bra\"e fdlm,'. blll yOll must go away.' Americans etll dte the tough tactics of B:mastre Tarleton in the South. but b\ the <;tandards of warfare in that or any age, the Amerietll Rt."\olulion was mainly unbarbaric. The frontier S-."lW raids by Torics and Indians out of NbS'I"'. but Ihis was the chil war situation referred to abo\"e. It \''
Coat of the tOtst Foot, 1781-5. This .... Iu.bl•• nd .Il-toa-rare relk:of t8th-<:enturymilitary dreudisplll1Sthec:ulof. typic:1l1 c:Ht of the cia" .nd the c:rowned l'eiIi....ntal number on the buttons, Not. th. poc:kets in the tails, .nd the unusUilt button I.,outon the c:uffs. (Nallonat

Arm,

Muaeuml

~eKPedientadoptedbefore

the otfie'-l sanction for a Ifght compeny In .a<:h regiment wa. the 'Highland Company' _ tNII pIele lllu.trates a privllte of the Highland Company of the 215th Foot, a Lowland Scottleh regIment. The men ofthl. company evidently hed their coat. cropped to the length worn by Highland regiments. The uniform Ie ecartet lac.:! yellow, with rwd and blue .tripes In the lace. The cap Ie of blacll furwltha red front ftap-tlectwitha whltedevk:e. (Reprvduc:ed by gracloue permlMIon of H.M. The Queen)

celuury cOlllmanders wcre more loved by their men !.han 'Gcllllcnmn johnny', not least, perhaps. becmse he was no great Dogger and was known to mention common soldiers in dispmches. Women, whemer \\'ives or '\\;\,es', acted as laundry'maids and somctimcs as nurses on campaign. They and meir children were fed from thc public stores, and domed as well. There was at leasl one ncar mminy at Cork when a ship without women did nOt set out because thc rcdcoatS abo.ard threatencd to desert unless the maller was pUI right. Sad I)' little is known of the ordinary women who went to America. Ironically, the best-known woman of the Re\'olution on the British side was the utlforlunatejane McCrae, famous because she was murdered by some of Burgoyne's Indians, who neither knew nor cared that she was a Lo)~llist, due to many a Lo)~llist officer, Her cruel death was IUmed 10 maximum admllt::lge by the Americans, with justification; yet the worst incident of the entire Revolutionary period ....'as committed b), Americ.m frontiel' militia who, system:llic.,II)' and in cold blOCK!, butchered some 100 Christian Delawares. men .....·omen and children. A worse fate th:m being bUlchered awaited many prisoners on both sides. just as in the Ci,il War one is confronted by the nobilil)' of Roben E. Lee and thc hOITor of Andersom;lIe prison C
17

'Offlc.r', by O,lnsborough. A fI'nk comp,ny Officer of th. 4th Fool,c. 1770, Is shown In cam~ign d..... In ltloIs ~Inting, now In the N3t1onal G.tt.efy of VIctoria, G..-.dier.nd light lnf,nlry officen wore be,rsklns 'nd caps or hel",.ts ~pectl..ely. but the normal cocked h,t seems to h.... been wom edensl... ty, presumilbly to ....e the more ...penslve

specl,t

he.dg••,

from

hard_arlnttMlfleld.The uniform MS dar1t blue facing",

iI

sltver~ute".,sitvet-butlona.i1

sIlver gorvet, .nd • silv.r swordbelt pl,te.ngre..ed with II crown8nd 'IVth', Nolethetthe I.pels.re p.rtty buttoned across.

18

tribtlle in a leller to John Adams about Ilowe's hospitals and his doclors, C"en stressing that wounded American pdsoners were much beller looked aftcr b)' the Brilish (before going to the hulks?) than thc wounded in American hospitals. The nritish 'pay a supreme regard to the cleanliness and health of their men', \\TOle the doctor after his inspection, and contr.tsted Americ-.m hospitals most unfa\·our.tbly. Ofcoursc, LCmpor.u)' hospitals on campaign 111USI have been akin lO bmchers' shops, and it mUSI 110t be supposed thaI Ihe chances of reco\'ery from serious wounds could cver be high in the 17705 and 1780s: bUl this tribute is significant, nOI least becausc il sho....'S lIowe's concem for his men, which made him such ;:1 popular commander. Rush C"en '>did a tribute 10 the I~ritish for filling their men wilh \'egembles. Regimental doctors, many of whol11 were most dedicated, were paid so badly that some bought an extr.l commission and tought as well as healed. Disease ....':.IS a greater killer in the war than baltic, though, str-,mgdy, Bdtish casualties are 110t known. The Amcrican ligures are Illerc guesswork, perhaps I~.OOO killed, which llIay bc not so different to the number of British deaths in action. It was not a ,"cry sanguine war, When the ......Ir finall)' ended the redcoats had the roue ;:lIld unpleasant expedence of sailing ,1\\'01)' defeated despite many \'ictodes, in contrast to the 1110re usual I\ritish technique or ultimate victories after disastrous early campaigns. Their record was good, for honours could have included Long Island, White Plains, Fort Washington, Br.lnd),wine. GcrmantO\.'n, $;:l\'mnah. Charleston, Camden and Guilford. $;:lratoga and \'Qrklo....·n, thosc crud;11 defeaLS, were lost becausc str.negy. communic.ltions and liaison were at fault. Though the war was frequentl)' fought on lhe European patlern. rigid formations often gave way to looscr, morc opell tactics. The \'cry linest uniLS were both Loyalist formations led by British Regulars: Simcoe's Queen's R.-lllgers and T;u-lcwn's British u:gion . mounted lroops as dashing as have e\'cr sen'l.-d lhe crown. The infalllf)' fought in twO r-.mks, in open order. In the pitcht.'(\ batt.lcs of Brand)"\'o;ne. C.'llllden and Guilford, lhe r<.'(\coaLS, infantry and gunnel'S excelled thelllselves, while all four leading British commandet'S, I-lowe, Bll1l:"0)'ne, Clintoll and Cormy,lllis, \\'ere usually (alier Bunker Hill) able, if not inspired. As for the redcoat, 200 )ears 011, and despite Sir John Fortescue's Hi.s/ot), of 11" Briti.sh AmI)'. and the ....' fitings of friendly Americans and understililding nath'e historians. his achit.·...elllcnt, cour.tge and famous discipline in adversity in the RC\'olution will probably Ile\'er get iLS due. lt was nOt he who losl Gcorge [II his American Colonies. I'Ikmorials to

him are rew, bUt there is one near the spot where the war began, which commemorates those who rell at Concord Bridge. It is quaint, perhaps, but none ,he worse ror that - and it was ...,.riuen in sincerity and by the t:llcmy:

They came three thousand miles and died, To keep the paSl upon the throne; Unheard, beyond the ocean tide, Their English mother made her moan.

A DIARY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 1775 'QApr. 17JLoe

3 July

Banle ofl.el\ngton ind C::rooord. mdr1g inf9ltrlg I9ITeef bVlhe E\ntIshto Boston. Ballleof6reed~;.o.·Adearbo::llJg1lYictory.·'MQteChon,·lIlOthersudlWOlJld

haverunedllS.· WMOOgton takoocorrmand of ArnEw1can /vm.j.

A Sept..

3Nov 10 OCt

nocl. t3Nov. A Dec QDec.

5legeindossofStJct1ll·s Wilam Howe succeeds Gage as C-in·C in America. Carleton gNen corrmand inQnOOa FalofChatrtJlyatlerashortsleQe.

s..

~UI"lderMontgomeryoccupyMontraaJ.

........-nencan beslege Quebec.

Great8odge.Vrgoroa.Br1t1Shtroopsdefeatoo

1776 Meticulous reconstruction ofa llrenadierof the Hesse-Cassel Fusilier Regiment Von Oltfurth showinll the Prusslan style of unlformandfullmarchinllorder. Photo C GA£ UnlfonYl Seams Historic

27 Feb

Oct.

Moote'sOeek Bridge. North Carolina. Severe Loyalist deleal. BntlSh evacuate Boston Reloef 01 0ue0ec. Carleton ind his men havng saved Canada. Battle 01 the Cedars, ~ defooted by Indtaro, Wllh someCanadi
21Jliy 4 July

Dedwallon of 1ndepencIeoce.

nMar,

5"" "...,

,--

Br111St1~II1SoulhCarolina.Fa>UeoiattackonCha11eston

Aug,-Dec BntlSh ~ 111 New Yorl< ind New Jersey, 27 Aug. 15 Sept 11 Oct

Bnt!ShYICtcwyonLoogtslaod Battle 01 HiW1em l-lEIqlts. Bntlsh YlCtcwy. but I1l:la"Y casua/l.es. Howa 0CClJP08S New York. Battle on Lake Champlain. Brave tiglt by BenedIct Arnold ind a scrald1!\ae1 ends in Bnt.snl'lClcwy, 180ct Silarpdela'j'WlQactoonbyArnenc!nsatPel'sPoWlt.NewYorl< 280ct Battle oflMule PlaIf1S. NewYorl<. IndecISM:llflCtory. 16 Nov. Fort Washngton. New York. tails to BnMh. 25-26 Dec. Washington crosses the OeIawareind deteats Hesslans at Treoton. one of the RevolullOl1'S lurrvng'jX)Iflts, because It mpresses Europeans, besides raISIOQ his own men's rT'IOf'ale

1777 3 Jan 1 Feb· 9 May

Amencans IaI
5..u1y

Minor ClWflllltgnrlQ on New .Jersey. BegorilgoiBurgoyne'scampal!)"l Rebels evacuate TKXlO(leroga.

6 Aug.

FeroC!ous battle at Qriskany betwoon Bnt,sh, Loyalists and Irldlansversus Rebels. A bloody

22 Aug

SIege 01 Fort Stanwu< (Schuyler) endS on fiIJUe. thus firoshong Sf le9Br's sweep from the WOOl along the Mohawk 10 as&St Burgoyne

16 Aug

Germ
11 Sept t9Sept

Howedelootswashongtonat8randyYAneCreel< Battle 01 Freeman's Farm. BnlishWll1costly/Vlt. Amencans attacked at Paoli Howe takes Phi~ Banle oIBEms Helghts (Of secood battle of Freeman's Farm). Arnlher naar-ctisastrous

t.uy

VlCtory.lnd<¥\SUI"lderJosep/)8fam

20 Sept 26 Sept 7 Oct

Sir John C.ldwellln Indian _tume, e. 1780. ,",I. otfleet-, wno HrVed .t Detroit with u.. 8th (King") Regiment of Foot, Kquired thl. m89nlfleent e..mple of Ojibway ehlef" dr. . . wtIen hoe 'P4ftt _ time among the Indian. o~n1zing them for raid. on the Ameriean. and leading them In aeOOn. Dyed ottrk:h and peaeock plumea (trade Item.' erown hi. turb.ened head, and .I....er brooc:hea.nd 'tinkling eo","' decofate head.nd ahoulden. The pi~tomaha'" and shot1 aword were both popul.aIr trw. It WId the ahir1 ele.arty eeme from the ~ -"~. Breech doth and IeWlng. a.. red,the latter with a light blue tape, and the blank.t ta red and blue. He wea.. four al....e. IifOrvet., and .llver.ar and no.. omament.; In hi. hand I. a belt of wampum. W. h..,. ....-y IIWe' Informatlorl on nat..... Amerlean eolltume of thi. period. The peintinea 01 8eflIamin Weat - and thi. _ - a,.. our prineipal-..re... and.VIIlfI they "'~" ",i.-.tlntThey a,. lIMIally formal portntits of Indien eh;efa or 1ncI1...

In....,.

vidual. who _ e!oM eontaet with the Indian., and who ma~ be wearing netlve Am.rlean 'eo.tume' ~lely for the po'Iint.r. In faet, Weat ...ma to have u.ed prop. from hi. OW"eOUec:tlorl. (Cour1. .." City of LIv.rpooI MUMUms)

BriIlshaetJ;Jn,AmoIddistr1gulshostwosalf

IlOct. 22 Oct.

15 New. 8Oec-

~SIJlf.llldEn8tSamtoga.Thutar'Wlg-pootottha

""""'m

Bn\lShlailtocapl....eFortMeroer.

Fort Mifl'rllakenbyBrtbsh. Wastw1gtonI'l'm1l9lquBrl9lsalValefFoge.

1778 6 feb 24 May 28.)..ne 4»i

Fr.J:w:::o-.6metica'l aIance sqoed. Clflton takes t:MYI from Howe as C-in·C. BalllcofMonmouth.

"''''''''.

~.l..astJ'TlillOf~1'l

EUIlYsAarlglnand~w:tory8lWyorrw1g,~wrot'9Ictamedby

Arnenca'lstobeen~

29 Aug.

F!iUe of French end Amencans to lake FbxJe IsIinj

11 New.

Che!ry"*'!Massacnt waller Butlel' and Brall failtooonlrOllherhdians.

2900c.

I3nlJshtakeSav.n1a'1

1779 Jarl.

23 Feb.

Capn.wedSl.rtlU'yand~byBnosh.

~ofbr6anl~I'lIheWISbyGEogaAogllrsOari<;~

""""""""'

Ma"-.krIe BottarcMW8InthaSouth. 8May

15 oM; 13Aug

29 Aug.

9 Oct, 26 Ooc

SpandeclarosW81onElritain. Wayne capllSOS Stony ~t from BntlSh DisastrousMassach.lsattsattaekonPooobscot6ay Sl*M1'sexpeditxn,sanllodBstroylhetownsdIheSlxNllbals (n;qDsj. dMeIlsthllm at Newtown. NewYOOl, and b..ms lhDroops

""""""'French and Amencans IaiII to lake SlMrn:lh. Bn\lSh IaeI salstoanackQwlooton.

1780 14 Mar.

"..., "...., '6",

25Sop<.

20«. 7 Oct

20

Falol MobIle toSpanards. BribshcapllnOlar1eslon. Frenchtroops_alNewpor!,FbxJeIslinj. e.m.ofQlmden. TotaIoefeat oIArnln:ans I.nt9f Ga1flS. Treasonof Benedcl:Amokl H
A surviving He..lanFu.lll.rellp. (Drawlng GoA. Embleton)

1781 17J
Morgiwldeleats8ritlshlrderTarIeI~"the~

Gn:Iene ald Comw3Iis IiltIl nct8c:IsIY8 '*til at GlA:lrd Qut Hwoo. Hoovy casuaItle6.

25~_

I-IotlI
Jt.n8 8Sepl.

8al:tIedE!AawSpmgs.Gn:ll:INOlIIIMs!hllh.1lhg _ _

28 Sepl 6 Od 19 Od

1782 23 Feb. MCll".'Avg

Bvthet:n:ldJln9.BnlIshpaMll"lI'Ih~.brokln. ~~

aldFkldBntx-.l Bnb&h t-Igud.

b01arlBsl:~.

nwth~'MIImItuv-as'1c:lrklo¥«l.

Ccm.
'2Ap

Aodr"oIIydet8atsFmnctlllooln'N8stntia

11-Uy 30 f'ob.'.

S8YarnItlablrdoroedbyBr1blih. Fnl peace treaty sql8d n PlQ.

14Dec

BntlSfleYaCUaleCharieston.

1783 t9~_

End ol hostitiesprod;:wned by Congress.

3Sep! 25 Nov. 23Doc

Maio Britistl evacuation 01 New

FnalpoocelrOOlySlQOlld.

York.

GeorgeWas/lingtonstmdsdo'Nn.

The ReglmenU Which Served ~""",
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before he

IMontted ... apybythe

..."""

U77

Arnold. And'" died with mag-

.... ""

nl'!cent courage I" front of. crowd of Mtmlring and grieving -.riles. Born In Svritz.rl.nd in 1751, he joined the Inn, in 1771 erKt ron to beClinton...dJutant·

...

,w·

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22

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RIgIrnrIl 01 FOOl

"",..

Foot, c. 171i, the

......, ""

,m

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Major.lohn Andr' of the 154th

... ,m

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1187

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w_

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after condudlng

negotiations with thefr •..."hero.... geMnol, Ber>edlct ~ret

general. (Court.., the Curator,

Oors,t Military Museuml

----_.,.." _.,.." - -Tho.,.,

Tho_

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1777

Tho".

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MilV171f1

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~dFocl.OI'

_,m

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the day. (N_tIonal

Ann~

helmet of Museum)

_,m

,m

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~11lll8""¥ori<

.... ""'**"1

'ThI1l"~

aplendkt Ught

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A ~1.umJ"e of the nothM

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·~.~W8I""'talectl/lose~r.twoNedtlamn:WsSldl.SwlIrQl;ll

7777.rd\tlrldl:>Wrl,I781

SOME FOOD FACTS As described earlier. most of the food Calcn by the rcdcoalS in Amcricd

had to be shipped across the Atlantic: 2,032,538 lb. of bread were reech'ed b)' Daniel Chamier. Colmniss:H)'-General in North Amcric.1 bel\,'ccn 6 Febm:l'1' 1775 and 9 J:1Il1l3'1' I i78 (and 10,739 gallons of \illegar, CIC. Here is one account in full:

Account or provisions received by Comml ••• ry·Qenera' Danle' Weir at New York between 7 Oct. 1774 and 5 Sept. 1781 KJndOfProyl~

...... ..... ....

"'" -. "'"

"'"'" """'" "'" '" 8
a-

""""'" ""'" ~

..... ............ """""

512,182b. 42.656_ 42.832b

63269b. 164.884b 2,5141b 1.1"8bu1h. 12.007gol1. 91,557b. 2,385 gals. 14,S16lb. 251 lb. 4.618gals 1,052 tuns

.

12,233

3.99'

,,,,""'" 123bEWT

'.020

,..... ......, '" '" '" '" 5.687

3....

017

3

., , ., "". , ., , 7

6 0

"

3

. "'"", >5

'" " ", '"" " 0

1,778

"

,>5

0 0 9

<22.000

24

Quoting a soldier's dail), ralion is morc hazardous than rceiling a pro,;sions' Iisl, for the Ob\;OllS reason lhat Ihe deli"cl)' of provisions 10 annies or regiments or detachments was bound 1.0 be CIT<\lic. Nalhaniel Da)', Commissar}'-ecneral in Canada, wrote 10 llurgO}11e on 31 Mar 1777 Ulat the Treaslll)' Board had ordered one man's rmions pcr da}' to be as follows:

1: F'riYIIle, light c.omp.ny, 38th Fool 2: PrfQte, s.tt.Iion c.omp.ny, 64th Fool

3: Corponl, ~ Company, 47th FOOl ,,& 5: ~ 29th -.:I7OItt Regiments

. ,-

_ _ _ _ _ _1.

1; Corpor1I~ 8;1ttalion Comp;ony, 52nd Regiment 01 FOOl, marehingOfder 2: Grenadier, 49th Foot, marching order 3: Private, Ballalion Companr. 37th Regiment of Fool

4: Ensigns, 55th Foot, with Regimental and Kiog's colour

B

c

D

I: Corporal, Foot Jaljlltrs, Hesse-COl'''' Foeid Jlig.... Corps 2: Captain fLieutenant Fraser's Company 01 Mark.~nin1776

3: Briti$hOl1icer, 1777

4: Sergeant, 62nd Foot, 1777

1: Britishlnlantryman in Canadian winter d..,s 2: Ught Infantryman, 8;lttle of Germantown, 1717 3: Officer,5thFoot. 1771 4: ButIer'1I Rang
G

H

1 lb. Bread or Flour 1 lb. Beef or 9 and one-seveoth oz. pork Three-sevenths pints pease Six-sevenths oz. Butter or in lieu lone-seventh oz. Cheese 2 two-sevenths oz. flour or in lieu 1 one-seveoth oz, Rice (J( 1 OIl&-seventh Ol. Oatmeal.

Like the ROFtl Navy, the redcoats el~ored a rum ration, usually dihlled. It was up 10 commanding generals what other drinks were issued. These included claret, porter and spruce beer, the lauer being most popular as it did not email pay Sloppages. As for patients in hospitals, here is an official menu for 1778-81: Full Diet Breakfast Rice gruel. or Water Gruel, with Sugar

(J(

Butter

Dinner One Pound of Fresh Meat: Viz: Beef, Mutton, or Veal, with Greens Supper Two ounces of Butter, or Cheese Half

Diet

Dinner Rice, and Pudding, and half a Pound of Fresh Meat: four times a week Breakfast & Supper, as Full Diet low

Diet

Breakfast, and Supper, Rice or Water Gruel; Milk; Porridge, Sago or Salop Dinner Broth & Pudding One Pound of Bread: each Man per Diem, with three pints of Spruce Beer in Summer and a Quart in Winter. Rice Water: for common drink in Fluxes; and Barley in Fevers .

It cannot be stressed tOO strongly once again that for all the lalk of rations per man there was a constant shonage of food and that much of it was rotten ~ uneat
33

wayofa u'eat a pudding madeofflOllr mixed half with salt v,'atcr and half with fresh water, and with old multon fal.' ARMY ADMINISTRATION

During the American RL"\'olution tile army \\-as still IClr-lliSl.'(! .mllllally by a Mutiny Act passed by I'adi:ullcnl. The following is a brief brcakdown of the English esulblishmctll. Cnptai'I-Cm~mJ-

TIle King

I ii2-iS Sir JcfTrc)' Amherst 17i8-82 &emury al U'ur- ViSCOlllll l~arringlOn Cnmmallda-i'l-ai~!-Vacant

Lord Barrington's W
The Paymaster-General's Office, 1775

PnJ"'astl':'t"-CmeraJ- Rt. Hon. Richard Rigby. MP lHJmty P(l)'master-tL'lnal- Anthony Sawyer AUoIUltml/- John Powell

Compllt"oJ0jJ-rnJwllings- Charles Bembridge Oishi" oj Half Pay - Robert Randall Kf'fjH'T oj Ih~ Stures - r. Burrell

Also eighl clerks. There \I'cre eight subordinate pa)'inaStCl's abroad. The office of payma.sler-gcncl'al \\~lS the cquimlclll of being givell a licence 10 print money. Civil Branch of the Office of Ordnance

Ma.!i/er-G(mem/- Rt. I-Ion. Geo. Viscount Townshend Li/'l/lellf/lll·Geneml- SirJenl'ey Amherst, K.B. SurveJor-GeIleml- Sir C. Frederick, K.I\.•'.R.S. Cll'Ik oj/he OnillflllU- Sir Chas. Cocks, Ban. SIQukrefw"- Andrew \Vilkinson Cln'k oJ/helniivnies- BCI~amin Lomglois, Esq. T".asuffY (lIId pO)'JrUlster- John Ross ~bck)"e, Esq. &crttlJry to th~ MflSll'I-GmtmJ - John Counne)', Esq. Ullller-S«I?tnry to the f\lluter-Ceru'm/- T. Masterson, Esq. Mimlli'lg am - 1-1. Simmonds There were also eighl clerks. Military Branch of the Office of Ordnance

34

Chi'JE"gitl«rlJlld Coio"d- Lielilenant-General \V. Skinner

Dirrclors and Lil1ltl'aant-ColQ/1Lls - ColonelJames MonITess(W, lieutenam-Gokmel Arch. Patoun 51th. Dirutors alld Majors- Four Engilll't"fS ill Ord. alld ulptains- 12 f;"l,rillttrS EXira. lind Gal,'oills mull.kulLnants- 12 Pmr:litioIlN'E"bri"eers ami Designs- 16

The Ordnance Deparunelll was in charge of f'\'eT},t.hing from arms and ammunition to prisons and maps. and controlled the b>1.lIlners, So"lPpers and Wool\'o;ch Military Acadelm. Both the ann)' and na\1' depended on ilS efficiency and rul . Tmnuhend was the thom in Wolfe's nesh at Quebec and Amherst the fma! conqueror of Canada. Among other functionaries were the Judge Ad\'Ocat.e-General, the Apolhecary-Gencr'll and the Comptroller of Army AccounlS, and there were variOIlS other boards, nOl;lbly the Treasury which fed and equipped the army. and the Admiralty Board. There was also a 3(krrong board of officers to advise the King and the Secretary at War. h sat when required and discusscd commissions. abuses, pa)', courlS mania! and man)' other m;ll(ers. And the clothing board Imd, as ilS name suggests, to decide on uniform patterns and inspect lhem. Though the general officers did not make COnll<1ClS - this was lefl to colonels and regimental agents - they approved thertl. There \\~IS also a board which ran Chelsea Hospital. Troops were affected by the Navy Board and victualling boards when they sailed on 1r';.lIlsports. AI first glance. these lists ilia)' seem impressive, but there \\~IS far too much o\'crlapping and not enough centrdl authOlit)'. The rcsuh was orten a shambles.•md this affected the outcome of lhe \\<11'.

THE ROYAL WARRANT OF 1768 FOR INFANTRY CLOTHING, COLOURS &C.

GEORGE R. Our will and pleasure is. lhat the following regulations fo .. the colou..s, c1olhing, &c. of Our marching regimenls of fOOl, be duly obse.....ed and put ill execution, al such times as the paniculars arc or shall be furnished. No Colonel is 10 pUl his arms, crest. device, 01" li\'el")', 011 ;lllY pari of the appointments of the regiment under his command. Colours The King's, or first colour of e\'eT}' regiment. is 10 be lhe Greal Union throughout. The second Colour l.O be lhe colour of the facing of the regimen!, with lhe Union in the upper canton: except those regiments which arc faced with red. whitt:, or hlack. The second colour of lhose regimt:lllS which are fdced with red or white, is to be the red cross of SI. George in a white field, and lhe Union in the upper C"dnton. The second colour of those which are faced ,,;tll black. is to be Sf. G<'orgc's cross throughout: Union in the upper Glllton: the three Olher c;:mlOllS. bhlck.

35

Regimental simil;..ities and differenees. Offieers' dress, hat and hair styles. Left to right: 4th King'S Own Regiment, lieutenant, 38th Regiment, e.1770;eaptaln, Ro~al Marines, e.1780; 20th Regiment of Foot e.1775. {Illustration eop~rightG.A. Embleton)

In lhe celHre of each colour is to be IXlil1ted, or embroidered, in gold Roman ch:lr
The drums to be wood The li"Ollt to be paint.ed \\~th the colour of Ule bcing of the regiment, with Ule King's cypller and crown, and the nUlnber ofLlle regiment under il. Bells of Arms

The bells of arms to Ix: painted in the S
The camp colours to be eiglltecn inches sqllare, alld of the colour of the facing of the regiment, with the number of the regiment upon them. The poles to be seven feet six inches long, except those of lhe Quartel and rear guards, which are to be nine feet. Uniform of Officers

36

The llUmber of each regimell1 to be 011 the buttons of the Ilniforms of lhe Ollicers and men. The coats lO be lappelled to the waist with the colour of the regiment, and the colour not to be varied from what is particularly specified hereafter. They may be without embroidery or bee; but, if the Colonel thinks proper, either gold or silver embroidered or laced bulton-holes are permilled. To have cross pockets, and sleeves wilh round culTs, and 110 slits. The lappels [sicl and cuffs 10 be of Ihe S
Epauletles

The Officers of grenadiers to wear an epauleue on each shoulder. Those of the baualion to wear one on the right shoulder_ They arc 10 be eilher of cmbroidery or lace, \\ith gold or sih'C.r fringe. Waistcoats

The

\\~listcoats to

be plain, without either embroidery or lace, Swords and $word·Knots

The swords of each regimen I LO be Wlifoml, and the S\','ord-knolS of lhe whole to be crimson and gold in suipes. The hilts of the swords 10 be either gilt or sih;cr, according to the colour of the buttons on thc unifOllllS. Hats

The hats to be laced eilher with gold or silver, as hcreaflcr specified, and to be cocked uniformlrSashes and Gorgets

The sashes to be of crimson silk, and worn round the \Il', are also 10 bc cngraved. Caps. Fuzlls, and Pouches. for Grenadier Officers

The Ol11cers of Ihe grenadiers 10 wear black bcar-skin caps: and to have fllzils, shoulder-bellS, and pOllches. The shoulder-bells 10 be while or bufl", according 10 the colour of Iheir waistco:ll.s. Espontoons

The battalion officers to ha\'e CSP0Il100IlS. Gaiters

The whole to han~ black linen ~'aitel"S. with black bUlIons, and small sliff lOpS, black gancI's, and uniform buckles, SerJeants' Coats

The coalS orthe Selje:ll1ts to be Iappelled to lhe waist, 1\'iLh Lhe colour of the facing of Ihe regimenl. The bUll on-holes of the coat to be of white braid. Those on lhe waiStCOals 10 be plain. The Scljeants of grenadiers 10 have fuzils, pouches, and caps, Those oflhe ballalion 10 have halberts, and no pouches. SerJeants' Sashes

The s,'1shes 10 be of crimson worsted, \\ilh a stripe of the colour of lhe facing of the reghnel1l. and ,,'orn round the waisl. Those of the regiments which are faced with red, 10 h;we a slripe of while. Corporals' Coats

The coalS of the Corporals to have a silk epaulel.lc on lhe right shoulder. 37

Grenadiers' Coats

The coaLS of the grenadiers to have Ihe usual rOllnd wings of red doth on the point of the ;houlder, with six loops of the S:lIne son of lace as on the button-holes, and a border round the OOllom. Private Men's Coats

"111e men's coaLS to be looped ,,'ilh \\'orsled lace. bUI no border. The ground of the lace 10 be while. wilh coloured suipes. To ha\'e ",hite bUllons. The brC;ldlh of the lace which is 10 make Ihe loop rOllnd the hUlIon-hole. to be abOlll half an inch. FoUl' loops to be on the slee\"l,~s. and four on the pockcts, with rwo on each side of Ihc slit behind.

Lappels, Sleeves, and Pockets

The hreadth of all the lappels to be three inches, to reach down 10 the waisl, and not 10 be wider at lOp than at the bOHom. The sleeves of Ihe coats to havc a small round cun', Nithollt all}' slit. and to be made so that Ihe)' lila)' Ix: unblilloned and leI do\\'n, The whole 10 ha\'c cross pockets. bUl no naps to those of lhc waistcoal. The cuffs of the slee\'c which tUnlS up. to be three inches and a half deep. The flap on the pockel of the COatlO be sc",(.'(! dO\\11. and lhe poeketlo be CUI in the lining of the coal. Shoulder Belts and Waist Belts

The breadth of the shoulder-belts lO be twO inches and Ihrc(."-<]uaners: that of the waist-belt to be two inches: and those regimcllts which have buff waistcoats, arc to have bulT-coloured accoutremenL... Those which have while waistcoaL.., are to have white. Drummers' and Flfers' Coats

38

The coats of the drummers and filCrs of all the ro)'al regiments arc to be red, faced and lappelled with blue, and laced with ro}~ll lace. The \\~lisl,coats, breeches, and lining of the coats, to be of the sallie colour as that which is ordered for their respective regimellLS. -l1lc coaLS of tile dnunmers and lifers of those regiments which are faced with red, are to be \\'hite, faced, lappcllcd, and lincd with red: red "~listcoaLS and bn..-eches, TI10se of all the other regiments are to be colour of the facing of their regimcnts: faced and lappelled with red. The waistcoats. brecchcs. and lining of those which havc buff or white coaLS. arc to be red. Those of all the others are 10 be of the same colour as that which is ordered for the men. To be laced in such manner as the Colonel shall think fil. The lace 10 be of the colour of that of the soldiet"S' coats. The coats to have no hanging sleeves behind.

Ojibway garters and moc:<:aslns dating from about 1780, ..ottec:ted byColonet Arent De Deyster, <:ommandant ,t MI<:hltlma<:klna<: In 1774-g. This attra<:tllle quill and bead decoration, with bra.. or <:opper 'tinkling <:ones'typl",t of frontier _menllltlon of 1\81., dolne. and equipm&rlt, m....t surely kalla <:aughtth
Drummers' and Flfers' Caps

The drummers and fifers to have black bearskin COIPS, On the front, me King's crest. of silver pl:ued metal, on a black ground, with trophies of colours and drums. The number of the regiment on lhe back P;lrl: as also thc badgc, if entiLkd to an)'. as Ol'den'd fOl' thc grenadiers. Grenadiers' Caps

The caps of me grenadiers to be of black bearskin, On the front. the King' crest, of silver plated metal, on a blade. ground. ~;t.It the mOllO, N« asfJtm InrmL A grenade on the back part, with Ihe number of the regiment on il. The roy;tl rt.-giments, and the six old corps, are to have the crest and grenade, and also Ihe other particulars :IS hereafler specilicd. The badgc of lhe ro)'al regiments is 10 be l... hilC, and St;1 on ncar the top of Ihe back part of lhe cap. The height of the c:.tp (\\'ithoUl the bear-skin, which reaches be)'ond lhe lOp) to be lwelve inches. Hats of the Whole Ueut_t ThomIo. Aut!Ny of the 4th Foot, c.1771 - . portntt by N.thanlel Hone, The .urtet co.t laced d8r1< blue Is trimmed wtth UIYer""-taI',NQletheeortstrvctionofthe_tiIIefted .psulflte - • llet llnot of .u-r lace bnlld. (8~ permls.lon of the N.tion.1 MuMum of w.les)

The hats of the Serjt....nlS to be laced with silver. TIlOSC of the Coq)()rals anrl pri\'OHC men 10 have a while lape binding. The breotdlh ofthc wholc 10 be one inch and a quaner: and no mort: 10 be on Ihe b,;"lCk p;lIl of IIIC brim, Ihan whal i.. llecessan 10 'iCW it down. To ha\'e black cockoldcs. Caps for the Officers and Men of Regiments of Fuzlleers

The regiments of fmjleers 10 have black I>t'ar-skin caps. Tht.1' arc 10 be madt., in the .s;:lIne manner as lhOSt' which arc ordered for the grclladiers. bUI nOI so high: and nOl 10 havc the grcllade on the back parI. Swords

AlIlhe Scrje:111IS ofthc regimellt. and lhe whole grenadier company, 10 ha\'e s\,'onls. The Corporals and primlc men of the battalion companies (excepling Ihe rcgimcllI of rO)~11 highlandcrs) to have no swords. AlIlhe drummers and lifer'S to have a shan sword with a scimit:u' blade. Gaiters

The Sc'icallls. Corporals. drummers. lifers. and privale men. to ha\'e black gaiters of Ihe same SOil as is ordered for the Officers: also black garters and uniform buckle!>. Pioneers

Each pioneer 10 ha\'e an .I.-':C, a saw. and :m apron: a cap \,';Ih a Iealher crown .•md a black bear-skin front, 011 \\hich is 10 be the King's crt.ost ill white on a red ground: also an a.-.:c alld a s,,"l.W. TIle num~r of me n:giment 10 be on the back p:lrl of the C;:lp.

39

THE PLATES A: MQULATION UNIFORMS

"'1: Private, Ught Company, 38th Foot The 38th, later the South Slaffoo::lshire Regiment. had yeIow facings, and silver lace lOf oflicers. h served ttwoughout the War of Indepeodeoce, notably at Lexington. &eed's Hill, long Island, Fort Lee, Chestnut Neck, Brandywine. Germantown, and Monmouth Courthouse. Ughl troopS had been used n America during the French and Indian Wars, and some regiments had 'picket' and 'Highland' companies; but in 1771 a light company was officiafty added to each regiment. Active and agile men were preferred, and their training laid some stress 00 initiative. The light companies of a number of regiments

serving together were often detached Inlo a separate light ballalion: sometimes the light and grenadier companies of several regiments would be grouped In an elite formation. Light company men were to wear short jackets with shoulder wings, red waistcoats, and short black gaiters. A black leather cap with three chains fOUnd it and a piece of plate upon the centre of the crown, like a skull-cap, was distinguished by the regimental number and the royal cipher beneath a crown 00 a large round peak standing straight up in Iroot. A large variety of caps were made or cut down lrom cocked hal$: some had peaks in front, others at the back, some had horsehair crests, others were made 01 leather and brass like dragoon helmets. The meo were supposed to carry a small cartridge box on a tan leather waist belt, a powder hom and bullet pouch. and a hatchet and bayonet in a frog; sometimes the hatchet had a SIITlple case buttoning round the blade. Some light companies kept the same equipment as !tie rest 01 the banalioo. OffICers and sergeants carried lusUs ~ight muskets) and pooches. A2: Private, Battalion Company, 64th Foot

An 18th·century vl_ of Americ8n troop.: '. riflem.n' .nd '. .........1'. (MIchael D. Robsonj

field, perhaps over the breeches and stockings, Records show that blue, brown and white wooDen cloth, striped ticking and old tents were aD used to make leggings and

overalls. The bayonet was carried i'l a frog on the waist belt. but this was frequently worn over the nght shoulder instead, leading eventuaDy to the official issue of two crossbeIts. From the left shoulder hung the cartridge-box, ' •••of stoutest blackened calfskin, with an inner nap 01 thick wetl painted linen.•: The box itself was a wooden block drilled with 36 holes, each lor a paper cartridge. For confirmation of other details, see the 1768 Warrant quoted in teXl.

The 64th, lat6l" the Prince of Wales's North Staffordshire

40

Regiment, wore black lacings and regimental lace with one red and ooe black stripe in it; officers' metal was gold. The regiment loughl throughout the war, taking part in the occupation 01 Boston and the fighting at Dorchester Heights, Long Island, Brandywine, Germantown and in the New Jersey and Southern campaigns. Winter gaiters are shown here, long, with black bone or pewt6l" buttons; summer paltern were mid-calf length ooly. The battalion companies - I.e. all the companies of a battalion except lor the grenadier and light companies - were known as 'hal' companies because their cocked hat distio~ guished them Irom the special headgear of the elite companies. (The hats and caps of aN companies were often too small, and were kept in place by sewing two pieces of tape, as near as possible to the man's hair colour, to the lining of the hat, and fasteoing them with a hook and ¥ under the plait of hair at the back..) Linen had to be changed on Wednesdays and Sundays, and shoes were changed from loot to foot daily to prevent them 'running crooked'! On American service gaiter trousers or overalls were worn in the

A3: Corporal, Grenadier Company, 47th Foot The 47th, later the Loyal Regiment, wore white facings. Two black lines were added to the design of the regimental lace of corporals and men, in mourning for General Wolfe. The regiment fought with Burgoyne's army, and was Interned with the rest of that unlucky command in 1777. The Grenadier Company, though no longer issued with actual grenades, was composed of the largest and strongest men In each battalion, and provided a shock force. It was often detached and formed into separate grenadier battalions (see above), to the disgust of many officers. who held that to draw off each banalioo's best men in this way was a distortion 01 their proper fooction and weakened their parent unit unreasonably. This corporal's lank is distinguished by the knot worn on his right shoulder, although corporals in some regiments wore a white silk epautelte, He wears a uniform which conforms to the 1766 Clothing Warrant. The distinctions peculiar to the Grenadier Company of the battalion are the fur cap, the should6l"~wings decorated with regimental lace

loops, the brass match-ease 00 the crossbell, and the sword which was ooly carried by grenadiers. sergeants and officers by this dale. Sometimes a tightly coiled and pipe-clayed match was fixed to the CtOSSbeh behind the shoulder, as another reminder of the original function. These can be seen i'l several contemporary inustratJons and were also on a set of CoIdstream Guards equipment. formeffy In the Zeughaus. 8ef1in. and lJflfortooately lost in Work:f War II. The eXpensIVe fur cap was covered on the mardi WIth a pamted canvas cover; when not in use these could be rolled up and suspended by a smaI loop from the nght hip coat button, coooeaIed wl1hlO the tuck of the skirts. In peacetime the coat skIrts were to be sewn permanently up in the turned-back position illustrated and fixed with a striP of regImental lace and a button. Oflen the lips were decorated with 'grenades' or hearts 01 cloth or brass: on campaign they were secured with hooks and eyes. A4 & AS: Drummers, 29th and 70th Regiments of Foot These drummers are dressed according to the Royal Warrant of 1768, with coats of facing colour decoraled with regimental lace 'as the colonel shall think fit'. The beilf"Skln caps had a SImilar plate to that of the grenadiers but incorporahng troptlles of flags and drums III the motrf and there were regimental variations. Officially. the regiments had only drummers and fifers: extra musicians fOf a band were unoffICial and supported by the officers out of t~ own pockets. Often they were magnificently and fancifully uniformed; Negroes were popular in this capacity, and the f\ounshes of the modem drum major may have denved from the tricks and 'capers' performed by these men. The usual infantry band might consist of two each 01 bassoons. horns. clarinets, and possibly oboes: the trumpet might also have appeared. Although the bugle horn was mtroduced during the Revolutionary War, mfantry regiments usually used the drum for signalling.

PLATE B 81: Corporal, 8attalion Company, 52nd Regiment of Foot, marching order The 52nd. later the Oxford shire and Bucks Ughtlnlantry (2nd Baltalion). like all regiments with buff facings. wore buff breeches and waistcoats, and buff betts. ThIS corporal. dislIoguishecf by the knot of white lace on his shoulder. wears short gaiters with pewter bultons. HIS foldmg 'wallet'-ijke knapsack is made of painted canvas contaJ01OQ his blanket and 'necessaries', which included two white stlXks. one black horsehair stlXk. brass clasps Of buckles IOf these, three paIl'S of white yam stockings. two pairs linen socks dipped in oil (to be wom on the march under spatterdashes. •.e. short gaiters), one pair long black garters WIth tops. one

A typical example of the variations from regulation dress 10 be found In.n Inf.ntryregiment, In this c.se the 61h, sketched .t W.rte, C.mp In 1778. The two muslcl.ns In j.untll, Cocked hats from. cartoon print of the 5th made .t eoktleeth near Ryeln 178'. (lliustr.tlon cop,right G.A.EmbletOfl)

.re

pair spallerdashes, one red fornge cap, black leather garters, cleanlOQ mateoals, combs, brushes, ammunillon. and musket and bayonet. ThIS musket has been immortalised as the 'Brown Bess' -the weapon in seMce with the British infantry, WIth only minor changes, from well before the Seven Years' War untU well aftel'" the NapoleonIC Wars. The

41

bans by a Ialge and ttnatenng mob 01 Bostonians, and the guard. COI'lSISting of an ollicet and eight men, was caJIed out. The rabble continued 10 harass them, and in the confusion shots were fired. F..... 'patriots' died. Thlwlks to their Arnencan lawyer, all except two of the soIdl8f'S went acqurtted at the subsequent trial, and the two - rightly - were not punished severely for their part in the so-called 'Boston Massacre',

64: ensigns, 55th Foot, with Regimental an
ooiou, The two cololKs, the King's and Regmental, 01 each inlantry battalion, served as a rallying-point and a statJon.keeping device In battle, and ~ke all standards tIYoughoul military history, W8ftl an important psychok)gical factor in the monlIe 01 the regment. Their design is described in the Royal Warrant quoted in the body 01 the lexl. They were carried by

A I•• ~r c.p, p~bl, _ forage c_p, with _ sm_1I visor or pe_k which could be blmed clown to protect ~ eyes. Fonge c.ps _ ....cte _t .-g;.......m.l or company level ...cl

".ned.--..., In coIour,~, m.teriM...cl unifonniTJr. (NrionIllArnl)'MuMumI

llintlock and land service musket, a .75-callbre smooth-bore weapon weighing about ten pounds, Without the socket bayonet, could, in the hands 01 sleady and well-trained men l.Wlder perlect condlllons, oewar one shot every 15 seconds or SO. HIS rations were carried in a haversack of greytSh linen. worn on the left hip with a tlfl canteen 01 water. Note the large flap 01 the cartridge-box, to protect the other loads when the pouch was opened in wet weather, B2; Grenadier, 49th Foot, marching order The 49th, later the Royal Berkshire Regiment, wore green lacings, and lace in 'bastion' loops decorated with red and green lines, This soldier is shown in normal winter dress with long blado; cloth gaiters. The pewter buttons and white gartElfS are typical "arialJOns lrom regulalJon, as is the large brass grenade on his cartndge-box and !he dl3gOfl3llace on !he shoulder' wmgs on hIS coat. Note that hcs hU is plaJIed and the pIalt secured with a comb under hIS cap. The tape holdll'lQ his bearsIon .... place passes under thIS plait.

42

83: Private, Battalion Company, 37th Regiment of Foot The 37th, later the Royal Hampshire Regiment, served in the WaJ lrom 1776 to 1783. This soIdief is dressed for the march in bad weather. He has buttoned his lapels across hIS chest. turned up his collar and lKlbuttoned and turned down hIS cuffs. The regiment's yeIlowfaclOQS and white lace With red and yellow stripes are barely visible. His knapsack is brown goat skin. HIS gaiters are heavily polished lineo With stiff leather tops, secured by black garters, the ends, accordillQ to regulations, passed through !he brass buckles, cut 011 at one Inch, and the ends tumed under, In winter no overcoats were issued, although 30 caped 'watch coats' per regIment were kept lor !he use of sentries in cold weather, The sentry on duty .... Boston on 5 March 1770 probabfy wore one, He was pelted with snow-

ensigns, the junior commissioned rank; while in theory these officers might be 01 any age they were usually very young, sometImes only in their mid-teens. The OtrlCefS illustrated wear the regulation umfoml prescribed in the Warrant, wrth the green lacngs and gold lace of the 55th Foot. later to become the 2nd Battalion, the Border RegIment. Commissioned ranjc; is indicated particularly by a gilt gorget, bearing the royal arms and regimental number and suspended !rom the coat coItar buttons on a ribbon 01 lacing colour; a sword, with gold and red sword-koot; and a crimson silk waist-sash. The colours, which must have been a considerable burden, were 6 It, by 6 It. 6 in, on a pole 9 It. 10 Ins. high. Betlind the ensigns their regiment marches by. led by the grenad_ company weanng painted waterproof covers on their bearsklns and unfashionable red breeches made !rom old coats. a dying practice i'l thefT'lld-l77Os. PLATE C Cl: Officer, Royal Welch Fusiliers Based on a conternpomry portrait, this may show the regiment's lusilief cap, or the slightly taller bearskin worn by the Grenadier company. Each regiment had its 'metal' colour - silver or gold - governing the colour 01 officers' epaulettes, sword-hilts, buttons. lace, gorgetS and so forth. 0lf1l*S of the grenadier comparues wore two epaulettes, while battalion company officers wore one on the right only. Grenadier OtrlCefS, ~ke their men, wore bearskin caps; the caps, distinguished by a Roman regimental number on the crown, It is not clear If the regiment wore bearskins during the war; they still had cloth mitre caps in 1770 and no bearskins in 1794 as 'the cap maker had disappointed them, they all therelore &ppeafBd in pIPl hats with leathers in the lorm 01 his Royal Highless's [The Prince of Wales] crest, which had a very pretty effect', a practice already noted in 1788. His bull breeches, low, highty polished spattetdashes, pouch, and tusil with short bayonet atlI typicaJ campatgn equipment. C2: Officer of Royal ArtJllery The Royal Artillery already had a high reputation for professionaJ skIll, cleanliness, and Wnposing appeaJance; !he largest and best-built recn.uts were pICked lor this service, wNch requrecI a good deal of bnrtaIy hatd work .... handing

guns.

From 1771 to 1775 the 4th Battalion replaced the RA units which had previously been servJOQ in America; four companies of the 3rd Battalion Iat.. came out as remfort:ernents, and four companIeS drawn frcm the 1st and 3rd Battalions are known to have accomparlled Burgoyne's army on its doomed march to Saratoga in 1777. They wore cut-down uniforms - as did the whole army - and altered their hats, adding a red crest. The 4th Battalion are known to have worn a black feather in their hats, and an undress uniform of blue )acket and brown trouSElB. This offICe!" wears the blue undoml coat of his corps, faced with red and laced with gold. He wears the usuaJ crimson sash and a sword; the use of fusils and pooches by artillefy offlCefS was discontinued in about 1770. Officers and men wore white stocks, and the hair was clubbed when on duty. C3: loyalist Officer This well-turned-out American officer wears one of the first uniforms issued to the loyalists. By December 1776 uniforms for the provincial troops were sent out lrom England, consisting of green coats faced while, blue and green, followed later by orange, buff and black. Appateotly the men wore regimental laces but the designs are not known. By autumn 1777 it was decided to put all the provincial units into red coats, like the regulars. C4: AIde de Camp to a General Officer The first orders for the uniforms of staff officers specified red coats, faced blue and embroidered with silver, allowing fashionable gentlemen plenty of latitude. By the 17705 gold-laced button holes spaced singly, and two gold epaulettes were speciflEld for aides..Qe.canlp and the same uniform, but wIth silver instead of gold, for brigade-majors. C5: lieutenant-General An order of 1767 prescribed two coats for British general officers. The uniform coat, richly laced with gold, was worn on state occasions. The scarlet 'frock' faced with blue was ornamented with goId-embroidered buttonholes, set in pairs for major--geoerals and threes for lieutMant-generais. There seems to have been no unHormily in the wearing of epaulettes - one or two, in gold, are believed to have been worn by both these ranks. The coat ~njng was buff until 1772, and white thereafter. A third style 01 coat, the 'undress frock', similar to the frock but lacking the gold buttonholes, was worn for some time before being officially sanctioned in 1786. A gold-laced cocked hat would have been worn, and a privately purchased sword. GeoeraIs dressed and lived like the gentlemen they were, ollen taking enormous Quantities of pet'SOflaI baggage and paraphernalia into the field, and reproducng as closely as possible the conditions of country-house IHe.

PLATE D 01: Musketeer, Regiment v. Triimbach More than 30 per cent of the British forces in North America were hired from the German states - a mercenary arrangement dignified by the close links between the British Crown and various Getman royal houses. Hesse-Cassel provided 17,000 officers and men; less than two-thirds returned home and many settled in the New

Worid. Because of their numbers, aU German troops in America tended to be called 'Hessians' by British and colonists alike, but III fact units from Brunswick, HesseHanau. Waldeck, Anspach-Bayreuth and Anhatl.-Zerbst also served the Bntish Crown. The Hessians were by far the bestorganised, uniformed and equipped. Many were experieoced regular soldiers. The unifOlTTlS were based on Prussian ones and in the field the officers soon abandoned their embroidered buttonholes and finery, carrying slung fusils and rolled cloaks around their shouldefs. The Regiment v. Triimbadl was raised in 1701, arrived in America on 12 August 1776, fought on long Island and in the southern campaign with distnction, and returned home in December 1783. This private wears the canvas overalls adopted by most German troops, and is armed by the Bntish with a Brown Bess musket. 02: Grenadier, Hesse-Hanau Infantry Regiment Erbprinz, 1776 Another of the regiments which accompanied Burgoyne to Saratoga. the 'Erbprinz' proVIded its grenadier company for lieutenant-Colonel Breymann's 'German Reserve' of grenadier and light companies. (This renowned tyrant was shot by his own men after he sabred four of his fleeing grenadiers on the flElld of Bennington.) This grenadier wears the regulation white breeches and long black gaiters, and is distinguished by his tall mitre cap: the fuslliers of the regiment are also thought to have worn a metal·fronted cap, but of lower profile. The white shoulderknot or aiguillette seems to be the regimental distinction of the 'Erbpmz', worn on the right shoulder by all ranks. In action. a small black cartridge-boX, decorated with the monogram of the Erbprinz Withelm of Hesse-Hanau, would be worn centrally on the front of the waistbett. All types of troops in this unit are thought to have worn side-arms.

03: Ensign with Regimental standard, Brunswick Infantry Regiment von Rhetz, 1776-77 A German regiment might be known by the name of its chef, its kommandeur, or its fteld commander. The chef was a colonel-in-chief, usually a member of the royal family or a prestigIOUS general granted the title as an nonour, The kommanderJr was a senior officer, who might well not actually command the unit in the field, in which case it might be known by the name of the officer woo did. Sometimes all three positions were held by one and the same man, but ollen not; and the constant changes in command, internal reorganizations (and differences of contemporary spelling) make it extremely difficult to identify some units. This regiment was first raised in 1748, and received this designation in 1773; its chef was Major-General August von Rhetz. It was secured for American service by the British Government in 1776. and landed near Ouebec on 27 September of that year. It took part in Burgoyne's 1777 campaign. Alter suffering a hard winter at Fort 5t Anfl6 when 'Gentleman Johnny's' 1st German Brigade disappeared into limbo with the rest of his army, such small details of the 'von Rhetz' as had been left in Canada (sic, etc,) were incorporated into the Regiment von Ehrenkrook, and finished the war as garrison troops n the Trois Rivl9fes area. The regiment's muster roll of OCtober 1776 records one lieutenant+Colonel, one 1Tlajor, five captains, live first- and five

43

second-lieutenants. five ensigns; one each adjutant, quartermaster, chaplain, paymaster, surgeon-major, clerk and drum-major; five company surgeons, and four buglers; 50 sergeants and corporals, 15 drummers. 41 officers' valets, and 529 soldiers. (The Grenadier Company was on detached service at this time, but otherwise this may be taken as a fairly typical establishment.) The Brunswick contingent was the second largest but the worst dressed and equipped among the German forces in America. On their arrival in Portsmouth en route for America, the British Government had to spend £5.000 bringing their clothing up to standard - although even then they were cheated by rascally English contractors, receiving shipments of ladies' slippers instead of soldiers' shoes! The coarse cloth of the uniforms was of the cheapest type, the lapels could not be buttoned across. and in the absence of overcoats there were several deaths from cold. Once a proper system of supply was established. the whole army received special winter clothing: loog cloth overalls, woollen caps. mittens. under-jackets, and Canadian blanket coats. The summer overall trousers were often made of striped 'ticken'. The regimental unilorm of the 'von Rhetz' was as illustrated here, although this ensign has certain rank distinctions. The hats 01 the men were bound with white and bore a red pompon and red tufts. The ensign is also distinguished by his cane. and his gold-iace trim at the cuffs. All ranks wore side-arms, and buttons spaced one-two-one down the lapels. The layout of the common soldier's personal equipment was very similar to that of the redcoat of the day. although a knapsack of brown fur was worn slung from the right shoulder and hanging behind the left arm, over the haversack. canteen and sword and bayonet frog Soldiers also wore white shoulder-straps on the left shoulder, over the cartridge-box crossbelt.

44

D4: Musketeer, Anhalt-Zerbst Infantry Regiment, 1781 This imposing figure. described by an eyewitness in New York in 1781, displays the Austrian influence which contrasts markedly with the Prussian-inspired uniforms of the other German contingents in America. The felt hussar-style cap was certainly replaced by a cocked hat in the field, and the breeches and top-boots by linen overalls. There is also evidence that the red waistcoat was replaced by a linen item. The white coat is faced with red on lapels, cuffs and shoulder-straps, and lined with the same colour. The coat buttons were yellow, those of the white-lined red waistcoat were white. The red cloak and red-and-yellow sash would certainly have been discarded except when on formal duties The Anhatl-Zerbst contingent did not have an easy passage to America. The principality, which lay about 20 miles south-east of Magdeburg, had only some 20,000 inhabitants, from among whom their absentee ruler blithely promised Britain a regiment of two battalions of 550 men each. He had to recruit outside his own domains. and then had extraordinary difficulty getting his regiment to the sea. Frederick the Great of Prussia refused him passage through his territory, and the troops had to take an extremely devious route to the coast, through seven other states. Desertions, and keen-eyed Prussian recruiting officers. reduced the force by about 40 per cent en route. Some 600 men finally sailed in April 1778. to be followed by'reinforcements in the three following years. The troops were used as garrisons in

Canada and in New York until the end of hostilities, and never saw action. D5: Private, Brunswick Dragoon Regiment Prinz Ludwig Ernst, 1776-77 Raised in 1698. this regiment was designated a dragoon unit in 1772. Its kommandeur was Major-General Friedrich Riedesel. commander of the entire Brunswick contingent, so it was commanded in the field by Lieutenant-Colonel Friedrich Baum, who was mortally wounded at Bennington. The regiment reached Quebec on 1 June 1776; it mustered 20 ollicers and 316 men organised into four troops each of three officers and 75 men, with a staff of eight officers and 16 men. Although completely equipped for mounted service, the regiment sailed without horses and was expected to mount itself on arrival in America. In fact it was never mounted. and served on foot with Burgoyne's army, wearing gaiters instead of the heavy boots usual for mounted service. (This would hardly have been an insurmountable hardship lor dragoons, whose function had been that 01 'mounted infantry' since the 17th century.) They fought with great courage, and nearly all were killed or captured at Bennington Officers wore a silver aiguillette on the right shoulder. silver lace on their uniforms. silver sword-knots and a silver-andblack sash. All ranks wore white plumes for parade occasions. The drummers were Negroes. and wore reversed colours - yellow lined and faced with light blue. The drum major must have looked extremely splendid in this unilorm, which was heavily trimmed with silver lace. PLATE E E1: Corporal, Foot Jagers, Hesse-Cassel Field Jager Corps The German jagers were the elite marKsmen of the British armies in America. The Hesse-Cassel jagers had fought against the French in Europe in 1758. Recruited from the huntsmen, game-keepers and foresters of the principality, they were every bit as at home in the woods as their American counterparts. By the summer 011777 there were five foot companies and one mounted squadron in America, officially assembled in a corps with an establishment 01 just over t ,000 men - although it is doubtfui if actual strength was even half that, and the 'corps' was invariably broken up into small detachments. The jagers saw action in ail the major campaigns of the war. but always in small units, in keeping with their role. The uniform consisted of green coats, waistcoats and breeches, the former laced and cuffed in crimson. with paired white metal buttons; the white cull lace illustrated here identifies corporal's rank. In summer white or buff linen breeches would not have been uncommon. (The green clothing associated with foresters of many nationalities since the earliest times - one thinks immediately of Robin Hood and his men clad in 'Lincoln green' - was the natural choice for jagers' uniforms; in this specific connection it had been in use since 1744 by Prussian jagers, and has recurred again and again in the uniforms of riflemen of many nations, up to the present day.) On parade green cockades and tall green feathers were added to the hats. The heavy, short-barrelled jager rilies were often personally owned weapons which the men had used in the woods of their homeland. The barrels,

which were lr8QlJ(Ifltly octagonal. did not take bayonets, and

!he men carried short hooting swords as side-arms, with traditiooa.l decorations at hih and pommel, and decorated shell-guards. ArlvnuniIion was carried in a pouch slung on thewaislbe/l.

E2.: Captain I lieutenant Fraser's Company of Marttsmen in 1776 Two men from each company of the Line Battalions of

Burgoyne's army W6fe sent to torm a company of special skirmishers under Captain Alexander Fraser of the 34th Foot. They seemed to have given valuable S61'Vice until the battle of Bennington when they suffered very heavy casualties. This private, from the 21st Regiment, is based on a sketch by an artillery officer. Close examination of the origioal reveals a shortened regimental jacket, a plain cap made from his cocked hat (31 conforming to the orders already affecting all of Burgoyne's army) and leggings of buff cloth trimmed with red tape. Since !he size of the company fluctuated and men were transferred to and from their battalions, they had little chance to develop a special company uniform. E3: British Officer, 1777 This shows !he extnlmely plain dress, based on his own hunting or riding clothes. that might be worn by a British offlC8f in !he field. We must 10000t the loppish, bewigged caricature beloved by HoIywood - most British company olficefs were experienced prolessionals and lived hard lives on campaign. This one wealS a severely cut-down regimental jacket with lapels and lace removed, an unflapped cocked hal, very fashionable 'sportswear' at the time. and his own powder horn and shot bag brought from home. E4: Sergeant, 62nd Foot, 1777 In 1775 the 62ncl Foot Oater the Wiltshire Regiment) were inspected at Cork, Ireland. and the inspecting general obsefved 'uniforms very short and hats very small ... coats CUI so short that I must cal them jackets. Hats too small. Poor Regiment'. (It is pIeasar1t to record that the inspection report of 1787 calls them a 'smart, pretty mgimerJt'.) II seems that Ihe 6200 were anticipating the oroars issued to Burgoyne's army in 17n, and earned that time-hallowed military rebuke, 'Wait for itt' All the regiments under Burgoyne's command, including the artillery, were to reduce their coats to jackets and their cocked hats to caps, so that the whole force would look like light infantry. Roaches of fur and hair, dyed in different colours. were fixed to the caps. The pocket flaps on this figure, wtlich is based Ofl a contemporary sketch, are vertical instead of horizontal as was more usual. They were false pockets, and it may have been thought that they looked 'prettier' this way. The lacings of the 62nd were pale yeDowish buff, and as with 31 regiments with buff facings, the small-dothes are of the same colour. The device on the front of the cap is unclear. The 20th, 21st, 24th and 47th Foot all wore similarly cropped uniforms.

PLATE F F1: British Infantryman In Canadian winter dress in 1776 General Howe ordered that the whole army be provided with warm clothing for the coming winter and a contemporary

drawing exactly matches !he description in Howe's papers. Woollen blanket coats lined with sheepskin. and cloth leggings. 'capacious undetjackets with sleeves of strong while corduroy', mittens and fu" or woollen caps, the Ianer 'Canadian toques'; long knitted caps with tassets or shaped like pointed hoods, helped keep out !he biting cold. F2: Ught Infantryman, BaWe of Germantown, 1777 It is highly probable that British uniforms W6fe adapted to campaign conditions to a far great6f extent than we usually accept. The only contemporary drawings show much altered clothing, and this is backed up by Ieners, diaries and the descriptions of deserters circulated at !he time. Hats were cropped. or 'uncocked' and worn in the popular round form. This uniform is based partly on a painting 01 the Bailie of Germantown. reputedly prepared from the description of an officer who was present. The light infantryman wears a short jackel or sleeved waistcoat without lacings or lace, and linen trousers. His hat is decorated with a feather and his crossbell is black. Gait8f-trousers or overalls CUI wide 'like sailors' were in common use. F3: Officer, 5th Foot, 1777 This officer of the 5th - later the Northumberland Fusiliers is partly based Ofl !he same painting of Germantown. His 'regimentals' are laced 'gosling green' and laced silver. His uncocked or round hat is decorated with a cockade and feathers. His hair is dressed accon:hng to contemporary fashion. and would have been p:>Wdefed for parade. He wears the popular jockey boots and spurs. Officers' swords were supposed to be of a regimental paltern, chosen by the colonel. and of the regimental 'metal' colour, according to the Royal Warrant. In practice many officers seem to have pleased themselves, and curved swords with half-basket hitts were popular weapons. He is comfortably dressed, but manages to be both fashionable and dashing. It was important for officers to maintain their position as 'gen-

tlemen'. AI fusilier regiments were supposed to wear smaller versions of the black bearskin grenadier cap (see 1768 Warrant quotation), but a variety of caps of different panems appear in contemporary sources. Some were peaked, and had transverse fur roaches. F4: Butler's Range~ In September 1776 Maior John Butler of the Indian Department was authorised to raise eight companies of rangers. two of which were to be recruited from men who spolte the Indian language and were accustomed to frontier warfNe. A ninth company was raised in 178t and the wt'IOIe disbanded in 1784. The Rangers wore Ql"een faced red and are often depicted weamg a brass-fronted cap - we have found no contemporary evidence lor it. In t 778 Buller's Rangers and Indians won a vicloty at Wyoming, Pennsylvania. which was built up by propaga'lda and rumour into 'the SlKprising horror of the revolution'. Joseph Brant shared the blame for ii, although he was not even present at the battle. F5: Sergeant, 2nd Battalion Delancy's Brigade in 1776 Oliv6f Delancy, a New York loyalist, raised this regiment of three baltalions (called a 'brigade')lrom loyalists of his state

45

Two cartriclog
lor the defence 01 loog Island. They originally wore greerl uniforms, but were later Issued red faced blue with white lace arranged in ones, twos or threes according to the battalion. The third battalion remarned In New York, but the first two took part In the southern campaign. This sergeant is properly dressed for a parade in summer, with sash and sWOfd. and a broad-brimmed white hat commonly worn in the south. In winter the battalions wore blanket coats. leather caps and red, blue or brown woollen overalls. They were disbanded In New Brunswick In 1783.

gaiters were worn for dIsmounted service. ThIS dragoon, 00 service WIth Tarletoo's famous ptOVInoal cavalry, has - like hIS comrades - preferred to keep and patch his regimental jacket nsteacl of acceptmg the dress of the leglOO: although worn-out brooches and boots have been replaced by gaiter trousers and shoes, and the red silk turban 00 hIS helmet by sheepsklll. Dunng hot weather in the southern campaigns the men wore wttite bnen 'frocks' or smocks In the fielcf fin background). Equipment recorded as shipped lor American service included four filled carbines per troop, corn sacks. nosebags. haversacks With leathElf straps. water-bottles. lelling IDles. iron kettles with bags, hatchets. bell tents, camp colours and 192 billhooks lor dismounted men. The normal armament of the trooper was the heavy straight sword and a pair of pistols.

PLATE G G1: Private, 17th Light Dragoons, on service with Tarleton's British Legion This regiment, later the 17th/21 st lancers. was raised by the officer who brought the king news of Wolfe's victory and death at Quebec. and its death'Head badge - still in use today - commemorates that victory and death. as did the black line in the regimental lace. At various times the skutl 01 the crested helmet was brass, at other limes black. The 1768 Warrant describes the coats of the regiment as red with white facings, white metal buttons In pairs. and white linings. Small-clothes were also wttite. Officers' silver lace had a black edge at the buttonholes. and officers at an inspection in 1771 '...carry their cloaks 01 Mazarine blue. lined with white.. : (Mazarine blue was a deep. rich blue shade). The 17th left Ireland for America In 1775. and landed In Boston just before Bunker (Breed's) HilI. A small detachment took part in the fight, and detachments served In most of the important engagements throughout the war. Short cloth

G2: Corporal, 16th (Queen's) Light Dragoons, 1776-78 The second of the two British cavalry regiments which served in America was the 16th light Dragoons. General Sir John Burgoyne was their colonel in 1766. when they wore black lacings: blue came with the change of title to 'Queen's' late in that year, as all Royal regiments wore blue lacings. The men had white lace, the officers and sergeants, silver: corporals had a narrow silver edge round the top of the blue coat cuff. sergeants were further distinguished by the usual waist·sash with a central stripe of the blue lacing colour. The white metal buttoos were set in pairs; the small-elothes were white. The black helmet had a blue turban. and a red plume rising from a crest With brass trim. The frontal device was in white. The officers' sash was knotted 00 the right hip. as with all mounted regiments. The 16th transferred its effective horses and men to the 17th Ught Dragoons and returned home after the British retreat !Tom Philadelphia in 1778. No doubt these troopers cootmued 10 wear thelf blue·laced coats. at least until they

unotllc:le' devlc:_ like

46

~.

(C09Yright G. A. Embleton)

wore out and could not be replaced. A light infantry or dismounted troop was added to the tegimeot for service in America. They wore leather hI!IImeIs like !he light infantry, brown cloth gaitefS instead of boots, and carried cloaks and hatchets. Broadswords were not carried.

03: British Legion In 1777-78 a mixed cavUymlantry company called the Caledonian Volunteers was raised In Philadelphia under Colonel Lord William Cathcart which, in July 1778 was amalgamated with three other companies to form the British legion. They served under Cornwallis in the south whefe their efficiency and rutNessness made them feared by their

enem'"were

They badJy CUI up at the banJe of Cowpens and surrendered to tile FnIOCh. The surviVors in Chaneston and New

Yon.: meJged into the King's American Dragoons. The commander was BanastRl Tarteton who may have invented the helmet of that name (shown here), but we cannot be absolutely sure that it was worn during the American War. Like the British cavallY they seem to have worn white during the southern campaign.

PLATE H H1: Private, 4200 Royal Highland Regiment, 1783

The Black Watch distinguIShed themselves in the French and Indian War, and returned to America in May 1776. They served throughout the War of Indepeodeoce, and then moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1783 before returning to England in 1784. This soldier wears a unifOlTIl confOlTIling to the 1768 Regulations; the coat is faced dark blue and laced and looped while with a red stripe, with a white lining and waistcoat. The kilted plaid of 'government sett', and the

box wom centrally at the waist began to give way to the conventional pattern in about 1780. Contemporary reports speak of the shortages of broadswords, and their unpopularity among the men in combat - most apparently pmfetT8d the bayooot, and even the grenadkn appeared on pwade without swords. This soIdief uses the frog to carry a cased hatchet. H3: Officer, Flank Company, 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, 1783 Based on a contemporary portrait, this figure Illustrates the appearance of an OfflCef In the field after the regiment had given up the kilt for trousers. His breeches are worn with ordinary black Infantry gaitefS with leather tops. He retains the sash and gorget of rank, and his broadswon:l, but carnes a soldier's CMteen and a cartridge-box on his waistbelt with loads for his fusjl, or light musket. These were usuaIy carried by offICerS of the flank (grenadief or light) companies, and sometimes In !he field by battalion company OfflCefS as well. On parade the latter carned espontoons. light steel-headed half-pikes about seven feet long with a small cross·bar below the blade. These were useful for making a graceful salute and signalling evolutions. but hardly practical as weapons under American conditions. Battalion officers wore a single epautetle, usually an unstlffened strap 01 gold Of silver" lace with a fringe; flank company officers wore two epaulettes, or the lace shoulder-omaments - 'wings' - ~Ius­ !fated here. Frazers High\a<1ders were red-raised dunng the war as was the 71st, and wore a unifOlTIl similar 10 the 42nd, with the 'government sen' plaid, but with white jacket facings.

stiffened Kilmarnock bonnet are the most obvious distinctions of the Highland soldief. The latlef has a diced band and a red tuft or 'touri' on top. and is decorated with a black ostrich feathel'". (These became thicker, taller and rTlOf"e numerous on the bonnets of officers and men alike as the years passed, eventually deveklping into Ihe leathered headdress stil worn with musK:ians' C6f8ITlOfliaJ dress.) He carries the Highland bfoadswon:l or a shoulder bell, a waistbell with cartridge-box and bayonet, and a deerskin spclf1an. H2: Private, 42 Royal Highland Regiment, 1783 An inspection return filed after the regiment arrived In Nova Scotia stated that '...the 42nd could not appear In their full uniform for want of plaids, etc.. which the CO thought proper annuaUy to dispose of during the later War, to purchase a rTlOf"e commodious dress for the American service, with the approbation of the Convnander-in-ehiel. The regiment appeared ~ dean dressed - the men had on white sUong ticken trousers with short, black cloth gaitefS'.lt has not been established whether this abandoning of the plaid was due to shortages and supply difficulties. or to a desire for a rTlOf"e practical campaigning dress. At any event. this private is shown as he would have appeared on campaign, with overall trousers and no gaiters, but retaining his bonnet and short Highland jacket faced blue, and with the 42nd's bastion-shaped loops with a single red line in the lace. Leather equipment was black; it seems that a cartridge-

47

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COMPANION SERIES FROM OSPREY CAMPAIG I Concise, authoritative accounts of dedsi\'e encounters in military history. Each 96 page book contains more than 90 illustrnt'ions including maps, orders of battle and colour plates, plus a seril."'S of three-dimensional battlc maps that mark the critical Slages of the campaign.

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