The United States Army 1783-1811

48 Pages·2001·5.272 MB·English

by  James Kochan, Dave Rickman

1m 1m
MEN-AT-ARMS
THE UNITED STATES
ARMY 1783-1811
CONTENTS
CHRONOLOGY 3
• Organis:llion andopcr.1lionsofUnited SLlteS troops,
1783--1811
UNIFORMS:
THE FRONTIER CONSTABULARY FORCE,
J_Itocun-.pentMartytwo
1784-91 7
~_ • m_mdlre<:tor
andeunlor,prlnclpllilywtthtIM •Josiah Ilarmarand the 1stAmerican Regiment
us~P.rI<Servlc.and • thecontrac of1785& 1786
Ivmy~Syst....,.nd • ~IrSecreta Knoxand :\Iajor Fish
-,.-It1.t~
• the 1787circular
W~..MountV.rnon
'''1'11
~te.Twe ..,1t9lq0_1M
JonnecIhieown THE LEGION OF THE UNITED STATES,
-...-8ndhi"~l 1792-96 13
--..tt.IInc:y,lnckidlngfilmand
• Secreta" Knox's plans- shonjadetsand round hats
~t_hnal~
• unit distinclions
--"-wtIIdI..lNlHd.t
....,...Feny,W..tVlrgln'-o. •Anthom \\'a,"ne·s ·b.1.ttleofthe caps·
1M~otDonTro'-nl'.
ScNdiJw1:,"~,1754-IBaS, THE QUASI-WAR PERIOD, 1797-1800 15
he,...-m..,Inn~b"
• The 1796& 1797regulations
.nlc1MandI'Inorpn~
• Washington. Hamilton. and the 1799 recollunendalions
imporWdedllbltloM,Including
n-re.1'nJm~ntV.rnon: • de\{~lopmentofthe 1799specifications
0-.."'eMIngtonR.nMed.
JEFFERSON'S REPUBLICAN ARMY,
1801-00 21
• Secret:ll)' Dearborn - inanh"il}' and parSilllOll\
• minor modificationsand reforms toold pallerns
• 180-1- reappcardl1CC ofthecoalee
• light arlille!)'and rine unifonns
THE ARMY ON THE EVE OF WAR,
1809-11 33
• ~I;!jor McComb. Secrctar)' Eustis, and the circulation
or
lhc 1809 prOlot)'pcS
O'...ldRlckm.nI.Ihe.xhlblt.
• the confused cmcrgence Oflhc 1810 patterns
co·ortiln.torlor11'1.Delaware
,g"
p.arl<••,.tem,whereI'll.
CONCLUSION 36
I•.,ourlt.pnljectI.h.lpillilto
,..tOI'l.ndfIIml'h.n
AnterlcIfleMtWar-.1'1I SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 37
--.tfortr AIother
U..-IM..I 1 I.ne.
I"",t,.lorepec:1.tl,lngIn THE PLATES 39
hl'tor\CIland.Ihnogrllphlc
IUbject..HI,womIreIn11M INDEX 48
colloectMtnIoftheNetlon.1
PerttServk:e,PlrI<,Cllnedl
end...1ricKIsothermUHYm,
endhistorictit...Th.eon01I
US"-..y iltor.Oe'tkl
~ upInCII/fon'I&I,
hiliItwedIn~and_
n-In~DeIIW_
wtttIhie....,DebcN'Ih.
SERIES EDITOR: MARTIN WINDROW
THE UNITED STATES
ARMY 1783-1811
TEXT BY
JAMES KOCHAN
~
MILITARY
3
Fnlput>l<sIIedIn2001 DrOI4ny~, ElmaCourl, Dedication
CIlapojway,801..,.,OlclOl'll0)(29lPUnotMll(>ngdom
Tomyparents,JakubandGeorgeneKochan,lottr-loveand
encouragemenl,aswellasll'leorpal~ andgUIdanceduMg
~familyvacationsthaIalWaysInCludedVISIts10amyriadof
....ngtns_ AfJiwlfn;mMI)',...-.glor!he~01p.MU.SlU<Iy, museums,I'lIstoricSItes,fortsandtlattlelields
_,~01_."pIIm'lII1ed....-!lle~,Deeognsend
Pel_Act.11188,nopen01_ ~meylie~ _ In. Acknowledgements
............,-n,OI~"In.-.yform01Dr'"'-.ooIecIftlnoc,
~ a.r.:aI.~,~, ~-.lingOlo:xrw-,
-......!liepro..nn.-.poem-..01!lie0Cl(Iyng/Il_ ~shouIlllle SpeaIlIhank3frombothartIStandIIllI!hol"10TnII_Crowder.Chudl
_ro!lle-'" FitIlI3Il,andJohnl/virIgstonlot~Iondassostaneedumgthe
PfllPl"lIOn01theeoIourp1at_, thave~edfromthe
-.-- generoIllyofP'fSOtllltooIlUIMrOUS10name,bothlnlltltUIIOnilIstaff
-158N-1841-7e0l10 and~,dumgmy-enontt.1IUbfecI01*mal'f
~but•woukIbe....".,.nottosrogleout• leWoftheITIOSl
EdIu:r,..,...WncIIOW
helpful:AlanAImone,BnlWl0unnIgwI.the"" 0etm8rFinke.
BlIGutI'man.Peter~on,thelilt.H.Cha1esMcBarron,EIen
~,DaveSommons.JohnSI" DonTroIIf1I,andlastly
~byColoo.JrpeIh,Ulndon.Uk
"""*'11'1a-!hr'oI.9l-PM!lid Mreap1roudluZcleadtdlolr(wtthwe3lIn1ItloIIeII'TleldIInItltIot.~wcrt).'hHawttaWs!•ondics:ttJranwawplglse'a stn
toW'Cril:IIQIIII'lwf\tll'llstoncal.-tillandtnend0eVldAIckman:and
0102000'05 101'7'~.]21
_ bothexlendourdeepand~Ih8nkstoeditorMao1Ifl
FORItCATAlOGUEOf.......musPU8U5HEOBY0Sf'AEY Wndrow,__patlInI.~andgood-humored.
MVIAA'I'NItJA'Ml'IONPU.A5E'MlJT'ETO
Artist's Note
The~-"",,~""""ltO,PO&o.1~
_ ...............~HNlI~"""'"KIngdom
EnW:~"O__.l'dioacLco'" Reader1I~ca'etonoeeIha1Itl1o0f9NIIplJIfIIlngIfromwtw;::hthe
eoIourplat_Intt.book__~_ ........lorpnYlIIII
The-...w.g-..0-,~0lrac1USA, sale.Allrepoducttoncopynght~• .....-:lbythe
rJOMcKofboob~PO&0.I, Put*shltrl.AI~shouldbeIlbessedto'
~WI!5402D-0001,USA
EmIlI:lnIoe_.,..ac-.-n Dav>dRickman,1000NcwttIMorvoeSIAtIl:,WinWogton,
0ttIaware19801,USA.;orbye---m.I.,.rckr3akOspmtmal.com
ThePublIshersregretthlttheyc.nem_mono~
uponItvsmatt_
CaptJohn Prittw..comml..loned In 17111 and..rvedIn
the hI Inlanlry(aubuquenll'y Ihe 1atSUb Legion}until
December17113, Heapent moat01hlatimeinthee81l,
whereheovel'1lwr8Cl'\litlnllandaupplymatten Ind_a. is
evidentInthis 17I1Z pol1nlt byRalph EaI1- did not
encounterthe.hamlle.offood andclolhingwhichp1a9ued
thelroopaon lhe lrontler. HI.unlfomlcantomlato 1787
regulallon., thoUgh thecollarI.ofthe'11..andfalt' 10ml
ratherthan the almpleat.ndlngcolla••peclfled,Theacal1el
lapetsIre..nbuttoned,andhllb~oltn.Societyofthe
Clnclnnall_Indlc1lting hi.prior..rviceaaanof'fk:..in!tie
Contlnent.lArmy_Isproudlywornonthelefttapel,The
singleaitftr.-pa..letteonhbrlghtahoukterIndic.at..hi.
rank, In_ h.and heholda aaI'Iort*,tver-or.teel-mounted
Nber;In Iheother,• 1791 inlPlCtlon retumoflhe
regiment,The'aprangwof'k' "-,,ofcl1maonailk,wtloM
weavegave11el..ticproperties.Isaeeuredallopcent..to
a v..t button_perna,",anaffect.tlon.but_ likely•
nee.....rymHfilre10~IIt allcl9lngbelow his
pronouncedt1omach.ICcKiI1_y Dalta. Mu-..mofArt)
29 September 1789 Cnder the ne\\ Consti
Huional gm'crnlllent, Congress passes an act lO
recognise the lIlilitan establishment prC\ioush
founded, consistingof700uoopsoriginalh raised
for..eniccon the fronticr, plustheadditional IWO
companiesofarlillen rai-.ed under the resoh'e of20 October 1786,
30April 1790 Congresspasse~an aCI toregulateand eSL."lbli~h(in lieuof
the former act) the militan forces ofthe L'niwd States, toconsisl of:
I battalion ofanillen (of" comp<mies)
I rl-'g"illlefll ofinfantn' (of!'\ baltillions, each of12companies),
rail 1790 Expedition consi~ling of 35!'\ regular troops and 1,133
KelHucI..\ and Penn'i\lvania militia undel Harmar mount offensive
dJf<lilbt ~liami Indian lown'>.Twoad\,mceddetachmentsaredefealedon
19 and 21 October llith nearh 200 regulars and militia killed.
3 March 1791 Congre<;satllhori<;esan additional regiment orinfanlr\', lO
beorWllli...cdas the precedingone. The president isempowered to raise,
in addili011 10or ill place oflhe militia, ,ix-month lroopsenlisted under
11Iedenomination of'Levies', not to exceed 2,000 rank and rile.
Summer 1791 1'\\0 raids alonl{ the \\';tbash River are conduCled by
Kctlluck\ IllOllllled militia with partial success, destroying Indian lawns
and crop....
3 November 1791 A force of 1,'100 n:glll:u''i. lc\~e'i and mililia under
~laiGL"l1Arthur 51 f:lair. governor of the Nonh\\cst Territon', is rOUled
ill all allack on Iheir camp 011 the ea~lcrn branch ofthe Wabash River
(ill pre~elH..da\ \\estern Ohio) b\ Indians numbering between 1.000
and 1,500. In \-Iml has become kllo\\n as 'St Clair's Defeat' more than
llOOofficers and men are killed and some 300 wounded - relative LO Lhe
,iLL" of the force, the greatest ddeat ~ulTcred 1)\ the L'S Arm\ in its
hi\lOn,
5 March 1792 Congress passes an act to rai-.e 'al the discrerion ofwe
pre~ident',lor lhree \'ears:
I ..quadron ofdragoolH (of Itroops)
~ l"eg-illlents of infamn- in addition to the IWO in sen;ce (each of
4 goO rank and file and org<mised in 3 banalions)
AnotherrobuaUrbuilt offic:er_UCol WIlliam Dartte,
whoc:ommandeda battalion 01 Levlea rlll.ect from the
VirgInia militia duringthedlallilroua ngl c:ampllign. In
thlapainting byFrederickK-.nmelmeyerhla uniformla
cllt In Iheatyleoftheday, .IthoughtheKarlet·faced
blueCOllthaaaf.ll-down collarrlltherthanthemore
faahlonableatandln.g 0'rI"-lInd-fall lorma. Notethe
ailve,orwhit.edgingtohla'Klnga, thetwoalive,
epiIluletl_Indk:aUngfield rllnk,and Iheallverplateon
thewhiteawordbelt; M (:llmeaa ..beranda dirt<.Inthe
bec:kgroundtroopawith'blld bayonet.areahownctNU'V!n.g
Indians; Dartte ledth...suc:hchargon.,all Inefleeti\le,
duringStCtal...clefeal,yel mlrll(:ulouaty...nrlvlldwith
onlya slightwound,The_Id.....- d.......ed In blue<:oat_
w;u,redfKlng..whit.'lftt..brown linen overall.. round
nata,and 'bellybo.es'- IIlm"tc:ertalnlyrepreaent
hh LevleL(CourteayTheMlrMUmof EarlySouthem
DecoralhteArta)
27 December 1792 Thc presideIII directs the
reorgani~tdonof Ihe milil<ln estilblishmelll (as
allowed b\ Ihe ,ICI of 5 M.lfch Ii92) illlo the
'Legion of the United Slates', under the
command of :\l;tiGell Anthom Wavne. The
Ll'J,rlon is 10 be fonned into ,I Sub u.:gions. e.tch
consisting of:
3 b.·J.lIalions ofinfalltn (of<I companil:s)
I haltalion ofrifle troops (of'1companies)
I troop ofdr;:tgoons
I compam ofanillen
9 May 1794 Congress pa~s an act to organise
a 'Corps of Anillerbt!> and Engineers' 10 be
incorporated wilh the aniller) already in sen;ce,
10 be fOI"l11(.'d in I hattaliom of 10 companies
each.
30June 1794 Following the successful ambush of
a sllppl} lrain, SOllle I,~OO Indians engage the relief lorce 1>Cnt from
nearby Fort Recovery and thell alti.u:k the poSt, but arc fOllgh! ofrb~ the
garri'on ofu'giotl regulars.
20 August 1794 Afler advancing against the :\'Iiallli \'illap;es 011 tht·
I\latlllH~e River, WayIll: and 1,000 Legion troops and KClltucky 11101l111l'd
voltlll!eers defeat an Indian lorce of approximately 1,000 (including
wnl(' 100 Canadian \ulunteers disguised as Indians) at the ballic of
Fallen Timbers, breaking tht: slrt:nglll oftht: allied tribcs.
3 AUgtL'i1 1795 The Treaty of Gret:nvillt: is signed with tilt.' Indians.
who cede most ofthe lands thai comprise prt:scllt-da} Ollio and eastenl
Indiana.
31 October 1796 The military establishment of the L'nited Stales is
reduced 10:
The corps ofarlil1eri~t.sand engincers
2 troopsoflight dragoons, 10serve on horse or fOOl
-I regiments ofinfantry (each of8 companies)
27 April 1797 C.ongre'iS passes an an 10 prmidc for an additional
(2nd) regimenl ofartillerists .md el1hrlneers of3 bauaJions, each with
12companies. 5
16 July 1798 [n the opening davs of lhe 'Qua~i·\\'ar' \\'itb France,
Congress passes an act to auglllclll the anm by l~li,ing:
12additional regimelltsofinfallln (giving a lotal of16)
I regiment ofdragoons (2 ofits 8 troops alrea(h in <;('r"ice)
14 May 1800 The threat of pos~ibtc \\711' or ill\"asiotl having passed,
C.ongress di.schargc..'S all onicers and men I~li,ed under the acts 10
augmelll the arm}', except:
2 regiments ofartilleristsand engineers
2 troops ofdragoons
4 regimentsofinfantr...
16 March 1802 Congress fixe~ the Militar\ Peace Establishment of the
eSA to consistof:
1regimelll ofartillen of5 battalions (each of" comp.'mics)
2 regiments ofinfanu... (each of10companies)
Acorpsofengineers (nOl to exceed 20officcl'~and cadets)
A military acadenn, to be supcnised b\ the chiefengineer
28 February 1803 C..nngress alilholise~ additional teachingst<l.fTfor the
acadenl\, and I artificerand 18enlisted men for theColllSofEngineers,
180~1806 The Prmince ofLouisiana b officialh ceded to the L"SA b\
France (who had onJ... receiH'd it from Sp.lin three weeks earlier) on
20 December 1803. in the \\'lkc of the Louisiana Purchase. L'S regular
forces begin to establish nc\\ milit3n POStS along the ~lississippi Ri\er
\<l.lle\. Parties largeh dr.mll from l'S Arm\ personnel explore the
\'l$1 11("\\ \\estern terrilories. Tensions with Sp.,in are exacerbated as
'filibustering' expeditions largeh recruited and mounted from the
US threaten the Spanish borderlands and ~Iexico.
12 April 1808 In the aftennath ofthe 'UI'5fl/l'nk""/.Nt/KlnlAffair' and in
anticipation ofwar \\ith Great Britain, a C.ongrcssional act is passed to
raise, in addition to those corps then in ~nice:
I regiment oflight artillen' (of 10companies)
WhileWayneand his Legion
mountedtheircampaign agalnat
the Ohio Indlenl In 17g4,
PrnldentWashington callad
oul IIvolunteerarmylrom the
militia 10 IUpp....the 'Whiskey
Insurrec:tlon' Inweltern
Pennsylvania_.n.grarlan revolt
aplnlttheFeder.1eldsetalon
locallyproducedliquor. M.ny01
thevolunleerawe..armed,
equippedandevenunllormed
bytheFedllralllOvllmmenl.
Washington"~01the
Virginia andMarylandwingofthe
armyat FortCumberlandon
2O<:tober t7a4 ladepletedhere
byFredllrlc:kI(emmel~....
6 (Courtesy,WInterthurMuseuml
I regiment ofliglll dragoons (of8 troop:.)
I regiment ofrinemen (of 10companies)
5additional regiments ofinfantl"\ (each of 10companies)
7 Nm'cmber 1811 Al the battleofTippecanOt'.Governor\\ilJiam Ilenn
Harrison and hisanm (consistingofthe 4th CS Infamn. Indiana militia
and Kemuc,,", \"olumccrs) are surprised in their encampment In
an earh-morning att;.lcK b\ Indians under The Prophet. but succeed in
sah-dging a \'ino!'} from ncar-defeat. This breaks the po....er of the
confederated Indian tribes in tile l':orthwest Terrilon·.
UNIFORMS: THE FRONTIER
CONSTABULARY FORCE, 1784-91
---
DUI;ng 178+-85 lhe handful ofregular troops lefl in me sen;ce ofthe
United Stales were clothed in me same 1\1>C of unifonns that tilt:'
had pn:vioush 1'001 in the Continental Anm at the closeoftheWarfor
Independence. II had been directed. b\ General Ordersof6 December
1782, that 'the Cnifonn of the American Ca\'all"\ and Infantn shall in
futurc be, blue ground, \,'itll red facings and ....hite liningsand buttons',
while thcanillen would 'retain it!>present uniform' (blue'lithscarletor
red facings and linings and ~ellow tl;mmings). This initial attcmpt to
provide aconsistelll llnifonn dr~ssofblue \\'ith scarletor red facings for
UniH'd Stales troops would he followed in practice. 10 a large degree,
lllllilllle Warof1812.
In ~la}' 1783. during the waning- months of the war and in
anticipalion of lhe impending trcat\' \\;th Creal Ikitain. Cen George
\\'a~hingtoll directed Cell Ilenl"\' Knox to pro\;de the l..ondnental
Congress\\;th cost estimate~for troops intended tobe raised (orkept in
sen;ce) to OCCUP\ the frontier posts ofthe ne\\ nation. Included in me
resulting (:stimates was a statemelll ofthe nccess.ln anicles ofunifonn
dress \,'i1h componelll brCill..downs and their associated costs. This
Detailfrom theKemmelmey.r
p.lnllngoftheFort Cumberland
.....I.w. Oespit.thenal....
executionofthebKkllround
tlgu u..¥Oluntea..•bh~e
c_t withredtKlne••white
......tsando...eraltsck>sely
~b"thosewom byregu,,"r
Int....tty.andm.yh.aYabaRn
pn:wlded from....rplu.legion
slockS; nolethe roundhatsand
lheu..ofbellybo••••The
office..W.artull-aklrte<lc_ts
andcocke<l tlats.whilethe
'music'aAi Incoateasof
.........dcolon.(Court.sy.
Wlnt.rthurMuseum) 7
c~tin];lte rrovide~ addition;11 imi!{llls imu the form ofclolhill!{ l\picllh
furnished for l'l\li~lt'd(:otllincntal infalllryat the clos<-' ofthe 1\;lr.
In ket.'pill!{ \\ith the 17R2direni\·e. uniform com.'>wen: to be of bllll'
cloth with '\C'lrlt.'t lapcl~, cllfT~ and collarand white~hallooJlIinillg~.With
onIv ,Ill il\l'I'age of 1I. \'mds of blue "/. (E'·lin width) cloth illIo\\ed per
coal.we knowthat th(·\ I\t.'refairh shon!{arlllellL';.probabh onh coming
down to mid·thigh. although lhe skins had full tumb,leks join('d
u>gether b\ a hook-and-c\e arrangemenL With onIv V, \"anl of cloth
prmided for f.ICing" (ill' oppo"Cd 10 the V. "ard .lllowed ill Brili~h
;\rnn coaL~ lIl.lcle according to lhe 1768 warr.nu). Wl' 1I1il\ deduct.' th,ll
lhe '\Carll'l lap(_·I... CliO" and cape were probabh fairh Jlarrml. The
H'commelHkd .1Ilnll.11 i...~u(' .11'iO included a ·\e.t with skin."; or\\;Ii,lcu.ll
and a pairofhrcl'cll('~.oolh of"hite cloth: a pair ofbille wool o\erall....
a pail' of linen O\l'rall~. a fell hal. and a hllllling shin of bro\\'n Iinl'n
completed Ihe i-.slle. in addition 10<;hins. shoc<i. and siockings.
When the Fir,,1 .\nwric.1Il Regiment was actualh I'aiscd durinJ.(
178+-8:;. we find IIMI 11ll' recruits dre\\ c10lhing \en Illuch in keeping
wilh th.1l c1t''iCribed in Ill(' ahme e~limate. allhough .some exceptiom
\\ere nnled. .\IO'it of thio; clothing was ~lIrpllls stock in siore frolll the
old C.olllinelH.11 .\l"Im. and not all was of the Sinne form ur C(Jlnr
combin'lIion<;. In j<muan l7AS iL<; commander. LlCoI Jo~iah IIanliar.
ob'iCr\ed to one ofhi~compam commanders that 'some of\our Illen'~
coats are r<lced \\'ilh \\hite and some with red - I....ish \OU 10ende<lw)Ur
10 procure ,I "ufficil'llC\ ofScarlet, and aher the while in order tlMI Ihe
Regiment ma\ be uniform..... UllIe coaL' \\;Ih white facinb~ had bl'ell
preSC"ribed in 1779 for ,111 Continenlal u'oops from Ihe :\ew England
Sidtes:1Il'1lI\ ofthe;,('werl' still in store. unaltered.,n the close ufIhe Wilr,
dnd ....ere i,slIed to the nl'\\' lroops whenever and where\t~rsufficient
quanlilie~ofred·f<lcl·d tlllif()rm~wcre unavailable.TheGlptain cumplied
b, pllrcha~illg'iCilrkl doth from ~toppages 10 his men's rum ralion,
which probahh IIIMIe him !e<;s Ihan popular among hi~ lhil"it\ hut now
unifonnh clad men.
The cocked hah fir't i"Sllt'd Olll to the new troopswere stilltrirntlled
with the 'lInioll cockad(" of while OWl' hlack ribbon, adopted b, lhe
l--ontincnt;11 Army in 1780 and spnholising the alliance ofro\~11 France
with the United Slalc~ in lheir <;Irllggle for independence. [n.lul)' 17R~ Thl' detailfroms d..wlnll01the
Ilarmar requl'~'edthclI-&'cf('laryat \\'''1' Knox'~ in~trucljonsin order to mllll.ry.,tsbllshmentslW.sl
fix the colnr~ for a 'national' cockade for his 111cn. Knox. nOling: Ihat Polnl has be.nv.,louslydated
betw••n 17i2snd 17i7, butI'
noearll.,than 17i2- theyear
lisarttst, Archibald Robert,on,
Ilrstamved InNewYorkfrom
SColland. Infront ofthebarraeks
t.nbe...ns companyoftroops
(Infantry0'.rtillary)In round
hats, shortcoatssnd ov...II1"0""
commandedbyanoffie.rIn
coal snd co<:ked hat.Ofgreat
Int.....1....thedst1lspots
purposelypl~edonthekneesof
theove""s,whichsuggestthe
uNofpatcn..or...infon;:ements
msdefrom coatperine.
cI.Plsle B3.(COurtesyUSMilibry
Aclt6emyM.......m.WestPoint!
lighl-colored cockade, wt:rt' impraclical. illstead
decided upon mort· durable aud cheaper
ones ...tamped from black leather. which had 'a
respectableappear-mce hell the\'werepolished'.
\1
The limiled ~mcks of \\'.lrtillle c10lhing were
fast dimini~hing, hO\lc\l'f. forcing tilt" Board of
TreasLlr\ 10 achertise in ~I,l\ IiSS for bids to
furnish Ihe deficient clothing articles. These
included. among other il('I11~. 120 aniller\' and
-198 infant" coats: 110artille" haL~trimllled with
lellO\\ cord lo()ping~and ;')C)() inf,mtro ont'S with
whitl' loopinh....: IIhite woollen and linen O\er-tlls:
and blad. lealher~toclsand c1a.~.p\. The ::"ewYork
mercamile linn ofLlwTence ~. Morrisslicct.'Ssflllh
sccured the contraCI. which h;ld been modified
in time to include the traditional distinnion<;
accorded 10 .)('rgeantS and 11l1l~ician<;. thank.<; 10
the w,nchful c\t~<; of ~l,ti :"icholas Fish. This
officer reminded the Hoard that '\erge;uwi drl'SS
\\,1~ ·...imilar 10 that of pn,.ue\· although with a
'small difference in the qualil\ ofthe CIOlh' and
'with uiflingbadge<;on theirShoulders':whilethe
'Colour of the Drummer<; & fifers Coats. is
dctennined b\ that of the facings on the CoalS
of the Banln. ~Ien - and lhe facing... regulated
b\ the same rule'. :'1:01 onh were the sergeants'
coats of betle,' nMtcrial<;. the\ were also longer (in imitation of the MajGen'MadAntnony'Wa~.
cOlllmi~ioned officer.... wh~c <;kirts came dOlm to the knee). with Laogloncommand andvlctcM'
IY. \,ard... ofblue c101h pro\'ided for the bod\' rather than Ibe IY: \<Irds ofFallenTlmbe p8lntedIn
PhiladelphiabyJean-Pia,.,...
allocated for pri\';nes' or Illusicians' coaL<;. Each sergeant recci\'ed two
Henri El_lsln 11Monlymonths
worsled epaulelles, while corporals recei"ed one (to he worn on thc
belorehi.death. Now50and
right shoulder). In addition to lhe contrasting color scheme, lhe mw.ic gout-ridden,Wa~Is.tlown
coats were also laced with 20 \'ardsofbinding percoal. pointingtoacopyoftheTreaty
De"pilc \uch last-minute improvements. lhe 17ft> COI11l<\Cl clothing: ofGreanville;again,tha
Cincinnati eagleonhi.lapel
rccei\'ed less Ihan stellar relit.'ws when i'isned that fall. Captain Douglll\'
commemorllt....,..,IceInthe
of lhe anillel') inf<w111cd Fi~h lhal he 'found the Men's Coat\ ~o vcr) W.rfor lnd.pendence.The
defecti\'e fl'Olll Ihe mi\erable I\adne..s of lhe ClOlh. thai many of lhem generalolflc:er'.unlfo"" i.
arc almost worn OIU', Thi" complainl 1\.1." echoed the following April hy bluewithbufflacing.and
Lleol IlannaI', who nOlcd Ihal lhe coatswere of'lhe l\"Drst qualilYhcing smallclothe., trimmed withgilt
buttonsand twogoldepauletles
made ofa kind ofStroud or DutilI', Dought) procured for 'each i\lan a
each bearingthetwostarsofhis
new faleagu(' l'eSI mack ofblue cloth Wilh a red Cape & lineage' which
r.nk. HI.walstco.tor'vest' has
he hoped would be reimbursed by sloppages - a measure endorsed b\ a sl.ndlngeoltarand short
liannaI', who allclllplcd lO obtain 'faligue coats' for the entire regiml't11 skirts, 11111~ulatlon for most
'in order to Sine the uniform ofthe men, & to be deducted out oftlll'ir olflce... Inlothe1.le17lKls.
.Ithough 'round'orIIklrtless
pa\'.A'ilateasr\Ugll..1171'16anolht'rollicercomplained that he had been
v..ts_re.Ire.dypartofthe
deli\'ered 20 ilHillen coat<; 'nOl Ullifonn being made during the war';
.nllstedmen"Issue.nd WIllf1l
so the occasional ~tlrpltlSRt'\olUlionan uniform was slill 10 be found in sportedbym.nyofthemonI
lhe ranks. f.shlonabl. offlc....(Court..y
In AUbFJ,st 1786theTrc<lsun Board awarded the clothingcontntCI to TomP.......Collectlonl
anolher mercantile linn, Turnbull, ~Iannie & Co., which prO\'icl('d
similar uniforms, although Ihis tilll(" all ranks recd\'ed longer coats
based on two \'ards of hoch cloth a\("raged per coat. \'e'its or jacket'i' 9