Introduction

When Jorge Sanchez-Galarraga presented me with the article on provincial units at the siege of Havana that appeared in the last issue, he also provided me with a lot of uniform information. The information that he gave me, as well as John Maass' article on the North Carolina Provincials that was also in the previous issue, provided the inspiration for this brief survey. I have tried to put together what I hope will be a useful article as well as a series of uniform illustrations adapted from both contemporary and modem sources. In addition, I have attempted to provide a summary of these regiments' military engagements with a listing of numbers of men involved and their organization where possible.

I have tried to list as comprehensively as possible both the provincial and regular units that served in North America, including the West Indies, during the Seven Years War. The color section provides supplemental uniform details emphasizing the specifics of the American Provincial regiments, as information on the English regulars is more readily available. The illustrations are based on both contemporary artwork and modern reconstructions by Gerry Embleton, John Barwick, Herbert Knotel, Joe Lee, and David Morier, among others.

Bear in mind that in addition to the regiments listed, every colony had its own militia that could be called out at times of emergency. These men would have worn civilian clothing. Additionally, most of the units pictured are wearing regulation dress uniforms. In the field, modifications were often made. The first thing to go was usually the sword. This was typically replaced by the more serviceable tomahawk or hatchet. Highland regiments, however, were exempted from regulations doing away with the sword and were allowed to retain theirs. Oftentimes the coat would be shortened by removing the tails. Sometimes soldiers only wore their waistcoats. Tricorne hats were often cut down or even turned into short caps. It was not unusual to see soldiers wearing buckskins on occasion, especially the light infantry. Officers often ditched their gorgets, lace, swords, or other distinguishing features because these things made them easy targets for the discriminating shooter. At least among the regulars, white gaiters were worn for dress and were generally exchanged for brown or black ones when on campaign.

General Braddock realized the uniqueness of forest fighting even at the outset of hostilities and made adjustments in the attire of his troops:

"The officers to provide themselves with fuzils as the espontoon will be extremely inconvenient in the woods. The sergeants are to be armed with firelocks and bayonets but to carry their swords.

"18 April, 1755. The men are to leave their shoulder belts, waist belts and hangers in store and are only to take 1 spare shirt, 1 spare pair of stockings and spare pair of shoes and I pair of brown marching gaiters." [1]

What follows is a brief list and description of as many regiments as I have been able to find that fought in North America on the side of the English. The numbers in parentheses are the numbers of men believed to have been present with that individual unit at a particular engagement. Those figures given for Quebec represent the strength of the unit at the commencement of the campaign.

Part I of this essay covers the provincial units and rangers, including those rangers on the regular establishment. Part II is devoted to the regulars.