Some correspondence with Rene Chartrand suggests the white and blue uniform depicted in my article on Spanish uniforms at Pensacola may well have been from a considerably later period. The uniform depicted in the article was based on a reconstruction by Joseph Hefter, about which I believe I expressed certain reservations in the article. Rene notes that the earliest reference he has seen to such a uniform is contained in the 1812 edition of the 1769 Dress Regulations, published in Havana, where it is referred to as the uniform "presently used" by the Morenos. Thus, it seems likely the Morenos Libres at Pensacola in 1781 would still have been wearing the uniform first introduced in 1764 and covered by a Royal Regulation issued in 1769, I have sent in an illustration of this uniform, it's colour details follow:

Black felt cap with a small turned-up front flap, red cockade on the left side, the "tourie" or small pompom being variously described as white or black by different sources, red cravat, short red jacket with blue collar and cuffs, trimmed with white lace (a reconstruction by J.M.Bueno depicts the collar and cuffs as a light blue, but the regulation describes them simply as "blue"; the regulation mentions white metal buttons but illustrations in the archives at Simancas appear to show the jacket fastened with hooks and eyes, without visible buttons). Natural leather belts and "belly pouch", loose white pantaloons tied with blue garters below the knee, white stockings with black short gaiters.

The regulation notes that "in wartime" they were to be issued a blue "capotillo" with red collar and cuffs, I would assume this to be similar to the "gambeto" used by contemporary peninsular light infantry units, which was a sort of loose frock coat or short greatcoat, usually with knee length skirts and a single row of buttons down the front, on campaign it would commonly be carried slung over the left shoulder as depicted here (the collar and cuffs may have been edged with white lace as for the jacket). Armed with musket, bayonet and straight bladed "machete" on the left hip.

I have also included the notes sent in by Rene Chartrand as I feel that they could be of some assistance to a few members. T.D.H.

As always, I much enjoyed the latest El Dorado, I have enclosed some notes that relate to the article by C. A. Norman on Pensacola 1781 ( E.D. Vol. VI. Nos. 2 & 3.) who mentions several points that are unclear upon which I might be able to comment upon and, in some cases, present further documentation.

The white and blue uniform of the Morenos unit may date from later than the period of the siege of Pensacola. The regulation concerning the Militia of Cuba were issued in 24 June 1764 (Archivo General de Indias, henceforth AGI, Santo Domingo, 2078) and became a royal regulation on 19 January 1769.

The uniform of the Morenos units was to be a red jacket with blue cuffs and collar, white lace and white metal buttons, baggy white breeches, red cravat, black cap. In "wartime" meaning here on campaign, they were to use a blue "capotillo" a son of frock coat made of light weight material, with red collar and cuffs. The earliest reference I have seen to this white and blue uniform is in the 1812 edition of the 1769 regulation, published in Havana and reprinted there in 1833. A footnote added that the uniform "presently used" by Morenos was: white coat, waistcoat and breeches, dark blue collar, cuffs and lapels, black shoes. In December 1835, the Cuban militia was reorganised and all units adopted a dark blue coat with crimson collar and cuffs, gold coloured buttons, white pantaloons and shako (Pedro Deschamps Chapeau mentions, Los Batallones de Pardos y Morenos Libres, Havana 1976).

The Louisiana Dragoon company formed in 1780, according to a 1784 report (AGI, Cuba 2360, Estado... Cuerpos Veteranos y de Milicias...) wore: blue coat, breeches and cloak, scarlct cuffs, lapels and waistcoat, gold buttons.

The same document reports the uniform for all corps and independent companies of the Louisiana Militia as: blue coat and breeches, scarlet collar, cuffs, lapels and waistcoats, gold buttons. This, however, did not include the Militia Artillery as they werc instructed not to have lapels on their uniforms "like other militias" reported Galvez on 11 March 1778 (Arch. Nacional de Cuba, Florida, Cartas de Galvez, Vol.2. No.125, copy in Library of Congress, Washington D.C. ). The other exception was the "Carabineros" at New Orleans, a militia cavalry formed by Galvez in 1779. Gathering the city's wealthy gentry. They had a uniform consisting of a "puce coloured" coat - a rich deep crimson colour according to the portrait of Jean-Baptiste Macarty in the l,ouisiana State Museum - with white collar, cuffs, lapels, waistcoat and breeches, gold laced button-holes, gold buttons.

The crest of the Louisiana regiment's flag had the same arms as during the French Regime except that the fleurs de lis were indeed replaced by the quartered lions and turrets of Leon and Castille, as Esteban Miro had to explain to the Marquis de Sonora back on 24 March, 1787 (AGI, Santo Domingo, 2163).

The 2nd regiment of Voluntarios de Cataluna, of the metropolitan army and raised in 1762, was the unit at Pensacola in 1781. It arrived at Havana with many other metropolitan troops in August 1780 (Clonnard, Historia organica..., Vol.13, p.401-405). The Independent companies of the same name originated in 1767 but always served in western Mexico, California and, yes, even Canada at Nootka (see J. Sanchez, "Spanish Bluecoats"). The two colonial independent companies of Voluntarios de Cataluna were part of the regular forces of New Spain and were not the same unit as the metropolitan 2nd regiment.

For a discussion of units at Pensacola, see Albert W. Haarman's "The Siege of Pensacola: An Order of Battle" Florida Historical Quarterly, Vol.44, No.3, January 1966, pp. 193-199.

White cravats (or neckties) seem to have been common at this time, many officer's portraits have them. I can briefly say that I noted some in museums in Madrid, Mexico, New Orleans, Havana and Bogota. Two manuscripts in the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection, Brown University, of the uniforms of the Spanish metropolitan army of 1777 and 1780 shows the men's cravats to be white, this being especially clear in the 1780 manuscript. Many drawings of uniforms in the AGI also have white cravats as well as black, and also shows red for Moreno units.

Navy officers indeed adopted the same rank badges as in the Army in 1769. This was reported approved by the king on Ist March, and on 29'h March, the orders went out of Cadiz (Museo Naval, Ms 1372, f.l37). The silver twisted cuff lace appeared in the Navy when, on 20'h December, 1773, the rank of Brigadier of the Royal Fleet was created (Museo Naval, Ms 823, f.22).

Turning to the marines, the 1777 manuscript gives them tricorn hats, laced yellow rather than the helmet shown for the other regiments, except the Swiss units (the 1780 Ms shows all grenadiers). The Marine infantry dress approved by the king on 17th August 1763, included the uniform of the drummers and fifers: blue coat, turnbacks and breeches, red cuffs and waistcoat, garnished with the lace of His Majesty (Museo Naval, Ms 1372, f. l l 4).

Which brings me to another item that has been very widely misunderstood by nearly all Spanish researchers on military dress since Clonnard, that of liveries for drummers, fifers and trumpeters.

When the Bourbons came on the throne of Spain in 1700, they brought with them their livery which was ordered worn by all forces in 1760. This consisted of a blue coat faced with scarlet collar, cuffs and turnbacks, if the unit had lapels, its drummers would have them in scarlet. The collar, cuffs and lapels were edged with the royal livery lace, a white chain on a crimson or red ground. The buttons were those of the regiment (Archivo General de Simancas, Guerra Moderna 2986, royal order of 11th March 1760). Only the regiments of the queen (who had a reversed livery: red lined blue, white chain lace on blue field), of a few princess the foreign units, such as the Swiss regiments and a few other exceptions were allowed to wear the livery of their colonels.

Two small notes by Chuck Norman on this article:

The Marine infantry's headgear illustrated in the article was a case of "artistic license", as noted in the article it seems likely that the Marines had changed to the bicorne hats by c. 1780, but I wanted to depict an example of the "plumed helmet" and chose the Marine figure to do so.

The use of white cravats at this period is not as clear cut as one would hope, the regulations quote black to be used for other ranks for this period (generally white for officers), but 18th century dress regulations were not always so "hard and fast" as all that. Generally the men tended to prefer white cravats, these were usually made of linen or crepe, than the black "stock" made from leather or horsehair cloth ( stiffer and more uncomfortable, needless to say).

In some Armies, the troops conducted 3 or 4 decades of "guerrilla warfare" against the imposition of the stiff "stock" during the second half of the 18th century, this may well have been the situation in the Spanish army during this period (information on this topic is less plentiful than in some other armies). Sometimes a compromise was reached by which the men were allowed to continue the wearing the white cravats for ordinary daily duties while using the black stocks for the more dressy occasions, etc. creating a more acceptable working environment.

(Having typed these few pages I had a look at my books and things and noted the drummers lace that Rene mentioned is included as a photograph in Jose M. Bueno's book "Tropas Virreynales (I) Nueva Espaffa, Yucatan y Luisiana", pub. Malaga, Spain 1983, page 52, the actual piece of lace is in the Casman Collection, Toronto, Canada. I also looked for a contemporary illustration of a drummer of this period in Spanish America that would show this lace in use as per the regulation of 1760, alas so far all that I've seen have been later drawings by various artists of drummers, while the only contemporary prints showing drummers in Spanish America was volume 2 of "Uniformes del Ejercito de America ( Nueva Espaffa, Nueva Granada, Alto Peru )" published by the Spanish Ministry of Defense, Christmas 1990, in it were three prints showing (1.) Drum Major, Battalion of Infantry of Castilla, Fijo de Campeche, 1785, blue coat, gold lace on red field. (2.) Grenadier Drummer, Regiment of Infantry, Milicias Pardos de Merida de Yucatan, 1767, white jacket, red lace on white field. (3.) Grenadier Drummer, Regiment of Infantry, Milicias Blancos de Merida de Yucatan, 1767, blue jacket, red collar, cuffs and swallow nests, white turnbacks, white lace. red waistcoat, blue breeches.

Can anyone tell where there is a contemporary print showing a Spanish Colonial unit wearing this lace? I am sure that Spanish Peninsular battalions would follow through with this regulation but Colonial units may well have waited a good number of years before carrying out these instructions if the cost of the uniforms were to be from the Viceregal or town council funds, I could well be completely wrong in my thoughts on this subject but without good contemporary illustrations or descriptive journals stating what type of unilorm were worn by drummers from the various colonial battalions etc. at certain dates it is hard to be 100% certain. Any assistance from the Spanish Archives on this subject would be greatly appreciated. T.D.H. )

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