3rd and 4th Pennsylvania facings help.

Below is some guidance, largely from reports about deserters. You will probably have to conform the accounts into a single uniform for each battalion/regiment -- good luck given the variety. Please note that the entire army was reorganized several times and that the unit designations shifted with each reorganization. The listings below bridge the change in the Pennsylvania Line from battalions to regiments. The original unit's designation is first (eg 2nd Penna. Batt.) and the successor unit's designation is second (eg 3rd Penna. Regt.). For finer grained detail (like new kit vs. worn, etc.), see the references listed at the bottom; however, note that most of the material about uniforms in Trussell and Osprey seem to have been gleaned from Lefferts. 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion/3rd Pennsylvania Regt.:<*>In 1776, deserters were reported wearing - Speckled homespun coat, leather breeches; blue coat, red waistcoat, leather breeches, shoes; hunting shirt, leather breeches, shoes; brown fustian coat, buckskin breeches, shoes; brown regimental coat, olive velveret waistcoat, and breeches. (Lefferts) Blue coat and red waistcoat; hunting shirt; brown military coat. (Trussell) Blue coats faced with red, red waistcoats, leather breeches. (Osprey) <*>In 1777, deserters wore - blue surtout coat, blanket leggings, beaver hat; light colored wilton coat and jacket, pumps with copper buckles; brown coat, white frieze jacket, buckskin breeches, plated shoe buckles. (Lefferts) Not uniformly clad, some vets of 2nd Penna. Batt. wore pervious uniform while serving in the 3rd Penna. Regt. (Trussell) <*>In 1779, a deserter wore - blue regimental coat with red facings, white jacket and breeches, and a continental shirt. (Lefferts) 3rd Pennsylvania Battalion/4th Pennsylvania Regt.:<*>In 1776, four deserters captured in Brown faced with white, buckskin breeches, hats with white tape. (Lefferts) Brown coat faced with white, buckskin breeches, hat with white tape. (Trussell) Brown coats faced with white, buckskin breeches, hats with white tape. (Osprey) <*>In 1777, a deserter was captured wearing a hunting shirt, linen trousers, woolen stockings, no shoes; (Lefferts) Here, Trussell repeats Lefferts nearly verbatum. (Trussel)<*>In 1778, two deserters were captured wearing "Wilton" coats, 1 with coarse shirt, 1 with checked shirt, 1 with dutch trousers, and unspecified trousers. (Lefferts) 4th Pennsylvania Battalion/5th Pennsylvania Regt.:<*>In 1776, deserters wore - whitish coat and jacket, buckskin breeches, blue stockings, coarse shoes with plated buckles; long bluish surtout coat, snuff colored coatee, black velvet breeches; long gray surtout coat, waistcoat, and breeches; brown surtout coat, lightish colored jacket, blue underjacket, buckskin breeches, checked shirt, blue stockings; brown coat with blue facings; light colored "remarkably long" sagathy coat, felt hat with yellow tape and a yellow rose on it; reddish brown coat, red jacket, large hat cocked behind. (Lefferts) Deep blue regimental coats with white facing, white vest and overalls; this was later found impractical for the field and replacements were possibly improvised. (Trussell) Blue coats faced with white, white small clothes, hats with yellow tape (Osprey)<*>In 1777, deserters wore - rifle shirt; brown coat and jacket; leather breeches, felt hat; brown coat, white overalls; brown outside jacket, buckskin breeches, blue stockings; dark serge coat and vest, buckskin breeches; light colored coat, buckskin breeches; blanket coat, slouched hat; light colored coat, round hat turned up behind; brown coat, a cocked beaver hat; green sailor's jacket, broad felt hat; gray sailor's jacket, green sailor's jacket , wool hat; regimental clothes, viz: blue coat with white cape and cuffs, white waistcoat, drilling breeches, fashionable wool hat (same worn by 2 deserters); regimentals, viz: blue coat with white facings (same worn by several deserters); gray jacket wiht sleeves, blue breeches, felt hat; long brown coat, felt hat; brown cloth coat, buckskin breeches, felt hat; blue sailor's jacket, buckskin breeches, felt hat; brown uniform coat faced with white cloth; light colored jacket, buckskin breeches, felt hat; light colored coat faced with brown; light colored coat, red jacket, leather breeches, round hat; fringed hunting shirt, coarse linen trousers, round hat; light colored coat, clouched hat, leather breeches; light coloth coat and jacket, slouched hat; yellow hunting shirt, round felt hat; purple hunting shirt, felt hat; regimental blue coat faced with white, buckskin breeches, blue stockings. (Lefferts) Trussell basically reguritates Lefferts descriptions here (Trussell)<*>In 1780, a deserter wore - white blacket jacket and blue overalls, "having left his regimentals behind." (Lefferts) Lefferts, Lt. Charles M., Uniforms of the 1775-1783 American British, French, and German Armies in the War of the American Revolution Trussell, John B. B., The Pennsylvania Line: Regimental Organization and Operations, 1775-1783 Osprey, Soldiers of the Revolutionary War

One should also note that relying on reports on the uniforms of deserters provides us with less than perfect information about what would really have been worn by a given unit. Deserters may or may not have been wearing their service uniforms when captured. There are several obvious reasons a deserter may have changed clothes after departing his unit and before capture. For instance a man dressed in civilian clothing was less likely to be apprehended by an enemy patrol (or a 'friendly' patrol for that matter). Also, one can easily imagine wanting to cast off the trappings of military service as fast as possible after deserting to clear the mind and the conscience. Further complicating the situation, many of the deserters might have been poor soldiers and among the last to receive new uniforms and equipment. A leader is often going to ensure his best performers are outfitted before the under-performers. The under-performers are likely to be least happy with their environment and most prone to leave. Thus, those leaving may be least likely to have proper uniforms and kit. But then, this is conjecture without proof ... so I could very well be mistaken, but it does make sense to me. I offer these thoughts because many hobbyists and scholars seem to accept deserters clothing as actual uniforms without sufficient reflection on the integrity of the dataset. Unfortunately, despite the information's dubious value, it's the only data about soldiers' clothing that survives for many Continental regiments.

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