General de Brigade

[Belisarius]

I'm in the process of painting a few figs for this unit but I can't find a definite reference for when the red.coat/blue facings was adopted. Some sources suggest 1778 as the move from green coat to red and some suggest that the facings were green at this time and not changed to blue until 1783?

My preference is for green as I'm aiming for 1778-79'ish but something more solid would help. Any suggestions, please?

Andy

[Ronan the Librarian]

Hi,

There is a re-enactment unit:

http://delanceys.org/

Unfortunately, the site isn't terribly helpful on the dates of the unit's uniform changes, but this link and the one immediately below will give you contacts who might be able to give you a definitive answer.

http://www.royalprovincial.com/reenactors/groups/2del.shtml

This next link is to a deserter report that appeared in NYC in March 1779.

http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/delancey/deldest1.htm

You will see that the man is wearing a regimental coat lapelled green - this means it would almost certainly have been a red coat, as the corps wore green-faced-white up to 1778, then red-faced-green from 1779-1782, and red-faced-blue only from 1782 to the end of the war. For a man to be wearing a red coat in March 1779, it would most likely have had to have been issued the previous year, or at the very least the item would have arrived in America during mid-/late-1778, as merchant convoys generally didn't cross the Atlantic between late November and late March, due to the weather. The two battalions sent to Savannah didn't leave NYC until December 1778, so my opinion (and that's all it is at the moment) is that they would have received their new uniforms either just before heading south, or very soon afterwards.

I suspect that's not really what you wanted to hear.

Cheers,

RtL
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You can lead a horse to water, but a toy soldier can no longer be lead (due to Health & Safety Regulations).

[Belisarius]

Hi Ronan,

I think that is what I want to hear (unless I've misinterpreted what you said).

My preference is for green, as in lapels etc. I'm fine with a red coat. I'm going to do them in the white floppy hat with black feather and some variety in trousers and smalls so hopefully they'll not look like British regulars!

Just need to find a flag now! Would they have carried two standards at that stage? Or just one?

Cheers again

Andy
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My AWI Blog

[Ronan the Librarian]

Andy,

OK, my mistook, I thought you wanted them to be in the green uniform.

Any units that had flags would have had two - the usual union (King's) and plain (Regimental) colours. My own view is that only the very largest Loyalist units, principally those later taken onto the American/Regular Establishment, had colours; they were very expensive items. Whether Delancey's had them, I don't know - probably more likely than not as he came from a wealthy and well connected family. The re-enactors may have some idea.

Let us know if/when you find out.

RtL
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You can lead a horse to water, but a toy soldier can no longer be lead (due to Health & Safety Regulations).

[Belisarius]

Will do. Thanks for the help and pointers.

Andy
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My AWI Blog

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