"Good guide to uniforms of the AWI " Topic

I'm looking for some reference material on the British forces in the AWI. It'd be nice if the books also had some rough guides as to what regiments were present at what battles and even lists of facing colours etc for each regiment.

I see that Osprey do a book but wondered if anyone knows of a better one?

I'm also, if possible, looking for a 'one-stop' solution rather than lots of different sources.

Thanks for your help!

Mollo is still the standard.

link

'Uniforms of the American Revolution' John Mollo and Malcolm McGregor should be your first port of call. I got my copy 2nd hand and cheap of Amazon.

Lots of uniforms plates, many of which cover the British, plus it has a few orders of battle too.

It is my suggestion as well

A second for Mollo. In addition, "Military Uniforms in America: The Era of the American Revolution 1755-1795" by The Company of Military Historians is also a good book.

Reenactors spend alot of time researching their impression. You could google British Brigade or Brigade Amerivan Revolution and look for units and then the photos on the unit's websites.

^^^Some do, some don't.

Reenactors spend alot of time researching their impression. You could google British Brigade or Brigade Amerivan Revolution and look for units and then the photos on the unit's websites.
>>
Do NOT use reenactors as your primary source of uniform info! Some of them barely know what they should or shouldn't be wearing anyway! And I'm a reenactor!
Mollo is passable for Brit uniform info. Not so much for American..Personally,I'd use Troiani,as his info is new and pretty fresh.
I also would caution using the Military Uniforms in America book,as those plates are very old,and current research has made a lot of those plates obsolete…

Bob

Er, 95th, Troiani used reenactors as his source material and models :)

Er, 95th, Troiani used reenactors as his source material and models :)
>>
I know. I was one of his models! I'm in 3 of his ACW prints.
BUT,he's VERY picky about WHO he uses. Not fat,dumpy,old,or Women in uniform reenactors like SOME artists use. He has a network of reenactors he uses because they have the correct weapons and gear. If they don't he provides it.
He won't use you if you don't "look the part".

Bob

Reenactors spend alot of time researching their impression. You could google British Brigade or Brigade Amerivan Revolution and look for units and then the photos on the unit's websites.

And they are just as reliable as wargamers who spend a lot of timing researching their uniforms and flags. We have access to the same sources, and we care just as much. Reenactors do not have access to secret files that no one else has.
Why should one hobbiest be considered more reliable than the other?
I am not knocking reenactors. I just do not see how they get to claim that they are more "accurate" or "reliable" than wargamers.
If the "fact" that they spend a lot of time researching their "impression" was all that matterred, why we could rely on movies, couldn't we? After all, there are millions of dollars at stake in a movie, and only thousands with a reenactor.
Or dozens with a wargamer!

You might want to view "The Whites of Their Eyes" by the Canadian Wargamers Group.

Gents;

Back on the subject of Mollo, I was able to pick up a replacement copy Sunday, used, off Amazon for $1.96 USD plus $3.99 USD for postage (and there were a few even cheaper, just not quite as nice). Certainly better than I paid for my original that someone "borrowed" several years ago. I got an ex-library copy with the dustjacket that should be here in a week.

Also, while I know that some question them, most of the Leffert's plates can be found on-line. I have also found some of Troiani's plates.

Bill
Sir William the Aged

I would get Greg Novak's Orders of Battle for the American Revolution. I think Old Glory still sells them and they are priceless.

Bob, your issue with re-enactors seems to be who is in the uniforms, not what they are wearing. Overall, I think many re-enactment units are a very good source, and many post their documentation on their websites. I can speak more comfortably from the British side than American, but I think our standards for uniform research are pretty high – not perfect, but high.

John the OFM – you are right about access – kind of. Re-enactors are often plugged into collector groups, museums, and researchers. Not that those groups aren't accessible to wargamers – but you don't know what you don't know. Also, as re-enactors, we're more concerned with a level of detail most wargamers are not, so we often take our research to a different level. We often become focused on one unit in particular, and collect a great wealth of info just on that unit – not usually found anywhere else. Could a gamer do all that? Sure, but most don't, for obvious reasons. :-)

Bob, your issue with re-enactors seems to be who is in the uniforms, not what they are wearing. Overall, I think many re-enactment units are a very good source, and many post their documentation on their websites. I can speak more comfortably from the British side than American, but I think our standards for uniform research are pretty high – not perfect, but high.
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Not really. there are many VERY good Brit units out there: 40th lights,63rd Ft. Grenadiers,7th Fusiliers,71st Highlanders, to name a few.But there are also MANY BAD units as well…Women in the ranks,etc. The units I mentioned are THE best in terms of research and overall LOOK. And they know their stuff!
ME,I do militia. Did Loyalist when I got in the hobby in 98 with a pretty bad DeLanceys groups…

Bob

Me,I

Well my point was, a unit could have women in the ranks, lots of heavy guys, and their uniforms could still be spot on.

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you about MANY bad units. At least that I am aware of – but again, are we talking gender, weight, or uniform authenticity?

I first heard the pimp hats called pimp hats from a DeLancey unit that had a dame in the ranks.

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you about MANY bad units. At least that I am aware of – but again, are we talking gender, weight, or uniform authenticity?
>>Uniform authenticity and proper fit. Too many people out there wearing VERY poor fitting uniforms and gear hanging down to their knees. Uniforms were very snug back then and very well tailored.Not like sack coats of the CW era.
As for Women,its just WRONG on so many levels,but thats another story for another time!

Bob

I first heard the pimp hats called pimp hats from a DeLancey unit that had a dame in the ranks.
>>
And when I was in DeLancey's,were wore regular cocked hats FWIW!

Bob

I am a reenactor and in reference to the claim renactors don't have secret files, well sometimes we sort of do have secret files; not in the sense that other people could not get them, but some of the information is damn hard and somewhat expensive to get and we are not always authorized to release the information to the general public although of course the preference is to share what information we can share. Many reenactment groups spend years trying to dig information up so it would be a lot easier to check with specific reenactment groups than to do all the research yourself. Like anything else, some groups are going to be more concerned about material culture than others. The one thing to avoid is overgeneralizations.

…as to movie companies, accuracy is often their least concern, other than doing something so they can claim it is accurate.

I agree. I have a disc of copies of documents from Kew regarding Marines. I have all kinds of stuff people have given me over the years, much of which I have never come across in other places.

I use Troiani as a source. Yes, I do use reenactors as one of several sources when I have to. Ospreys are good if you know the errors in them, of which you can find out about on this board by searching previous posts. Mollo is Okay.

I recommend you have three sources which agree. Having said that, it is not always possible. When in doubt I go with Troiani. Researching American uniforms and flags for this period can drive you crazy. This is a good book to have.

link

But someone will no doubt chime in to say it is all hogwash.

The single most inaccurate piece of reenactors that we are all to well fed and healthy.

Personally, I like all of the books. From Osprey to Mollo to Troiani to everybody else who tried to publish what they believe to be accurate information.

I also use re-enactors sites and even check out what others are painting their AWI figures like.

And then I pick what I think is the best for me. After all, absent photographs or surviving artifacts, we just don't know.
And that's fine with me.

I take all of the available info and form my own opinion.
Sometimes, I will paint the same figure three or four different ways, just to see how they look.

If you're looking for one single definitive answer to what a specific unit wore in the AWI, you are probably going to be disappointed. There isn't any.

Do your research and then paint the figures how you would imagine them to look. After all, they are your toys.

Yeah good catch. I forgot about blogs. I check those out myself. The more sources the better.

gilesallison.blogspot.com