"Roger's Rangers Uniforms" Topic

I just read where RR was issued their green uniform in January,1758.does this mean that they wore civilian clothes up to that point?
Mark

I doubt they ever wore a "uniform" until the war was over.

I read they wore their cloths from whence they came initially – that includes regulars. They cut off the coats short and changed their hats, no mention of uniforms at the beginning.

PS Merely mentioning Rogers name on 18thC TMP is like saying on TMP WWII boards " I read Gross Deutschland was a good division."

I often wonder why the US Rangers think so highly of him. After all, he was a Loyalist during the AWI, and turned in Nathan Hale.
In fact, his most famous exploit in the FIW was the flight from an attack he bungled.

No John his most famous exploits were those he wrote about…..that's what gets peoples backs up that and Parkman's putting him on a pedestal. The Amreicans had forgotten all about him (as you said he fought on the 'wrong side') until Parkman

I thought it was the movie.

Hey don't knock Spencer Tracey he was good….note to self must get that film downloaded

John;
They "think" so highly of him because most don't think.

Not allowed in the Ranger Handbook.

Really, he was decent in the FIW, past his prime in the AWI. Of course he would have been a Loyalist. He had nothing else to his name.

Eric

I like him. :) I think I would have gotten along well with him.

marco are you referring to this?
The only known contemporary description of the dress of Rogers' Rangers which refers to colour was written by the agent for Thomas and Benjamin Forseys, clothiers of Albany, dated 22nd April 1758 (although a similar statement has been dated as January 1758): "The close (sic – clothes) that Rogers had made for his people are chiefly Green Bath Rug and low priced green cloths and white metal buttons and white silver laced hats, some of them silver laced, cord, or looping on their jackets, all lined with green serge".
from the Galloping Major website

Looking at White Devil Rogers raised his first company of 'Rangers' proper in 24th March 1756. At that point each man received 10 Spanish Dollars in addition to his pay to,go towards he cost of clothing, blankets and weapons. So it loos like they provided their own until uniforms in 1758. Will look firther later tonight.

When painting my Roger's Rangers I gave all of them at least on item of the same green. Some have green jackets, some green neckerchiefs, some green hats and so on. Makes them look kind of like a unit and distinguishes them from Gorham's chaps who are in brown and red.

I have the book "Relief is Greatly Wanted" by Edward J.Dodge and on page 164 it says that in January of 1758 they were issued a dark green uniform but says nothing of what they wore before then.
Mark

Most detailed description I have seen is in this pdf
PDF link

Also from the Fort Tichonderoga website this:

While the buckskins of Cooper's leatherstocking character are a myth, the adoption of Native American and Canadian articles or dress bears credence. Proposals for raising British rangers in November of 1757, included issuing, "Indian Stockings" or leggings as well as match coats, powder horns, bullet bags and tomahawks. Match coats in context with other documents appear to indicate Canadian style capotes and English blanket coats.

AND
The inventory of ranger Thomas Chase from the summer of 1757, includes both an, "old hat and a Cap". To stay warm, rangers also used woolen shirts, as were very popular among New Englanders. Inventories from deceased rangers in Halifax from 1757 list cotton shirts, as well as linen shirts. ‘Cotton' often refers to woolens which were lightly napped or ‘cottoned'. In any case, woolen shirts; cotton, flannel, drugget, & etc. were sold by merchants in Boston and Albany among other campaign clothing.

Most overrated and over represented unit in history! Don't get me on about them! Cannibals! Thomas Raddall has a lot to do with it with his novel. The movie, " Northwest Passage" sucks in every conceivable way.

There are some mentions of gray smocks for Roger's Reprobaters as well.

smocks or blanket coats spontoon?
Can you remember where you saw the reference?
Green is soooo last season

Nope, can't remember, although it was somwhere recently. Not the recent Wargames Illustrated article. But, linen smocks were a standard working dress for agricultural types at the time. Blanket coats or Capotes would be a good guess, too.

The New York Provincials were uniformed in a short coat in what was referred to as " drab" but was a sort of olivey green. Perhaps Roger's Rascals were uniformed from the same source, as they were not assigned to any provincial militia.

Pity, I am just rereading accounts of the later (1759) part of Rogers Rangers activities. They mention the significant contingents drawn from provincials, line regts and highlanders. They also mention weapons and equipment checks prior to departing on the (in)famous raid to St Francis.

But, the issuing of Rangers uniforms was not mentioned, so we have to assume these new 'recruits' went in their own (modified)uniforms?

So new hats and cut down uniforms?

After all, he was a Loyalist during the AWI, and turned in Nathan Hale.
---------------
which along Laura Secord in the War of 1812 makes them heroes to English speakers, except in one country!

What I'm getting from this if I'm understanding right is that Roger's Rangers didn't have a formal uniform until 1758.Am I correct in this assumption?
Mark

From the "For What It's Worth Department:"

Photos from Rogers Rangers reenactors' websites:

Detail from John Buxton's "Rogers Rangers Toward Ticonderoga 1759"

In addition to Truscott's finely detailed pdf file above, the following is from another Rogers Rangers reenactment group:

"The Pennsylvania Company has "Class A" and "Class B" Uniform guidelines. Simply put, Class A is our dress/undress uniform, the main difference from Class B being the regimental goat in green wool, faced green designed by Major Rogers for his units. Our Class B interpretation is a field uniform, more suited to the rigors of campaigning."

Class A Uniform
- Green Regimental Coat
- Blue Bonnet
- Green Waistcoat
- Brown, Grey or Checked Shirt
- Green (Preferred) or Brown (Acceptable) Fly Front Breeches
- Leggings, Buckskin (Preferred) or Wool (Black, Brown or Green Acceptable)
- Moccasins, Leather or Elk Hide, Centerseam or Puckertoe or Shoes, Straightlast with Buckle
- Socks, Wool or Cotton, Any Color
- Neckstock, Black Linen

Class B Uniform
- Pullover Hunting Shirt or Colonial Work Shirt (Brown, Grey or Green)
- Blue Bonnet, Flop Hat or Tricorn
- Green, Brown or Grey Waistcoat
- Brown, Grey or Checked Shirt
- Green (Preferred) or Brown (Acceptable)Fly Front Breeches
- Leggings, Buckskin (Preferred) or Wool (Black, Brown or Green Acceptable)
- Moccasins, Leather or Elk Hide, Centerseam or Puckertoe or Shoes, Straightlast

Two of those photos include RRs expert, and member of the Company of Military Historians (not sure if he is a Fellow of CMH or not), Tim Toddish. I would say the two leading national experts on Roger's Rangers are Tim and Gary Zaboly.

I was extremely fortunate a while back to find a new copy of Zaboly's "A True Ranger: The Life and Many Wars of Major Robert Rogers" for just $60. USD It is an excellent piece of work. Right now on Amazon used copies range from $83 USD-$192(!). Not sure if your local library can find you a copy, but it's worth it if you're at all interested in the subject.

Thanks oabee51 interesting references, that green will be a good one to paint and will fade nicely.
I had not sen the work of John Buxton before – he has done some really nice work
such as this ambush or early rangers

I spotted Todish in those pics as well. He and Zaboly wrote an annotated version of Rogers' journal that delves deeply into the uniform question. I think he puts too much emphasis on a "uniforming" of sorts by encouraging the use of green. I'm no expert at all on the Rangers, but I doubt they had racks of clothes to peruse before making their selection. In addition, runaway ads for Rangers describe some bright colors that would be laughed out of a reenacter camp. Todish has lots of evidence for green clothes but dismisses the runaways in reds and orange by saying it "might have been on strictly non-field occasions". i doubt the Rangers were "strictly" anything when it came to uniforms.

Deserter descriptions are sometimes hard to figure. But my guess is if you are a deserter you don't want to look like you have just run away from the military.

I would suppose that RRs, like the rest of the army, got one new issue of clothing per year, and wore old stuff or personal items at times as well.

Sorry, I already posted this in another topic before seeing this post. There is only one known period painting I know of of an ordinary ranger, which is a 1759 painting of the British army camped at Lake George by Captain Thomas Davies. The ranger in the foreground of the painting is actually more strictly uniformed than many modern interpretations. Coat, trousers and leggings are all the same color, he was no doubt issued. Also notice the two soldiers of the 80th. And definitely check out the art of Thomas Davies if you're into the period or the AWI.

Thank you for showing this painting.Makes it interesting.
Mark