"First Seminole War US uniforms" Topic

I have the Conquest Seminoles, which look great, and had been leaning toward getting US regulars for the Second Seminole War. Then it occurred to me it might be possible to use some War of 1812 figs for the First Seminole War, and get double use out of those.

With that, I solicit advice from the audience. Anything specific to watch out for? I am understanding the false front/tombstone shako is the one to look for? What about coats?

(I am looking specifically at Knuckleduster Miniatures, by the way.)

I use my Old Glory US regulars, with the tombstone shake as you noted. I have two regiments in blue coats, one with red facings and one without. (IIRC the red-faced coats were probably only used until about 1815.)

I also use mounted and unmounted Tennessee state troops, which were present with Jackson.

You could also use stovepipe shakoes if you want to game some of the earlier period skirmishes.

Rick

Thanks, Rick. After looking through older posts, I was hoping you would chime in. :)

I have been talking with someone else about doing 1812, and I have had the Seminole Wars in mind for a while now, though I had been focused on the second war. The realization that I might be able to get more bang for my buck really just hit me today.

Would, as mentioned in the Osprey book I looked up at lunch, the US regulars be mostly wearing the gray fatigues rather than the blue uniforms? (I'm hoping so, so they can double as Scott's troops in Canada.)

I'll check my copy of Chartrand's book later to see if he addresses it specifically, but as a practical matter, yes the soldiers would have preferred and worn cooler clothes whenever they could. Tramping through peninsular and northern Florida can be quite a hot and humid experience. The officers would have more worries with heat exhaustion than parade dress.

I use the blue coats because those are the castings I had. If you have the tailless grey coats, you should be good to go. You could also paint some up in white fatigues, too, if you wanted. I recall that one if the Ospreys shows a photograph of reenactors dressed that way at the Chalmette Battlefield.

FYI, if you have any Spanish castings then that raises the additional possibility of other interesting scenarios.

Rick

As Florida Tory indicates the First Seminole War was part of the pursuit of Red Stick Muskogee (Creeks) fleeing south. US troops would have been the mix of Frontiersmen Dress and the Late War of 1812 Belgic style leather shako. Georgia troops would have been volunteers in whatever and State Militia un dress similar to Tenn State troops.

That said, the Seminoles are a very versitle casting. They can not only be used for the Seminole Wars but they can be used as Lower Creek (White/ pro US) Creeks and some upper class Red Stick Creeks in the First Seminole War. They can also be used as Creeks/Muskogee in the Second Creek War and the Third Creek War. One other seldom fought war is the 1790s War against the Spanish when they even had a flag, a ship and recognized by the British Govt.

Chris Kimball;s excellant work 'Timelines of the Florida Seminole War' has the First Seminole War lasting 1816 until 1819 with only 17 significant events being recorded.

So as you can tell he does not regard Jackson's/ Blue's Incursion to stop the Red Sticks fleeing as part of the first war.

Interesting you should mention that, Rudy. That book just arrived via Amazon yesterday and I just started flipping through it last night. I suspected there had to be more to the first war than what is listed. Still it looks like a great resource, especially if/when I get to the Second War, which was my original intent anyway.

I primed up some Conquest Seminoles and some Knuckleduster frontier militia last night, so we'll see how that goes. That's all I have right now, but I am just about to pull the trigger on some more Knuckleduster 1812 minis. I had contemplated the Old Glory second war regulars, but may wait in hopes that Conquest does those.

Rick, as for the Spanish, that is also very intriguing. It's always good to have another faction involved! I think somewhere you mentioned Front Rank are well done?

I'm looking at doing this using Muskets & Tomahawks. Usually in my gaming I prefer set historical scenarios, but I think there is enough "gray area" here this could work. Which makes adding Spanish – and maybe even the occasional British unit or at least a stray figure as an "advisor"? – appealing.

Whoa, just noticed the Miniaturas dos de Mayo Spanish figs up in the news section. Those look great too.

OK, guys, what is the best Seminole War book, that has details, and hoepfully uniform info and the OOBs?

Is it Kimball's?

Most Seminole War books I have perused have been regional authors and the works were sub par, at best. More like lower level college papers than a real history book.

From my initial perusal, the Kimball book isn't necessarily one to go into the history, root causes, etc. in depth, nor does it appear to cover uniforms.

However, it does have a chronology of events that looks like a gold mine for skirmish scenario ideas. Things like on such and such a date, approx 150 Seminoles ambushed a supply column at such and such location. Or about 200 Tennessee volunteers attacked a Seminole village and took X prisoners. Again, not specific OOBs, as I suspect that doesn't even exist for any but the "major" battles, but with a little imagination it looks like a great place to start.

Thanks, Mac.

Have a crapload of 15mm Semenholes and Maroons, and a crap load of scratchbuilt palmettos!

(Gonna do a Battle of Ft. Pierce game someday, I swear! And gonna do a Shadow over Innsmouth in Vero Beach game, set in the 1880's with all sorts of rednecks, Seminoles, regulars and militia invading a backwoods fishing village full of Deep Ones and mutants.)