"Royal navy in Braddock's Expedition" Topic

Does anyone know of one or more sources of information on the Royal Naval forces under Lt. Spendelowe that composed part of Braddock's forces at Monongahela?

I am particularly interested in how they were clothed and armed. Thanks.

Sailors of the period did not wear any prescribed uniform, so you have a lot of leeway there. IIRC, they were there to help move the artillery as they were used to working with block and tackle, so they might only have had sidearms (swords, perhaps pistols).

link

Slops generally blue and dull white.Not always.
hats round or straw or absent.Marines tricorned and redcoats.
Officers blue coat, tricornes or bicorned hats.

Cutlasses issued when clearing for action

I don't know much about this unit from the Braddock Expedition, but in the pre-Napoleonic period any commonality of dress would depend primarily either on how the detachment was assembled – whether from one ship, or from several – and/or the climate. In general, sailors wore less voluminous clothing than soldiers as they needed greater freedom of movement. However, for prolonged service ashore, there is no saying what they might be issued.

The 1740s is when Royal Navy officers and petty officers start wearing blue coats for both full and working dress codes, increasingly with white facings for officers, by the SYW/FIW period (at least in dress/parade uniforms); beyond that, there was no official uniform for ratings.

That said, there were exceptions. Commanders of smaller vessels might use the purchasing of extra clothing for the crew as an opportunity to create a low level of uniformity with, say, striped overalls or simple hats. Some captains of larger vessels were known to kit out the crews of their personal launch, or the main ship's boats for show. More generally, it became increasingly common for shore/landing/cutting out parties to wear a common item of clothing – almost like a gang colour – in order to be recognised (and reduce desertion).

Straw hats tended to be limited to tropical climates at this time; tricornes would have been more common, and would also usually be kept fully "cocked" (rather than being "unhitched" to become "floppy hats") to prevent them being knocked off when undertaking duties and moving up and down stairways. Small-brimmed round hats (which later evolved into the "top hat" of the Napoleonic era) were also popular for the same reason.

I don't seem to recall any account of them during the battle. I suspect they were around the guns they were helping to move, but that is only a guess.