"Hessian jagers trousers" Topic

What should be the color of Hessian jaegers trusers ?
Most sources including reenactors website give it white, but somehow most of the painted figures I saw has some shade of buff.

This resource considers the subject pretty thoroughly: link

"Breeches "Die Hose": The primary breeches for the unit are the fall front style made of white or off-white linen for the summer uniform. Fall front breeches of hunter green wool appear to be the correct winter wear. Additional breeches that may be considered are black velvet breeches and black canvas trousers but in the letters that reference them they only appeared in the north.

Because breeches were a common item, and one that received a great deal of wear and tear, there are many options to choose from. Mounted Jägers utilized buckskin leather breeches as part of their summer uniform so it can be assumed that many foot Jägers wore them as well. Captured French blue and white-stripped breeches are found in many references. The is strong evidence the British Quartermaster issued the Hessians, including the Jägers, gaiter pants in white, red-white strips and blue-white strips made of linen or canvas."

White and off-white are probably pretty interchangeable; off-white probably being more likely, certainly in the case of linen, given the colour of the natural fibres and the wear and tear of life in the field. Then again, natural wool- as worn by the French & Austrians- was not white either.

Dyed white fabric, when it was worn, was hard to maintain; accurate perhaps for the peacetime parade ground but not so much in the field.

So then, there is a lot of leeway in the color choice for a unit. I like the look of the black breeches with the green jacket.

There is strong evidence the British Quartermaster issued the Hessians, including the Jägers, gaiter pants in white, red-white strips and blue-white strips made of linen or canvas.

After the capture of Charleston SC, apparently Cornwallis thanked Ewald's jaeger company for its service by donating a bolt of blue/white striped ticken for overalls. There was also an Anspach jaeger company, but I don't know if they got some too.

In Canada, all of the Brunswickers had overalls made up for them in the winter of 1776/1777, from sailcloth donated by the Royal Navy. Again, I'm not sure what happened to the Hesse Hanau contingent, although the von Germann drawings show the regiment in long gaiters, whilst the other German infantry are in overalls. The Hesse Hanau artillery I can't recall; same with the jaeger – although I think that their CO eventually got them into an all-black campaign outfit that looked a bit ACW.

…Troiani portrays them in gaiter-trousers of light brown linen in a couple of his paintings.

I know this website and I noticed that buff coloured trousers are mentioned as an option only.

Well, I reckon options is what you got, bud. It depends on the season, the theatre of operations, and the phase of the war.

-although there is no mention of 'buff' per se. Are you thinking of 'off-white linen' or 'buckskin leather'? (If we're talking about jaegerkorps.org)

'Buff' in this period tends to signify a specific regimental facing colour (British) or a type of finish for leather accoutrements.

"I like the look of black breeches"

- Those tended to be favoured by officers during the period, whether because they wouldn't show blood or for other reasons. So they wouldn't be for the men (good black dye was expensive, cheap one would quickly fade to brown), but why not pick out your Jäger officer in this manner?

Brunswick Jager with Burgoynne with likely linen or wool breeches.

link

Likely wearing buckskin breeches