SJDonovan | 22 Aug 2016 8:19 a.m. PST |
According to Mollo and McGregor 'Uniforms of the American Revolution', "The Queen's Rangers had originally consisted of eight companies of riflemen, one company of grenadiers, and one of light infantry, but late in 1777 a Highland company was added." Can anyone help me with the following: 1. Were the riflemen who formed the centre companies considered as line as opposed to light infantry? 2. Did the Highland company wear caps like the riflemen/lights or Tam 'o Shanter-style bonnets. 3. Is it known whether the unit carried a standard? 4. Did the Queen's Rangers have an attached artillery company and if so did they wear a distinctive uniform? |
Winston Smith | 22 Aug 2016 8:28 a.m. PST |
One thing to remember about the Queen's Rangers is that the "extra" companies were added on to the original unit as time went on. Thus the weird collection of uniforms. So the Highlanders may have started out in Highland dress, but kept it. I assume they kept the bonnet, even if their clothing became more conventional. Ditto the hussars and Dragoons. For the same reason I assume that the Artillerists wore conventional blue and red. |
Winston Smith | 22 Aug 2016 8:29 a.m. PST |
In past discussions here, the consensus is that Mollo is confused. |
SJDonovan | 22 Aug 2016 8:47 a.m. PST |
Thanks Winston, Mollo may be confused but I'm guessing he's wasn't as confused as I am. I was hoping I might find an excuse to have some artillerists dressed in green with Queen's Rangers caps. That would be a pretty spiffy looking unit. |
45thdiv | 22 Aug 2016 8:52 a.m. PST |
That artillery uniform color would look cool. Maybe just paint one up as a fun project. |
Toronto48 | 22 Aug 2016 9:19 a.m. PST |
This is an interesting site for data on various Loyalist units link |
Supercilius Maximus | 22 Aug 2016 9:30 a.m. PST |
@SJD, To answer your questions:- 1) Mollo/McGregor were copying Lefferts, who unfortunately mistook a 1790s unit (also named the Queen's Rangers and which was composed mainly of riflemen) for the AWI corps. The original organisation of the AWI corps was a single infantry battalion, with the usual two flank companies, when raised at the start of the war; all companies were armed with musket and bayonet in the conventional style. It then expanded to take in, roughly in chronological order, a Highland company (which doubled as a second Light company), a hussar squad (later troop), three troops of light dragoons, a rifle section (up to 16 all ranks under a sergeant and which served mounted in the South), and an artillery section of two weapons. 2) The only description of the Highland company's uniform is that it wore "Highland dress" which probably began including kilts but later moved to trews (as did most of the Regular Highland corps in the British Army). The Kilmarnock bonnet – looking a bit like a raised pork pie with the diced band – would be my guess as headgear, rather than the FIW beret-style. 3) The unit did apparently acquire a pair of colours towards the end of the AWI, when it was briefly taken onto the American Establishment. They were probably spirited away to Canada at the end of the war, and are thought to be the pair on display in an officers' mess in Toronto. 4) The artillery detachment was raised late in the war and was the final element in establishing the QRs as a the "legionary corps". There was a sergeant attached from the RA to train the crews, who manned a 3-pdr and an "amusette" (anything from a 1- to 2-pdr, we don't know for sure). In 28mm, the Perry AWI range (pack AWI-124) has all you need for this entire unit – and in the correct uniforms, which are green with caps; you can add an NCO in RA uniform, if you wish. |
GiloUK | 22 Aug 2016 9:37 a.m. PST |
Steve Jones has done an excellent job of portraying the Queen's Rangers in their earlier war outfit. This post shows the various companies: link Another option for the highland company would be Eureka's F&IW highlanders. |
SJDonovan | 22 Aug 2016 10:31 a.m. PST |
Thanks for the replies everyone. @SM I'm doing them in 15mm using Minifigs so there are a couple of choices of figures in Kilmarnock bonnets that I can use for the Highland company. I've checked out the Perry site and I love the look of the amusette. In the picture below is the RA sergeant the chap in the round hat with the feather?
I'll now have to look out for some suitable bodies that I can head-swap Queen's Rangers caps onto if I want to make the artillery. @Gilo Thanks for the link to Steve Jones's site. I'm going to have to do the later war incarnation of the regiment because all my figures are in the characteristic Queen's Rangers caps. Unfortunately they are also all riflemen so now I need to decide whether to attempt a whole load of headswaps or just accept that nearly all of my guys have got the wrong armament. The trials and tribulations of being a wargamer! |
21eRegt | 22 Aug 2016 11:23 a.m. PST |
Very timely question and answers for me, as I just got a small box of Queen's Rangers and was asking myself the same questions. TMP can be so useful! |
45thdiv | 22 Aug 2016 12:09 p.m. PST |
I'm glad for the picture of the artillery in Green. I will have to paint up the unit. It's a nice look. |
Supercilius Maximus | 22 Aug 2016 1:29 p.m. PST |
@ SJD, 1) Yes, the Minifigs Highlanders would be fine. 2) Yes. |
SJDonovan | 22 Aug 2016 1:33 p.m. PST |
Thanks SM. Much appreciated. |
historygamer | 22 Aug 2016 3:28 p.m. PST |
I haven't been able to find any use of amusettes (other than Jaegers) or wall guns (other than on ships). Does anyone have anything else on the use of these weapons? |
Brechtel198 | 22 Aug 2016 3:30 p.m. PST |
I would recommend three sources for the Queen's Rangers. The first would be the uniform plate and text on pages 44-45 of Military Uniforms in America, Volume I The Era of the American Revolution edited by John Elting and published by The Company of Military Historians. The second is Simcoe's memoir of the Queen's Rangers. The third is Military Loyalists of the American Revolution by Walter Dornfest. The unit in its final form consisted of five cavalry troops and eleven infantry companies. The first source listed here also states that it had 'some light guns' so if that is the case, you have your artillery section. The cavalry consisted of both hussars and light dragoons and the infantry of riflemen, light infantry, grenadiers and a highland company. The entire unit was uniformed in green, including the highland company. The plate in Military Uniforms in America by H Charles McBarron is based on watercolors of the unit by Captain James Murray of the Rangers, so that would be a primary source. And it depicts the unit after 1778. The highlander wears a green single breasted highland-style coatee, a blue highland bonnet, and the kilt is the 'great' kilt and the tartan is MacNab. |
Supercilius Maximus | 23 Aug 2016 3:31 a.m. PST |
The QR infantry was always musket-armed and the only riflemen were a small section of up to 16 men, who served in the South. As I said earlier, Lefferts confused the unit with a later one – which WAS composed of riflemen – when he was researching his book. The myth of the MacNabb tartan comes from a post-war Canadian official trying to "big up" his father's service as a QR officer. Family tartans, as such, did not exist until the 1820s, although there may have been "local" designs based around similar weaves produced by a particular mill and thus commonly worn by families in the region. There is actual documentary evidence of both the QR Highland company AND the North Carolina Highlanders being issued with surplus kilts sent over for the 71st (the NC corps was also issued blue, single-breasted RN jackets). See these threads:- TMP link TMP link |
Major Bloodnok | 23 Aug 2016 3:50 a.m. PST |
The Highland company may have had its own colour as well. During Sullivan's raid on Staten Island the Highland coy. marched into their redoubt and planted a St Andrew's flag on the rampart stating (to paraphrase), "non shall pass". As Supercilius Maximus says family tartans are the creation of the Highland Revival of the 1820's. Gov't plaid or "Black Watch" would be what was worn. |
Terry37 | 23 Aug 2016 9:39 a.m. PST |
I believe the Essex 15 MM RA figures for their AWI range might work as a body at least. They are wearing a shortened coat and simple helmet. link Terry |
42flanker | 23 Aug 2016 9:46 a.m. PST |
As historygamer indicates, there is sufficient evidence to raise doubt that the term amusette ever referred to a wall-gun form of weapon. The wheeled mantlet set-up comes from Congreve's sketches. I don't believe there's evidence this was proposition was ever put into use. Simcoe refers to amusettes in use with the Rangers 1778-1781. It was quite probably a light field piece, possibly on double trailed 'galloper carriage'- although there is no evidence for that other than the name 'amusette'- which is not exactly a scientific category. As for the Highland company, two thoughts: The Light infantry role makes the wearing of the full plaid unlikely, particularly in the south.
Forgetting for a moment the anachronism of a family tartan in the 1770s, why would a light infantry company in smart green jackets, then wear a bright red kilt, let alone full plaid? |
42flanker | 23 Aug 2016 11:26 a.m. PST |
PS. That probably ought to read "to raise doubt that the term amusette ever referred to a wall-gun form of weapon"- during the American War. |
SJDonovan | 23 Aug 2016 2:53 p.m. PST |
Thanks for the additional information guys. @SM I'm tempted to go with kilts because I've got some spare Royal Highland Emigrant figures. If I do I'll go with the Govt plaid. @Major Bloodnok Thanks for the information about the colour. I work on the basis that you can never have too many flags so my highland company will have to have a Saltire. Mind you, since it is only going to consist of four figures that means I will have one officer, one piper, one standard bearer and one infantryman. Definitely a case of too many Chiefs and not enough Indians. @Terry37 I'll probably stick with Minifigs since the proportions of the heads and bodies should be closer. I won't be able to use the American Revolution figures since they are all in long coats but I am sure I will be able to find something suitable in the Napoleonic or maybe War of 1812 ranges. |
spontoon | 24 Aug 2016 4:11 p.m. PST |
Confused about the Queen's Rangers. Most folk are. This topic comes up every year, or so. I think it's a ploy to give me a stroke! The Queen's Rangers were originally raised by Robert Rogers, but he was too much of a drunk and embezzler to get it up to battalion strength. So it was given over to Major Wemyss. The strength was then made up to battalion size by amalgamating several New York loyalist units in the same boat. Hence the proliferation of uniforma and company styles. By Simcoe's time it had become an effective unit, and more small Loyalist units were amalgamated into it. Hence the Highland company. The Highland company's tartan was most certainly Government tartan as the kilts were taken from supplies surplus to the needs of the 71st. Fraser's Highlanders. The Mc Nab tartan did not exist at the time; and it's suggested use dates from a post-Napoleonic portrait of Alan McNab, president of the assembly of Upper Canada during the 1820-1830's. Very spurious as the uniform style is of the Napoleonic era. McNab apparently did have a commission in the Queen's Rangers during the AWI, but he was very young. The Hussar troop were not a separate troop, but the Light Dragoon's with a new hat. In Simcoe's memoirs he mentions the change of hat as an aid to identification from the Rebel light dragoons who also wore green jackets and Tarleton style helmets in the Southern Campaign. Lot's of stuff from the French Revolutionary War and early Napoleonic period has crept into the history, too. There was a Light Infantry unit formed of German and Émigré troops named the Queen's Rangers, served in Europe and the West Indies. Also one named the York Rangers; same service. These two units have become kind of morphed into today's Queen's York Rangers Canadian militia unit. No connection with Simcoe's unit at all. Simcoe's "guard" unit during his lieutenant-governorship of Upper Canada was not made up of disbanded Loyalists; indeed Simcoe had gone off the Loyalists somewhat after the war when witnessing their greed and self-serving nature when being disbanded and given land grants in Canada. His "guard" unit was mostly formed of disbanded German and Swiss units in British service during the early Revolutionary war with France. Apparently he brought about 20 commissions and warrants to give to deserving locals; some of whom were old officers, or their sons, from the original Queen's Rangers. Their uniform retained some of the traits of the AWI unit, but did NOT slavishly follow it, as is so commonly believed. The watercolours mention in other posts are available to view at the Toronto Reference Library. Might have to make an appointment, as they are locked up. |
spontoon | 24 Aug 2016 4:15 p.m. PST |
@ GiloUK; Steve's Done a great job of his Queen's Rangers. Thanks for the link! |
42flanker | 24 Aug 2016 10:31 p.m. PST |
Spontoon, thanks for those clarifications. |
nevinsrip | 26 Aug 2016 2:25 a.m. PST |
In my reading about Loyalist units, I'm seeing several small units being "attached" to the Queens Rangers. Anyone have knowledge of that and how they were used? |
nevinsrip | 26 Aug 2016 2:31 a.m. PST |
2) The only description of the Highland company's uniform is that it wore "Highland dress" which probably began including kilts but later moved to trews (as did most of the Regular Highland corps in the British Army). The Kilmarnock bonnet – looking a bit like a raised pork pie with the diced band – would be my guess as headgear, rather than the FIW beret-style. Bren, you're describing my Highlanders. What color coats and facings? |
42flanker | 26 Aug 2016 4:28 a.m. PST |
The wearing of the cocked bonnet by the Highland company of the Queen's Rangers does depend on the availability of manufacture in New York of a reasonably sophisticated, specialised piece of headgear. It's not entirely certain which Scottish units did wear the cocked bonnet at this time. Most of the images are officers' portraits, which raises the question of whether the men started to wear them at the same or later. 1780 we see what look like former soldiers wearing the cocked, 'diced' bonnet in Scotland. There is evidence of the 42nd receiving delivery of cocked bonnets, with a band of dicing, from Britain. These may well have been manufactured in the bonnet-making centre of Kilmarnock (although the name wasn't applied to the standard knitted forage cap of the British infantry until the C19th century). It seems the traditional flat Scots bonnet (beret, indeed!) was retained for working dress/undress and it may be more likely that this simpler form of head dress would have been what Simcoe's men wore. |