"Mixing full and shortened coats?" Topic

I bought my first two boxes of AWI redcoats this weekend to begin collecting forces for the Southern Campaign. Very excited to start a new project, especially in such a fascinating period.

It appears, however, that I have overlooked something…

The boxes I bought are Warlord and Perry, the former with full length coats and the latter with the shortened coat seen later (and more commonly) in the war. (I ought to mention that the Warlord box has not arrived yet but the images on their website seem to show this).

So, the question is whether there was a British unit in the Southern Campaign that retained their coats' full length – regular, provincial, militia, whatever? Just seems a shame to waste a perfectly good box of nice minis. I don't mind a little artistic license.

Any guidance would be appreciated – thanks.

Can't say for sure off the top of my head, but that wouldn't bother me at all.

I would mix them in an army, but not within a unit.

The 7th Foot and the 3rd Foot (Buffs) both arrived late in the Southern Theatre.
If you were going to paint any units in full Warrant uniform, it would be them.
I think Troiani depicted the 7th in full uniform.

The 3rd, 19th and 30th Foot reputedly all arrived wearing the "full" regimental coat – and paid for it with heat exhaustion during the Eutaw campaign. Not sure about the 7th – it had been in Canada when the war started, was captured and later exchanged; however, the part of the regiment that served in the South was supposedly made up of recruits and so could have had the longer coat.

Having wore heavy wool coats in all kinds of weather, I have to wonder if just having long skirts on a coat was the real cause of their heat exhaustion. That is unless everyone else was wearing roundabouts instead. The wool lining was actually pretty light (bay wool).

I am told that some units in NY ordered linen to replace their wool linings. That might help some. I've wore linen that is as heavy, or heavier than wool too.

I think the killer in heat would be wool coat, wool small clothes (especially breeches) with full pack, etc. Point being, it's not just a coat issue, but all the other wool clothes (which were standard issue).

The Warlord boxes are a mix of short/long coats – although there are more long coats than short coats.

I think the mix is because some of the figures can be used to portray light company men.

Thanks for the quick responses, chaps!

I like the idea of the 3rd Foot, though I can't seem to find any history of the Buffs in the AWI at a glance. Unless it's the 3rd Foot (Scots) Guards?

Also, if a unit had arrived with full uniform at this period, would it be with the Burgoyne cap, or would they at least have adopted the slouch hat by then?

There's a very useful website that has full uniform details for the British army in the AWI. Here's a link to the page on the Buffs:

fifedrum.org/crfd/BD_1R.htm

The "Burgoyne cap" was unique to the Saratoga campaign of 1777, or at least it was in respect of regular company soldiers, as opposed to light company men who wore something similar. If you're putting the Buffs in long coats I'd go for the full 1768 warrant look – tricornes for the men and bearskins for the drummers and fifers. That's what I'll be doing, anyway; but there's nothing stopping you using Warlord bodies with Perry slouch hats.

I think the 3rd Regt was a later arrival in the war and fought down south (as noted by SM above). I don't recall them being trapped at Yorktown, so likely a garrison unit after fighting at Eutaw Springs.

I'm not looking to be contrarian. How strong is the evidence that shortening coats was the norm after 1775-1776? The evidence does indicate that Howe and Burgoyne did it at the start of their campaigns, but what is there after that? Did the British start ordering and shipping uniforms with shorter coats? Did either Clinton or Cornwallis order that coats be shortened before they were issued? What about Prevost or Haldimand?

My understanding was the 3rd, the 19th and 30th were sent to the Carolinas from Britain in 1781, arriving after Cornwallis moved to Virginia.

The "Burgoyne cap" was unique to the Saratoga campaign of 1777, or at least it was in respect of regular company soldiers, as opposed to light company men who wore something similar.

There is evidence that some units (at least) retained these caps right through to the end of the war. A recruiting sergeant of the KRRNY was recorded wearing one in 1778-79 as he moved among Rebel prisoners.

Re: coats, my understanding is the shortening was done on a unit basis, so "officially" they were issued clothing according to the Warrant.

Certainly some units arriving later in the war were not modified; OTOH, you also have the Guards, who made changes before leaving the UK (or on the way over).

Hard to generalize about this.

Thanks VT.