"Help with AWI British hats" Topic

Hi I'm new to AWI and just about to start painting a British force. Could someone please explain to me did the British wear the cut down hats in only the Saratoga campaign? Or was this adopted by most regiments from 1777 on.
I have started reading up on the subject but already having the figures and a itchy painting finger so its getting to the point where I just need to start splashing paint about.

Cheers
Wayne

The style of hats worn by Burgoyne's men were a function of that campaign only.

Pan's right, but my advise would be to paint accurately for the army and the war, and not to worry about the specific year or campaign. Otherwise you're going to have to build three or four British armies to fight the AWI.

The last couple of decades of research seems to be indicating that proper 1768 Warrant and correctly folded tricorn were in the minority.

hmmmm I kind of like the tricorn look so whats the best guide/book for working out which unit wore what style of hat?

Any recommendations as to a good British force/order of battle to paint units from?

Roundie, they are your army if you like tricorn hats I would go for it. I am not saying lavender coats but if there is a reasonable justification.

With Napoleonics thee are some who want their army to look like it has been on campaign for a year, others like a parade ground appearance to show of the cool uniforms. Each to his own.

Can't wait to see what your army looks like.

Lots of info in the two books by Greg Novak. Old Glory carries them. OB's,not uniforms. Well worth the $40 USD, but if you have the Army discount,even better.

link

As far as tricorns go, I guess the earlier in the war,the more likely. Except Saratoga, of course.

Ouch! Once one starts really looking, you will find out that with uniform issues occurring 1x year, uniforms change. ALOT. More so for the Americans, but also with the British.

cool thanks for your help guys

A browse through the AWI board here will bring up a lot of info. This is a good start:

TMP link

The answer is "yes".

Seriously, the evidence suggests that Burgoyne's troops did alter their hats, and that as the war progressed the trend among British forces on campaign was not to cock their hats. Cocked hats may still have been worn by some units though, and they may have been worn when units were in garrison. See Troiani's painting of Cowpens as an example.

Very few of us actually depict our British troops as they would actually have looked on campaign. Wargame troops tend to depict the official uniform, or the campaign adaptions that were made at the start of the campaign. Even British forces could get to looking quite ragged after a couple of months. On the Guilford Courthouse campaign Cornwallis's troops probably looked worse than most of us depict our Continentals.

Here is a picture of the 5th Foot on campaign. I intentionally faded the British red coats and painted knee and elbow patches on many of the figures. These are Fife & Drum Miniatures British in their campaign uniforms with cut down coats, brimmed hats and tumplines.

You had to prove me wrong. Nice looking.

very nice Fritz

I have a mix of cocked hats and round hats. My reenactment unit of British marines has both.