"Loyalist units' light cos and pioneers and bearkins, Oh My!" Topic

If many Loyalist regiments raised both grenadier and light companies were most of those companies wearing light infantry caps or bearskins? So, there were units in green jackets with British bearskins!?

Also, were there pioneers for loyalist units?

So not likely. While all Loyalists regiments generally followed the regular establishment of 10 companies, including one of Lights and one of Grens, most were not raised till 1778 or later. By that time, the British regular units largely put their bearskins into storage. Remember, the Colonel owned those caps, unlike the cocked hat which was owned by the soldier (deducted from their pay).

It is also unlikely that the colonels of the Loyalists regiments would have put out the extra money for bearskins since they likely knew few, if any, of the regiments would be permanent. I'll double check with Todd Braidsted when I get a chance.

Also, the use of green coats was short-lived for most Loyalist units. By the later years of the war, some were put into red coats with blue facings regardless of whether they were royal or not. Or, so I am told by those that man some of the recreated units.

Light Infantry caps would be the same situation as bearskins.

They could have been re-purposed cocked hats.

Did they put wings on their shoulders?

From the first ever Osprey Men At Arms book, there is both a loyalist grenadier in bearskin AND a light co. soldier in a cap.

Scroll down the page for those plates:

link

Likely their coats came over that way -with wings. I'll look at the link.

My opinion. I think those prints are pretty suspect. I'm being nice. That one of Butlers is laughable. Okay, not being nice on that one. I did not see a grenadier Loyalist.

Oh wait, I just saw it. White hair? Really? :-)

How old was that book and who was the author?

My copy is from 1973.
So, yeah.

Author Philip Katcher, artist Michael Youens.

Philip Katcher

copyright 1973

I can see your point about cutting down the cocked hat.
They were shipped, stacked with flat brims. They weren't cocked until given out. It would be much easier to trim and modify before they were cocked.
Much like the "Saratoga" hats.

Why is the age of the book important? Is anyone suggesting that as the years go by we discover things such as the Loyalists didnt use grenadier bearskins?

Maybe the author himself has an opinion now?

I have great respect for Katcher, but that research has likely been overtaken by now. I wondered about some of the plates, especially the Butler hat, which has been discredited for quite sometime now.

The stuff that is coming out now is just amazing as more stuff moves on line. Todd Braisted is "the" expert on Loyalists info, bar none. I'll ask him.

As the years go by new research often comes to light. Best to use more than one source. Especially if it is from as far back as 1973.

According to Todd, the Royal Highland Emigrants (84th) wore bearskins in 1776 and Queen's Rangers wore them in 1781. The King's American Regiment had cocked hats and feathers in 1783, as possibly the 3rd Battalion of DeLancey's did in 1782. He surmises that other Loyalists units had the feathered hats as well instead of the bearskins. Not all Loyalists units had grenadiers. T

Me again. Note that most Loyalist regiments wore red withing a year or two of being formed, not green coats.

Wow, that really looks like a hurried morning post before heading out the door for work. :-(

Words of wisdom:

I would agree with everything that <<historygamer>> has said; it is worth noting that there were a few occasions when the light companies of Loyalist units took part in campaigns in the South, and one famous occasion when they were converged with Regular light companies (16th Foot, IIRC).

It is quite likely that there would have been pioneers, as they would have been essential and there would have been plenty of artisans/craftsmen who could have fulfilled the role. Possibly they were not as prominent as the Regular versions as Loyalist units were rarely in the vanguard of an army on the march, which would have primarily involved the Light Battalions and any cavalry.

My opinion. I think those prints are pretty suspect.

Those are quite old. Youens' work isn't my favorite--his Napoleonic ones aren't that great, either.

There's a much newer Osprey on the Loyalists.

link