| Sharpe52 | 22 Sep 2019 11:06 a.m. PST |
Hi All,
I am trying to paint all units involved in the Battle of Cowpens in 1781.
While I could find something about North Carolina volunteers I cannot find any information about what South Carolina Militia could look like.
Is there someone who could help me please?
TIA
Marco |
| historygamer | 22 Sep 2019 1:44 p.m. PST |
Look up the reenactment unit. I believe red coat with blue facings. |
robert piepenbrink  | 22 Sep 2019 2:11 p.m. PST |
I'd bet on hunting shirts with broad-brimmed hats, often folded as tricorns. Reenactors are usually better off financially than backwoods Carolinians. Now, if we were discussing the militia of Charles Town, that would be different. |
| oldnorthstate | 22 Sep 2019 6:59 p.m. PST |
I doubt most of the militia wore a uniform of any kind. At the same time by this point in the war many former Continental soldiers show up in militia units and I assume if they had their uniform coats they wore them. |
| Bill N | 22 Sep 2019 7:31 p.m. PST |
I am curious what uniform you found for the NC troops. If they weren't wearing hunting shirts my guess is they would be in whatever clothing they had that they felt would be adequate for a few days to a few weeks in the field. |
| Sharpe52 | 22 Sep 2019 10:35 p.m. PST |
Thank you very much all:-)
Actually I am pretty sure Militia didn't wear a proper uniform. I was for some kind of detail to distinguish them if there was any.
Historygamer: I wish I could paint in such a brilliant colour I will investigate further as suggested.
Bill N: I found in Don Troiani book "Soldiers of American…" a picture in a unbleached hunting shirt and I was happy to follow this pattern.
Robert and Oldnorthstate: I think to share your opinion and in the end, paint in a generic militia dress my unit, especially considering I am doing this in 18mm.
Marco |
| robert piepenbrink | 23 Sep 2019 3:25 a.m. PST |
I actually ran across an interview with a Caroline militiaman from either Cowpens or Guilford, and he said hunting shirt and tricorn, but it would be a bear to find again. There were field signs in use, especially in the back country where no one had a uniform, but I've never found a source specifying a Whig field sign. If anyone has, please let me know. |
| historygamer | 23 Sep 2019 7:57 a.m. PST |
Oops, sorry. I was thinking of the Royal North Carolina Volunteers. My bad. |
 Old Contemptible | 23 Sep 2019 10:10 p.m. PST |
They look a lot like the North Carolina militia. I use Perry's Southern militia for any militia south of the Mason-Dixon-line. I have been known to mix them into of my Northern militia and vice versa. Don't overthink it. |
| Sharpe52 | 24 Sep 2019 6:51 a.m. PST |
Thanks All again,
In spite of my efforts I couldn't find any evidence of a particular pattern in South Carolina militia dress so I think to follow Old Contemptible's suggestion and go on with my project.
However planning and reserching a new army is almost amusing as to paint and play with it:-)
Marco |
| Rudysnelson | 26 Sep 2019 6:36 a.m. PST |
My articles back decades ago focused on Loyalist units. Patriot units were leased uniformed as stated above. South Carolina went through several years of a civil war in the back country with mass hangings of prisoners and burned homesteads. Family clan feuds often decided whose side a man would be on rather than crown loyalty. The normal field signs like feathers and arm bands were common. |
| Sharpe52 | 26 Sep 2019 8:57 a.m. PST |
Thank you RudyNelson,
I could add some kind of sign to my troops.
I didn't know about the civil war among South Carolina people. Unfortunately I am trying to study in a deeper way American History only now and lmited to AWI and ACW.
BTW where did you publish your articles? Are they available in some way?
M |
| Bill N | 26 Sep 2019 10:27 a.m. PST |
The pre-AWI civil war in the southern back country also hit North Carolina. If you nave an interest check out sites on the Battle of Alamance. Also I join in your request about where Rudy's articles might be found. |
| doc mcb | 16 Nov 2019 1:03 p.m. PST |
No uniforms for militia. By 1780 there were former Continentals serving with the militia, some of whom might have had their old coat, I suppose. Some militia officers might have had something more formal. Virginia law provided for company standards for militia, with no official pattern given. In Virginia, at least, field units were drawn from all of the county's militia by "divisions" who took turns serving. So they were not all the men from the same neighborhood but relative strangers to each other. Which accounts for some of their fragility at, say, Camden. Farmers have work clothes. Going into the field to fight would involve wearing that. The Perry southern militia are beautiful figures; paint them up as individuals, but with lots of light colors and a layer of dirt. |
paints brigs for the British fleet.
