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765 views52 pagesOsprey - Men-At-Arms 345 The United States Army 1812-1815 (Osprey MaA 345)
Osprey Men at Arms
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/ 52
MEN-AT-ARMS
ge UNITED STATES
JAMES L KOCHAN DAVID RICKMAN JAMES L KOGHAN spent nearly
two decades asa musoum
director and curator, prinelpally
‘with the US National Park
Service and Army Musoum
‘System, and mest recently at
‘George Washington's Mount
Vornen Estate. Two years. ago
hhe formed his own antiques
business and historical
‘sonzultaney, Ineluding fim and
television technical advisory
‘work, based at
Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.
‘The co-author of Don Troianita
Soldiers In Amorica, 1754-1865,
hha has written Innumarablo
articles and has organised
‘important exhibitions, including
Trensuros from Mount Vernon:
Gearge Washington Reveated.
DAVID RICKMAN loads a
double life in the State of
Delaware, USA. He is the
exhibits co-ordinator for tho
state parks system, where his
favourite project is helping to
restore and furnish an
American Ghul War-ora
seacoast fortross. At other
times ho is 9 freelance
ilustrator specialising in
historical and othnographic
subjects. His works are in tho
collections of the National Park
Service, Parks Canada and
various other museums ancl
historle sites. The son of a US
Navy aviator, Mr Rickman has
lived in Japan, grew up in
‘Galifornia and now lives in
Wilmington, Delaware with his
wife Deboran.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Army strength and structure in 1812
* wartime expansions * authorised vs, actual manpower
PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY
© Purveyor Coxe, Commissary General Irvine
and. Mr Secretary Eustis
© reforming the contract system * regional commissaries
ARMY CLOTHING
* Pattems in service * confusion over the 1812 regulations
INFANTRY DRESS
* Officers’ uniforms ® headgear « legwear
mens’ uniforms * Mifflin's economy measures
© the 1813 regulations * regimental differences
# the grey jacket
RIFLE UNIFORMS
* Goats * frocks * overalls ¢ 1814 regulations
ARTILLERY UNIFORMS
© Foot and light artillery * 1812 & 1818 regulations
LIGHT DRAGOON UNIFORMS.
#1812 & 1814 regulations * headg
ar plates
STAFF & OTHER CORPS
* General & staff officers * surgeons * engineers
# West Point © artificers * ordnance
ARMS & ACCOUTREMENTS.
# Muskets © rifles * pistols # sabres
* cartridge boxes * belts * swords
* canteens * knapsacks
GONCLUSION
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
THE PLATES
INDEX
14
17
20
33,
35
39
44
42
43
48 SERIES EDITOR: MARTIN WINDROW
THE UNITED STATES
ARMY 1812-1815
1
1
t
at
+
+
1
i
t
L
TEXT BY
JAMES L. KOCHAN
COLOUR PLATES BY
DAVID RICKMAN
MILITARY! tho purpose of prmate stacy,
Ino Comical, Dasigns and
‘punlieation maybe repmauices, stored in a
iy sry form ot by avy means, electra,
ica optical, heteeeaying, eacoriny ce otherwise,
Jn of the copyrign? owner. Enquiries Shek! be
deer: Martin Widow
‘rig: ken Hamp
Chigralad oy Veltowen, Ileworth, Ui
Perted in China thraugh Ware Prot 8
aay 504 WIATESA GAT
FOR A CATALOGUE OF ALL TITLES PUBLISHED BY OSPREY MILITARY,
AUTOMOTIVE ANO AVIATION PLEASE WRITE TO.
‘The Marketing Manages, Osprey Publishing Lid, PO Box 140,
Wolingboraugh, Northants NNB ZA, United Kingdem
Ema infotosneoydirest cash
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Sterling Heights, Mi 45311-0919, USA
inal fe Gagpreydirectusa.com
(Cri the Dapwey watts wt: wew.ospreypablishing.com
Dedication
Ta Kiistin and Del
support and encou
‘ei work was eenceived,
through labour ane Birth.
Acknowledgements
ani Amang ha thands ard colesgal
tha subject or who have ‘opened doar
Chacrand; Bran Dun
“The Publishers regret that thay can er
pen this mattor. THE UNITED STATES ARMY
1812-1815
INTRODUCTION
N LF JUNE ISE2 President James Madison of the United States
proclaimed a state of war with Great Brittin, Pushed Unrough
congress by its “War Hawk’ element (notably Democratic
uiblicans from the western and southern states), this war not only
pitted the United States against a world power — albeit one engaged
simultaneously in something approaching a world war against Napoleon
= but also internally divided the Medgling nation along. political,
economical and geographical lines, Equally chaotic and dixided was the
state of the regular military forces of the United States.
The army’s size when war was declared amounted (o approximately
27,000 officers and men — on paper; in actuality there were less than
12,000, and almost half were recruits, Augmented, in anticipation of war
hy various acts of Congress beginning in January 1812, Ure combat
Lusteahen Watts Kearny of the E
40th Infantry wearing a uniform clement of the United States Army on 18 June thal year was composed
hich conforms to tha new 1812 of 17 regiments of infantry, one rille regiment, four artillery regiments,
regulations withthe exception of (yo) regiments of light dragoons, and sis independent companies of
Paced ctacwacort Tanvers (ig Serve on liane Gr foals Ofthe uk
foxes noted a rumeet ot infants vo artillery (one being the then-dismounted Light Artillery
[Photograph trom a now Regiment), and one cach af rifles and dragoons (also dismounted), had
inloeeted poral) bien extant prior to ISE2, Most of these ‘veteran’ carps were scattered
in smrall detachments at fronticr posts along the Mississippi River and
Canadian border, ot in coastal fortifications along the Auntie scaboard
One week afier the yar broke out, another cight regiments of
regular infantry were authored, bringing that arm to @ total of
regiments (exch mow structured as a single battalion’ of ten
companies), andl inereasing the authorised manpower of the
army to nearly $6,000, Further increases ane! rcorganisations
would oceuras the war dragged on, the biggest being the autho-
risation of 20 additional infantry rey anwary 1813
Ten additional companics of rangers were approved on 25
February 1818, as well as the creation of three new rifle rege
iments in February 1814 fafter that arm had proven its worth in
ieregular warfare along the Canadiany border during 181213)
On 30 March 1814 the Ist and 2nd Light Dragoons were
merged into a single regiment, while the Isedrd Artillery
Regiments were reorganised into a ‘Corps of Artillery’ consisting
of 12 batialions, cach of fou
In reality, there would always be a manpower shortage in the
ting regiments and corps threughoat the war, duc to poor
inducements for enfistment and retention, as well as attritien trom
batile casualties, disease and deyertion, A unit would be lucky indeed if
iments, only seven
iments on 29)
company strength
oxi it could field half of its authorised strength
at any given time during the war, Mest of the
shortierm infantry regiments raised under the
Congressional act of 29 January 1813 with a few
notable exceptions = never saw action, and some
were ‘paper regiments’ in the bluntest sense of
the term. The army reached its apex in authorised
strength in spring of 1814 — 62,674 troops on
paper; yet there were only some $1,000 men
actually in service.
Prior to the War of 1812 the / an army
was essentially a small constabulary foree led, by
and large, by aging Revalutionary War officers
who still followed the » practical and
theoretical military applications they had learned
decades jer. Until 1812 the Baron von
Steuben’s “Blue Book’ remained the official
manual for the order and discipline of weops and
for infantry drill and manoeuvers, as it had sine:
1779, despite the many tactical and organisational
innovations introduced in Europe during
three successive decades of warfare. Beyand the
regimental level there was litule erganisational
structure upon which to. build, and rarely did a
commander and his stif’ serve together at any
one time, much less an entire regiment. There
was no professional general stall corps, and no
supporting branches such as quartermaster or ardnance specialists,
The small hut extremely professional Corps of Engineers had a myriad!
of responsibilities, from supervising the erection of permanent
fortifications to administering the fledgling United. States Military
Acaelemy. The academy iwelf bad anly graduated 89 cadets beaveen its
establishment in 1802 and the outbreak af’ war; of those, the 65 then
serving as commissioned officers in the army were too junior in rank to
have much authority or influence
Despite its initial blunders on ane off the baulefield in the carly part
of the War of 1812 (or conversely, because of them), the United States
Army had evolved into a small but thoroughly professional standing
army by the time it returned to a peacetime establishment on
3 March 1815, Gone were the aging Revolutionary heroes and politician-
generals of the first year of the war, replaced through battlefield wial with
anew generation of innoyative and imaginative general officers, such as
Winficld Seat, and Alexander Macomb. The engineer and artillery corps
could vie with the best Europe had 10 offer; and American regular
infantry had proven the equal of Lhe British ‘redeoats’ ~ then considered
the best foot troops in Europe, However, it was the establishment of @
permanent general staff, as well as the creation or modernisation of the
support services (including the Offices of the Commissary General of
Purchases; the Quartermaster General and the Commissary General of
Ordnance), and the Federal armoury and arsenal system, that would
enable the army to make the wansition from peacetime to wartime
mobilisation with efficiency and speed in later wars.
meri
arl
Watercolour drawing of Lt Jane
Wells of the 11th Infantry, by
John Vecider of Rome, New Yor
61842, He also wears « uniforn
reminiscent of the 1810 pattem
with unframed cotlar and silver
face (rather than blue ‘worked
buttonholes on the breast.
(uthor's collection) PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY
With the exception of the means of subsistence, which was supplied
under localised contract, the procurement and distribution of all ather
army supplies were centralised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the eve
of the War of 1812. This responsibility lay within bwo government offices
subject to the orders of the Sceretary of War, The Purveyor of Public
Supplies of the Treasury Depa 1, a position occupied since 1303 by
“ench Coxe, was responsible for contracting or purchasing such goods,
while the Superintendent of Military Stores, chen Callender Irvine, was
responsible for storing and isting the supplies intended for the
US Army. These military supplies ineluded clothing, accoutrements,
camp eqnipage. hospital stores, Indian trade goods and, to some degree,
arms {especially those produced under contract for the government).
Although somewhat flawed, this system should have worked well enough
Loose page concerning infantry in peacetime, had it not been for the bitter personal cnmivy and
peceues oat te Lneamsplate, professional rivalry benveen the incumbent office-holders.
draft (612 published regulations
ae ee my clothing was made by low-bid contracts with tailors (uniform
iaiecvered (Courtney National clothing) and seamstresses (principally shirts, fatigue frocks and
‘Archives, Washington, DC) trousers}, who were required to praduce garments ‘equal in all respects’
to the sealed pavierns or simples deposited in the
gq Philadelphia Arsenal under the care of the |
4 Miltary Storekeeper, one of lvine's suberdinay
The contractors drew out unmade materials from
the Miliciry Storekeeper in the quantity estimated
adequate Lo complete the requisite garments, and
* Copsteockades, costes, plates in front ofthe 7g Tetumed the finished goods for inspection against
esp, and cord and tassel, of the same fushion pz scaled patterns and eventual acceptance or
E asrdirected for the platoon officers ; the ef rejection, Irvine levelled complaints that fraud
JE plume white, acd to rise O'inehes above the= 4 and abuse could andl did occur under this system.
R top of the cap cord and tassel forthe cap, to Uniforms were produced in fourstandard sizes
‘beof white cotton. 4) by height (with average propordonate measures
{2 Theeoats and buttons of the same fashion | applied to cach size for width of chest, waist,
2 as those of the platoon officers; the button thigh, etc.) in two-inch increments; Size One was
BS holes in front, ox the pocket aps and cull, for men of Sft 6ins (1,67m) and Size Four for men
and the collar laced with white bioding. i
it AS Gece wale of 6ft (1.82m) or more. Approved patterns and
Ie s . written specifications were deposited at the
& Vests of white cloth,
LS. ,oub flaps, and of sufficient length to cover the’! 14
4 Arsenal for use of the goverment and. their
contractors, Despite these safeguards, the tailors
Be fenton wih wel across the pockets
sometimes delivered fi hed garments that
I A(bGES'OE slfictent length to over the © |
| differed gready from the approved form. While
REE
oe
_stbite for winter and white linen fer sumnme:
Silt gaiters of cloth; stocks of tif, black, ~
slated leather.
quarters of the shoe, one of blue and one of
such deviations were sometimes due to
professional differences aver what constituted the
proper military cut or size (the application of
scientific principles’ of proportionate tailoring
still being in its infaney), it was more often the
result of ‘cribbing’ on Lhe part of the contractor
Gloth was issued out in bulk yardage, so an
additional profit could he realised. by the
connactor-tullor through careful cutting which |
would Jeave him with excess martcrial for his }
oun we. I the garments were made smalicr or skimpier than official patterns an unscrupulous tailor would
realise even greater profits, While these abuses were
sometimes detected during the inspection process, the
complaints of field commanders over receiving small ot
i-constructed uniforms were frequent enough to
prove that Irvine's complaints had some merit
“Tench Coxe was a strong proponent of domestic
manufactures and, to his credit, did his best to
stimulate the growth of the infant textile industry
(and re tn America by encouragement
and incentives, As war with Great Britain appeared
likely by May IS11, the Secretary of War directed
him to actively solicit bids for domestic cloth for
army clothing, especially as. possible blockade of
American ports by Royal Navy ships would cut offany
hope of a steady supply from Europe. By November,
Coxe was able to report that ‘the requisite supply of
woolen goods for any probable force may be obtained
from our awn manufacturers even for 1812", Coxe was also
Hopeful that ‘substantial goods of flax and hemp... [might
also be] within our capacity’, but had an alternative in mind
should supplies fail to. materialise - American couton. He had already
enjoyed same success the previous year with using cotton drilling itt Portrait miniature by Nathaniel
place of hemp for soldiers’ overalls and pantaloons, Rogers of on unidentifiog
With the expansion of the army in Jannary 1812, Secretary of War ‘nfantey fele-grade atticer,
: _ S 1812. His uniform is in
William Eustis informed Goxe that clothing for 20,000 additional taops — SSmiete accord with tho 1812
would be required beyond thase he had already undertaken to make Up regulations; his heulderbett
for dhe existing “old” regiments; by February this was amended te
The sudden and unanticipated demand for cloth suitable for soldiers’ American eagle In the centre,
clothing resulted in almost immediate shortages, and prices soared — Author's collection]
especially as knowledgeable speculators, anticipating the mobilisation,
had bought up much of the available clath suitable for uniforms, Coxe
soon found that he could not purchase sufficient quantities of good
quality uniform cloth (blue, scarlet and white) at nearly any price. With
these new developments, and under increased pressure from all
quarters, his earlier optimism began to flag,
By mid-March, Coxe informed the Secretary that his ‘expectations of
an early uniform a sound and a handsome supply [was] much too
sanguine’, and began to develop contingency plans. He requested
and received permission to purchase deab cloth to make coats and
pantaloons to clothe the new recruits, He argued with the Secretary that
the ‘Service is necessarily injured by the adoption of new uniforms
hefore the summer’ uniforms were completed, «is the latter were “always
the last in the... making.’ With warm weather almost at hand and
woollen uniform cloth cither unobtainable or too expensive, he
recommended furnishing recruits with “Russia sheeting” (hemp linen)
jackets and linen or cotton overalls. Onee the old regiments had
received their full uniforms and the new regiments were clothed in this
inexpensive, stop-gap dress, the business af providing winter uniforms
for the new corps could then be addressed, This proposal was adopted
and Coxe, employing nearly 5,000 tailors and seamstresses, had made
6 | considerable headway when an April reerganisadon of the supply system
000, a sitver oval plate bearing an abolished his position. On L June, just weeks before war was declared, he
vacated the Purveyor's office.
A new position had been created in its place: the Commissary
General of Purchases, now directly under the control of the Secretary of
Wan, The Purvevor’s chief clerk, Benjamin Mifflin, was appointed deputy
commissary and managed alfairs capably in the interim until the
position was filled. Ironically, Goxe’s old nemesis Callender Irvine was
appointed Commissary General in August, and soon encountered many
of the same difficulties thar Coxe had Iuboured under, including a
meddling Secretary of War. This latter impediment changed for the
better in January 1813 when John Armstrong took over as Secretary of
War; for all of his other fuuls, he gave Irvine and other subordinates
much greater latinide in managing the procurem
other war materials.
ent of clothing and
Irvine's contract reforms
Prior to his new appointment, vine had already tken steps to reform
the clothing system following the course that he had long advocated, He
reported to Eustis on 2 September 1812 that in June he had convinced
Mifflin te adopt his “plan of having all the materials cut for Garments
forced Gol Alexander Macomb of prior to issue’ to the contiaciors; this had the advantage that in “its
tha 3rd Arillery to eend enact execution the amount of materials saved is found to be very considerable
his oficers written specifications andl che making of the Clothing greatly expedited’. Irvine now proposed
pocerauinat so ensute that ne taking a large House in Philada. where owenty or thirty Cutters may be
tad nis uniform made according e : y
fei see cues counesy constantly employed and where Inspections of every Rind, can be
Maneseripte Division, The Library conducted’, Ee noted thacthe ‘shafeings’ (the scraps of cloth remaining
‘of Congress) after cutting out garments — by tradition the property of the tailor-cutter)
could be sold to the rag trade, and the profit
— would more than cover the cost of rental
and upkeep. Th asure received the
Secretary's endersement and was carried out
under the direct supervision of the Commissary
General,
der this new system, Irvine was able «
circumvent the outside master cailors, many off
whom operated ‘slop shops’ specialising in the
production of coarse, ready-made clothing for
sailors, the wades and lower classes, These firr
generally subcontracted out the actual assembly of
the garments to indigent tailors, seamstresses
and even children, pocketing a substantial
portion of the governmentallowance per garment
produced. Irvine's new cutting and inspection
system eliminated the middleman, and during the
height of wartime production he wa
3,000-4,000 outside workers in
clothing for the army
‘The master cutter and his assistants would
cut out the garments by the standard sizes, The
cutout cloth components for a jacket or coat, for
example, were then folded with the requisite
amount of buttons, tape, thread and other
Lack of printed 1912 regulations
new mi
PBF Ma 6 fine am, nella
tig fo bts taomg AC, Section materials calculated for its completion, The bundle was issued to.
outside worker, whe would be paid the pre-designated fee for that arc)
upan its completion, once it had passed inspection for quality of finid
This measure resulted in an increased production rate at lower cost |
the goyernnient, while ensuring both well-made uniforms and 2
adequate income for the workers so employed, The sysiem prow
Light infantry company other
ranks! costes of the Britian
404th Regiment of Foot, part of so cffetive in mecting the army’s needs that it continued wich lit!
the 1812 issue captured by an madification until the Civil War,
‘American privateer. The rod In 1818, Irvine also received permission 10 appoint depul
coats were Issued to vartous os
commiissaries on a regional level, These officials, replacing the suppl
Infantry and artillery unite during ae Seen Se
Tersuota forthelr eld musie agents who had earlier been under dhe Purveyor of Public Supplies, ves
sasrabeigdlameratlos Toeated at key port citiesalong the Atlantic seaboard = New York, Bost:
[changing the buttons and and Portsmouth, New Hampshire — commercial and manufactur
facings and presumably romo hubs that were also ideally sited in terms of water and law
te lacek eee Buf fi wansportation far goods. Besides locating and purchasing goods to
musicians" coats were issued to a aa
the Std Artilerys bendin vera, wed in Philadelphia for the production of uniforms and opker we
Ieeurtesy Cape Anis Historiest equipage, they were also given responsibilities to contract for and iss:
‘Association; author's photograph) = uniforms and equipment for many of (he new corps raised withh
Although they had
considerable degree of independence in. sue
their respective regions,
mawers Irvine provided the deputy cammissatic
with detailed guidelines for die pracurement a
inspection of goods, as well as samples ane scale €
patte
accoutrements, a
s of cloth, uniforms, buns,
Despite Irvine's best effaris 1 ensure son a
level of uniformity and consistency of quali E
there was a marked degree of variation due | n
wartime shortages, pressing needy from the fied
ried interpretations of patiern specificat
and plain mismanagement in the conuacting a
inspection process. é
CLOTHING h
Since the Close of the Revolutionary War th
woops of the United States Army had wor
rather plain, austere “national” uniform consistin,
of blue coals with red facings and white sins
clothes; infantry and cavalry uniforms had whit d
linings and buttons, while artillery had red lining 9
and yellow metal butions, This continued if |
effect, with only minor changes, ur
outbreak of the War of 1812 i
By 1800 most European armies ad begun (4
adopt close-bodied coats or jackets: that i 4
uniforms that were single- or double-breasted |
buttoning closed from neck to waist, Urerel,
cove
ing all (or nearly all) of the waistcoat or ve,
from view. Not so in the United States, when
the traditional 18th century ‘cutaway style’. wil | thack
pre modern cut in om
contrasting lapels, facingy and ail survived. This reluctance
jo adopt an y-dothing can be equally
tributed to the parsimony in miliary matters of the Jefferson
ition, and to the conservatism of the then Secretary of War
Henry Dearborn — a former Revolutionary War officer — in points of
military fashion. For example, it would not be until 1810 that the three
plimary arms of the U nfantry, artillery and cavalry = would
Tally receive approval to wear lapelless, single-breasted uniforms,
In 1812 the existing military laws of the United States authorised each.
enlisted man to receive an annual allowance of clothing consisting of
one coat (ar jacket for dragoons), a woollen vest, to pairs of woollen
overalls (also known as pantaloons), two pairs of linen overalls, a pair of
half-gaiters, a cap, a neekstock, a fatigue frock
rious ‘necessaries’ including shirts, siackings, socks and shoes (or
boots}. Since 1802 troops serving in the semi-trapieal areas south of the
ude had also been issued a sleeved linen ‘roundabout’ or jacket
in lieu of one of the two authorised pairs of woollen overalls.
Goats for all corps, since 1810, were closed on the breast with hooks
and eyes rather than buttons, because the corresponding buttonhotes
rimmed with round-section worsted cord rather than lace or tape
binding. and the button shanks were not large or sirong enough for the
extra thickness and resuldng strain from repeated buttoning. Buttons
instead were placed at the outer termination af the bre
decorative effect. The cord holes themselves were ‘liable to be f
out’ in field service. A surplus of this cord tim was still in store left over
from procurements for the previous uniform patterns, and was to he
used in Hien of binding until stacks were depleted. Although the
for uniforms (no printed regulations having ev 1 sued) had been
completely changed in 1810, there was still a great deal of dissa
ing the army's clothing on the eve of war
adminis
rousers, as welll as
were
st holes for mere
terns
be
isfaction
Uniform coatee worn by
Capt John Wool of the
13th Infantry during 4812-13. it
has silver trim on cellar only, as
“opposed to the full-laced cont
‘wor by his brother afficer
Stephen Keamy reproduced on
page 2. Note the email, Ince,
lnfringed contre-epaulette on
the Ieft shoulder; the size of the
collar; and the placing of the
collar buttons far back. (Courtesy
Rensselaer County Historical
Society, Troy, Neve York) 10 |
Eustis and the 1812 regulations
In January 1812 Secretary of War Eustis, under the influence of certain
anmy officers, elecided to issue a complete new set of uniform regulations
for the army, even with war now in the offing, rather thar merely
modifying the existing dress to suit wartime production, The Purveyor
informed the Sceretary that he had already contracted for the uniforms
on the 1810 pattern for most of the old corps and that it was too late to
amend the contacts, especially as many of the uniforms were already
made up. Eustis instructed Coxe that all furre uniform contracts
should be made according to the new printed regulations then under gttieers eften wore uniforms of
preparation; An incomplete draft “book of regulations’ (apparently tinen or cotton during not
covering only infantry, artillery and light artillery aaiforms) was sent to weather. Jackets similar to thos
the Purveyor at the close of the month, which upon review was found Wort by enlisted men are
to contain numerous errors and inconsistencies. Goxe requested — Eatery Semmens
further clarification in early February, and there ensned a muddled —— gtashite coots wero apparently
correspondence between the Secretary, his aide LiCol John Fenwick alse worn, Probably made dura
(apparently the author of the new regulations), and the confused 1842-1849, this linen coates
Purveyor which lasted until early March, when Fenwick was sent from 2s 42m by an offer in the
Washington to Philadelphia to confer with Coxe and finalise uniform — jaunmenw (outer Mittin
details. Eventually, supplemental circulars dealing with ville
Although net mentioned in eithe
the 1812 of 1813 regulations,
nd light — smithsonian instit Ross
dragoon uniforms would be issued in April and June respectively, but no Kimmel photegraph)
complete set of printed ISE2 regulations was ever produced — probably
because revisions and modifications seemed to occur on a nearly
basis until the regulations were superceded in spring E813.
This conduct was in keeping with the Secretary's reputation as
one unable to distinguish between critical and routine duties of
office, who spent his time “reading ads of peuy retailing
Amerchants to find out where he [might] purchase 100 shoes
or 100 hats’ rather than focusing on the big picuare — a
practice equally characteristic of Tench Goxe’s own conduct
in office, according to the Purveyor’s critics, Im the
meantime, Superintendent of Military Stores Irvine had
been overlooked in the distribution of the draft
regulations, and expressed his surprise when he learned
in early March that new patterns were being developed.
Coxe replied that he had ‘Requested the Secy. of War to
send up some Copies of the New Uniform & hoped you
had got some”.
As word leaked out about the new uniform changes
other officers began to weigh im with their opinions
Fenwick repeatedly harangued Coxe concerning, minor
details of the new uniform for light artillery = Fenwick’s
own corps — which had been changed 19 an al-blue coat
in place of the blue faced with red worn earlier, The coats
were already under contract and Coxe had to send
additional blue cloth and trimmings to the tailors to madily
them in accordance with the new regulations. Similarly, old
pattern dragon and rifle uniforms had been in store and were
issuing out when new uniforms for those corps were eventually
specified some months later. The old patiern dragoon coats, along
with the remaining unaltered light artillery coats on hand, would
eventually be converted into infantry coats INFANTRY DRESS
nick had sent Secretary Fustis a written
In January 1812. Fi
memorandum outlining a new, simplified uniform which he proposed
for the infantry. The blue uniform retained its searlet culls, collar and
turnbacks, but would now be single-breasted with one row of nine
buttons down the breast. He suggested replacing the eylindrical felt cap
(first approved for infanuy in 1810} with a felt cap mine inches
high, wider at top Umut botam, ‘in shape of an inverted sugar-cone’ —
an attempt to copy the French military shako, These proposals
were modified and incorporated into the incomplete 1812 uniform
regulations first circulated al the close of the month,
As printed, the uniform consisted of a blue coat turned up with
searlet culls and standing collar and white turnbacks atthe skirt, For
commissioned officers the collar was edged swith silver metallic lace, and
two ‘white’ (ilverplated} buttons with corresponding silver lace holes
were placed on each side of the collar breasted with
ten white butions down the breast, set off with ‘blind huttonhales of
blue silk wise worked on caeh side, and each cuff with four buttons and
blind hales of scarlet twist, Crass Maps were: placed on the hips, each
bearing four butions and blind holes of blue wrist, Field officers wore
long coats with ‘skirts lined and faced with white cloth, with a diamond
of scarlet cloth... laced with silver lace’ at the junction of the mmbacks.
‘Platoon’ (company grade) ollicers wore ‘coatees, immed similarly to
the coats of the field officers’, while soldiers wore ‘coats & buttons of the
same fashion [but of pewter] as those of the platoon officers; the button
holes in the front, on the pocket flaps & cuffs, & the collar laced with
white binding’, Underneath was worn a sleeveless vest of white cloth with
welted pockets, closed by nine small pewter infantry buttons
Field officers were authorised & “Chapeaux de bras’ (a hicarne
capable of folding flad 9¥4ins wo Lins high and Léins to 18ins wide.
bound with halfinch black silk ribbon, and trimmed with silver tassels
and loop and a black cockade with a silver eagle in the centre, The
cockacte was ‘to rise one inch above the brim’, surmounted by a white
plume Sins high, Company officers were to wear ‘caps of cylindrical
form, with cockades on the left side lo rise one inch above the top of the
cap; asilyer band: & tassels falling from the crown of the cap on the right
side, an oblong silver plate in front of the cap bearing the name of the
corps, & number of the regiment: a white plume worn in front, the stem
placed between the silver plate & surface of the cap; the plume 10 rise
above the cap 8 inches’, This was the first official sanction for junior
‘oflicers to wear the cylindrical caps similar to those authorised for their
men since 1810.
Soldiers’ caps and trimmings were ‘of the same fashion as directed
for the platoon officers’, although of plainer materials. Of wool felt,
these were to range in height from 6%ins ta 7ins in direct proportion
phe coat was singh
othe hatsize of the wearer, hound round the crown and brim with black
worsted binding, and lined under the 2i4inavide visor with thin black
leather of ‘morocco’ finish. Trimmings included white feather plumes
I0ins long overall, rising 6ins above the cup. Gap plates were of tinned
iron (later pewter); the ‘bands & tassels’ were made of white cotton or
worsted cord: and cockades were of stamped leather with pewter eagles.
44 12
Winter legwear for soldiers consisted of highavaisted woollen
‘pantaloons [also. called ‘overalls’] of sufficient length to cover the
quarters of the shoes, one of blue & one of white for winter”, finished
waiterfashion at the ankle and closed. by dire small uniform butions
Linen or cotton drilling pantaloans for summer were cut only te the
ankle bone, as they were intended to he worn inside hall-gaiters of
dlackened linen (later wool) that came up nearly to the ealf of
the leg and buttoned close with nine small pewter buttons. The
pantaloans were furnished with suspender (braces) buttons,
but the men were expected for furnish their own suspenders
{at east one soldier was punished for cutting up his musket
sling to hold up his overalls).
Officers wore similar vests and pantaloons (bre
also authorised for field officers) of finer cloth in winter and
Jeans &c. in summer’, with short hoots for foot officers and
Jong boots with white tops’ for the mounted field officers.
Black neckstocks were worn by all, of silk or leather for
officers and thick “glazed” leather far enlisted men: Soldiers’
shiris were of relatively coarse linen, with a ‘ruflled bosom’ or
neck ‘chitterling’ of finer material = 2 rough approximation
of the more genteel shirts worn by officers and gentlemen.
The clothing for the seven old infantry regiments had
already heen contracted ont following the 1810 specifications,
and much of it was already on hand in Tate spring ES12.as was
the summer clothing for most of the army. By June production
of winter clothing for the new infanty regiments {following the
new 1812 regulations) was the priority yet blue cloth was still in
short supply on the market. On 23 June, Deputy Commissary
Mifflin suggested ‘an alteration in the infantry coat... as we shall not be
able t@ pracure blue Cloth sufficient to the whale number or perhaps
any... afler prosiding for the Artillery & Dragoons, Which itis proposed
to Clothe in their uniform & therefore we shall have to resort to drabs,
Brown & Mixt [grey cloth macle of mised yarn from black and white
sheep] Qolors &c. of which we have so great a quantity ...”, Besides
changing the colour, he proposed to ‘omit the binding on the Coat
altogether’, noting that stich will allow chem to be made ‘in nearly half’ The 1013 regulations introduce
the time’ at a great saving in labour and materials, MElHlin believed all-blue, long-shirted coats 141
that there was not worsted “binding sufficient in the U, States’, and commissioned offiegr®
recommended that ‘if it should be continued a [cotton] tape er some ee oe oe
other stibstitine! could be nsed, which could be left off and shipped Out sstroight! worked huttanholee
with the ready-made uniforms to be ‘put on by the tailors in the army” geress the breast. This exami
when the elothing was issued and individually fitted to troops at their wom bya fietd efficer of the
stations, The Secretary approved Mifflin’s scheme, with the caveat that 200 Infantry, has diamonds
binding or tape continue to be provided for the uniforms, either to be ner ed
sewn on during original praduction or shipped for later attachment bY gumbaek. Alco pictured are
company lailars, depending on the exigencies of the moment the officer's white weollen
Callender Irvine endorsed and continued this programme of pantaleons, jatended to be we
sop-
