NSSAR - Color Guard Design

Design of Revolutionary War Uniform

The following is based on "Notes and Queries" in New York Historical Magazine for 1997, pp 248-9.

Orders issued from Headquarters at Moore's House 1779 October 2, specified uniforms that were intended to make the various units easy to identify.

Everyone was to have a blue coat [and a tricorn hat].  All but the artillery units and officers had white linings and white buttons.

The New England regiments (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) had white facings.  The Light Dragoons (mounted infantry, generally drawn from several states) wore these colors also.

The North Atlantic regiments (New York and New Jersey) were to have buff facings.

The Middle Atlantic regiments (Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) were to have red facings.

The South Atlantic regiments (North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia) were to have blue (light?) facings and button holes edged with narrow white lace or tape.

The Artillery regiments were generally drawn from several states and were more elegantly dressed.  Their blue coats were to have scarlet facings and scarlet linings.  Their hats were to be bound with yellow and both their coats and button holes edged with narrow white lace or tape.

Musicians wore the colors of their regiment but with the coat and facing colors reversed, so that a Massachusetts drummer would have a white coat with blue facing.

Orders issued from Headquarters at Short Hills on 1780 June 18, provided distinguishing features on hats and shoulders to make the ranks of officers easy to identify.   It also specified uniforms for several new types of unit.  All officers (warrant as well as commissioned) were to wear a cockade [a knot of ribbon on the hat] and a sword or "genteel" bayonet.

Major Generals were to have blue coats with buff facings and linings, yellow buttons, white or buff underclothes, two epaulets, with two stars on each, and a black and white feather in his hat.

Brigadier Generals were dress as a major general but with only one star (not two) and a white feather (not black and white).

Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, and Majors were to wear the uniforms of their regiment with two epaulets.

Captains were to wear the uniforms of their regiment with one epaulet on the right shoulder.

Subalterns were to wear the uniforms of their regiment with one epaulet on the left shoulder.

Aides de Camp for officers were to wear the uniforms of the regiment in which they served and the indicators of their rank.  Aides to major generals and brigadier generals were to wear a green feather instead of the general's feather color.  Aides to the commander-in-chief were to wear a green and white feather.

The Inspectors were to wear the uniforms of the regiment in which they served and the indicators of their rank, as well as a blue feather in their hats.

The Engineers, Sappers, and Miners were to wear a blue coat with buff facings, red lining, and buff underclothes and the indicators of their rank.

Sources of Revolutionary War Uniforms

The firms listed on the linked pages can provide uniforms, reenactor clothes, accessories and so on for anyone looking to acquire a Colonial Uniform. The author of this Web page and the National Society Sons of the American Revolution can make no guarantee as to the quality or authenticity of any product from the firms listed here.

You should write for a catalog before ordering any item to make sure that you have a printed description and can later check that what you got is what you wanted and what you ordered.

NOTE: Polyester uniforms are very popular and are less expensive than uniforms made of linen or wool. However, they are very hot in warm weather, and you cannot safely fire muskets when wearing a polyester uniform. The danger of flash fire to the wearer is great enough that the National Park Service personnel who will conduct a safety inspection prior to any firing in a National Park will not allow anyone wearing a polyester uniform to shoot using a firelock weapon. This peril does not exist if your color guard does not fire muskets.