A new Project

 

I am adding a few new American Regular regiments to my War of 1812 armies.  I will be using the wonderful Knuckleduster miniatures.  Instead of the usual 1814 uniform I am going with the hybrid 1813 uniform.  Its colorful and different.

  The uniforms of the American Army during the War of 1812 is a very complex subject.   Uniforms changed considerably throughout the war,not once but at least three times.   The uniforms worn early in the war were very different then those worn at the end of the war.  More importantly units didn't always receive new items immediately when they became available. 

  Throughout the 1813 campaign season the American regular infantry wore a hybrid uniform. On paper, the US Army had an entirely new uniform in 1813. This was a plain coatee without the lace adorning earlier versions of the garment, and a ,new leather shako. But as any student of military history can tell you, the dictates from on high do not always translate into changes in the field; at least not right away;  sometimes if ever.  The American army throughout the 1813 campaign season (a third of the war), wore a hybrid of the 1812 and 1814 uniform.

  On paper the United States Army  had an entirely new uniform.  This was to be a plain coatee without the lace the earlier coatee had  plus a new leather shako.

  The leather shako was delivered very quickly to the front lines, and most units had them in hand for the 1813 campaign season.

  The regimental coats were another story. The old laced 1812 coatee continued to be worn by a substantial number of units, and because of shortages of blue dye, it was delivered to units in various shades of grey, "drab", brown, and black. According to Rene Chartrand, the Army specified that, "the mixed color coatees and garments were to be cut as prescribed in the February 1812 regulations, with red collars and cuffs, and white lace binding."

US Regulars in the hybrid 1813 uniform from the Knuckleduster miniatures website.

  The units wearing this old coat/new cap configuration, were as follows (coat color follows listing):

12th US: Drab, red facings

14th: Brown for some, Drab faced with Red for others.

21st: Blue, red facings

16th: Black, red  facings

  Yet another exception to the rule., which the War of 1812 is filled.   The 25th US Infantry had the old felt shako and a blue coat faced with red (and with minimal lace).