Towson's battery and U.S. Artillery in the War of 1812

 I have updated and corrected a number of errors in this posting which was previously posted.  Thank you fir bringing these to my attention.

  Nathaniel Towson was appointed a Captain in the U.S. artillery on March 15, 1812. Prior to the war he had served in militia artillery units in Louisiana and Maryland. His first action during the war involved his capture of the brig HMS Caledonia  He quickly gained a reputation for his effective command of artillery.  During the war Towson commanded artillery at the battles of Queenstown Heights, Fort George, Stoney Creek, Chippewa, Lundy's Lane and the Siege of Fort Erie.  His batteries fire during the Siege of Fort Erie was so constant it became known as " Towson's Lighthouse."  His handling of the American artillery at Chippewa heavily contributed the the American victory.

  American  field artillery during the War of 1812 was organized into "divisions"  which is similar to the modern term of "battery” which I will use here.  American batteries consisted of six guns;  either four guns of the same calibre and two howitzers or six guns of not more than two calibres. It should be remembered that the theoretical and actual organization of American field ar­tillery were two very different things. These could and did change from campaign to campaign and battle to battle.

   Gun crews consisted of two types of soldiers: trained gunners and less-qualified men called matrosses. The gunners aimed, loaded and fired the guns while the matrosses assisted by bringing up ammunition or helping to move the gun (i.e. knuckle daggers). Gun detachment commanders were usually N.C.O.'s who supervised the work of the detachment, personally laid the gun, observed the fall of shot and made the necessary corrections. Artillery officers commanded batteries of six to eight pieces or sub-units of two or three weapons. The gun crew for a U.S. 6-pdr. field gun comprised the gun commander, two trained gunners and six matrosses. Howitzers had a similar complement but with four more matrosses.  When additional muscle power was required, it was the practice to take unskilled men from the nearest infantry unit. Visually there was a difference in British and American cannon.  While British and most European guns tended to be cast from brass, American guns tended to be cast from iron.  Iron while heavier then brass lasted much longer and stood up to campaigning better (Birkheimer, William E., Historical Sketch of the Organization, Administration, Materiel and Tactics of the U.S. Artillery.  New York, 1884, pages 260 - 261 for this).  Wooden gun carriages were painted a medium blue.  Iron fittings were painted black to prevent rust.

Rifle men

  Pretty much a must have for your American Rev War army.  The dreaded frontier rifle men in their hunting shirt.

  Although the rifle's accuracy is legendary, it's slow rate of fire and no bayonet for defense posed a number of serious issues.  These are not soldiers who can stand in line.  You have to put them in a protected area (up in trees, in woods) or in a skirmish line.  They are best for causing mischief and snipping away at the enemy.  If you are fighting battles down south they are a important staple and you must have them in your collection.  Also have some regulars with muskets and bayonets close by.  Concerning their role at Saratoga, General Daniel Morgan later write that "My riflemen would have been of little service if they had not always had a line of Musquet and Bayonette men to support us"

Miniatures are from Perry, and very nice fugures, full of action they are.

13th Continental Regiment, part 2

After rushing and posting my pictures of the 13th on line I received a email from an friend.  He pointed out that there was a reference to the 13th wearing brown faced buff coats.  In addition I found a reference in Richardson's Standards and Colors of the American Revolution that the 13th had a regimental color.

   So, what to do!  Naturally this is the type of thing which would only bother myself.  So I have very carefully repainted the coats with buff facings.  A pain in the neck job but one I am very satisfied with.

   Now, as to the regimental colors.  Washington's advice for how colors should be for 1776 regiments suggested a regimental color in the facing color of the regiment paired with a Grand Union flag.   I have two different companies who make flags  kind enough to assist me with this So I will follow Washington's suggestion.  Once I get the correct flag I will post it.

So, here is my reconstruction of the 13th incorporating the better reference materials supplied.  In this hobby of ours we need only please ourselves. But I do like to try and get things right.

Fusilier Regiment von Knyphausen 1776

   Fusilier Regiment Knyphausen arrived in New York city in August 1776.  They took part in the fighting at  Long Island, White Plains and Fort Washington.  As part of the garrison at Trenton they surrendered after that battle.  For  1777  the survivors of the Trenton debacle were amalgamated into the  Combined battalion Loos.   This battalion took part in Howe's  Philadelphia campaign, fought at Brandywine and took part in the occupation of Philadelphia.  In 1778 the battalion was restored to their original name.  September 1779 they were sent to garrison Quebec but suffered very heavy loses in a storm at sea which forced them to return to New York.  Again sent to Quebec in May 1780 they stayed there until October when they were returned to New York city.  From there they returned to Germany in 1783.   This ended the service of this hard luck regiment in the American war.

  Uniforms of the Hessian and Brunswick regiments during the American Revolution are a confusing topic.  There is much misinformation and contradictory materials out there.  The contemporary watercolors of the regiments often published are from a slightly later time after the war and may include changes done after the war.  So those of us who paint these fine fellows must do our research and make our best guess.   During the course of painting these fine fellows i have had to repaint numerous details over when new information became available.    If I have made a error in the uniforms I beg your pardon.

  The regiment had blue coats with black lapels, collar and cuffs.  Officers lace was gold.   The Fusilier caps  are based on original caps worn by the regiment.  Drummers are based on information from the end of the Seven Years War.  Drums at that time for this regiment were brass with white cords and Drum rims were black and white diagonal strips.  Regimental colors are from GMB and beautiful little works of art they are. Miniatures are from Minden Miniatures who also do the Fife and Drum range.

  I would like to thank Ed from the Fife and Drum miniatures forum.  He was kind enough to share his research  and suggestions with me over the confusing subject of Hesse Kassel uniforms.  Thank you sir!

"Martial Bliss"; a Memoir About a Bookstore for Military Buffs

    A memoirs about a book store?  Certainly you jest!  But no!  This is a book about a very unusual and very special store.  Open from 1976 to 2003 the Military Bookman was the location to stop in when visiting New York city if you loved military history and books.  Located in a brownstone which frequently had leaks and heating issues it was a treasure trove of hard to find and unusual books on military history.  The only thing better then a visit was the red catalog which would arrive in the mail. 

  This was a fun, entertaining travel down memory lane. But for a better review and more details i suggest the New York Times book review which was itself a joy to read.


https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/31/books/review-martial-bliss-a-loving-memoir-about-a-bookstore-for-military-buffs.html

New York Provincial Company of Artillery 1776

    On 6 January 1776 the Committee of Safety of New York ,  “took into consideration the defenceless state of this Colony and the capital thereof, and that they have not any proper persons to use and manage the field artillery of the Colony…”  They resolved “That it will be useful and necessary for the general defence of the Colony to raise and employ an artillery company."  General Alexander McDougall recommended Alexander Hamilton for a commission to command this new company.   On 14 March the Committee read a letter from Stephen Badlam, a captain of artillery, testifying that Hamilton was fit for duty as an artillery officer. The Committee appointed Hamilton captain with James Gilleland as his second lieutenant.  Hamilton was just 21 years old at the time he was commissioned.

   Hamilton’s interest in military service first took form in 1775, when he joined a group of volunteers in a pro-Patriot militia company at King's College (Columbia University today)  called the "Corsicans"        ( incorrectly called the "Hearts of Oak" in many second hand accounts).    In August 1775,  Hamilton  took part in a raid led by Captain John Lamb on the Battery in New York City,  stealing some two dozen British cannons while under heavy fire from the HMS Asia.  Hamilton ’s coolness under fire was later remembered by his friend Hercules Mulligan: “I was engaged in hauling off one of the cannons, when Mister Hamilton came up and gave me his musket to hold and he took hold of the rope. . . . Hamilton [got] away with the cannon. I left his musket in the Battery and retreated. As he was returning, I met him and he asked for his piece. I told him where I had left it and he went for it, notwithstanding the firing continued, with as much concern as if the [Asia] had not been there.”

  Once appointed captain of the company Hamilton spent his time drilling and training his recruits;  and pestering the Congress for funds to provide equipment and uniforms for his men.  The uniform of the company was a blue Regimental coat faced buff.  Cocked hats were trimmed in artillery yellow.   It is also possible that frocks were issued for fatigue duties.

   Under Hamilton, the New York Provincial Company of Artillery took part in the Battles around New York city and later at White Plains, Trenton, and Princeton.  They played an important role at Trenton, breaking up a counter attack and driving off  the Hessian battalion guns.  According to Princeton University lore, Hamilton’s gunners shot a cannonball through a window of the university’s main building, Nassau Hall, and decapitated a portrait of King George II.

  When Hamilton accepted a position on George Washington’s staff in March 1777, command was turned over to Lt. Thomas Thompson, a former sergeant in the unit whom Hamilton had commissioned.

  The U.S. Army’s Center of Military History traces the lineage of the New York Provincial Company of Artillery down to the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, making it one of the oldest active unit in the regular U.S. Army.

  Figures for the battery are from Fife and Drum miniatures.

Fusilier 23rd Regiment Boston 1775

    Concerning the question did Grenadiers wear their bearskin caps on April 19, 1775?  There is no evidence either way that I could find.  But  here is a watercolor of a fusilier of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers on guard duty in Boston in 1775.  It is part of a multi plate watercolor  panorama of Boston done by Lieutenant Richard Williams of the 23rd.  He mentioned in his journal sitting stop a hill in Boston to paint this.  In one plate there is a fusilier on guard duty.  He is identified by his cap, the blue facings on his coat, no shoulder wings and the three feathers of the Prince of Wales in his cartridge box and rear of his cap.  All of which are very clear in the original works.

 A full size copy of the entire panorama is on display at the Battle Road Visitor Center, Minute Man National Historical Park, Lincoln, Massachusetts.  For additional information please see;

Nichipor, Mark A. "Richard Williams and the Cartridge box badge of the Royal Welch Fusiliers."
 Military Color for and Historian, 37 (summer 1985), pp. 93-94.