Uniforms of the American Revolution Coloring Book [FIRST EDITION]

Copeland, Peter F.

Published by Dover Publications, New York, 1974

About this Item

Near fine condition color illustrated softcover wraps. Includes Author Dedication and Introduction. Profusely illustrated with black-and-white line drawings and front and rear inner cover color drawings of the various uniforms. Light rubbing at the lower front cover edge and tips; the volume is otherwise in fine condition. The title page has a small date stamp; all other pages are in fine unmarked condition (see photographs). First edition, as per the following copyright page information: "Uniforms of the American Revolution Coloring Book is a new work, first published by Dover Publications, Inc. in 1974." Unpaginated. "The uniforms of the soldiers of the armies that fought in the American War of Independence were of many colors. In the eighteenth century it was not at all unusual that different regiments within the same army should have different colored coats. The British Army were mainly in red coats, with facings of contrasting colors to identify the regiments. British Artillerists, however, wore blue coats, and many of their Loyalist Allies were clothed in green. French regiments wore mainly white coats, but foreign regiments in the French service wore a variety of colors. Troops from the German states were mainly in blue coats (in emulation of the armies of Frederick the Great) but some German regiments wore coats of white and yellow and, of course, the Jager wore green. American soldiers dressed in the widest variety of colors of all. Most of the time they wore what they could get. Supplies of clothing were hard to come by in the Continental Army and officers often procured for their regiments any color clothing that might come to hand. Often the American soldier's clothing was made up at home, the outfit being a rifle shirt or hunting shirt and trousers of coarse linen, often not even dyed - a rough but serviceable outfit, though hardly a uniform by European standards. (A diagram showing the various elements that made up the standard uniform of the period is to be found on page 64.) The uniforms shown here, (some never before illustrated) often represent the outfit worn by a regiment at the outset of the war; modifications adopted in the field during the eight long years of war changed considerably the appearance of some of these regiments before the war finally ended. Thus, the 42nd Highland Regiment laid aside their broadswords and tartans while serving in America, and wore their short jackets with ordinary breeches and were armed like other regiments (i.e. musket and bayonet) for most of their wartime service. The information upon which these uniforms are based comes mainly from descriptions of deserters printed in the newspapers of the time, portraits, accounts of clothing issued, and upon contemporary descriptions enclosed in diaries, personal correspondence and other miscellaneous sources. The few uniforms that have survived belonged to high-ranking officers. A more detailed study of the uniform and equipment of the soldier of the American Revolution may be found in Book of the Continental Soldier, by Harold L. Peterson, and in the recently republished Uniforms of the American, British, French, and German Armies in the War of the American Revolution, by Lt. Charles M. Lefferts." - from the Introduction. Seller Inventory # 005543

Bibliographic Details

Title: Uniforms of the American Revolution Coloring...

Publisher: Dover Publications, New York

Publication Date: 1974

Binding: Soft cover

Condition: Near Fine

Edition: 1st Edition