American Revolution Impression
Regiment von Riedesel
For our American Revolution impression, we portray the Regiment von Reidesel. This regiment was formerly the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment Prinz Friedrich, which wore identical uniforms to von Riedesel, with exception to the fact that they did not have facings on their coats.
Our hats are made of black wool felt, and are cocked in the German style. They feature one silver button on the front right where a cockade is normally worn. The hats are trimmed in white, and feature a white hat cord with three poms, colored white with yellow centers. These hats were worn by all members of the regiment except the Grenadier company,
The neckstock worn by the regiment is reversible with black on one side for campaign use, and the other side is red for formal dress wear.
A white linen shirt with ruffles is worn underneath a white wool waistcoat which features silver buttons and fake pockets..
When the regiment arrived in America, they wore white wool breeches and high black gaiters. However, they eventually adapted a trouser style of pants known as overalls which buttoned at the botton and strapped under the foot like gaiters., They were made from a material of blue ticking. These are the pants worn as our main impression for the unit.
The shoes should be correct period black leather shoes featuring buckles.
The regimental coat is made of Prussian blue wool, and was lined in red and featured red turnbacks. It featured yellow facings, cuffs and collar. German silver buttons were used on the facings and cuffs. The men wore their old coats from the Prinz Friedrich regiment, but they added yellow facings to the front.
The fatigue cap worn by the men were made of blue wool, with yellow trim and they featured the pom with white striped with yellow.
All members of Regiment von Riedesel are also required to wear a wig with a queue.
Our hats are made of black wool felt, and are cocked in the German style. They feature one silver button on the front right where a cockade is normally worn. The hats are trimmed in white, and feature a white hat cord with three poms, colored white with yellow centers. These hats were worn by all members of the regiment except the Grenadier company,
The neckstock worn by the regiment is reversible with black on one side for campaign use, and the other side is red for formal dress wear.
A white linen shirt with ruffles is worn underneath a white wool waistcoat which features silver buttons and fake pockets..
When the regiment arrived in America, they wore white wool breeches and high black gaiters. However, they eventually adapted a trouser style of pants known as overalls which buttoned at the botton and strapped under the foot like gaiters., They were made from a material of blue ticking. These are the pants worn as our main impression for the unit.
The shoes should be correct period black leather shoes featuring buckles.
The regimental coat is made of Prussian blue wool, and was lined in red and featured red turnbacks. It featured yellow facings, cuffs and collar. German silver buttons were used on the facings and cuffs. The men wore their old coats from the Prinz Friedrich regiment, but they added yellow facings to the front.
The fatigue cap worn by the men were made of blue wool, with yellow trim and they featured the pom with white striped with yellow.
All members of Regiment von Riedesel are also required to wear a wig with a queue.
This image shows the reverse side of the von Riedesel uniform as well as the accoutrements worn.
The wig with long queue is very visable, and typically the longer the queue, the longer the soldier had served in the army.
Slung over his right shoulder, the musketeer carries a linen haversack filled with his plate and rations, as well as a cow hide knapsack known as a tornister. The tornister was worn on a white leather strap, fastened with a brass buckle, and featured two leather straps with buckles as closure. Inside the tornister, all the personal items were carried, along with the fatigue hat, which was worn with the top including the pom hanging out of the flap.
This particular soldier carries a canteen over his right shoulder. It is also worn on a white sling, and was issued to every fourth man. It was very large and therefor not every soldier carried one.
Over his left shoulder he carries a cartridge box. It is substantially larger than those worn by the British or Americans. It is worn on a very wide white leather sling, and features a large brass plate to help hold the flap closed. Each box could carry sixty rounds, as compared to a British box of the time that could only hold 18.
The musketeer also wore a white belt that carried a sword and bayonet.
The musket carried by our Regiment is typically the 1740 Potsdam musket. However, when Regiment von Riedesel arrived in Canada many of their muskets were unusable so they were issued muskets out of British stocks in Canada. For this reason, we allow members to also carry British Brown Bess muskets. The muskets are to have a red sling. And bayonets are always to remain fixed.
The wig with long queue is very visable, and typically the longer the queue, the longer the soldier had served in the army.
Slung over his right shoulder, the musketeer carries a linen haversack filled with his plate and rations, as well as a cow hide knapsack known as a tornister. The tornister was worn on a white leather strap, fastened with a brass buckle, and featured two leather straps with buckles as closure. Inside the tornister, all the personal items were carried, along with the fatigue hat, which was worn with the top including the pom hanging out of the flap.
This particular soldier carries a canteen over his right shoulder. It is also worn on a white sling, and was issued to every fourth man. It was very large and therefor not every soldier carried one.
Over his left shoulder he carries a cartridge box. It is substantially larger than those worn by the British or Americans. It is worn on a very wide white leather sling, and features a large brass plate to help hold the flap closed. Each box could carry sixty rounds, as compared to a British box of the time that could only hold 18.
The musketeer also wore a white belt that carried a sword and bayonet.
The musket carried by our Regiment is typically the 1740 Potsdam musket. However, when Regiment von Riedesel arrived in Canada many of their muskets were unusable so they were issued muskets out of British stocks in Canada. For this reason, we allow members to also carry British Brown Bess muskets. The muskets are to have a red sling. And bayonets are always to remain fixed.
Regiment von Riedesel, 2013.