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Originally, brown was the first color chosen by the Continental Congress for the uniform coat of the Continental Army. However, by October of 1779, Washington gave a general order authorized by the Congress, which stated that a blue coat was to be the basic uniform worn for all branches of the service. The colors on collars or facings of the coats were used to distinguish the regiments of individual states. For instance, troops from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia all had blue coats with red facings. An example of this type of uniform is shown on the picture of the blanket below.

Why then are the soldiers on this page (in pictures taken at the Valley Forge museum) depicted in hunting shirts without any dress coats at all?

The hunting shirt was originally the dress of the expert marksman (rifleman) from the Carolinas, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The pants worn with these shirts were usually long leggings instead of the customary breeches and stockings. Materials for these outfits consisted of linen, duck, deer leather or wool and were readily availabe in the colonies. Over the course of the war, partly due to shortages in regular uniforms, this outfit became the accepted field dress for most of the Continental Army. In fact General Washington approved of this situation as shown in his General Order of July 24, 1776 where he states, "No dress can be cheaper, nor more convenient, as the wearer may be cool in warm weather and warm in cool weather by putting on under cloaths which will not change the outward dress, Winter or Summer -- Besides which it is a dress justly supposed to carry no small terror to the enemy, who think every such person a complete marksman."

The cocades worn on the sides of the hats were symbols of the alliance with France.

The amount of equipment that the Continental soldier carried was very lightweight. Everything that was typically used is shown laid out on the blanket picture. These items consisted of a bayonet with scabbard, a dress coat, cartridge pouch with musket balls, musket, eating utensils, canteen, linen haversack, leather pouch and whatever food he needed to take. The soldier would roll this equipment up as best he could and carry it, either in his packs or in his hands as can be seen by the soldiers above. As heavy as it might appear, it was very small and portable in comparison to the 125-pound packs that the British soldiers usually carried.

2d Virginia Regiment - Uniforms
Continental and British Uniforms1
Continental and British Uniforms2
British Uniforms

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