First Maryland, Circa 1780

Why is he in a blue coat?

     Armies of this period wore distinctive colored coats for quick identification.  The British wore red, the French wore white and the Americans, when they could, wore blue.  There were exceptions to the color coding of coats but in general, it worked.  If you want to know why the Americans didn't wear Green or Brown to help them hide behind rocks and trees I will be happy to refer you to a good book on the Revolution.  Email me.

     This private is wearing a blue coat with red facings.   The facings (the collar and cuffs) are supposed to identify where the unit is from in the states.  Red facings are supposed to mean the unit is from the mid-Atlantic colonies, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland or Virginia.  The small clothes (shirt, vest and pants) are white.  The private is carrying his full kit as he is on sentry duty.   He is armed with a Brown Bess musket captured from British supply houses at the start of the Revolution.  He also has a cartridge box to hold his ammo, a bayonet scabbard to hold his bayonet, and a haversack to carry his personal belongings.

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