The First Foot Guards

We are a Revolutionary War reenactment group based in Boston MA,
accurately portraying the royal household regiment that is now known as
The Grenadier Guards

 


Uniform of a Private Soldier
of the Battalion Company

Very important:
Refer to our pictures of an actual surviving coat
Click

Coat
Red wool
White wool
Blue wool
Lace, to be laid out on lapels, cuffs and pockets in "bastion loop" pattern.
Plain pewter buttons (no regimental markings).
Lining.

Arms
Musket
Pipeclayed white sling
Crown Forces flashguard (mandatory)
Hammerstall (mandatory)
Bag to contain the musket is recommended.

Bayonet
Black leather bayonet scabbard
White pipeclayed bayonet sling
Cartridge box
Brass Guards badge
White pipeclayed cartridge box sling

Hatt-cap
Hat blank
Feathers
Cockade
Ferret binding

Shirt
(Recommended) James Townsend OH-124 Osnaburg ($32) or linen LH-124 ($65)
At some time you will find it convenient to own two.

Stock
Black horsehair: G Gedney Godwin

Waistcoat
White linen or wool, plain pewter buttons.

Haversack
Unbleached linen (such as Townsend NL-713, $14). You might need to shorten the sling, since they are generally long.

Trousers
White fall front cotton duck trousers. Such as Townsend PA-125, $50. Plain pewter buttons on Townsend model are appropriate.

Leggings
Black duck half-spatterdashes

Shoes
Black, such as Townsend CS-125, $85, CS-925 pair of brass buckles, $35
Because the vamp is covered in regular (but not ceremonial) use by the spats, you can use for the time being any simple-looking black shoes that approximate to the square- toed kind. You should ultimately plan to purchase the real thing. There are better shoes available from other sutlers. Discuss with the Serjeant-Major.


Optional, but useful

Whisk and pick
Period screwdriver or combination tool.

Dress uniform
As above with the following changes.

The private soldier will wear bayonet, but not cartridge box or haversack.
The private soldier will not wear white gloves.

Tricorn hat with appropriate black cockade.
White fall-front breeches.
(Such as Townsend SP-128 Off-white cotton, $55)
(Townsend: Pair of KB-48C brass knee buckles, $25)
Plain pewter buttons on Townsend model are appropriate.
White stockings such as Townsend SP-754, $8
Black buckled shoes, without half-spatterdashes.

Sutlers

James Townsend & Son, Inc
Pierceton IN
Reliable goods.
Excellent color catalog. On line catalog. Items are usually in stock and can be delivered the same week.

G Gedney Godwin
Valley Forge PA

Excellent quality goods, if pricey!
Can be slow supplying goods.


Winston on buttons
April 2002

Pewter buttons for your uniform coats: you might want to check out this page. http://www.milwarehouse.com/18thcenturybuttons.htm

 

I would say we are looking at the 3/4" and 7/8" flat plain pewter buttons. The 7/8" for the lapels, cuffs and pockets and the 3/4 for the collar and epaulette attachment buttons.  The pictures of the original coat actually shows a smaller button say 1/2" to hold the collar to the lapel and the epaulette to the collar. But we need to find a good source for that, perhaps either Roy Najecki or Townsend.

 

 



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