KNUCKLEDUSTER S GUIDE TO BUILDING UNITS FOR THE WAR OF 1812 Revised April 17. 2014 Knuckleduster s War of 1812 product line now numbers in the dozens of packs; 97 at last count! With so much selection, it is very easy to get overwhelmed trying to find a place to start. So I ve created this document; a buyer s guide if you will. A disclaimer is in order. The subject of 1812 uniforms is vast and murky. Like a reenactor, the wargamer portraying a unit from this war is striving to create an impression ; that is to say, an approximation that is revealing of the unit s history, understanding that it will not be a literal snapshot. The historical record of the War of 1812 is incomplete, vague at times, and frustratingly open to interpretation. Obscure bits of crucial information about uniforms lurk silently in the shadows of paragraphs read during a midnight research session, coming back to haunt even the most devoted sculptor (i.e. me). What follows are merely suggestions for portraying units on the table-top, but you are urged to do your own research to refine your selections. UNITED STATES. TYPE OF UNIT YOU RE BUILDING US Infantry, 1812 Laced coatee and cylindrical felt shako, worn in the early part of the war, and by some units into 1813. US Infantry, Mid-War (1813) The new leather tombstone shako, but with the old laced coatee which continued to be used due to supply problems with the new streamlined, plain blue coatees. Many units wore this at Crysler s Farm. WHAT YOU LL NEED 1812-US026 Advancing 1812-US033 Marching 1812-US072 US Infantry Command, 1812 Command broken-down: 1812-US031 Officers 1812-US027 NCOs 1812-US032 Flagbearers and Drummer 1812-US057 Advancing 1812-US054 Marching 1812-US068 Standing/Firing 1812-US069 Kneeling/Firing 1812-US073 1813 Command 1812-US013 Officers (same as 1814) 1812-US055 NCOs 1812-US056 Flagbearers and Drummer
US Infantry, Late War (1814) During the Niagara campaign, those that had blue coats wore this uniform, a leather shako and a blue coatee with minimal lace. US Infantry, Scott s Brigade, Lundy s Lane Short grey roundabout jackets and leather tombstone shakos. US Uniformed Militia, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and some Maryland Units. Used at Queenston Heights and Bladensburg, among other battles. Round hat (a.k.a. top hat ), waistcoat and coatee with lapels US Uniformed Militia, Federal Equipment In the 1814 Niagara campaign (Lundy s Lane, etc.), many of the militia received US government equipment. Maryland Militia For Bladensburg and North Point. Distinctive shako with cloth hatband/turban. A company with shoulder wings was documented in a painting, but should NOT be considered a flank company in a typical regiment. Frontier Militia; Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and other frontier states. Essential for New Orleans. Barney s Position at Bladensburg 1812-US009 Advancing 1812-US001 Marching 1812-US070 Standing/Firing 1812-US071 Kneeling/Firing 1812-US002 Command 1812-US061 Officers 1812-US062 1814 Flagbearers and Drummer 1812-US063 NCOs 1812-US066 US Grenadiers (Flank Company) 1812-US065 Scott s Brigade, Marching 1812-US004 Advancing 1812-US003 Marching, Support Arms 1812-US008 Command in Roundabouts 1812-US061 Officers 1812-US015 NCOs in Roundabouts 1812-US064 Flagbearers and Drummer, Scott s Brigade 1812-US067 US Grenadiers (Flank Company) in Roundabouts 1812-US052 Advancing 1812-US 049 Marching 1812-US020 Command 1812-US012 US Militia, Government-Equipped 1812-US002 Command 1812-US020 Command with Lapels A combination of both. 1812-US040 Marching 1812-US042 Command 1812-US041 Elite Volunteer Unit 1812-US006 Advancing 1812-US007 Skirmishing 1812-US028 Officers 1812-US029 NCOs 1812-US030 Flagbearer and Musicians 1812-US043 Flotillamen, Gun Crew 1812-US044 Flotillamen, Inf. Detachment 1812-US035 US Marines, Advancing 1812-US036 US Marines, Commmand
Civilian Militia Useful for the raw militias at Bladensburg, New Orleans, and other defensive positions where local militias turned out on short notice. From Connecticut to Louisiana, civilian volunteers wore similar attire. US or Maryland Militia Rifles The same uniform was favored by rifles in the US and State service; hunting frock and round shako. Both wore green, but the militia had red fringe while the Federals had yellow fringe. Artillery Three types of crews, for early war, late war, and militia. Knuckleduster currently does not manufacture guns. Front Rank or Perry French or Prussian artillery pieces are recommended. American guns feature the double-trail carriage system. Cavalry US Light Dragoons, which rarely participated in combat. Knuckleduster s troopers feature the correct helmet, based on museum examples. The plume is front and center, as opposed to the side, an error made by a 19 th -century historian who was looking at a post-war model and mistook it for a wartime helmet. Kentucky Mounted Volunteers Strikingly-uniformed frontier cavalry, very well trained. They feature fringed hunting shirts with round hats. 1812-US048 Advancing 1812-US050 Marching 1812-US051 Command Expand and add variety with assorted Frontier Militia figures from packs 006, 007, 028, 029, and 030. 1812-US019 Advancing 1812-US047 Skirmishing 1812-US025 Command Add variety with: 1812-US005 Rifles in roundabouts 1812-US016 Felt shakos 1812-US017 Leather shakos 1812-US053 Militia artillery in bicornes 1812-US21 Troopers, Shouldered Sabres 1812-US058 Troopers, Charging 1812-US22 Officer 1812-US23 Flagbearer and trumpeter 1812-US059 Dismounted Dragoons 1812-US060 Dismounted Dragoons w/officer 1812-US039 Troopers 1812-US038 Officer (Johnson) 1812-US 037 Flagbearer and trumpeter
BRITISH. TYPE OF UNIT YOU RE BUILDING British Infantry in Stovepipe Shakos These figures can be used for regular British infantry in North America or the Peninsular War, or Canadian Fencible units. The stovepipe shako was still very much in use, not only with regular infantry, but with militia who adopted castoff unifoms. Officers appeared in a wide range of dress, new and old. Present were cocked hats (Bicornes), the new Belgic shako or the very common round hat (a.k.a. top hat ), which was found not only among militia, but regular officers as well. The command pack 003 reflects the very common mixture of officers and ensigns in new Belgic shakos, and NCOs, drummers, and rankers in stovepipe shakos. British Infantry in Belgic Shakos For many units at Lundy s Lane and after. Use for Incorporated Militia after June, 1814. British Light Infantry The 85 th at Bladensburg and the 43 rd at New Orleans are good examples of these troops. Wings on the shoulders and a bugle badge instead of shako plate are the Light Infantry uniform distinctions. Note: flank companies for line units have full shako plates, so are not suitable for light infantry regiments. WHAT YOU LL NEED 1812-B038 Center Companies, Advancing 1812-B001 Center Companies, Marching 1812-B021 Flank Company, Advancing 1812-B002 Flank Company, Marching 1812-B003 Command, Mixed Belgic and Stovepipe. 1812-B050 Command, Early War Expand and Add Variety With: 1812-B037 NCOs in Stovepipe Shakos 1812-B018 Officers in Belgic Shakos 1812-B039 Officers in Round Hat 1812-B049 Officers in Cocked Hats 1812-B051 Flagbearers and Drummer, Early War. 1812-B016 Center Companies, Marching 1812-B017 Flank Companies, Marching 1812-B018 Officers 1812-B019 Flagbearers, Drummer 1812-B020 NCOs 1812-B022 Advancing 1812-B023 Skirmishing 1812-B024 Command
Upper Canada Sedentary Militia The vast majority would wear civilian clothes (B012), and would not carry colours. Castoffs or sporadic uniform supplies were sometimes available, but rarely in great numbers, and mostly given to flank companies, which each district was required to provide, and who would turn out for more frequent training (see below). Upper Canada Flank Companies Militia who trained every weekend and served as reliable light infantrymen, but remained on the militia rolls. More likely to be uniformed than sedentary militiamen. Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada After June 1814, use British Infantry in Belgic Shakos. Before June 1814, dress as UC militiamen above. Lower Canada Select Embodied Militia British infantry coatees with round hats, with some in stovepipe shakos with full brass plates. Canadian Voltigeurs One of the heavily engaged British units at Crysler s Farm. 1812-B012 Advancing (majority of troops) 1812-B005 Command (set aside flagbearers to add variety to line units as Canadian militia were not granted colors, but regular line ensigns did sometimes wear round hats instead of the cocked hat or Belgic). 1812-B039 Officers in round hats 1812-B036 NCOs in round hats Flank company packs listed below. 1812-B011 UC Militia, Advancing 1812-B010 UC Militia, Skirmishing 1812-008 UC Miltia, Skirmish Command 1812-B024 Light Infantry Command 1812-B021 Line Flank Co., Advancing 1812-B022 Light Infantry, Advancing 1812-B023 Light Infantry, Skirmishing 1812-B040 Round Hats, Advancing Figures customized for the Incorporated Militia are coming soon. They will have bugle-badge shakos as light infantry, but most will not have light infantry wings. Until that time UC militia as listed above will serve well. A few figures in round hats may be thrown in for variety. After June 1814, proper uniforms with Belgic shakos would be used. No flagbearers are used as they did not carry colours. 1812-B040 Center Company Advancing 1812-B052 Flank Company Advancing 1812-B004 Center Company Marching 1812-B013 Flank Company Marching 1812-B005 Command (set aside flagbearers as they were not used by militia) 1818-B006 Skirmishing 1812-B008 Skirmish Command 1812-B039 Officers in round hats 1812-B036 NCOs in round hats 1812-B010 UC militia skirmishing 1812-B011 UC militia advancing 1812-B021 British flank company, adv. 1812-B014 Advancing 1812-B015 Command
Caldwell s Rangers Company-sized unit that fought alongside Indians at Thames, Longwood, and Lundy s Lane. Glengarry Light Infantry Canadian Light infantry fully trained and part of the British Army establishment. Notable for their uniforms: same as the 95 th Rifles, but they were musket-armed. 93 rd Sutherland Highland Regiment Highlanders were part of the force in North America, and suffered badly at New Orleans. They did not wear kilts in America, but wore tartan (plaid) trousers ( trews ) and a simple tam with a diced band and pom. Artillery Militia Cavalry The Canadians fielded several militia cavalry units, most of whom wore simple blue jackets with red facings and no ornamentation (derived from Artillery drivers uniform) and a cheapened version of the Tarleton helmet. Some artists have militia cavalrymen in round hats (top hats) with a fore-and-aft bearskin crest. Generals Both Lieutenant and Major Generals are depicted; one has cords and the other epaulettes. Suitable for the Peninsular War. First Nations (Indians) Warriors from the Grand River Nations were very active in the War. They are depicted here in the type of clothing worn during the 1812 era, which included many European-style items of dress, especially in winter. The leaders are very high up, not minor warband ; one is dressed as Tecumseh, himself. 1812-B034 Skirmish 1812-B035 Skirmish w/command 1812-B007 Skirmishing 1812-B009 Command 1812-B043 Center Coy. Advancing 1812-B044 Flank Coy. Advancing 1812-B047 Center Coy. Marching 1812-B048 Flank Coy. Marching And 1812-B045 Command 1812-B046 Artillerists in Belgic Shakos 1812-B053 Tarleton Helmets, Trooper 1812-B054 Tarleton Helmets, Command 1812-B055 Crested Round Hats, Trooper 1812-B056 Crested Round Hats, Command 1812-B032 Generals I 1812-B033 Generals II 1812-N001 Winter Dress 1812-N002 Summer Dress 1812-N003 Leaders I ll do my best to keep this document updated so it is a useful tool to guide your purchases. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at knuckledusterharris@gmail.com or (309)838-9871.
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