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Honing your Militia Impression
Todd Post
2d Virginia Regiment
(Reprinted with the author’s permission)
Both historically and in the hobby, militia is given a bad name. This is not entirely without reason, for the militia impression certainly appeals to a certain mind set. Militia appeals to the "irregular", those who seek the camaraderie that is lacking in the "rifleman/ranger" portrayal, but turned off by the order of the "regulars." As a result, militia units tend to become provincial little groups, which do not realize the rewarding challenges that a militia impression can provide.
It is my opinion that a militia impression, done properly, is the hardest impression one can choose for themselves. With no orderly books, no general orders, no equipment returns for the most part, those who take doing militia seriously have a difficult path to finding out what they should look like. Unfortunately, most units do not take up the challenge, instead they are content to "wing it" and slap together a generic hodgepodge of equipment that rarely gives a true portrayal of those we hope to represent. When the work is done and acted upon, a well-done militia impression can outshine the most lavishly dressed light infantryman or grenadiers, because they are that rare.
The problems begin when people take the attitude of "We're militia!" and think that phrase will get them out of doing research, drilling etc. You don't have to be crisp in your drill, because "Hey, you're militia". Those breeches are too baggy? Well, have no fear, because know what? "You're militia". That excuse is totally unacceptable. Because you are militia, you have to work that much harder and dig that much deeper to do it right.
First of all, standards are usually lacking in a militia group. While Continentals and Regulars have uniformity and a martial air to impart esprit de corps, militia thrives on individuality and fraternity. They revel in their independence from standards and rules, and are in it just for the fun. Events seem to be roving lawn parties for militia groups, while the hard core regulars are roughing it; the militia is roasting turkeys and baking pies while sucking down a few cold ones. However, standards are just as important for a militia unit and they are harder to come by.
Because militia units do not have orders for uniformity to base their impression on, they often think, "anything goes", but that could not be further from the truth. Your impression as militia is tied to what region you are from and is usually very specific to that region only. The inhabitants of even the same state could field two very different militia impressions.
The place to start is setting a date for your impression. Militia units changed constantly during the course of the war, and you have to have a specific date to work from. Next is to recognize the situation of the inhabitants of the area your unit was raised in at that time. During the course of this article, I will use my militia unit as an example. We do a company of militia raised in New Jersey immediately outside of British-controlled New York City, as they would have looked in 1778. Looking at the conditions of that unit, they were from an agrarian society, mostly descendants of the original Dutch settlers 150 years prior, with a major British and Loyalist presence in the area. From this we can deduce that these men are farmers from a highly civilized area and that they would be constantly on the move. To incorporate this into our impression, our clothing should be a mix of smocks, jackets and coats worn with breeches or trousers, and our general appearance should look like we’ve been "out in the field" for a long period.
You may ask were I came to the conclusions on clothing. Simple, extant records of the period from that area. By looking at wills, newspaper advertisements for run-away slaves and servants as well as lost or stolen clothing, and damage claims submitted to both sides of property losses, I know that these articles of clothing were very common. Those same sources make no references to the too-popular "hunting frock", so we know that is out of the question. Too many militia units assume that frocks were universal, but this is far from true. Conversely, this is not to say that they are not appropriate for your particular unit, but it should not be assumed.
Equipment is the next area you have to look to. For this, militia laws are invaluable. They outline what each man was supposed to have for service. The New Jersey Provincial Congress passed the following Militia Ordinance in 1777:
"That every person...shall, as soon as possible, furnish himself with a good Musket, well fitted with a Bayonet, Steel Ramrod, Worm, Priming-wire and Brush, a Knapsack, Canteen, twelve Flints, Cartouch-Box, and twenty-three Rounds of Cartridges suited to his Gun..."
This is a good outline for what you should equip yourself with, but it doesn't stop there, styles and patterns are just as important. Militia units generally ignore muskets; they often allow anything that has a flintlock and fires. A great deal of thought has to be given to the choice of musket, and the proper firelock can often cost you some money. The two muskets commonly commercially available are the British Short Land Pattern and the Charleville. There are problems with both of these muskets though. British arms were in short supply in the colonies, and those that were available were most likely converted Long Land Patterns. The Charleville is totally inappropriate because these muskets were going directly to Continentals, not militiamen who never may be seen again. Of these two choices, the Short Land Pattern is the safest, but both can be backdated by changing some of the furniture on the stock musket to closer resemble an earlier model. Outdated older styles were much more common, and are therefore more appropriate. You rarely see Committee of Safety Muskets or fowlers, but this is a financial consideration. Stock muskets are expensive enough, but these firelocks often have to be custom made, but they can make a striking addition to a militia impression. Another place militia units slip is allowing rifles. In some cases they are documentable, but in many they are not. For example, New Jersey fined anyone mustering with anything but a smoothbore firelock.
Styles of accouterments are also a common pitfall. All too often, militia groups just pick up what is convenient or the recent hobby fad. How can you really explain a militiaman using a "New Improved" Knapsack/Haversack, a British tin canteen or Continental tin cartridge box? These items were usually provided by the militiaman himself, so a tumpline or blanket roll, wood or leather-wrapped glass canteen, and a "make due" cartridge box or belly box would be better choices. If you have to get too cute with a story to explain why you have something, it is probably something you shouldn1t have in the first place. Again, these are generalizations; you have to do research. Maybe your unit did fall upon a stockpile of British canteens, but you have to do the research, do not make an arbitrary decision not based on fact.
Finally, the choice of drill manual is something that is often overlooked. For years my unit used Steuben's manual until we realized that if the Continental Army had only learned that drill months before at Valley Forge, how would our militia unit learn it in Northern New Jersey. This was further supported by a letter from Governor Livingston of New Jersey to General Steuben thanking him for a copy of his regulations, but stating that it would be impractical to teach these citizen-soldiers a new drill. This is why we decided on the '64 Manual as our drill manual. Give this some thought. Both New York and Massachusetts had their own drill manuals printed in 1772 and 1775 respectively, so if you’re from that state you would want to use that drill. Again, do not assume, but if you have to make an educated guess. Also, do not use the fact you are militia to say that you can be lazy and sloppy in your drill. These men in were in the militia long before the war started, so they were not necessarily buffoons.
Those who put thought and research into their militia impressions show it. I was at an event recently with all sorts of impressive Continental and Crown units of all sorts, but what impressed me most was a Loyalist militia unit which had obviously taken the time and effort to do things right. The phrase "We're militia!" should not be an excuse but if you do your work, an expression of pride.
