Royal Yorkers – Articles – More Information on Provincial Uniforms

By Gavin K. Watt

MORE INFORMATION ON PROVINCIAL UNIFORMS

Chris Armstrong, Duncan’s Company, came across the following letter. This is important information as it confirms the three units that were issued with the cheap red uniforms supplied by Major Gray to the other loyalists for the Burgoyne campaign that were not part of the KRR NY. Previous documents proved that Jessup’s King’s Loyal Americans were recipients of these red uniforms. That Captain Jeremiah French of Peters’ Queen’s Loyal Rangers and Captain Samuel Adams of Adams’ Rangers signed the letter, proves that those two units were also supplied from Gray’s not-much-appreciated uniforms. Also of interest, while they had spurned the green uniforms of the KRR previously, they were of a different mind in 1778. As other research indicates, they didn’t get green uniforms, not did they get new red ones, but, to their great dissatisfaction,were instead issued with blue uniforms with white facings, just like rebel infantry.Pte McGeachie

Sorell 9th November 1778

Sir
The Season of the year being so far advanced, and the several Corps or
Provincials being very thinly clothed suffer much by the Inclemency of the
weather, and their suffering will increase and keep pace with the
Increasing severity of it _ and also having it at Heart to do that which
will most tend to the Servis of the King, we beg Leave to Represent to you
and that you will inform His Excellency the Commander in Chief, the state
that the men are in who are Incapable to do His Majesty servis so well
without cloathing as we could wish, or would be done by them if they had
cloathes.

The Cloathing which they had last fall was very bad not sufficient for
soldiers to wear a year, we wish to have them cloathed with good cloathes,
Either the green as the Royal Regt of New York or other Cloathes better
than the red that they have had, and that as soon as may be
[commissioned? considered?] that the men be capable of doing the King’s
Servis—
if there is any good Cloathes in the store at this place we wish to be
supplied with it.

You representing this to the General will much oblige
Sir
Your most obedient humble servants
Eben Jessup
Edward Jessup
Jr French
Sam Adams

Colonel St Leger