UNIFORMS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION -- French Army

UNIFORMS OF
THE FRENCH ARMY
IN THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Of the new colonial corps raised in France during the American Revolutionary War, the Volontaires etrangers de la Marine had the most elaborate uniforms, seen to the right. The infantry had a sky-blue coat with lemon yellow cuffs and lapels. The standing collar and epaulettes of the 1st Legion were lemon yellow, the 2nd Legion had white and the 3rd Legion had red. Turnbacks were gray; there were seven small white metal buttons to each lapel; two below the cuff and two below the sleeve, four large below the right lapel. White waistcoat with 12 small buttons and 3 to each pocket; white breeches and gaiters; hat laced white for fusiliers, and bearskin cap without a plate for grenadiers, black cockades and black cravats.

The hussars attached to each Legion had sky-blue dolmans with lemon yellow cuffs and breeches all trimmed with white braid, sky-blue pelisse with lemon yellow cuffs and a lemon yellow cloth border (instead of fur) trimmed with white braid, all buttons being white metal. The cap was a black felt shako (a mirleton) trimmed with yellow lace. The Compagnie generale was the headquarters hussar company and also had sky-blue dolman and pelisse with yellow cuffs, but trimmed with yellow lace and yellow metal buttons. The breeches were scarlet, as was the edging of the pelisse.

[REFERENCES: The French Army in the American War of Independence. Men-At-Arms Series, #244. Reed International Books, Ltd., London, England. 1991. Color plate by Francis Back.]

1 - Hussar, Volontaires etrangers de la Marine, 1778-83
2 - Gunner, Royal-Artillerie, 1779-1783
3 - Infantry private, 1st Legion, Volontaire estrangers de la Marine, 1778-1782

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