The Loyal American Regiment: The Recreated Company

The LOYAL AMERICAN REGIMENT (Light Company/ Marksmen) strives to portray soldiers who are proficient with the manual of arms but are also able to adapt to any fighting condition, whether in the field or in the woods, with lightning speed and agility, whether the enemy be foot soldiers or dragoons. We participate in battle demonstrations, camp demonstrations, war games and wilderness treks. We arrive back at camp, more than ready to gather around the campfire and sing Revolutionary War era songs, sometimes quite well, sometimes quite badly.

We try to take our impression very seriously – and ourselves lightly.
The Advanced Guard: Its purpose & practice

We portray the LAR as we believe they would have looked in the early war (1777-1779) with a particular emphasis on Captain Barnes' company when they were detached as marksmen to Emmerich's Chasseurs. Our shortened green coats are faced red1 (the regiment seems to have definitely changed over to red coats by early 1780). As opposed to blindly imitating what official sources state was issued (or ordered), we have made a conscious decision that our clothing and accoutrements will reflect realistic modifications made while in the field as well as the use of occasional captured equipment.
Read Court Martial proceedings of Captain Barnes

Light infantry tactics are used and, therefore, a degree of physical exertion is inevitable. Frankly, we run around a lot -- something to keep in mind. Also, you'll have to endure the comments of friends who think you are completely insane because you wear a wool uniform in the middle of summer heat waves.

Members of the LAR bring their research to events. At Stony Point, NY, Adam built authentic chevaux-de-frize defense works as visitors watched. Members of the unit assisted Adam in building two more of these before the weekend was over. He has since created chevaux-de-frize specifically for use by the British Brigade.

In addition to adding to the richness of camping events, LAR members also research the time period by pursuing microfilm concerning British and Loyalist people and military provisions. Much of this material is quite obscure and it becomes quite a detective's task to unravel the real story of the war.

Chris New's article on New Jersey loyalists appears in the February 2004 issue of Military History magazine (pictured right). He has also published other historical articles and a book on Maryland loyalists.

As a member, you can make your own clothing and accoutrements if you wish but you will have to pass inspection by the commanding officer. Although we try to be threadcounters, we also aren't psycho about it.
A brief look at gaitered-trousers/ trousers & cut-down coats.

If you're not willing or able to make a regimental coat yourself, you might contact Sue Walters at Sue's Old Fashions.

The LOYAL AMERICAN REGIMENT (Light Company/Marksmen) has a membership throughout the Mid-Atlantic area. We heartily invite you to take the King's shilling! If you are interested in joining the LOYAL AMERICAN REGIMENT, please step into . . .

The Recruiting Tent
View one of our newsletters (in PDF)
Unit Events/ Photos
Application for membership/engage the regiment for a program

The Loyal American Regiment is a proud member of
The British Brigade, an umbrella organization which
honours the memories of those British and American
soldiers and their families who served their country
while fighting and dying for their beliefs and loyalties
during the American War of Independence.

1. Our somewhat radical decision to use green coats faced red (as opposed to green coats faced white) is based on information in a 1780 drawing by an officer of the British 63rd Regiment of Foot. Present at Stony Point in 1779, Lieutenant William Marshall was the acting Engineer of Defences when he was captured by the Americans on July 16, 1779. While interned at Lancaster PA in 1780, he drew a map of the action at Stony Point where he recognized the LOYAL AMERICAN REGIMENT as having green coats faced red. The original of this map is to be found at the PA Hist. Society. Many other period battle maps were drawn by people who were not actually at the battle. This map is quite different and must be treated as such. We believe that someone who was there – an important officer whose job involved precise observation and attention to detail – would be able to correctly discern the colors of the regimental coats in his fort. Could we be wrong about the red facings? Of course. However, in the absence of definitive proof one way or the other, we stand by our interpretation.

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