AWI drums?

[Paul @ Warlord Games]

I'm looking for some help in finding details of how drums would have been painted in the War of Independence. Specifically the 33rd Foot at Guilford Courthouse.

I'm sure I've seen them in a deep red with the regimental badge on the side but can't for the life of me find the details again.

Just have the drum to do to finish the regiment and the lack of info is killing me!

Cheers,

Paul

[steve jones]

From the Royal Warrant of 1768:

(well the Osprey quote of it anyway)

"The drums to be wood. The front to be painted with the colour of the facing of the regiment, with the King's cypher and crown and the number of the regiment on it"

So for the 33rd, the drum would be plain wood at the back, red at the fron with the cypher and crown. I normally paint white cords and red bands top and bottom - can't remember if this is actually righ, but it looks OK :-)

Steve

[Guest]

http://www.fifedrum.org/crfd/drums.htm

A good site for facings, colours and drums in the AWI.

[Paul @ Warlord Games]

Thanks gents!

Which Osprey is that from Steve?

Excellent - I get to finish the regt tonight bar the basing. Next up the 2nd Guards...

Cheers,

Paul

[Suetonius Paullinus]

Before you do the 2nd Guards..please some pics of the 33rd?!?!

Cheers

S.P.

[Paul @ Warlord Games]

Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger...

Just seen this on the site clibinarium posted:

Drummers of regiments with red facings wore white coats faced with red.

I guess I'm repainting the tunics then as the 33rd has red facings.

Now, the next question is the command section I have for this regt has one drum and one horn. Would the horn player also follow the white tunic with red facings doctrine? Or is it more likely to be the normal red tunic?

Cheers,

Paul

[Paul @ Warlord Games]

Suetonius Paullinus said:

Before you do the 2nd Guards..please some pics of the 33rd?!?!

Cheers

S.P.

---

Not until I can get the colours from GMB. Same applies with the Hessian regt - all done bar the colours.

Hopefully Mr GMB will be back off his hols soon and I can get these completed.

Cheers,

Paul

[Guest]

Paul at Warlord Games said:

Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger…

Just seen this on the site clibinarium posted:

Drummers of regiments with red facings wore white coats faced with red.

I guess I'm repainting the tunics then as the 33rd has red facings.

Now, the next question is the command section I have for this regt has one drum and one horn. Would the horn player also follow the white tunic with red facings doctrine? Or is it more likely to be the normal red tunic?

Cheers,

Paul

---

Good question. I think generally musicians that were officially on the books, i.e. drummers, wore the reversed colours (or white in the 33rd). If they were unofficial, i.e. hired by the colonel himself, then they may have been in the ordinary coat. An example would be highlander regiments, drummers in reversed coats, pipers hired by the colonel in red regimental coats. That's my understanding anyway, subject to correction by others.

I'm also wondering though, who is this hornist? I don't think any were officially on the books, so maybe he's a hired man. More likely he's part of the light company (?) If so I think they may have been official and so should be in a reversed coat .

I'm less sure about this now than I was when I started typing!

[steve jones]

Hi Paul

The Osprey is the old "The British Army in North America". This has highlights at the back of the Royal Warrant, including musicians having reversed colour coats (except Royal regiments - red coats and blue facings for all, including musos), details fo flag design etc

All of this depends on whether you have full warrant uniform or later campaign dress. I imagine that as the army switched to cut-down coats, sleeved waistcoats or roundabouts then the musicians may have adopted the same dress as their comrades. If the drummers have reversed coats then the hornists would too as IIRC the relevant section refers to musicians and not specifically drummers.

I have a spare copy of the British Army Osprey. If you drop me your address off list then I'll pop it in the post for you.

cheers

Steve

[Paul @ Warlord Games]

Hmm, the unit is in roundabouts - the command pack is AW48 'British Infantry Command in slouch hats and ‘roundabouts’, advancing'.

Sadly the pack only came with one drummer or I'd have gone with two - especially as I see the hornists more suited to the Light Bobs.

Thanks for the offer Steve - email on the way!

Cheers,

Paul