UNIFORMS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION -- Hesse-Cassel and Brunswick Regiments, 1776-1777

UNIFORMS OF
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The Regiment Von Rall was one of the three captured at Trenton in 1776. It was also present at the Battle of Long Island, Chatterton Hill, Fort Washington, and after exchange from being made prisoners at Trenton, in 1777, was formed with what remained of the other two regiments, Von Knyphausen and Von Lossberg, into the "combined battalion" and so was present at Brandywine under Von Woellwarth. In 1778 it was known as the Battalion Von Trumbach; in 1779, as d'Angelli. The battalion tinder the last name was present at Savannah where it suffered severely. The three regiments subsequently resumed their separate organization.

The Regiment Von Rall was the only grenadier regiment sent to America in 1776, although each of the other regiments had one company of grenadiers who were detached and formed four grenadier battalions for the war, in the same manner that the English grenadiers were. Aside from being men picked for size and strength, they were distinguished from the battalion men in dress by their brass or white metal caps with worsted pompon at the top and the small metal match box on their shoulder belts. At this period the match box was obsolete, but had formerly been used for touching off the grenades when they were carried. When in use, the tube contained a lighted fuse.

The figure at the right of the plate is a private of the grenadier company of the Brunswick Regiment Von Specht in the campaign dress worn on the march with Burgoyne. While on parade, these men wore white linen breeches and black cloth gaiters to the knee. They were equipped with long overalls of heavy coarse linen or canvas for service in summer, and for winter service, with long blue cloth overalls of the same style as shown. The hat pictured was drawn from one of the originals.

Grenadier Regiment Von Rall of Hesse-Cassel, 1776
and Regiment Von Specht of Brunswick, 1777

Hesse-Cassel and Brunswick Regiments, 1776-1777

[SOURCE: Uniforms of the Armies in the War of the American Revolution, 1775-1783. Lt. Charles M. Lefferts. Limited Edition of 500. New York York Historical Society. New York, NY. 1926.]

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