Colonial American Troops 1610-1774 (2)
Men-At-Arms 372
By Rene Chartrand
Colour Plates by David Rickman
Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2002
ISBN 1.84176-325-X
Softbound, 48 pages
Reviewed by John Prigent
Here’s the second of three volumes on this neglected subject. Rene Chartrand needs no introduction to students of early warfare in North America and here he continues the story with the Militia, Provincial and other local units of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. There’s a lot here, not just uniforms but organisation and some accounts of the troops’ actions as well. Even the first Militia, organised from the Pilgrim Fathers within two years of their arrival in the New World.
Illustrations of the earliest years are for obvious reasons extremely rare, but one has been found for this book and shows Sir Richard Saltonstall who died in 1658. All the other contemporary illustrations are from the 18th century, and all of course show members of the officer class – no-one else could afford to have their portraits painted. Nevertheless enough is known to allow David Rickman to provide plates showing nine figures of the 17th century, all bearing a strong resemblance to English dress and equipment of the time, as well as 15 of the 18th century. These, with the information given in the text, will allow figure modellers to reproduce the men of this interesting period in American history.
Recommended!
