33rd Regiment of Foot
New Member's Clothing and Equipment List
On this list you will see similar items available from a number of sources. You are welcome to mix and match, depending what is most convenient to you.
On your hat you have three choices.
You may purchase a complete hat from Radford. The price of this is variable, depending on the price of the hat blank.
If you already own a hat, it may be possible to re-work it and bring it into conformance with 33rd standards.
You may purchase a hat blank and set it up to conform to 33rd standards. Quality hat blanks are difficult to find, and the sources vary. Check before buying for the latest information.
Hat blank
No good source at the present. (Feb 08)
Binding 1 1/4 inch Wool Braid 54 inches
Lacing Black 1/4 inch mohair 44 inches
White 1/4 inch mohair 10 inches
http://www.najecki.com/repro/Lace.html
Hat Cord White linen
Lining 6 oz. Grey linen
Cockade Black Horsehair
33 button Large
Neckstock
The Neckstock is based on a Woodbridge illustration. It has a black horsehair front, black linen lining, two layers of buckram, and black leather tabs for the clasps.
Neckstock clasps
Godwin #86
http://www.gggodwin.com/stocks.htm
Najecki "Neck Stock Clasp Set"
http://www.najecki.com/repro/MiscBrass.html
A soldier's hair is relatively short on the top and sides, and long enough to fold three times into a military "Club". You may choose to grow your own hair long enough to do this. To tie the club we use an 18 inch length of 3/4 inch black wool tape (Najecki). If, like most, you need to keep your hair short you must wear a wig to simulate a soldier's hair. We get our wigs from:
Susan Maust
Historical Hairlines
7256 Allott Avenuel
Van Nuys CA 91405
818 904-2970
Sue needs your hat size & front/side view pictures of your head. Sue works in the Motion Picture industry and is sometimes unavailable. The wigs can be a long lead time item.
Lord Cornwallis bought enough yardage of "coarse twilled kersey" for every soldier in the 33rd to have a cloak. We are prototyping the cloak now (Feb 08). When the pattern and materials are successfully proven, this section will be updated.
You have several options. You may have Henry Cooke make your coat. You may have Henry Cooke make a kit for your coat, and either make it yourself or have it made by someone you trust. The kit will need adjusting to properly fit you. The proper fit and hand finishing details are critical!
If you are local to Southern California, or can arrange fittings, you may have Radford make your coat. Radford is also willing to make Henry Cooke kits.
Coat buttons x 38 (large 33)
Loops x 42
No matter where you get your coat, the buttons and lace are purchased directly from Radford. If you purchase your own lace as yardage we recommend you have Radford form it into loops. If you get a coat or kit from Henry Cooke, you should remind him that the price should not include the buttons and lace.
(Contact information for Henry Cooke on request)
You have several options. You may have Henry Cooke make your waistcoat. You may have Henry Cooke make a kit for your waistcoat, and either make it yourself or have it made by someone you trust. The kit will need adjusting to properly fit you. The proper fit and hand finishing details are critical!
If you are local to Southern California, or can arrange fittings, you may have Radford make your waistcoat. Radford is also willing to make Henry Cooke kits.
Waistcoat buttons 10 to 12 (small 33)
If you get a waistcoat or kit from Henry Cooke, you should remind him that the price should not include the buttons.
You may use any commercial source for shirts. The shirts must be of white linen. Your first shirt should be ruffled. When not under arms, you may wear your coat with the top two hooks open, your waistcoat with the top four buttons open, and your ruffles pulled out. You may carry up to a maximum of four shirts. Three of them must be "bosomed" which is to say they should have a linen ruffle at the neck. One of them may be a plain un-ruffled "ammunition" shirt. If you order a ruffled shirt, please ask for it to have a neck ruffle only.
Commercial linen shirt sources:
http://www.ctraders.com/menshirts.html
http://www.carterandjasper.com/18thcentury.htm
http://www.just2tailors.com/?category=Men~s_Clothing
You are also welcome to make your own shirts. The recommended pattern is from Kannik's Corner. One note - the collar must be reduced in height from the pattern to a finished height of 4 inches.
http://www.kannikskorner.com/patmen.htm
White linen for your shirt is available from a number of sources. Roy Najecki sells it, but nearly any good fabric store should have suitable white linen.
Most 18th C. men's shirts used sleeve links or cufflinks. William Booth, Draper, sells them, or you can make your own.
http://wmboothdraper.com/ (click on the "buttons" link)
You have several options. You may have Henry Cooke make your trowsers. You may have Henry Cooke make a kit for your trowsers, and either make it yourself or have it made by someone you trust. The kit will need adjusting to properly fit you. The proper fit and hand finishing details are critical!
If you are local to Southern California, or can arrange fittings, you may have Radford make your trowsers. Radford is also willing to make Henry Cooke kits.
Henry Cooke kits include the correct trowser buttons. (Fugawee 127)
You have several options. You may have Henry Cooke make your wool breeches. You may have Henry Cooke make a kit for your wool breeches, and either make it yourself or have it made by someone you trust. The kit will need adjusting to properly fit you. The proper fit and hand finishing details are critical!
If you are local to Southern California, or can arrange fittings, you may have Radford make your wool breeches. Radford is also willing to make Henry Cooke kits.
Breeches buttons (small 33)
If you get breeches or a kit from Henry Cooke, you should remind him that the price should not include the buttons.
You have several options. You may have Henry Cooke make your linen breeches. You may have Henry Cooke make a kit for your linen breeches, and either make it yourself or have it made by someone you trust. The kit will need adjusting to properly fit you. The proper fit and hand finishing details are critical!
If you are local to Southern California, or can arrange fittings, you may have Radford make your linen breeches. Radford is also willing to make Henry Cooke kits.
Henry Cooke kits include the correct breeches buttons. (Fugawee 127)
A Point of Philosophy Regarding the Different Use of Buttons on Breeches and Trowsers.
The wool breeches are an item of annual issue. Many deserter descriptions note regimental buttons on them. Linen breeches and trowsers are "in country" manufactured items. They were not "issued" and therefore have plain, un-marked buttons.
When wearing Trowsers you may wear any kind of natural fiber stockings you prefer. Please note that ankle and calf high stockings leave a visible line on properly fitted Trowsers. Breeches must be worn with natural white wool stockings that are thigh high. Knee high will not suffice; there should be no skin visible at the kneeband. White cotton "thread" stockings may be worn for off duty or social occasions.
http://jas-townsend.com/index.php
http://www.gggodwin.com/stockings.htm
http://www.smoke-fire.com/hats-and-stockings-2.asp
The 1768 Warrant three piece Gaiter will be of limited use. Your first gaiters should be black painted linen Short Gaiters, and/or wool Full Gaiters. The Gaiter pattern is available from Radford. The pattern includes both Full and Short Gaiters. The linen canvas and buttons are available from Radford. The wool for the full gaiters is under test. (Feb 08) When it is proven we will revise this section.
Shoes.
Straight last shoes are more correct. Left and Right ("crooked") shoes may be more practical - you may wear either. Shoes with hobnails are a must for tactical events. They are becoming increasingly hard to find. Shoes with smooth soles are a must for social events - no hobnails on wooden floors! That goes for ship decking as well. Shoes must be ordered in a roughout finish - then polished!
Top source for shoes: Tim Wilson at Colonial Williamsburg
makes exactingly exquisite hand made 18th C. shoes to your personal
measure. (Contact details on
request)
Excellent source for shoes:
Najecki
http://www.najecki.com/repro/Shoes.html
Robert Land
http://www.robertlandhistoricshoes.com/
Good Source for Shoes:
Godwin
http://www.gggodwin.com/shoes1.htm
Fugawee
http://www.fugawee.com/Men's%20Colonial.htm
Jarnigan
http://www.jarnaginco.com/revwarframe.html
Shoe buckles were not an issue item. A soldier might very well still have on the buckles he was wearing on the shoes he enlisted in. Plain brass buckles with rounded corners are a "common" type. You can get fancier ones if you like, but you'd better have a good story for them! Also, depending on where you get your shoes, you may need different size buckles to fit the latchets. There is no "one size fits all" buckle. When you order your shoes, find out what size latchets they have. Ask for advice what buckle will fit.
Godwin
http://www.gggodwin.com/shoebuckles.htm
Smiling Fox Forge
http://www.smilingfoxforgellc.com/shoe_buc.asp?Category=Shoe%20Buckles
Fugawee
http://www.fugawee.com/Buckles_4.htm
The Pedersoli "S.260 Brown-Bess Flintlock model" Short Land Musket is the "industry standard" firelock. Although it is not a perfect reproduction, it is a solid, reliable product.
http://www.gggodwin.com/2n.htm
You are welcome to have a custom made reproduction. Prepare to wait.
http://www.therifleshoppe.com/
The Indian made muskets come and go. They may seem like a bargain compared to the Pedersoli, but you get what you pay for. One example is:
Discriminating General
http://www.militaryheritage.com/musket7.htm
To complete setting up your musket, you will need:
Hammerstall
Flash Guard (the Godwin musket comes with a flashguard)
Sling Swivels (The Discriminating General musket comes with correct sling swivels)
Flints
Wooden flint
Leads (to hold the flint - don't use leather)
A worm - threaded to fit YOUR ramrod
A triangle bladed screwdriver
http://www.najecki.com/repro/Musket.html
http://www.gggodwin.com/tompions.htm
http://www.smilingfoxforgellc.com/guns.asp
http://home.comcast.net/~avalonforge/
On these web sites you will see a number of firearm accessories. Resist buying every gadget until you find out what you really need. A worm, a screwdriver, and some tow or rags is all you need to clean your musket. A small oil bottle is useful. Cleaning pumps, adapters, brushes, mainspring vise are not going to be useful to you in the field. They can come in handy for maintenance at home.
Try to purchase a bayonet with a scabbard. It can be tricky getting a scabbard to fit your bayonet if it didn't come with one. If you get a bayonet from Cabelas or Dixie Gun Works, it won't come with a scabbard.
Godwin
http://www.gggodwin.com/36b.htm
We use the 36 hole reversible block pouch, sometimes described as the "Rawle" patent pouch after a photo caption in the Collector's Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. The 29 hole pouch is an acceptable substitute. The flap should be rounded, not "shield shaped". New pouches should be ordered with the rough out flap. Older smooth out flaps may continue to be used. We use a small 33 button to close the flap. If you are ordering a pouch you may have them omit the leather button.
Some on-line sources are:
Najecki
http://www.najecki.com/repro/pouches/Rawle.html
Godwin
http://www.gggodwin.com/128.htm
The Discriminating General
http://www.militaryheritage.com/cartridgepouch.htm
We have had good results from ordering Cartridge Pouches from Stanley and Sons Harness Makers. Bob Stanley has made most of the pouches for the unit. (Contact details on request.)
We also carry a tin canister for additional ammunition.
Carl Giordano
http://www.cg-tinsmith.com/images/Photos/2cartcanister.jpg
The sling is made of buff leather, with a brass Godwin #65 buckle. From Radford.
The Waist Belt is made of buff leather. Even though we wear it over the shoulder we still call it a Waist Belt. It comes from Radford, and needs to be fitted for length, along with the Bayonet Frog.
Not for sale. These are owned by the 33rd Regiment of Foot, Inc. They are part of the Regimental Regalia. They are issued by serial number, but remain property of the 33rd and must be returned if the member leaves the 33rd for any reason.
A buff leather sliding frog based on originals. These come from Radford. The frogs come with no hole punched for the bayonet scabbard, since scabbards can vary.
Note: Frogs, Waist Belts, and Cartridge Pouch/Box Slings can also be had in kit form. If you have leather working skills you will get them faster if you order them as a kit.
The haversack comes as a kit or in finished form from Roy Najecki. Order it as a kit. It is very simple to put together, even if you have modest sewing skills. The haversack was intended to carry rations. Most reenactors also keep their eating utensils in it. Although it is more than likely that a mess just sat around and ate from the kettle, having your own plate or bowl is polite by modern standards. The following items are available from a number of dealers; Godwin, Townsend, Jarnagin, Avalon Forge, Smiling Fox Forge, and others.
Tin cup - get a 1 pint cup.
Wood bowl - small enough to fit in your haversack
Spoon (horn or pewter)
Plate - tin is lighter than pewter
Various small pouches for dry foods. Cheap to make yourself.
Handkerchief - make this, too.
We use the British kidney shaped tin canteen. A number of vendors carry them:
Godwin (Tin Canteen #98)
http://www.gggodwin.com/98.htm
Carl Giordano (Kidney-shaped (36 oz. capacity)
http://www.cg-tinsmith.com/catalog2.htm#Canteens
Smiling Fox Forge:
Some vendors include a hemp or
cotton rope sling. Hemp is OK. Cotton is not. We replace the cotton with white
linen rope from Cooperman Drum:
They
don't list rope on their web site. You will need to contact them.
Our knapsack is based on two originals. Please see our Knapsack article. It is not available commercially. Kits are available from Radford. Thus far we have made up goatskin covered Knapsacks, but painted Knapsacks are acceptable.
A Point of
Philosophy Regarding the Concurrent Use of Both Painted and Goatskin Knapsacks.
Knapsacks were not an item of annual issue. They were expected to serve for six years. There were shortages of goatskin during the AWI. There is also evidence of Knapsacks being made up locally. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect to see Knapsacks of different vintages (i.e. both painted and goatskin) in service at the same time. Painted Knapsacks will not have any figure or device painted on them.
By far the preference is for no visible eyewear. Eyeglasses were something of a luxury for the common people. If you need vision correction and cannot wear contacts, you will need proper 18th C. frames. These are offered by;
James Townsend
1740-1800
Reproduction Glasses Frames GL-784
Godwin
http://www.gggodwin.com/87.htm
Smiling Fox Forge (look under "Colonial Goods" >
"Personal Goods"
http://www.smilingfoxforgellc.com/index.asp
