Provisions to Revolutionary War From Ct Provisions to Revolutionary War From Ct Cannons Flour Beef

Outfitting an American Revolutionary Soldier

by J. Lloyd Durham
Reprinted with permission from the Tar Heel Junior Historian. Fall 1992.
Tar Heel Junior Historian Clan, NC Museum of History

When the Americans began to fight for independence, the British regime was able to provide their soldiers and weapons to gainsay the rebels. But the American rebels had to try to put together an army without money and without a strong government to organize that effort. Each colony raised regiments of soldiers to send to the Continental Line, the main ground forces. Each colony as well had its own militia to protect its citizens and belongings, if the British army should come within its borders.

Supplying the Troops

Supplying the American troops was an extremely difficult task. There were very few factories in the colonies that could produce the weapons and the equipment needed by an army. The coin necessary to pay for supplies was issued past the new country governments and the new central government. But this money did not have the trust of the business organization people and had very little value.

Another problem was getting the supplies to the soldiers. When the Continental regular army was able to get supplies, they had to be shipped cracking distances, normally by carriage across rugged trails and roads. The wagons were sometimes attacked and taken by enemy troops or by highwaymen—outlaws.

American soldiers too took supplies from the British ground forces. After defeating the Loyalists at Moore'southward Creek Bridge in February 1776, Northward Carolina troops seized one,500 firearms, 150 swords and dirks, ammunition, 2 valuable medicine chests, and thirteen wagons. This equipment was put to use confronting British troops.

Muskets

Weapons were the army's chief concern. The well-nigh important weapon during the American Revolution was the musket—a long smoothbore gun (a gun without grooves within its barrel) fired from the shoulder—with a bayonet attached at the end. These weapons led to a certain style of fighting in the 1700s. Muskets could be aimed and fired accurately only at a target that was within 1 hundred yards. So the armies fought in groups of men, organized every bit regiments, at close range. The enemy regiments would line upwards face-to-face and fire ii or 3 volleys—a volley involved firing all the muskets at in one case—and and so charge with bayonets. The losing regiment was either driven from the battleground or forced to give up.

The idea was that because the muskets could not exist aimed very accurately at a distance, the regiments would fill the air with massive amounts of atomic number 82. This shower of lead would strike down many of the enemy, causing gaps in their line. The regiment could and so charge through the gaps, creating disorder and panic and causing the enemy soldiers to retreat or surrender. Speed was an important factor. A trained soldier could burn down a musket most 4 times a minute. The flintlock blazon of firearm fired when a piece of flint struck steel. This created a spark, which in plow prepare off black powder/gunpowder in the barrel of the gun. This type of gun did not work in wet weather because the loose gunpowder got clammy and would non ignite. Consequently, both armies avoided battles when it was raining.

The British army used the "Brown Bess," a musket that fired one-ounce pb balls. These guns were used by American soldiers when they could be captured from the British soldiers.

When the state of war began, American soldiers used the weapons from their state's militia stores or from dwelling. Recognizing a shortage, the Continental Congress and the private colonies placed orders with American gunsmiths to make as many flintlocks equally possible. Muskets were also bought from European manufacturers.

In 1778 France became an ally of the colonies in their fight against England. The French government sent large quantities of French muskets. These muskets were much lighter in weight than the British army'southward "Brown Bess" and fired a smaller lead ball. They were a favored weapon of the Continental soldier.

Muskets could be fitted with a bayonet that fabricated them into a "spear that could shoot." The soldiers would use bayonets for hand-to-manus combat when they charged the enemy after firing their volleys. The bayonets had abrupt points that were used to thrust and jab at the enemy.

Bayonets were brutally constructive weapons, causing many of the wounds and deaths during battles.

Rifles

Another type of weapon was the American long rifle. Many legends surround the American long burglarize in the Revolution.

The rifle was a long gun made with grooves inside its butt which made it more accurate than a musket. It was very authentic upward to 300 yards and thus was a powerful weapon in the hands of scouts and skirmishers. American riflemen were and then feared that some British officers were brash to remove the golden trimmings from their coats. However, the burglarize was a slow weapon to reload and did not have a bayonet. A rifleman could be overtaken quickly by dragoons—troops on horseback—or by men with bayonets. N Carolina riflemen participated in defeating the British at the Boxing of Kings Mountain.

Small Artillery

The armies also had small arms—weapons that could be carried in a soldier's hand. These included pistols, sabers, and other spear-like weapons called spontoons and halberds. Often these weapons were carried past officers and sergeants as a sign of rank. Officers, particularly, carried smallswords. Dragoons were equipped with pistols and sabers. For North Carolina mounted troops, sabers were often made from steel saws past local blacksmiths. Pistols were rare.

Arms

Too very important to the armies was artillery—large guns mounted then they could exist moved easily and fired past a coiffure of men. Artillery included field cannon used on the battlefield, cannon used in forts and on ships, and cannon called howitzers and mortars used to driblet bombs into a fort or a confined area such equally a ship. North Carolina had artillery companies at various places throughout the state of war. It as well sent an independent arms company to the North Carolina Brigade with General George Washington'south regular army.

Equipment of the Continental Army Soldier

During the war, Continental soldiers were the core of the American Revolutionary state of war effort. These were the men that Full general Washington and Congress depended almost upon. Congress raised the Continental army by calling on the individual states to organize regiments of soldiers. North Carolina was asked to raise two regiments of five hundred men each. Eventually it sent x regiments of infantry to the Continental Line. These regiments were formed into a unmarried brigade chosen the Northward Carolina Brigade. This brigade joined Washington's army in 1777.

The Continental infantryman had equipment that was like that of the British soldier. In addition to a musket, he carried on his correct side a leather or tin can cartridge box that held xx to thirty rounds of armament, a musket tool, and a supply of flints. On his left side he carried his bayonet in a leather scabbard fastened to a linen or leather shoulder strap. Each soldier had a haversack, ordinarily fabricated of linen, to acquit his nutrient rations and eating utensils. The utensils commonly included a fork made of wrought iron, a pewter or horn spoon, a knife, a plate, and a loving cup. He besides had a canteen of forest, can, or glass to carry water. A knapsack held actress clothing and other personal items such equally a razor for shaving, a tinderbox with flintstone and steel for starting a burn, candle holders, a comb, and a mirror. Soldiers also often carried a fishhook and some twine so that they could grab some fish when they were nearly a lake, creek, or river.

Equipment of a Militiaman

The Continental army frequently used the local militia to help out. The militia, made up of male person citizens over sixteen years of historic period, was the defense force of each country. Regiments of militia were called upward for service by the governor or the commanding general to serve for a entrada or for a period of time every bit needed. These soldiers were told what equipment they had to bring with them.

The militia soldier carried equipment that looked unlike from that of the Continental soldier merely that normally performed the same or similar function. His knapsack was more often than not fabricated from linen or canvas and sometimes painted. His haversack and canteen were commonly similar to those used by the Continentals. He too had an ax and a blanket.

A militia rifleman carried his burglarize, knife, tomahawk—a lite ax, water bottle, a powderhorn for his blackness powder, and a hunting pouch that held other shooting supplies. Sometimes a patch knife, used to cutting a patch of textile, and a loading block, which held patched bullets enabling the rifleman to load quicker, were fastened to the strap of the hunting pouch. In improver, a charger measured the amount of powder to put into the burglarize when loading.

Uniforms

Uniforms were a vital consideration to the armies. During this period, battles fought with black-powder weapons would produce enough fume to go far hard to see more a few yards. Clouds of thick smoke would form over the battleground. Information technology was important to distinguish betwixt friend and foe. Because the smoke was white, bright colors were used for uniforms. The British wore, for the most part, red and scarlet uniforms; the French, uniforms of white and differing shades of blueish; and the Americans, nighttime dejection and browns.

Congress did not adopt a Continental uniform until 1779. However, soldiers attempted to have vesture like to the others in the company or regiment. Many volunteer companies entered the war in uniforms purchased by themselves or their commanders.

The uniform of the American soldier was made up of:

• a hat, usually turned upwardly on i or 3 sides,
• a shirt made of linen or cotton,
• a black leather stock, worn around the neck,
• a wool coat, commonly with neckband, cuffs, and lapels that were a unlike color
• a waistcoat or vest, usually fabricated of linen or wool,
• a pair of wool, linen, or cotton trousers, either breeches that were gathered but below the knee, or overalls,
• stockings, and
• leather shoes.

Congress adopted chocolate-brown every bit the official color for uniforms in 1775. Only there was a shortage of brown cloth, so some regiments dressed in blue and grayness. In September 1778 Congress received a big shipment of uniforms from France. The North Carolina Continental Line regiments received blue coats faced with blood-red collars, cuffs, and lapels. In Oct 1779 Congress adopted regulations requiring North Carolina troops to wear a uniform fabricated of a blueish coat with blueish facing and laced with white around the buttonholes.

North Carolina troops ofttimes were without proper uniforms, but the most difficult detail to supply was shoes. In 1777 officers from one regiment appealed to Governor Richard Caswell for assistance, stating that the men were "without blankets or tents or shoes." The governor noted that many of the privates of the Independent Artillery Visitor were barefoot. The winter of 1777–1778 was a hard wintertime for the American soldiers. Driving rains turned to snow and sleet, causing great suffering to men without shoes. General Washington wrote: "Y'all might have tracked the ground forces . . . to Valley Forge by the blood of their anxiety." Somewhen the government was able to supply the necessary shoes to the North Carolinians.

Hunting Shirts

Along with the American long rifle, the American hunting shirt became famous in the American Revolution. Information technology was generally made of homespun linen and cut in a long overshirt or wraparound style. It had rows of fringe around the edges and fit loosely so the wearer could move easily. Favored past Full general Washington, information technology was frequently worn by both Continentals and the militia. In 1776 Washington described it: "No dress can exist cheaper nor more than convenient, as the wearer may exist cool in warm atmospheric condition and warm in cold weather by putting on [additional clothes]. . . . "

In 1775 when the North Carolina Congress raised a battalion of ten companies of minutemen, or militia, it called for these men to exist uniformed in hunting shirts. Full general Washington stated that a homo wearing a hunting shirt created "no minor terror to the enemy who think every such person is a complete marksman." Aside from hunting shirts, the militia usually wore homespun wool coats in a diversity of colors and patterns and waistcoats, breeches, and stockings.

Equipment for the Camp

Equipment for camp was vitally important to the soldier'south comfort too equally his life. Probably the most important slice of army camp equipment for the American soldier in the American Revolution was his blanket. It protected him against the cold, and, when he did not take a tent to slumber in, from the moisture in the air. Information technology too served as an overcoat when a soldier did not accept ane. Blankets were unremarkably made of wool, and Governor Caswell considered them a priority when he supplied the troops.

Tents provided protection from the common cold and rain. They came in various sizes, generally depending on the occupant'southward rank. The officers' larger tents were called marquees. They were made of canvas or heavy cotton, usually about ten feet across by xiv-feet deep past eight-feet high. By comparison, a private's tent was about vi-and-i-one-half–feet foursquare past five-feet loftier. It was expected to concord five men.

Food

Feeding the ground forces was difficult, peculiarly during the winter. When the army was marching or on a campaign, soldiers were given a type of biscuit or hard staff of life and ears of corn. Sometimes there was a parcel of cornmeal and, when available, some dried beef. Baggage wagons carried the provisions and rations in front end of the North Carolina soldiers as the men marched. This was washed so that when the campsite was reached, the men could pick upward the rations from the wagons equally they passed by.

In camp, cooking utensils were necessary because nutrient was issued in raw class. A set of cooking utensils was usually issued to every six or 8 men. This included a kettle, cooking forks and spoons, and often a water bucket. Soldiers unremarkably provided their own forks, spoons, and knives to eat with. They also needed a plate, commonly made of wood or pewter, and a drinking loving cup. In the North Carolina Brigade, soldiers were not immune to put any of their personal holding in the baggage wagons when they were on the march. They had to carry their own blankets, kettles, and other personal items.

In 1777 it was ordered that each soldier would receive one pound of flour or breadstuff, one and one-half pound of beef or pork, and one quart of beer per day. Each calendar week he would receive five pints of peas, one pint of meal, and six ounces of butter. Vinegar was issued on occasion and rum was issued to those men working around the camp and on guard duty. It was recommended that the men should always boil or roast their provisions.

Supply Shortages

Ofttimes it was hard to become supplies, and the shortages hurt the war effort. The North Carolina troops planned an trek to Georgia and Florida, but it failed for lack of supplies. Ane officer defended General Robert Howe of North Carolina, stating that the public was "throwing a 1000 reflections on the General and the army for not marching to attack the enemy and storm lines, without provisions and without ammunition." The officer elaborated, "What tin exist more cruel than crowding 8, 10, and twelve men into i tent, and oblige those who cannot get in, to sleep in the heavy dews?" Ten to fifteen men were using 1 camp kettle and six to eight men were sharing one canteen. Sometimes when supplies were issued, there was confusion as to whether they were meant for the Continental Line troops or the land militia regiments.

With poor shelter and food, and lack of sanitary weather, thousands of soldiers fell seriously ill and many died. Overcrowding in tents and hospitals caused the diseases to spread. Soldiers sent to hospitals with i disease oftentimes acquired a 2d ane while they were there. In an effort to prevent sickness, the North Carolina Brigade was often ordered to make clean their camp and warned not to throw basic and scraps of meat around their tents. The troops were ordered to keep themselves equally clean as possible. Eight pounds of soap was distributed each calendar week to every hundred men. A general order in 1777 called for the North Carolina Continental troops to shave their beards and to exist properly dressed in regimental uniforms.

The Continentals and militiamen from North Carolina were never supplied every bit well as some of the soldiers from the wealthier or more than industrial states. Nonetheless, they seemed to brand up for their lack of supplies and equipment with their willingness to endure hardship. At Valley Forge during the fell winter of 1777–1778, the North Carolina Brigade had the lowest number of desertions of whatsoever state although it was the poorest in provisions and clothing. Peradventure by this time, the Due north Carolinians had grown accepted to doing without.

Later on General Cornwallis retreated to Wilmington and then to Virginia in 1781, the North Carolina militia generally controlled the state and its resource. Food and equipment were supplied more than regularly to its troops fighting in Due south Carolina and elsewhere. After Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington in October, the shortages the Carolina troops experienced were due more than to a general feeling that the war was over and North Carolinians did not take to worry so much nigh supplying the army.

ane January 1992 | Durham, J. Lloyd

stockstillquirded1953.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.ncpedia.org/history/usrevolution/soldiers

Share this post