At the battle of Bunker Hill, we again find only citizen clothing worn by the Americans.
Little thought was given to military dress by the American farmers and townsmen who first formed themselves into companies of Minutemen to be ready for duty at a moment's notice, or even by those men who formed part of the regular militia.
Officers and men wore their ordinary citizen clothing. Each man had to provide himself with a musket or rifle of some sort, and though many had regular shoulder-belts and cartridge-boxes, or waist-belts and boxes of odd patterns, made of leather or canvas, more carried the powder 'horns and bullet pouches used in hunting.
As a badge of rank, the officers wore a short hanger or sword, but of no regular patterns, or perhaps some had acquired a gorget or spontoon, but all the officers were armed the same as their men, with muskets or light fusils, which they always carried when on duty. |
