The British Army of the American War of Independence: History, Organization and Uniforms

The American War of Independence was arguably the greatest test of the British Empire’s military might before the World Wars and the outcome had far-reaching consequences. When revolt broke out in the thirteen colonies, Britain enjoyed unrivalled naval supremacy backed by a dominant economy, yet its army was relatively weak and overstretched. There were a large number of Loyalist regiments who fought for their king, but these were hastily raised militia. To strengthen their forces with trained and disciplined troops, the British were forced to rely on numerous European ‘auxiliaries’ (often erroneously described as mercenaries), many of them German. The latter, usually referred to collectively as ‘Hessians’, came to make up around a quarter of British land forces. These enjoyed a fearsome reputation for their training and morale on the battlefield but their presence, and accusations of brutality, did nothing to dampen the spirit of rebellion.Gabriele Esposito examines all the forces employed by the British, detailing their organization, uniforms and the tactics that they were forced to adapt to counter a resourceful enemy in new conditions (such as the development of rifle-armed sharpshooters). This is the army that fought at such famous battles as Lexington, Princeton, Bunker Hill, and Long Island. The uniforms are lavishly illustrated in all their colour and variety by dozens of colour artworks. Read more