Our group portrays militia from the backcountry of North Carolina. We generally portray farmers, craftsmen, and laborers from the lower classes of society. This page will be enhanced to include more details about our clothing and equipment.

Here are a few pictures showing examples of the clothing and equipment we use:

Dale and Todd reflect what most people think of when they imagine men's 18th century dress. They are wearing knee breeches of leather and linen, sport "tricorne" hats, and have on coat and jacket. Both men are prepared for the march with tumplines and/or knapsacks.

William R. Davie writing years after the war regarding the first engagment at Hanging Rock in 1780 wrote that his riflemen were not distinguishable from the loyalists

A German officer Described a group of 250 mounted loyalists as they entered the British camp at Savannah in December 1779:

General Prevost has this momemt arrived with 250 horsemen. They are farmers, who had banded together in this province and that of Carolina, having taken up sides with the King, and for this reason had been pursued by the rebels and driven into the wilderness. Finally, they retreated into a swamp (or, rather, an island surround by marshes), where the rebels were unable to reach them. Here they lived for six days on roots and herbs, until they were rescued by General Prevost. They all wore red bands upon their hats, which denote that they are friends of the King. They looked ragged, and wore shoes of untanned skins. Every one carried a mukset before him upon his horse....

From: Letters of Brunswick and Hessian Officers During the American Revolution. Translated by William L. Stone 1891.

Chris and Neal are dressed in common working dress of the times wearing practical "flopped" hats, trousers, and jacket or work frock/shirt. Chris carries his few belongings in a knapsack while Neal carries his stashed within his blanket roll.

They at last however assembled on the plain field, and I must really laugh while I recollect their figures: 2000 men in their shirts and trousers, preceded by a very ill beat-drum and a fiddler, who was also in his shirt with a long sword and a cue at his hair, who played with all his might. They made indeed an most unmartial appearance.

Loyalist Janet Schaw describing the whig milita drilling in Wilmington, in 1775.

Sarah and Pam represent well what we know of how "common" women in North Carolina's backcountry dressed at the time of the American Revolution.

These outrages were mostly commited by a Train of Loyal Refugees as they termed themselves whose Business was to follow the camps and under the Protection of the army to enrich themselves on the Plunder they took from the distressed Inhabitants who were not able to defend it. We were also Distressed by another Swarm of beings (not better than harpies). These were women who followed the army in the character of Officers and soldiers wives. they were Generally considered by the Inhabitants to be more Insolent than the soldiers, they were Generally mounted on the best Horses and side saddles and drest in the finest and best cloaths that could be taken from the Inhabitants as the army Marched through the country.

William Dickson to Robert Dickson, November 30, 1784

Todd is shown here wearing a common suit of blue linen.

But of the Regulators three Hundred were found dead on the Field next Morning and a very great Number wounded. About twenty or thirty were made Prisoners; chief of their Ammunition and Baggage, consisting of hunting shirts, Wallets of Dumplins, Jackets, Breeches, Powder Horns, Shot Bags, etc. were taken....

The Virginia Gazette describing the aftermath of the Battle of Alamance in June, 1771.