As a Revolutionary War material culture junkie, I like reference books that have original objects and historical information. Don Troiani’s Soldiers of the American Revolution has the added dimension of his research-based artwork to complete the circle. The book was published in 2007, and I still find myself grabbing it off the shelf to flip through the pages when I need a material culture fix.
Having worked with Don on a lot of his paintings, I can say there is a lot of research and replication of uniforms and objects long before his brush hits the canvas. Many of the uniforms worn by the models are carefully researched and reproduced utilizing the techniques, cloth, buttons, and lace common to the period so that they have the right drape and look when worn by the models. Archives all over the world are scoured for documentation, as well as newspapers and other places that period documents can be found. His paintings intertwined with the objects really help to bring this important period to life.
The objects shown are extremely rare and many of them are from his own extensive collection. Some from other private collections and institutions are used which help to show a wide variety of things that were carried, worn, or used during the war. It’s laid out in sections, or chapters, starting with The British army, then The Loyalist, German, and Native American Allies, and ends with The Patriots and their Allies.
It isn’t just filled with guns, although there are some amazing muskets and pistols pictured. There are flags, canteens, buttons, a lot of swords, leather accoutrements, and even a dog collar marked to the British 43rd Regiment of Foot. There are also a few objects that are very moving like the bullet-struck round hat that was worn by Captain Phineas Meigs when he was shot and killed during a British raid on Madison, Connecticut in 1782. There is also an image of striped linen waistcoat and linen shirt worn by Colonel William Ledyard when he was stabbed with his own sword after he surrendered to the Loyalist forces at Ft. Griswold in New London, Connecticut in 1781.
Flipping through the book to write this blog, I even found a picture of a much younger me painted almost 30 years ago when I modeled for one of the figures, a light infantryman of the New Jersey or New York line as he would have looked in 1782.
All-in-all, this book is a worthy addition to the reference library of anyone with an interest in the American Revolution, and most certainly to those who love material culture.
