Monday, July 13, 2026

1st Virginia Regiment in Hunting Shirts - American Revolutionaey War

The flag certainly marks this outfit as the 1st Virginia regiment.


The 1st Regiment was authorized on August 21, 1775 in the Virginia State Troops as the First Virginia Regiment. It was organized on October 21, 1775 at Williamsburg as a provincial defense unit composed of six musket and two rifle companies under the command of Patrick Henry. Each company was to consist of 68 enlisted men, with officers to include a captain, lieutenant and ensign (second lieutenant). Six of the companies were armed with muskets, and two with rifles.

For my own reasons, I have chosen to depict them in hunting shirts; there isn't any evidence for this although not impossible in the early war years. 

There was definitely a Maryland regiment recorded as wearing hunting shirts died black, though. These are Brigade Games figures; the flag was made from images on the internet. 

The regiment was adopted on November 1, 1775 into the Continental Army. Eventually, its regulation uniform would be dark blue coats faced red, as  Virginia Continental regiment. 

It was assigned on February 27, 1776 to the Southern Department, but then reassigned to the Main Continental Army on July 29, 1776. It formed part of  Lord Stirling's Brigade from October 1776 until May 1777, when it became part of the first Virginia Brigade. 

In May 1779i t was consolidated with the 9th Virginia regiment to form a new 1st Virginia Regiment of 9 companies. In December, 1779, the regiment was transferred to the Southern Department. 

The regiment was captured by the British in the 2nd siege of Charleston on May 12, 1780. 

16 comments:

  1. Good looking,if sombre,bunch of patriots!
    Best Iain

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  2. The hunting shirts are always just that "little bit different" Peter - and these look great.

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  3. Thanks, Keith; they are pretty unique to the Revolutionary War.

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  4. Always enjoy seeing unit in hunting shirts and this is a very nice one indeed, different choice of coat colour and it works really well,

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  5. It would be interesting to actually have been there and seen what units wore what. I would imagine hunting shirts were everywhere in the early part of the war, especially given Washington's apparent encouragement for units to wear them. Another fine unit Peter.

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    1. Thanks, Lawrence. For the most part, I imagine they wore whatever they could get. I am well aware I am presenting a very sanitized, "toy soldier'" version, which I am fine with. :-)

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  6. They look beaut! I really like the dark hunting coats and dark red leggings.
    Best wishes, James

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  7. Thanks, James; the dark red leggings and the few red wool caps were suggested by the colors of the flag!

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  8. Hi Peter,

    Superb work on these. The hunting shirt is such an iconic look for the AWI, and depicting the 1st Virginia this way gives them a wonderful, distinct character on the tabletop. Knowing how much Washington actually favoured the hunting shirt as a practical uniform makes this a very fitting choice!

    All the best, Andy

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    1. Thanks, Andy. When I realized that I needed a few more Patriot units, I definitely wanted some more in the hunting shirts. They are also very easy to paint with a staining technique!

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  9. Good looking unit. Take their belts off and they would be ideal for night operations.

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