Legion of the United States Infantry Officer Advancing, 1794--single figure
$50.00
Item Number: 16138
Legion of the United States Infantry Officer Advancing, 1794
From 1792 to 1796, the United States Army was officially reorganized into combined arms units inspired by the classic Roman legions. The Secretary of War, Henry Knox, and Major General Anthony Wayne, the commander of the Legion, had both begun their military educations with Julius Caesar’s Commentaries. The parallels between the Roman Army’s campaigns in Gaul and the warfare on the North American frontier were significant. With the recent disasters of 1790-91, an overhaul of the conventional organization of the small Federal army was thought to be best implemented with an increase in manpower. Each regiment, now designated as a sub-legion, included infantry, riflemen, light dragoons, and artillery.
Officers during the 18th and 19th century had to provide their own uniforms, and, as a result, usually had some latitude in the exact details of quality. If the officer had the wherewithal, the most current fashion and cut would be incorporated within the current regulations. Sashes were usually silk, and swords imported from Europe with German blades and English or French fittings. Belt plates and buttons were silver plated for infantry and gold plated for artillery and staff. Very little primary source information survives about the detail of dress of the Legion of the United States, but it was customary for company officers to dress in a fashion much like the enlisted men.
Released in DECEMBER 2022.
