Blumberg Notes
Books cited by Blumberg we need to look for
“Lt. McIntyre’s book”
Gillespie’s “History of the Royal Marines”
From the preface
“I have selected the date 1755 for the commencement of these records, as from this time more or less continuous letters and orders exist at the R.M. divisions from which it is possible to trace the development of the corps and its peculiar customs and traditions.”
H.E Blumberg (my underline)
1755 - “Uniform or “Kings Clothing” i.e. Coat, Waistcoat, and breeches were supplied by the Navy Board.”
1762 – Fortescue gives the weight of the clothing and equipment in carried by the Army and presumably the Marines in 1762 as
coat 5Lbs 2 0z
(the rest is omitted by me)
1762 – “But from various letters knapsacks were not generally issued to Marines and as late as 1775 when drafts were ordered to America it is said that knapsacks are being sent to the transports (snip)…a letter in 1793 speaks of them as more akin to haversacks and asks for knapsacks the same as line regiments” (Lt. McIntyre’s Book)
1762 – page 64 - “the prize money amounted to three quarters of a million pounds. Privates received 9£/8s/1d blue jackets received 3£/14s/9d” (Marines got three times what the average sailor received in Prize money? DSW)
1763? – page 79 – “There was a Lieutenant and a quartermaster at each division who dealt with arms, accoutrements and kings clothing. He had nothing to do with rations or necessaries. He was a combatant officer appointed for a term of years like the adjutant” (it would appear he is talking about the officer but does not mention the rank of the quartermaster. Was he like a purser or was he a noncom?” DSW)
1764 – “it was not until 1764 that it was ordered that the firelocks should be marked with the number of the company and the number of the firelock in the company. “Sergeants and Corporals to keep a list” so it was the custom from earliest times for the Marine to retain his own firelock”
1765 – page 89 “in reply to a very important letter from the commandant at Portsmouth, the Admiralty states that “ it will be a great advantage to the discipline of the corps to give the men accoutrements better than they have at present; want of pouches (they only had cartouche boxes) preventing them being put through the firings of a battalion and they approve of an alteration being made.
Admiralty office
16th July, 1765
Sir,
With respect to that part of your said letter wherein you represent it will be a very great advantage to the discipline of the corps to give the men better accoutrements than those they have at present, that the want of pouches makes it impossible to put them through all the firings of a battalion, as the largest cartouche box holds but eighteen rounds of powder, and many which hold but nine; I am also to acquaint you that their lordships have under consideration the alteration of the accoutrements. Snip….(remainder is about flags DSW)
Sir,
Your most humble servant
Phillip Stevens
1766 – page 90 – On 27th March 1766 authority was given for Sergeants to wear sashes, which have formed a part of their uniform ever since.
1767- page 92- “in 1767 grenadier companies were formed. Plymouth orders dated March 10th direct that officers of the grenadier companies are to wear “two epaulets and fringe and officers of the battalion companies one on the right shoulder only”
(Prior to 1767 all Marines were clothed and equipped as Grenadiers. DSW)
1768 – page 93 – 11 August - the Master general of the Ordinance was ordered to supply new firelocks fitted with iron ramrods to the Marines instead of the old wooden rammers of which there had been constant complaints since the beginning.
1768-69 – page 93 – “15th May 1769 a new uniform was issued. Was it then that a change was made from the grenadier caps to three cornered hats?” (Blumberg obviously thinks so DSW) “In October 1769 the breeches were red and on 24th October a new gorget was ordered for officers.”
1771 – page 96 – “on 14th June 1771 it was ordered that accoutrement were to be made of duff. Snip… Also in this year it was ordered that accoutrements were to be whitened. So that it is probably to this date that we owe the introduction of pipe clay”
1772 – page 98 – “standard of height for this year was 5’ 4”
1773 – page 98 – “standard of height raised to 5’ 5 “
1772 – page 102 – “the bayonet and pouches were slung on a waist belt which on March 24th, 1772 were ordered to be made into cross belts.”
1772 –page 103 – The uniform for surgeons laid down in 1772 was for a red coat with red cape, cuffs, and lapels with marine buttons, white breeches and waistcoat and uniform hat. On duty to wear a small sword and black buckle garters.
1773 – page 103 –“In 1773 Army ideas were permeating the Marines. Grenadier and light companies were in existence, the uniforms of which seem from the correspondence to have occasionally brought the divisions into collision with the Captains of ships. And on 21st January Plymouth was told it was unnecessary to keep up light companies.”
1774 – page 106 – An Admiralty letter dated 10th Oct 1774 to the divisions “As it is possible that tents, kettles, and camp equipage may be ordered to accompany the party of Marines intended to proceed to North America, I will be obliged if you will send me an account, by return of post, what articles of each sort there are in store and whether they are in proper condition for use (Signed) Geo. Jackson D.S.
(In store? This would indicate that they had this stuff before Boston? DSW)
1775 – page 107 – “On 25th January 1775 Major Pitcairn’s Battalion was ordered to do duty with the 1st brigade under Lord Percy. Up till then they had done no duty because they had no watch coats or leggings”
1775 –page 110 – “Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth were ordered to send 60 Grenadier caps with this detachment so that the formation of Grenadier companies was obviously contemplated”
1775 – page 110 – Plymouth division orders dated 8th February 1775 – Officers to have long leather gaiters with Hessian tops, except to have buttons instead of springs and proper accoutrements. Men to have following Kit
4 good white shirts
4 pairs good stockings 2 white 2 worsted
1 Check shirt
3 pairs good shoes
1 pair long gaiters with Hessian tops
1 pair short gaiters
2 pairs good Prussian drab drawers
1 brush, wire, picker, turnkey etc.
1 set uniform knee and shoe buckles
1 knapsack (which are arriving in the transports)
2 Black Manchester velvet stocks w/ buckles for Grenadiers and clasps for
battalion soldiers
Sea Kit
1 old hat
1 old coat etc (do they mean old uniform hat and coat? DSW)
1775-76 –page122 – “Gillespie says that the marines spent the winter of 1775-76 in tents on Bunker hill.”
1778 – page 139- “in this year we get the first mention of “Light Clothing” being supplied to detachments under orders for the East Indies”
1786 – page 193 – “In February 1786 a grenadier company was established at each division and the board approved the issue of caps and accoutrements for the men”
1790 page 209 – “On 1st May, approval was given for the issuance of Grenadier caps to the grenadier companies”