Mobilising the Militia

Large numbers of militia were fielded by both the Canadians and Americans in the War of 1812. In both cases they outnumbered the regular soldiers. The State of New York alone raised some 70,000 militiamen whereas the regular US army was 12,000 strong at the start, rising to 35,000 men as the war progressed. To put this into perspective in 1812 there were only 1,400 British regulars in Upper Canada (modern Ontario) out of a total of 5,600 in the whole North American theatre.

Recently painted are these Canadian militiamen from the early stages of the war when most were without uniforms.

White armbands were worn as a field recognition sign to set them apart from the Americans. According to Rev John Carrol, writing in 1813, this was ‘to let the Indians know we were British.’

This unit represents Capt Samuel Hatt’s company of the 5^th Lincoln Militia raised from around modern day Hamilton, Ontario. They fought at the capture of Detroit and Queenston Heights in 1812. At Detroit many were issued with cast-off uniforms from the 41^st Foot. Two veterans of Detroit are wearing suitably faded red cut-down tunics. The figure are mostly from Brigade Games.

Supporting Hatt’s Volunteers is the ‘Coloured Company’. These men were raised from black settlers at the instigation of Richard Pierpoint. He was a former slave in America, originally from Senegal, who fought in Buttler’s Rangers during the American War of Independence and after that war was given a land grant in Upper Canada. Command of the company was given to Capt Raunchey, a white Canadian officer of poor reputation. Pierpoint, who was 68 in 1812, enlisted as a private.

The Coloured Company fought alongside the Mohawks at Queenston Heights and therefore probably acted as skirmishers. As Raunchey absented himself at the battle, I shall assume that the veteran  Richard Pierpoint took a leading role in Raunchey's absence. The figures are from Brigade Games.

These men will serve as New York Militia in my 1812 campaign. At Queenston Heights several units refused to cross the Niagara River to join the American attack. Some of the men have been issued grey roundabout tunics, others wear civilian clothes. Their officer, Capt Isaac Belknap, has purchased a more formal uniform of blue with red facings. The figures are from Wee Wolf.

Finally a unit of American militia skirmishers wearing their famous hunting shirts. Again Wee Wolf figures.