Looking for a fun way to learn history? Here is a set of 11 great printables that are interesting to both young and old — and you can use them for fun, for classroom use, or for homeschooling.
Back in 1976, these pictures were published over the course of several weeks by Rushville National Bank in Indiana as part of their Bicentennial celebration as part of a coloring contest. All of the text below was included with the original articles (with some minor updates).
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Printable coloring pages of military uniforms from the Revolutionary War in the 1700s
The Rushville National Bank will present soldiers of the American Revolution in their authentic uniforms in a special series both interesting and educational.
The uniforms presented, often represent the outfits worn by a regiment at the outset of the war, modifications adopted in the field. The information on which these illustrations are based comes mainly from descriptions of deserters printed in the newspapers of the times, portraits, accounts of the clothing issued, and contemporary descriptions enclosed in diaries.
LEARN MORE: The history of the American flag, and its evolution since 1777
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES
Revolutionary War uniform coloring reference guide
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SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: FRENCH TROOPS
Fusileer of the Chasseurs Volontaires de Sainte-Domingue, 1779
This colonial corps of black soldiers raised in the Colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) sailed with d’Estaing’s fleet to Savannah in an unsuccessful attempt to capture that port city from the British. In the subsequent retreat from Savannah, the Chasseurs Volontaires distinguished themselves in checking the British pursuit of the French forces.
The Fusileer shown here wears a blue coat with blue lapels, green cuffs and a yellow collar. The turnbacks at the bottom of his coat are white, as are his vest and breeches. His coat has green shoulder straps. His hat is black with a white and yellow plume and a white cockade. All of his buttons are white, as are his leggings.
His shoes are of black leather, as is his cartridge box which is suspended from a white leather belt. His sword has a steel hilt, a black leather scabbard tipped with iron. He carries a Charleville musket with iron metal fittings and a white leather sling.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: GERMAN TROOPS
Fifer of the Brunswick, Infantry Regiment “Von Specht,” 1776
The Regiment “Von Specht” was another of those German regiments that fought from Ticonderoga to Saratoga only to surrender there as a part of Burgoyne’s Army.
The fifer of the Grenadier Company shown here wears a dark blue coat faced: with red; the edging of his buttonholes, his lapel, and cuffs are of silver lace as are the chevrons on his sleeve and the strip down the sleeve seams.
His buttons are of brass. His sword belt and the shoulder belt which supports his fife case are white, the latter with a red trim. His vest and breeches are white. His leggings are black, and his shoes and sword scabbard are of black leather.
His fife case is red with a white strap around it. His sword hilt is brass and sword knot is white, the tassel on it is red with white fringe. His belt buckle ts brass, as are the ends of his wooden fife. His Grenadier Cap has a brass metal front. The pompon at the top of his cap has a red top and white bottom. The lining of his coat is red. His hair is powdered white.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: AMERICAN TROOPS
Officer of Colonel George Rogers Clark’s Ilinois Regiment, Virginia State Forces, 1779
The Illinois Regiment of Col. George Rogers Clark occupied and claimed for the state of Virginia parts of the present-day states of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. Their service was in the region northwest of the Ohio River — frontier country populated by Native Americans.
Serving far from Virginia, the Regiment was forced to adopt some items of Native American dress. The state of Virginia purchased clothing and weapons for the Regiment from the Spanish at St. Louis. As a result, their uniforms differed greatly from each other.
The officer shown here wears a brown coat, faced with red, with brass buttons and gold lace edging on his buttonholes, both on his coat and vest. His vest is gray, as are his breeches. His epaulets are gold, as is the edging on his black cocked hat, upon which he wears a black cockade and feathers. His gorget is silver and his neckerchief is black. His coat is lined with white.
His high Native American-style leggings are dark blue and his Native American moccasins are of buff-colored buckskin leather with a red border. His belts are of Native American make and might be blue and yellow and red and green. At his side, he wears a Native American pouch of buff leather decorated with yellow edging and red and yellow wampum beads.
From his sword belt hangs a long Spanish sword with a cup hilt, all of steel with a wooden grip and a black leather scabbard. In his hand, he carries an American made spontoon (half-pike) of steel with a wooden shaft. His shirt might be white or light brown.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: AMERICAN TROOPS
Officer of the Continental Navy, 1776
The infant United States were never able to match the British Fleet at sea. One reason for this is that many of the original thirteen colonies of the new nation had independent states’ navies which did little to prosecute the war or aid the tiny Continental Navy. Some American sailors became famous as commerce raiders, but the Continental Fleet was never able to meet the Royal Navy in any kind of effective force.
The Continental Naval officer shown here wears a dark blue coat, faced with red, a blue collar with a red tab in front, and a red waistcoat, edged with gold lace. His buttons are brass as is his sword hilt. His shirt and stock are white, and his coat is lined with white.
His hat is black with a black cockade. His stockings are white or pale blue, and his breeches are dark blue. His hair is not powdered, and his shoes are of black leather with brass buckles. His sword scabbard is of black leather with a brass tip.
MORE: The Declaration of Independence (1776)
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: AMERICAN TROOPS
Sergeant of the Continental Marines, 1778
The Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of Marines in November, 1775, stipulating that such men be enlisted as are “good seamen,”‘ or acquainted with sailor’s duties so as to be of use aboard ship when required. After 1779, the Marine’s uniform was green faced red. The uniform shown here was worn from 1775 to 1779.
The sergeant wears a green coat faced white with white vest and breeches, the vest being edged with green cloth. His stockings are white and his short leggings are black. His sword scabbard and shoes are of black leather. His crossbelts are white leather, as is his musket sling.
MORE: The true story of the Boston Tea Party (1773)
The turnbacks on his coat are white, and his hat is black with white edging and a black cockade. His sword hilt is brass as are the trigger guard and ramrod pipes on his musket. The other metal on his musket is iron. His hair is powdered white. His sergeant’s epaulet is red. His buttons are of white metal and have anchors on them.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: BRITISH TROOPS
Officer of Royal Artillery, 1777
The officer of the Royal Artillery shown here is dressed in the uniform which was worn by officers and men of artillery regiments in virtually all the nations of Europe in the eighteenth century.
Artillerists were regarded as specialists of their profession, almost as elite troops, and, as such, were uniformed almost identically in the armies of all the European nations. His coat is dark blue with red facings and collar, the lapels, collar, cuffs and buttonholes are bound with gold edging. His vest and breeches are white, and the sash about his waist is crimson. His epaulets are gold and his sword has a brass hilt and scabbard tip.
His hat is black with gold edging, with a black cockade. His boots and sword scabbard are of black leather, and his spurs are brass. His hair is powdered white, his buttons are brass and his sword is gold. His stock is black and the shirt ruffles at throat and cuffs are white.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: FRENCH TROOPS
Drummer of the Infantry Regiment d’ Agenois, 1782
Another of the regiments of Rochambeau’s French Army, the Regiment d’Agenois served at the battle of Yorktown and attended the surrender of Cornwallis’ Army in 1782.
The drummer shown here wears a dark blue coat with rose-colored lapels and cuffs and a green collar. The edging of his lapels, the edging on the wings on his shoulders, and the stripes of tape down his sleeve are white as are the buttonhole edgings below his lapel and the edgings of his coat pocket flap. Also white are the turnbacks of his coat, his drum belt and his vest. The fleur-de-lis at each edge of the turnbacks of his coat are rose-colored. His epaulets are rose-colored, and his sword has a black leather scabbard with a brass tip.
His leggings are dark brown or black and his shoes are of black leather. His hat is black with white edging, the pompon is red and he wears two cockades, the inner one black, and the outer one white. His drumsticks are a natural wood color, and his pipe is of white clay.
His hair is not powdered white, and is its natural color. His drum has a brass body, the ropes are white as is the braided carrying sling. The drum head and base are buff colored and the hoops of the drum at the top and bottom are the outer blue and the inner white.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: FRENCH TROOPS
French Naval Officer, 1778
The French Fleet operated in American waters as allies of the Americans several times during the Revolution, arriving first under Comte d’Estaing in 1778. At Yorktown, they gained superiority of the sea after fighting the British Fleet at the Battle of the Capes.
The Naval Officer shown here wears a dark blue coat, red vest and breeches, all trimmed in gold lace. His stockings are white and his black leather shoes have brass buckles. His hat is black with gold edging and a white cockade. His sword has a brass hilt, a black leather scabbard with brass tip, and a gold sword knot.
Across his breast, he wears the crimson ribbon of the Order of St. Louis. His hair is powdered white, and his stock and shirt ruffles are white linen. His coat has a red lining.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: BRITISH FORCES
Officer of the Grenadier Company, 64th Regiment of Foot, 1778
The 64th Regiment of Foot served in America from the very beginning of the Revolution until 1782. The men of the 64th participated in the Battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Stoney Point, and served at the Siege of Charleston and the Battle of Eutaw Springs.
The Grenadier Officer shown here wears a scarlet coat faced with black. His buttonholes are edged with gold lace, and his buttons, gorget, and epaulets are gold in color. The sash about his waist is crimson net silk. His vest and breeches are white and his short leggings are black. His bayonet and sword scabbard are of black leather as are his shoes and cartridge box. His belts are of white leather. The turnbacks of his coat are white.
The tip of his sword scabbard is brass, as are the side plate and ramrod pipes of his musket. The other metal of the musket is of steel, as is his bayonet. His grenadier cap has a bearskin front, and the back of the cap is red with gold tassels and cords. His musket sling is white, as are the ruffles of his shirt at throat and cuffs, and his stockings. His hair is powdered white.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: AMERICAN TROOPS
Drummer of the Sixth Connecticut Regiment, 1777
The Sixth Connecticut Regiment was raised early in 1777 and served until the beginning of 1781, when it was reorganized under a different designation. The uniform of this regiment was blue faced with white and, in keeping with European military fashion of the time, the regimental fifers and drummers wore reversed colored coats.
In the case of this regiment, the drummer’s coat is white, and his facings are dark blue. His buttons are white metal, and his vest and breeches are white. His sword has a brass hilt and a black leather scabbard with a brass tip. The sword belt and frog are of white leather as is the belt which supports the drum.
His shirt is white and his hair is powdered white. His cap is of black leather with white edging and a white cipher upon the front. His cockade is black, and his plume is red. The turnbacks of his coat are dark blue and the heart at the corner of the turnback is blue with a white border. His stockings are pale blue and his shoes are black leather with brass buckles.
His drum has a dark blue body with a white cipher upon it. The tug ropes are white as is the braided carrying sling hanging below it. At the top and bottom edges of the drum the outer hoops are red, the inner hoops white.
SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COLORING PAGES: BRITISH TROOPS
Pioneer of the 54th Regiment of Foot, the West Norfolk Regiment, 1782
Pioneers were a special variety of soldiers whose duty it was to advance before an attacking force, clearing away obstructions and barricades with their saws and axes. Thus the symbols of the pioneer were his saw, axe, and leather apron. Pioneers were also employed as carpenters for the regiment.
The pioneer shown here wears a red coat faced green with buttonholes edged in white lace. The turnbacks on his coat are white, and the buttons are of white metal. His apron, which extended up to his neck, was brown leather. His ax case and belt were also of brown leather. His saw hung from his right side in a brown leather case and strap.
His cartridge box belt and waist belt are of white leather, as is his musket sling. His cap has a crown of black leather with a bearskin front and a cap plate painted red with white devices and a white border. His leggings are black and his shoes are of black leather.
Like many of the troops of the British Army, the pioneers adopted more practical and less gaudy clothing as the war progressed. Before their service in America was over, the pioneers of many British Regiments wore simple jackets of red, canvas workmen’s trousers and ordinary round hats or caps.
