Tuesday 17 April 2007

Queen's Rangers (1)




The Queen's Rangers were one of the most famous loyalist units of the AWI. It was placed on the American establishment in 1779 as the 1st American Regiment. The regiment was raised in New York in 1776 by Colonel Robert Rogers, the famous ranger from the French & Indian War. Rogers quickly handed over command to a British officer, Colonel French, and eventually the regiment came under the command of Major John Simcoe. Simcoe wrote a journal that provides important information on how the regiment was used and the development of its tactics. As with British line regiment, the Rangers initially had 10 companies, including grenadier and light companies. A highland company was added in 1777 as an 11th company. The light company was apparently ordered to unload their weapons in action and rely on the bayonet.

The regiment fought in the pitched battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth and continued to be engaged in patrols, smirmishes and raids up to the surrender of the majority of the regiment at Yorktown in 1781. There are two very useful websites which can help gamers building up the Rangers, which I have added to the Links section. Those are a re-enactors' site which provides numerous photos and uniform references and the Loyalist Institute's website which contains many contemporary documents on the regiment (and other loyalist units) and is a mine of information and scenario ideas.

These are all Perry figures. At some stage I intend to re-base my Queen's Rangers figures. I have the regiment in duplicate, with 20 figures based in close order (as shown in this post) and 21 based in threes in skirmish order. The grenadier, light and highland companies are on the skirmish order bases, together with the Perry pack of skirmishing riflemen. These figures in close order are taken from the "riflemen (centre companies) advancing" pack, together with the command pack. What I should have done was to split the grenadier and light companies up into one close order base and one skirmish base each (instead of having each company on two skirmishes bases) to liven the close order unit up a bit. That said, these companies and the highland company seem to have been used largely as skirmishers on the flanks, so perhaps it doesn't really matter. I also understand that the centre company rangers were armed with muskets and not rifles (apart from men who were selected to form a rifle company) , but the Perry "centre" company figures are all rifle-armed; this close-order formation should be largely equipped with muskets. I kept a couple of spare "centre" company figures on individual bases to assist with casualty removal and for skirmish purposes.

The Queen's Rangers was the first AWI regiment I ever completed. I added a few more and re-did some of the basing for the Brandywine re-fight of November 2005. The green coats were painted using the Foundry "Forest Green" palette. 20 figures. Painted May 2003 and September 2005. Flags by GMB.


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very nice stuff as usual Giles. Your site is the main source of inspiration for when I get round to painting my AWI stuff in the summer. I'm currently studying law and it still amazes me how you manage to fit in so much quality painting time!

Will you be posting pics of the QR Highlanders? I was wondering if you have any tips for painting tartan and the red and white checked socks.

Anonymous said...

G,

The light company was also armed with muskets - only the rifle section had rifles. From the number of men armed with rifles (16 at most) it may have been drawn from the eight centre companies. In the South, the rifle section was also mounted and even took part in a charge of the QR cavalry at Spencer's Ordinary in June 1781.

As regards the Highland company, for the South, I would suggest the late-war Perry Scots in trousers, but the kilted guys for the early war.

RtL

Giles said...

Ronan - thanks for the correction (as usual!). I will tweak the post accordingly.

Callum - yes, I will shortly be posting pics of the rest of the Queen's Ranger (next week some time), including the highland company. I used Eureka Miniatures highlanders in campaign dress from their French & Indian War/Seven Yeard War range: they have the closed tunics that the QR highlanders wore, together with Indian leggings and tomahawks which add to the American flavour. I clearly now need to paint up some Perry highlanders for the Southern campaigns, as RtL suggests! Happy to explain how I paint tartan if people are interested (I will also be shortly posting pics of my Black Watch regiment - 36 figures strong, all in kilts and full plaid!).

AJ (Allan) Wright said...

Nice Stuff as always. The breeches highlighting is especially nice. Makes my Queens rangers look shabby!

http://thenorthernconspiracy.org/painting/Wright/AWI25/DSCN0038.JPG

Post Modern Bellerophon said...

Just wanted you to know that have just purchased not onlt the Perry Mini's Queens Rangers (Cav and Inf). hope can do them justice as you have.

I am glad I found your blog as well. You should ask for advertisment rates from Perry Mini's and Partizan press. just purchased $200.00 in stuff (British Grenadier!, Scenario Book, and the Perry Minis).

Can't wait to see your next post!

V

Post Modern Bellerophon said...

Question,

I am going to organize my QRs infantry for British Grenadier! soon. I have 6 grenadier figs, 6 ligt figs and 18 Center company and command figs. Any recommendations?

Advice Much Appreciated. PS I made a guidon for my Light Cavalry (Thank god for my Adobe Creative Suite 2)