The 21st Foot was originally raised in Scotland in 1678 and was named the Scots Fuziliers in 1695. It was then renamed the Royal North British Fuziliers, a name it retained when it was numbered as the 21st Foot in 1751 . It's other "fuzilier" counterparts were the 7th Foot (Royal Fuziliers) and 23rd Foot (Royal Welsh Fuziliers). The regiment was on duty in Ireland in 1776 when it was transferred to Canada. The following year it joined Burgoyne's ill-fated campaign down the Hudson Valley. The grenadier and light companies were detached to form part of the Advance Guard under General Frazer and saw heavy action. The battalion companies fought at Freeman's Farm on 19 September, before surrendering with the rest of Burgoyne's force in October.
These Perry figures are in the modified campaign dress that Burgoyne ordered all regiments to adopt. Essentially, the modifications consisted of shortening the coat and cropping the tricorne into something that resembled the headgear of the light infantry companies. According to the excellent article on Saratoga by Brendan Morrissey that is on the Perry Miniatures website, the 21st sported a white horsehair crest on their hats; it seems pretty likey that the fur bearskin caps usually worn by fusilier regiments would have been put into storage. Some of these Perry figures also wear Indian leggings. It seems highly unlikely that the regiments took their flags with them, but it would be a great shame not to include them in these units. This is a smallish regiment; 12 figures is the strength given in the "British Grenadier" scenario of Freeman's Farm, which is included in the rules. Given that Freeman's Farm involved an American assault on a British position, I chose firing line poses. The British held the field at Freeman's Farm, but suffered heavy losses.
12 figures. Painted July 2007. Flags by GMB.
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