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Thread: Uniform of the Dutch West Indian Regiment of 1794

  1. #1

    Default Uniform of the Dutch West Indian Regiment of 1794

    While looking for information about the dutch forces in West Indies, I stumbled across this unit which seems to be the only regular one avaible to them in this area during the Revolutionary Wars. Does Anyone knows which was their uniform?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Uniform of the Dutch West Indian Regiment of 1794

    Not much luck I'm afriad.

    The Geoctroyeerde Westindische Compagnie (GWC) were responsible for the adminstration and governance of all Dutch possessions in the America's and logic would suggest that they probably raised local militia's to garrison their settlements. However, I've been unable to find any details of regiments from the period you mention.

    There was of course an Indian Brigade at Waterloo commanded by Lieutenant-General C.H.W. Anthing consisting of 3,729 officers and men, including West Indian Jägers Number 10 (674 men) and West Indian Jägers Number 11 (685 men). However, this was well after the period you mention.

    I have also found an order of battle for the Dutch Occidental Army (see below) But I was unable to verify this from any other source, or to trace any of the units listed. So, it may be completely ficticous for all I know.

    Occidental Army
    2 Infantry Battalions (1,500 men), 6 Militia Battalions (1,500 men), 2 Artillery Batteries (8 guns)

    Organisation

    1e Bataljon West-Indische Jagers (750 men)
    2e Bataljon West-Indische Jagers (750 men)

    1e Bataljon West-Indische Militia (250 men)
    2e Bataljon West-Indische Militia (250 men)
    3e Bataljon West-Indische Militia (250 men)
    4e Bataljon West-Indische Militia (250 men)
    5e Bataljon West-Indische Militia (250 men)
    6e Bataljon West-Indische Militia (250 men)

    1e West-Indische Bataljon Artillerie van Linie (4 guns)
    2e West-Indische Bataljon Artillerie van Linie (4 guns)



    Details of the Indian Brigade can be found here: http://www.napoleon-series.org/milit...dutch1815.html

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Uniform of the Dutch West Indian Regiment of 1794

    The following extract from Osprey's British Forces in the West Indies concerns Dutch troops taken into British pay. It says they wore traditional blue Dutch uniforms with red collar & cuffs. (Sorry no illustration).
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Uniform of the Dutch West Indian Regiment of 1794

    Well if you don't have anything I think that pretty much puts an end to the search. There seems to be enough evidence to suggest that there were Dutch West Indies Regiments in existence throughout the 18th century and possibility even in the 17th century, but the only uniform prints available are from the Napoleonic period.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Uniform of the Dutch West Indian Regiment of 1794

    Hey hey, I know this is a very late reply. But I did find a lot more information on troop formations in the Dutch West Indian colonies.

    First of all, the Dutch West India Company differed quite a lot compared to their eastern companions. Unlike the VOC, the WIC didnt have a standing army, and mostly relied on both militia and free black soldiers. This is best depicted in the 1772-1778 Boni-war in Suriname, the WIC was unable to properly defend plantations from raids of runaway slaves. This resulted in the recruitment of the 21st Fourgeoud Marine Regiment in 1772 being sent from the mainland Netherlands to the colony. A unit of black jagers, or the Zwarte Jagers/ Redi Musu were raised from freed slaves to help with the rugged inland terrain where the battles were mostly fought.

    Following the withdrawal of the marine unit and the subsequent Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780-1784) where St Eustatius, Essequibo and Demara were quickly seized by the British in the West Indies only to be counter taken by the French to be returned to the Dutch. This showed a total lack of protection from the WIC, which would eventually lead to their nationalization in 1791, with all colonies besides the regional Sociëteiten like the one in Suriname and Essequibo coming under mainland Netherland jurisdiction.

    Now, onto uniforms. I found two main theatres where definitive descriptions were found, that being Suriname and Curaçao. A concrete depiction of the burgerwacht/ militia in Curacao is here: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/RP-P-OB-85.019 this depicts the funeral for a shipcrew of which its ship's powdermagazine blew in the harbour in 1778, depicted here https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/RP-P-OB-6690. Now, I also managed to find some rough troop estimates on the Island, this being from 1797, so there's some influences from the Batavian Republic on their numbers, but allas:




    Besides this, I found a regular's uniform of the mid century issued by the WIC, so 1750-1760-ish.



    Now sadly I didnt find anything on the free black and coloured troops mentioned in the chart, but its something nonetheless.

    Onto my 2nd find, Suriname.

    Following the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War and a visit on the defences of the colony, there would exist a number of troop musterings, better described here: https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_oso00119...01_01_0006.php

    Besides this, as mentioned before and as named in the document above existed a free black corps aswell, depicted here, the hat as far as I know standing for the amount of soldiers in the corps, this being raised in 1772, existing untill well into the 19th century:


    Now, on the troop raising I mention and their uniforming you can find more here: https://www.yumpu.com/nl/document/vi...n-de-collectie

    I hope this helped you a bit, even if its more than 12 years later lol

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