Latest Gear Purchase

Today I received another batch of gear needed for the my Napoleonic impression. Compared to my previous purchases for the Rev War uniform, this was a rather minor order. The order consisted of a felt shako blank and a wooden canteen.

In the early 1800s, the British military went away from the cocked hat and bearskin caps toward a shako (stovepipe-like) cap made of felt. As you can see in the picture, the blank I purchased needs a bit of work to get it into something that is wearable. I need to add a lining, small leather visor, leather rim, front plate and plume.

The other item I purchased was a wooden canteen. During the American Revolution, the British army used tin canteens. Due to the demand of the Napoleonic wars, the British switched to a wooden canteen which didn't last as long but was easier (and probably cheaper) to produce in bulk.


The items come from Jas. Townsend and Son, a fine purveyor of replica items from the 1750s through the 1840s. The images in this post are from the Townsend website.

Ich Dien!