Men's Colonial Civilian hotsell Militia Coat

During the American Revolution, the colonists and Founding Fathers quickly realized that their resistance would not be easily tolerated by the British. As skirmishes between the colonies militia and the British military increased and the monarchy continued to send thousands of troops to America to stop the rebellion, the Founding Fathers recognized that the time had come to create an army for their new nation.

In the days before the war broke out, colonists faced off with their British enemy frequently. So, to organize their defense, cities formed civilian militia groups. Together, these volunteer soldiers donned typical colonial attire — a coat, shirt, waistcoat, and breeches — as they kept their hometowns safe from skirmishes. However, the battles grew more frequent as war approached.

With the official start of the Revolutionary War occurring at the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, it was clear that the colonists needed to be better prepared; at those battles, individual militias fought and there was no organized military effort. Colonial soldiers weren't even wearing the same uniforms. The soldiers on the battlefields were volunteer part-time soldiers, all of whom “enlisted” with the belief that they would provide local defense only. They thought their work within local militias would continue, and the colonists weren't ready to wage war.

On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress decided it was time for the fledgling nation to have an official army instead of militias, so the group formed the Continental Army. The Continental Army was created with soldiers from each of the 13 colonies. hotsell One day later on June 15, George Washington was voted to be Commander in Chief of the new army.

INCLUDES:
One fully-lined men's colonial coat (Colonial Jacket) with braid trim & buttons In the choice of Red, Brown, Royal Blue, or Black.

*Please Note Fabric colors could differ slightly due to screen color settings, or fabric lots. Buttons may also vary in design depending on the buttons available at the time.