Sunday, April 15, 2018

Hessian Regiment von Bose (Classic Toy Soldiers)

The first unit of Hessians has landed on American shores!  These Hessians (soldiers from the principality of Hesse-Kassell) are from the Regiment von Bose. 


Hessian Regiment von Bose finds itself
fighting in wooded terrain
This Hessian regiment was sent to the southern colonies and formed a part of Lord Cornwallis' field army.  During the "Race to the Dan", Von Bose participated in the brutal slogging through North and South Carolina in pursuit of General Greene's army.  Regiment von Bose's moment of glory came during tough fighting at the March 15, 1781 Battle of Guilford Courthouse.  Continuing their career as part of Cornwallis' army, these tough veterans participated at the Siege of Yorktown and defended Redoubt #9 against an ultimately successful French attack.


These soldiers wear their regulation uniform, complete with red pompoms on their cocked tricorne hats.  The only non-regulation piece of clothing are the drab brown gaiter-trousers, which were used extensively during the Southern campaigns.

Figures were originally Classic Toy Soldiers "Hessian Grenadiers."  After carefully modifying their long gaiters into gaiter-trousers, I removed the grenadier caps and sculpted cocked hats instead.  The pompoms were provided out of my sister's collection of small plastic beads (thanks, Amara!).  They were then painted with Testors enamel and CraftSmart acrylic paints.


For a good look at the celebrated career of this regiment, check out Kabinettskrieg's blog article "He Was a Blue and Bloody Man: The Von Bose Regiment." https://kabinettskriege.blogspot.com/2017/07/he-was-blue-and-bloody-man-von-bose.html