Spanish militia

[clapezza3]

Hi', I need some suggestion to paint some spanish militia for a pirate wargame in the late buccaneer era 1670 1700.
Osprey say the spanish had grey/white coat and I think it is right, but what about the facing ( cuffs, waistcoat etc..)?

Many thanks, Claudio.

[PeteMurray]

The color illustration I have (which might not be entirely accurate) has them with cuffs matching the coats. As this is extremely boring, and given the way other Spanish uniforms of the period go, I'd do your cuffs and facings in red or black, and your waistcoats to match the coat.

References for colonial uniforms are pretty scarce, so this is one instance where you can adopt a plausible scheme and it'll be as accurate as you're going to get.

[KeyanSark]

Have a look here:
http://forum.backofbeyond.de/viewtopic.php?t=3489

There are some links with useful pics from that period.

[clapezza3]

KeyanSark, thanks for the link, a lot of informations, I have not seen it.

I think for the spanish is almost right grey/white coat and waistcoat with red, blu or black facing , to me the choice.

But I have another question. When did the spanish begin to use the flintlock musket? I know in Europe they began to use it in the last 1680', is this right for the Caribbean too?
Finally does anybody knows when was the cartridge box introduced and the 12 apostoles discarded?

Sorry if my question is a little annoying, I hope You can help me.

Many thanks, Claudio.

[Lowtardog]

KeyanSark, thanks for the link, a lot of informations, I have not seen it.

I think for the spanish is almost right grey/white coat and waistcoat with red, blu or black facing , to me the choice.

But I have another question. When did the spanish begin to use the flintlock musket? I know in Europe they began to use it in the last 1680', is this right for the Caribbean too?
Finally does anybody knows when was the cartridge box introduced and the 12 apostoles discarded?

Sorry if my question is a little annoying, I hope You can help me.

Many thanks, Claudio.

If you are going to have Musicians reverse the facing colours (cuff etc) with the coat colours

[PeteMurray]

But I have another question. When did the spanish begin to use the flintlock musket? I know in Europe they began to use it in the last 1680', is this right for the Caribbean too?
Finally does anybody knows when was the cartridge box introduced and the 12 apostoles discarded?

I know the answer for the Ingles is actually that the flintlock was MORE popular in the colonies than in the home countries. During an Indian war in the 1670s, the colonists were using the flintlock as it was more reliable than the matchlock. I know that matchlocks were used in the Monmouth Rebellion a decade later. The cartridge box was adopted around the same time as the flintlock became widespread, I think because musket drill changed at that time.

Probably for greatest historical accuracy you should use musketeers from the Thirty Years' War armed with matchlocks. But I think pirates look best fighting government troops wearing tricorne hats and carrying muskets - but that's more Hollywood than history.

Edit: And thanks for KeyanSark for linking to the older, very informative post, and for Lowtardog for reminding us about the musicians.

[clapezza3]

Lowtardog, yes You are right , I'll paint the drummer in reverse color.

PeteMurray thank You too for the answers, I'm thinking to use some Dixon Nine Years War musketeer with matchlock but with cartridge box and without 12 apostoles, maybe these figures are more ideal for a late buccaneer era to show the incoming changes in the weaponary.
However this is just my opinion.

Claudio.