American War of Independence: Green's Virginia Continentals

When I started painting up my American army for the AWI last year I was conscious that I didn't just want a blue-coated army and wanted to have as much variety as possible (eg. 2nd Maryland in their brown coats). Having painted the 1st Maryland in blue I realised the other week looking at my Patriot force that is was anything but blue, in fact with all the militia etc it was more brown! Consequently I thought I better crack on and raise a couple more blue-coated Continental units.

Alongside the Maryland Continentals at Guilford Courthouse were two regiments of Virginian Continentals. The vast majority of Virginian Continental troops (four regiments) had been lost at the Siege of Charleston in 1780, so the State raised a new force conscripting men to serve until the end of 1781 (they being known as 'eighteen-month men'). Two regiments of new Virginian Continentals fought at Guilford Courthouse though there is some confusion as to their designation with some sources calling them the 1st and 2nd Virginia Regiments and others the 4th and 5th (the 4th was lost at Charleston and the 5th  merged into the 3rd in 1779). Probably, most correctly, they should be referred to by their commanders names, Lt. Colonel's Green and Hawes.

My first Virginian Regiment (Green's) are painted in the standard Continental uniform of the period, although prior to the campaign there is reference to them not having enough uniforms and looking like militia en route to Chesterfield Court House. I like to think suppliers problems were resolved there and the troops sent to Major General Nathanael Greene in 1781 looked the part (they certainly fought the part).

Unsure of what standard they carried at Guilford Courthouse (if any) I opted for that of the 1st Virginia Regiment from Maverick Models as I like the flag design. The miniatures are the Perry Miniatures plastic Continentals and painted using my regular block paint, Army Painter Soft Tone dip then odd highlights approach.