The Pattern - The 33rd Regiment and the British Infantry Experience During the American Revolution 1770-1783.

Author Robbie MacNiven has given us a finely detailed and well written narrative of the ‘History of the 33rd Regiment of Foot and the British Infantry Experience during the American Revolution, 1770-1783’. The Pattern tells the fascinating story of this regiment, one of the most heavily engaged regiments during the war, and with a well deserved reputation of being the best trained regiment in the entire British Army, hence the title ‘The Pattern’.

We are treated to a fascinating journey accompanying the regiment as it campaigned from its arrival in 1776, from Long Island, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth in the northern theatre to Camden, Guildford Courthouse and ultimately Yorktown. Many primary sources have been used, including a number of previously unpublished ones. Most engaging is the inclusion of accounts from an officer and an enlisted man, adding these enlightening personal reflections to the narrative.

The book is well illustrated with a variety of black and white photographs, either contemporary images, photos of surviving artefacts and some of uniformed re-enactors, maps, and a central spread of eight pages of colour plates. These are primarily more photographs of re-enactors in very authentic looking period uniforms (I’m sure I recognised at one of the ‘models’ and I had to smile when I saw the photographer’s surname is Gage). There is also one specially commissioned painting of a soldier of the regiment on campaign which is very striking.

Another great addition (No. 106) to Helion’s from Reason to Revolution series and for enthusiasts of the American Revolutionary War, be they historians, wargamers or just the curious.

ISBN 978-1-804511-89-3. Soft back, 266 pages