The war that decided North America was fought in four main uniforms, with Native American allies on both sides.
Quick answer. The French and Indian War (1754 to 1763) involved British regulars in red coats, French regulars in white coats, French Compagnies Franches de la Marine in grey white with blue facings, British provincial regiments in regional colours (blue for Virginia, green for Pennsylvania, red for New York), Highland regiments in kilts, Canadian militia in capotes, and Native American allies on both sides in traditional dress with European trade additions.
British regulars
British regular regiments like the 44th, 48th and 46th Foot wore the standard 1750s red coat with regimental facings. The pattern was based on the 1751 Clothing Warrant: scarlet or madder wool coat, white or buff waistcoat, white breeches, long black gaiters, tricorne. The 42nd Royal Highland Regiment (Black Watch) wore the kilt and feather bonnet. The British faced heavy early defeats at Fort Duquesne (where Braddock died in 1755) because the regulation uniform and tactics did not fit the North American terrain.
By 1758 British regiments in America had adapted. Coats were shortened. Tricornes were cut down. Light infantry companies were raised and dressed in simplified uniforms. The 60th Royal American Regiment was raised specifically for North American service with four battalions, dressed in red with blue facings and expected to fight in forest conditions.
French regulars
The French regular regiments sent to New France (La Reine, Bearn, Guyenne, Languedoc, Royal Roussillon) wore the standard French white wool coat with regimental facings. White waistcoat and breeches, long black gaiters, tricorne. The dress was identical to that worn in Europe and equally unsuited to the Canadian forest. The French regulars served under the Marquis de Montcalm and fought with distinction at Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) in 1758, but could not stop the final British offensives of 1759 and 1760.
Compagnies Franches de la Marine
The French colonial infantry wore grey white coats with blue facings, as described in our French colonial article. The compagnies franches were well suited to North American conditions and formed the main French force throughout most of the war. Their officers often dressed in native and Canadian style for actual combat: capotes, moccasins, native paint patterns. The compagnie officer's uniform of blue coat with gold lace survived into formal ceremonial use.
British provincial regiments
The British provincial regiments raised by colonial governments wore varied colours. The Virginia Regiment under George Washington: blue with red facings. The Pennsylvania Regiment: green with red facings. Massachusetts: blue with red facings. The provincial regiments were often better suited to North American conditions than the British regulars and included many future Continental officers (Washington, Horatio Gates, Richard Montgomery). The provincial uniforms gave American regular service its first institutional memory and shaped the Continental Army twenty years later.
Rangers and light infantry
Rogers' Rangers were the most famous ranger unit. Dress: green jacket, canvas or buckskin trousers, moccasins, round hat or Scotch bonnet, often a hunting shirt or sash. The rangers operated behind French lines, raided Abenaki villages (notoriously St Francis in 1759), and influenced the development of British light infantry tactics. By 1760 the British army had its own light infantry companies attached to each regiment, in simplified uniforms designed for skirmishing.
Native American allies
Native American warriors fought on both sides. French allies included Abenaki, Mohawk (some), Huron Wendat, and various western and midwestern nations. British allies included the Iroquois Confederacy (mostly) and some Cherokee and Catawba in the south. Dress was traditional with European trade additions: shirts, blankets, metal ornaments, trade muskets, silver gorgets and brooches. The sachems and warriors often had their faces painted for war, with specific patterns identifying their nation.
Common questions
What was the French and Indian War?
The North American theatre of the Seven Years War (1754 to 1763). Fought between Britain and France (with their native allies) for control of North America. Britain won and gained Canada.
What did Washington wear?
As colonel of the Virginia Regiment, blue coat with red facings. Washington's experience in this war shaped his dress preference for his later Continental Army uniform.
Who were Rogers' Rangers?
A ranger unit under Robert Rogers that fought the French in New England and Canada. Pioneered the light infantry tactics and dress that influenced the British army.
Why did British uniforms fail in America?
The 1751 pattern was designed for European parade and field conditions, not forest and swamp. Long coats, tight gaiters and tricornes were impractical for North American wilderness.
Where can I see French and Indian War uniforms?
Fort Louisbourg in Nova Scotia, Fort Ticonderoga in New York, and the Fort Niagara Historic Site in New York all have excellent collections and living history programs.