The Mercer Blues

Here is an interesting description of a Pennsylvania militia company during the War of 1812. (Taken from the website of the First Regiment Volunteers.)

"The History of Mercer County" in reference to the "Mercer Blues" who served with Harrison in 1812 and 1813.

"This company was remarkable in many respects. With scarce an exception they were Presbyterians, and connected with some one or other of the organizations of that faith. In camp every tent, with the exception of two, in which the officers officiated occasionally, family worship was regularly kept up. They numbered eighty-four persons, wore their own uniforms, carried their own rifles, powder horns, shot pouches, tomahawks, knives, blankets, bibles and psalm books."

"So we buckled on our armour, which was composed of a Good Rifle gun, shot Pouch, powder horn, tomahawk, butcher knife, and our uniform at this time was yellow hunting shirts and leggings trimmed with fringe of the same which was made of good strong tow cloth dyed with hickory bark. The head dress was a black hat with a strip of bear skin - the width of the crown passed from the rim in front to the rim behind, with the longest deer's tail we could get, a stick stuck in it which was fastened to the right side of the hat, the but of which was covered with Cockade of blue and white ribbon, with an eagle in the center."
-Joseph Junkin, Mercer Blues

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!