Uniforms of the China Relief Expedition

The Osprey Bodin book is a great intro and pioneered the way, but aware that subsequent research has shown much of the uniform and OOB info to be inaccurate.

USMC

In China the uniform most frequently worn was the dark blue shirt, light blue trousers and broad brimmed ‘campaign' or ‘field' hat, and high canvas leggings. Enlisted men dispensed with the coat in the field because of the heat and fought in ‘shirt sleeve order'; drab campaign hat with large Marine Corps emblem on the left side; dark blue woollen shirt open at the neck, usually with the sleeves rolled up exposing the sleeves of the off-white undershirt (vest); drab tropical, sky blue winter or white summer trousers; high drab USMC or lower USN leggings. Officers wore the blue coat described in the 1875 regulations as a fatigue jacket, on which rank insignia backed with scarlet cloth was worn on each side of the standing collar, light blue trousers, and campaign hat. They also sometimes wore the leggings. Officers' and NCO's blue trousers had the red seam stripe.

Maj Waller, USMC, commented that Marines dressed in the blue wool shirts made perfect targets standing among the other khaki dressed members of the relief force sent to Peking .

A b&w drawing shows US Marines on the walls of Peking dressed in all white uniforms with dark gaiters. The headgear is the M1895 undress peaked cap in white linen cap covers, worn by both the officer and EM. [Harrington 2001].

The Legation marines would certainly have presented a non-regulation appearance as they had uniforms made for them locally. Ms AH Mateer recorded that they had arrived in their heavy winter uniforms ‘… not having had time to provide anything more fitted for summer wear. … the ladies took up a collection… and procured enough navy-blue drilling and brass buttons to fit the soldiers with light weight suits. … They ripped apart a duck suit belonging to a gentleman of the party, for a pattern. Then one of their number cut coats and another cut trousers. To be sure the soldiers were tall and short, heavy and slight, but the pattern was medium. … Then the fitter went down to the soldiers' house and one by one pinned and fitted. … Four pockets and a row of brass buttons and a little standing collar adjusted under the instruction of the soldiers and the jackets were pronounced satisfactory. Concerning one point only were these soldier boys particular, and that was that there should be no hint of flare where the trousers meet the foot for these soldiers of the marine corps were sensitive on the subject, and anxious that no extra width of trouser should cause them to be mistaken for sailors.'

One non-regulation uniform item was recorded by Lt Smedley Butler, ‘… a private in my company called Pete. He was a Greek who had served in the Marine Corps for thirty years. He was a little fellow, weighing no more than one hundred pounds, and wore brass earrings, which gave him a wide pirate look.' [Thomas]

Drummers and Buglers wore the same uniform as the EM