The Naval Committee, generally known as the Marine Committee, was in charge of not just the procurement of ships but also all other responsibilities related to forces afloat. On September 5, 1776, a uniform instruction was issued with the following uniform provision:
Captains: Blue cloth, with red lapels, stand-up collar, slash cuff, flat yellow buttons, red waistcoat, with narrow lace, blue breeches.
Lieutenants: Blue cloth with red lapels, round cuff, faced with red, standup collar, yellow buttons, red waistcoat, plain and blue breeches.
Masters: Blue cloth with lappels, round cuff, red waistcoats, and blue breeches.
Midshipmen: Blue lapelled coat, round cuff faced with red, stand-up collar, red at the button and buttonhole, red waistcoat, and breeches.
The blue and red uniform mandated by Congress evidently was not to the liking of all officers, as a group of captains, including John Paul Jones, convened in Boston in 1777 to discuss a new uniform. The uniform chosen was quite similar to that of the Royal Navy. According to British captainsâ reports of contacts with Continental men-of-war, said that it was often difficult to discern between friend and foe when it came to the outfit of American officers.
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