however, the suggestion was not acted on. the colonial soldiers declined to put on a bright red coat and a pill-box cap, that kept falling off in battle, thus delaying the carnage, but preferred to wear homespun which was of a neutral shade, and shoot their enemy from behind stumps. they said it was all right to dress up for a muster, but they preferred their working-clothes for fighting. after the war a statistician made the estimate that nine per cent. of the british troops were shot while ascertaining if their caps were on straight.[4]