"Although the general cut and the lace of this long-tailed coat date from 1775-1783, the coat itself is from the post-rebellion period. As a veteran officer on half pay, William Jarvis wore it at dinners, balls, and on other occasions. When it was decided to change the uniform of the Loyalist corps from green to scarlet, the Queen's Rangers, along with several other corps, sought to preserve the green. The Rangers' commander, John Graves Simcoe, wrote that green was the colour best suited to North American conditions: "If put on in the spring, by autumn it nearly fades with the leaves, preserving its characteristic of being scarcely discernible at a distance."
The Loyal Americans: The Military Role of the Loyalist Provincial Corps and Their Settlement in British North America, 1775-1784: A Travelling Exhibition of the Canadian War Museum, Robert S. Allen, ed. (National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, 1983). ISBN 0-660-10753-8

Heritage Toronto has many detailed photos of the Jarvis uniform with a commentary on its authenticity by Barry Rich, Uniform Curator, Parks Canada. Don't miss two exciting views of William Jarvis's breeches.