Prints Of Waterloo
A number of engravings
exits representing the battle of Waterloo and the heroes who take part
in that historic fight. A
number of the companions in arms of the great Duke are shown in The
Waterloo Banquet, which was said to have been painted by Slater, at the
suggestion of Lady Burghersh. The
painting of it, in which the Duke of Wellington took great interest, is
supposed to have occupied six years.
On the Duke’s death the picture was left on the artists hands,
the copyright being eventually sold to a publisher Alderman Moon, for
fifteen thousand guineas. The
latter is said to have made £80,000 probably an exaggeration from the
engraving. The picture
itself was for a time exhibited at the Exchange Rooms at Manchester, a
shilling being charged for admission.
In the engraving of the picture is a portrait of Alderman Moon,
who, together with the artist, appears in the left hand corner.
Amongst other representations of the great battle, the spirited
engraving of the Decisive of the Life Guards at the Battle of
Waterloo-Luke Clennel-must not is forgotten.
Another rather striking engraving entitled Wellington at
Waterloo, depicts the Iron Duke on his charger at the right, giving
orders to an aide-de-camp-Lord Fitzroy Somerset-in the middle of a
brilliant staff. In the
foreground, on the left, Sir Thomas Picton, mortally wounded, is
supported by some soldiers, whilst in the background are seen the Life
Guards charging, and Captain Kelly killing the Colonel of the French
Cuirassiers.
In September 1852, Messrs Ackermann published a coloured
engraving of the Iron Duke, who had died early in the year.
This presented him in civilian dress, riding past the statue of
Achilles, and was entitled A View in Hyde Park. J. Harris, the designer having been H, engraved it. De
Daubrawa.
It is very curious that few artists when painting military
pictures ever take the trouble to ensure absolute accuracy of detail.
An example of this is the representation of Wellington an Blucher
Meeting after the Battle of Waterloo, by Daniel Maclise, which is at
Westminster, in which the uniforms convey a somewhat inaccurate idea of
those worn by troops who fought under the Iron Duke, being far ore akin
to those of Maclise’s own day.
When Maclise undertook to decorate the Royal Gallery at
Westminster, he scarcely realised the enormous difficulty of executing
two pictures (the other was The Death Of Nelson), each to cover a space
48ft long. In 1859 he completed an elaborate of the meeting of
Wellington and Blucher, full of careful detail, which is now in the
possession of the Royal Academy. The
first attempts of Maclise in fresco not being satisfactory, the painter
went to Berlin in order to master the water glass process, and on his
returned worked incessantly in the Gallery, finishing the first
composition the same year; the companion picture, however, was not
completed till 1864. Maclise,
it may be added, was a most conscientious man, and prided himself upon
his accuracy; but, nevertheless, as has been stated above, the uniforms
in his picture are not in any case faithful renderings of those worn at
Waterloo.
The battle piece in question was engraved by Lumb Stocks, who was
about the last of the old school of line engravers.
Stocks were a most prolific worker; about the most successful
plate executed by him was The Spanish Letter Writer, after Burgess.
He died in 1892.
It is not unusual to find pictures and engravings supposed to
represent British battles against Napoleon, depicting British officers
in costumes, which were only assumed in later years.
Verestchagin, the distinguished Russian painter, whose work are
generally remarkable for their realism, committed a great blunder in
depicting English military costume, for at an exhibition of his
paintings, held in London some years ago, British artillerymen attired
in tunics and helmets of quite modern type were represented blowing
rebel Sepoys from a gun during the Indian Mutiny, when the dress of the
gunners was of quite another character to that represented.
During the Napoleonic wars, it was by no means unusual for an
artist to follow armies with a view to producing military designs.
Such a one was John Clark, a landscape painter, who was known as
“Waterloo Clark,” from the scenes on the field of battle, which he
drew almost immediately after its termination.
Clark was an ingenious man, and invented the toys called the “Myriorama,”
and Urania’s Mirror.”
The name of Thomas Heaphy is now almost quite forgotten, but at
one time he enjoyed a considerable reputation as a watercolour artist.
Heaphy followed the British Army in the Peninsula, where he
painted the portraits of many officers, and continued with the army to
the end of war. On his
return to England, he painted a large portrait composition of the Duke
of Wellington and his Staff, which was engraved and had great success.
In later years he was actively engaged in the formation of the
New Water Colour Society, being one of its first members.
He died 1835.
A year earlier than this died James Heath, who, amongst many
other works, executed the well-known engraving of the Death Of Major
Pierson, after Copley. In
this picture, now in the National Gallery, the principal figures are
portraits, whilst all the accessories are said to have been rendered
with great truth. Copley
also painted another military picture of some importance: this was The
Repulse and Defeat of the Spanish Batteries at Gilbraltar, which he was
positioned to execute by the Corporation of the City of London.
A portrait of Lord Heathfield is introduced as well as the
portraits of the principal officers who commanded at the siege.
Copley, who was a great lover of accuracy, actually went to
Hanover in order to sketch the heads of the German officers who formed
part of the garrison.
William Heath is chiefly remembered by reason of his plates of
military costumes, which, though, perhaps, of no particular artistic
merit, are interesting as records, in many instances very inaccurate, of
the uniforms of the past. He
designed a number of pictures of battles (some of which are reproduced
in this volume) for a work entitled The Martial Achievements of Great
Britain and Her Allies from 1799 to 1815.
James Jenkins, No 48 Strand and L Harrison and J C Leigh, 377
Starnd published the work in question.
It was dedicated, by permission, to the Duke of Wellington, whose
arms, I colours appear above the dedication.
Martial Achievements, it should be added, contains fifty coloured
plates of battles, beginning with the storming of Seringapatam and
ending with Waterloo.
The colouring of the picture is very brilliant, and the whole
work an attractive record of British military prowess.
The plates, it should be added, were engraved by T. Sutherland,
an engraver born about 1785, who is best remembered by the engravings of
hunting subjects, and one of the first aquatinters of his day.
Heath executed a number of humorous domestic scenes, drew and
etched the illustrations for Sir John Bowring’s Minor Morals, which
was published in 1834. Six
years later he died at Hampstead, whilst still in a comparatively young
man, well under fifty.
Henry Alken, though unrivalled in his own line as a sporting
artist, was not so successful in dealing with military subjects.
His cavalry horses are too heavy in build, and the whole of his
work in this line shows that military life did not appeal to him as did
the incidents of hunting field. In
1827 there appeared fifty-three plates designed by him, representing
military duties, occurrences and the like.
It cannot, however, be said that the prints in question have been
in such request a many other military plates executed by much less
celebrated men.
Thackeray’s illustration to Vanity Fair is hardly accurate as
regards military uniform. The
designer, however, it must be remembered, expressly stated that he did
not represent his characters in the costume of Waterloo days, which he
consisted unattractive.
Amongst the records of the English soldiers dress during the
occupation of Paris by the allies, a number of prints by the French
artist and engraver, Debucourt, must no be forgotten; these, though not
of any considerable value (they were executed long after the sun of
Debucourt’s artistic excellence as an engraver had set), show the
dress and equipment of certain branches of the British Army.
The curious shako with plume at the side, the short jacket like
coat, not yet developed into the regular coatee, and the equipment in
general are also shown as if taken from the life.
The general impression produced from a study of these prints is
that only a very few alterations would be required to render the uniform
suitable for use in more modern days, and that the countless changes
through which it has evolved into the present uniform have, in the vast
majority of instances, been totally unnecessary.
Books, containing coloured plates of military costume have during
recent years, acquired a considerable value, and are somewhat difficult
to find in good condition with none of the illustrations missing.
In 1812-26, a work, entitled The Military Costume of Europe was
published By T. Goddard, Military Library, No. 1 Pall Mall, and J.
Booth, Duke Street, Portland Place.
This contains a number of coloured plates of English uniforms,
the execution of which, however, leaves a good deal to be desired, the
draughtsmanship not being faultless.
Nevertheless, the work in question is of considerable value.
The following are other books on British Military Costume,
containing plates: Costumes of the British Army in 1828; 72 coloured
lithographs, by Gauci, after Hull.
Military and Naval costumes, by L. Mansion and L. Eschauzier; 70
plates, coloured, by Martin C. Bowmen; published by Spooner, 1830-40.
Military incidents six plates by Reeve after Newhouse 1845.
The Grenadier Guards
at Various Epochs, a series of coloured plates designed by B. Clayton
and published by Ackermann in 1854.
Costumes of the British Army and Navy; Gambart & Co 1854-5,
8vo
Costumes of the British Army and Militia; Gambart & Co,
1855-6, 8vo
Sketches of British Soldiers; Stamford 1869
Other works of the same kind were published by: -
Murray 1813.
Robinson of Leeds, 1814
P. And J. Fuller, 1823
Ridley, 1829
Heath, 1830
Fores, 1844
Jones, 1864
Messrs. Graves also published a book of Military Costume.
Thought there is no work specially devoted to the uniforms of the
Highland regiments, a book in two volumes, published in 1877, deals with
this subject. It is
entitled The History of the Scottish Highlands, Highland Clans and
Highland Regiments. The clan tartans are shown printed in colours.
A very scarce work on British military costume was executed in
1700. This bears on the
title page. “Description
of the Clothing of his Majesty’s Bands of Gentlemen Pensioners, Yeomen
of the Guards and Regiments of Footguards, Foot Marines and Invalids on
the Establishments of Great Britain and Ireland.”
This work contains eighty-four uniforms, fifty of which, coloured
by hand, represent the Regiments of Foot from 1 to 50.
There are also a number of other coloured copperplates in this
book, which was executed by the order of the Duke of Cumberland, a few
sets only being presented to illustrious military characters of his day,
after which the plates were destroyed.
All the uniforms, it may be remarked, are red, with the execution
of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, raised in 1661, which is depicted
as wearing blue coats with buff facings, blue breeches and a scarlet
saddlecloth.
Benjamin West, in his picture of the Death of Wolfe, reproduced
at page 3, first had the courage to abandon the classic costume in which
artists of the eighteenth century were wont be depict their heroes.
The success of this painter in adopting a modern and appropriate
dress broke through what was too often a ridiculous tradition, and
established the present ode of treating heroic subjects.
Many regiments possess pictures illustrating scenes in their
history; the 1st Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders, for
instance, has in its possession a picture of Piper Kenneth Mackay, of
the old 79th (Kempt’s Brigade), who, at Waterloo, stepped
outside the square and walked round it playing; the painting is by
Lockhart Bogle. Kenneth
Mackay was one of the Highlanders told off to be shown to the Czar
Alexander at the Palace of the Elysee, in August 1815, on which occasion
the autocrat is said to have been so astonished at the Highlander’s
legs as to have insisted on pinching them to test their reality.
Regimental histories for the most part d not deal with the
question of uniform in a very satisfactory manner, the illustrations
being too often but fancy sketches, drawn more or less from the
imagination, and therefore showing inaccuracy in minor details, which in
many cases are historically important.
It seems strange that no one has ever thought of producing a
history of the British Army on the lines of the splendid French work,
L’Armee Francaise. If
carefully written, and well illustrated, such a volume, or volumes,
would I think, be certain of obtaining a good, and, let it be added,
profitable reception. The
illustrations, of course, would have to be done in the very best style
possible, and the whole work to be produced in a sumptuous manner.
In the middle of the last century, several volumes appeared
containing splendid illustrations of certain regiments; there also exist
a number of books describing Wellington’s campaigns, which contain
spirited coloured illustrations, some of which may still be purchased at
comparatively moderate prices, through, without doubt, they will largely
increase in value as time goes on.
For this reason, copies, which are complete and in good condition
should by no means be passed over.
Purchasers, however, should make sure that the full number of
plates is present, as it is very usual for these kind of pictures to be
cut out for the purpose of being sold separately for framing.
Certain books of military costume are exceedingly costly; amongst
which is Rowlandon’s Loyal Volunteers, which, when complete, commands
a large price. The complete
title of this book is; the Loyal Volunteers of London and Environs,
representing infantry and cavalry in their respective uniforms, the
whole manual platoon and Funeral Exercises being shown in eighty seven
plates. This book is
described as being designed and etched by Thomas Rowlandson.
The engraved title-page bears an inscription in a lozenge, with
the head of Mars above, whilst the general ornamentation embraces
Mercury’s caduceus and branches of laurel-a Cupid as a warrior and as
an arbiter of justice, with scales and sword supported by a trophy of
arms, accoutrements and other military accessories.
The dedicatory title runs as follows: -
“This illuminated School of Mars, or review of the Light
Volunteer Corps of London and its vicinity, is dedicated, by permission,
to His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, by his most obliged and
very humble servant, R. Ackerman, 101 Strand.
August 12th 1799.”
A considerable number of other designs by Rowlandson dealt with
military subjects, but the majority of these were intended to be a
comical nature. A work on
Military and Naval Costume, published by Spooner, also commands a large
price, as does the rare volume of lithographs, after Hull, which was
mentioned in the list of books dealing with military costume.
A copy was recently sold at the Hotel Drouot, in Paris, for £48.
At the same sale, a hundred ponds was paid for a collection of
forty-seven coloured plates representing British uniforms.
These were engraved by Harris, and published by Ackermann, about
the middle of the last century.
An interesting set of six prints of the Guardsmen of the three
different regiments was the one executed by Kirk, after Dayes, at the
close of the eighteenth century. Thee
are altogether nine prints, with two figures on each three for 1st
Guards (now the Grenadiers), three for the Coldstreams, and three for
the 3rd Guards (now the Scots).
The different ranks represented are: -An officer in graceful
eighteenth century dress; a drummer, in small bearskin, whose coat
somewhat resembles that worn by the Guards drummer of today; a pikeman
and sergeant in cocked hats; and a Grenadier sergeant and private in
bearskins like the drummer. In one plate of each series a knapsack lies on the ground,
which shows the regimental device.
The appearance of all three
regiments, but for a few minor details, is very similar, the chief
difference being that in one of them the Grenadier sergeant is shown
with a cane hanging from one of his coat buttons.
Captain Hewgill published the plates in question, which are about
the most attractive representation of English uniforms ever executed,;
they are charmingly coloured, and behind some of the figures a view of
the towers of Westminster Abbey is seen in the background.
It may be mentioned that the most valuable set is the one
representing the Coldstream Guards; next in value comes the Grenadiers,
and then the Scots. The
Coldstream Guards have, it would appear, been the most ardent collectors
of the three, which has enhanced the worth of prints representing the
regiment.
Edward Dayes, the watercolour painter, the clever design of these
Guardsmen, was a pupil of William Pether.
His work, as a rule, was of a simple though graceful character, a
large proportion of it having consisted of topographical views of
considerable merit. Two
compositions of his, engraved by Neagle, are of considerable historical
interest; these are “The Royal Procession to St. Paul’s on the
Thanksgiving for the King’s Recovery in 1789,” and “The Trial of
Warren Hastings in Westminster Hall.”
Both have been engraved. Dayes
also practised landscape drawing; one of his best efforts in this line
being old Buckingham House, with huge, well executed groups in the
foreground; he drew figures well.
Of his attempts at mezzotint engraving not very
much needed to be said; amongst them are Rustic Courtship and Polite
Courtship, after Hogarth, and a Landscape, after J. R. Smith.
Considering the especial talents of the painter and engraver of
this latter work, it would seem a pity that their roles in this instance
had not been reversed.
Dayes taught drawing, and also wrote a book of instruction upon
this subject. He died by
his own hand at the end of May 1804.
Of Thomas Kirk, engraver of these attractive prints, Dayes aptly
said, “He passed like a meteor through the region of art.”
He was, indeed an eminent artist, as well as an engraver, having
studied under R. Cosway, and painted historical subjects with
considerable imagination and vigour; his draughtsmanship was good and
his colouring agreeable. Amongst
the best illustrations executed by him are the vignettes, which ornament
Cooke’s Poets. Kirk first exhibited in the Academy in 1785; twelve years
later he died of consumption, continuing to work right up to the end,
and being supported in his chair the day before his death to put the
finishing touches to a proof.
Another pleasing set of eight military figures, in stipple, are
the eight soldiers, six of which, reproduced at pages 20 and 22, are
engraved by F. D. Soiron, after Bunbury.
The rifleman is especially characteristic.
In these prints, the designer, whose art was essentially
caricature, seems to have made a definite attempt to picture the various
uniforms of his day as they actually appeared.
A pretty coloured military print, engraved by Watson and
Dickinson, after Bunbury, is Recruits.
This is also reproduced.
Bunbury, it may be added, had excellent opportunities of studying
military dress, being Colonel of the West Suffolk Militia, and an
equerry to the Duke of York in 1727.
An agreeable military print is a representation of the Prince
Regent, the Emperor of Russia, the King of Prussia, Marshal Blucher, the
Hetmann Plotoff, and other distinguished personages returning from the
great review in Hyde Park, which took place on the 20th June
1814. The design for this
composition was drawn and etched by Alexander Sauerwied, the portraits
being engraved by E. Scriven, and the landscape (which pleasantly
indicates the rural character of the Park at that period) aquatinted by
J. Hill. The dedication to
the British nation, which appears beneath, is printed in both French and
English.
Alexander Sauerwied was a Russian painter and etcher, who painted
battle pieces rather in the style of Horace Vernet.
He published some effective etchings of cavalry in action during
the campaigns of 1813 and 1814.
A number of coloured plates, some of which are reproduced, were
designed by H. Martens and engraved by J. Harris, in the fifties.
Certain of these represent the uniforms of the British Army at
the period when the coatee had just been superseded by the tunic, and
many traditional features of the soldiers equipment, such as epaulettes
and cross belts abolished. The
tunic at that time would appear to have been rather longer that it is
today, whilst having a double row of buttons in front.
Its whole appearance seems to have been altogether looser and
less smart than the short tailed coat at present worn by the army.
During this period of reform the bearskins of the Guards were
slightly cut down in height, and a new and lighter shako issued to the
infantry. The sash, which
formerly was worn round the officer’s waist was also ordered to be
slung over his shoulder, the idea being, it is said, to render him more
easily identified by his men in a melee, officers on several occasions
having been confused with privates in the Crimea.
The sash, during recent years, has once more resumed its old
position.
The original use of officers sashes, which in old days contained
a great deal of material, was that they should be used as a sort of
slung stretcher to carry wounded away from the field of battle, or as a
tourniquet to stop bleeding. This
possibly may account for their crimson colour, which would rather
conceal the effect of stains of blood-the interior of old battleships
used to be painted in dark red for similar reason.
The present sash, of course, which has a sham knot, and in
reality hooks on, is a mere ribbon compared to the voluminous roll of
silk webbing which spanned an officers waist in the remote past.
In some of Gillray’s military caricatures, the sash becomes a
sort of loose camarbund, whilst the cocked hat is pictured as being of
enormous size, as are the red and white plumes, which were worn in the
hat. The colour for these
continued to be red and white till 1829, when a new regulation was
issued (which however, did not apply to the Guards), directing that all
infantry regiments henceforth should wear white plumes, a special
exception being made in the case of the 5th Fusiliers, who,
in consequence of an exploit of especial gallantry, were allowed to
retain the colours they had hitherto worn.
The red and white colours were in later years revived in the
“pompon,” or little round tuft, which finished off the top of the
shako. If ever a new
headdress should be devised for the British Infantry, it is to be hoped
that the old English colours of red and white will once more figure on
any decorative adjunct, which may be attached.
A rare mezzotint military portrait is that of Colonel Quentin,
who stands in full uniform, his hat in his left hand, his right holding
the bride rein of his favourite charger, “Billy.”
Even amongst print-dealers there are very few who have seen this
engraving, which was probably struck off for a limited number of
personal friends who took the part of the Colonel when he was tried by a
court martial for alleged misconduct whilst on duty in the valley of
Macoy, in France. The Prince Regent, in giving his decision, pronounced the
charge to be unfounded, and twenty-six officers were dismissed from
their regiment.
As far as can be ascertained, the few existing copies of this
print do not bear any names of painter or engraver, both of whom are
unknown.
Dighton also seems to have published a portrait of Colonel
Quentin. This however was
coloured and bears the inscription, An Officer of the 10th or
Prince of Wales’s Hussars; taken from life.
In this, the Colonel, though standing erect, does not hold his
hat in his left hand, or the bridle rein in his right.
An engraving of some interest to collectors of military prints is
that of Lord Heathfield, by Richard Earlom, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
fine portrait, exhibited in the Academy of 1788.
This was painted for Alderman Boydell and engraved in stipple by
Richard Earlom. The picture
passed into the possession of Mr. Angerstein, and was purchased by the
nation with his collection, to form the nucleus of the National Gallery
in 1824.
The gallant old soldier is depicted holding the key of Gibraltar
in his hand, whilst in the background is one of the cannon out of which
red hot shot was fired with such deadly effect.
Another engraving of Lord Heathfield by Bartolozzi, after A.
Poggi, is reproduced.
An important military portrait is the mezzotint of Major-General
Robert Monckton, engraved by J. MacArdell from the picture by T. Hudson.
General Monkton was the second son of the first Viscount Galway,
and in 1755 was appointed Governor of Nova Scotia.
He obtained many successes against the French and their Indian
allies became second in command with Wolfe at Quebec, was with Lord
Rodney when he took Martinique, and in 1761
Became Governor of New York.
This engraving is very scarce, and a good impression commands a
large price. The gorget is
shown with excellent effect.
An engraved portrait of Charles, Marquess Cornwallis, by J.
Jones, after the painting by D. Gardiner, is another military print,
which deserves attention. In
the proof state it
is worth about forty pounds, and in ordinary and, taking the patronage
himself, appointed Major-General Skipton Captain General and Colonel.
The Company showed their appreciation of his support, for they
formed part of the guard of honour at the funeral of the Lord Protector.
For some reason, the Court of Lieutenancy of the City objected to
the Artillery Company taking part in the welcome of George I, on the
occasion of his state entry into London, but the company held their
ground, and in defiance of the court, they landed headed the procession.
Eight years later, on May
30th 1722 King George reviewed the regiment in St. James’s
Park and on this occasion scarlet uniforms were worn for the first time.
For five years the company contested the question in the Courts
of Law as to whether the London Militia had any right to exercise in
Artillery Fields, and winning all along the line, they compromised the
matter by surrendering a piece if land on which the Militia could erect
barracks, but this was purely voluntary on their part.
They attended the funeral of Lord Nelson, being stationed at
Ludgate Hill under the Command of Captain General H.R.H. the Prince of
Wales, and formed part of the guard of honour at the Coronation of
George IV.
In 1830, William IV was Captain-General, and he ordained that the
uniform of the regiment should be the same as that of the Grenadier
Guards, save that silver instead of gold lace should be worn.
The Company, it should be added, possesses the right, also
enjoyed by the Royal Fusiliers, of marching through the City with band
playing, colours flying, and bayonets fixed.
This was exercised on a recent occasion, for recruiting purposes,
when the splendid appearance of the regiment evoked the greatest
enthusiasm.
When Queen Victoria ascended the throne, she evinced great
interest in the Honourable Artillery Company, and appointed her uncle,
the Duke of Sussex, to the command, a place that was subsequently filled
by H.R.H. the Prince Consort, and afterwards by the Prince of Wales.
In 1848, when the Chartist riots occurred, contingents, armed
with forty rounds of ball cartridge per man, were told off to guard
Guidhall and Southwark Bridge but the affair ended in nothing.
About this time a new rule was ordained, by which the election of
officers was taken from the members and vested in the Crown.
The Queen confirmed their title of “Honourable”, and they
formed a guard of honour at the opening of the second International
Exhibition. On the occasion
when Princess Alexandra of Denmark arrived at Bricklayers Arms Station,
and, with her future husband, made her triumphal progress through
London, the infantry division of the Company formed at London Bridge,
and the cavalry and artillery at King William Street.
In 1833, on the initiative of the Duke of Cambridge, the Queen
settled the question of the precedence thus: - Regulars, Honourable
Artillery Company, Militia, Yeomanry, and Volunteers.
The Company took part in both the Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee
celebrations, in the funeral of her late Majesty the Queen, and at the
coronation of King Edward, who is still their Captain-General and
Colonel.
In 1893 there was erected in the Church of St. Botolph,
Bishopgate, a handsome brass mural tablet framed in oak.
It bears the following inscription: -
“To the glory of God and in the memory of the officers,
non-commissioned officers and men who saved their country in the ranks
of the Honourable Artillery Company 1537- 1893 these two windows were
dedicated by the regiment in the year 1893.”
Above are the arms of the Honourable Artillery Company, two
tattered old flags, the king’s and the regimental colour being very
appropriately placed on each side of the tablet.
Since those days the company furnished a contingent for service
in South Africa, which proved itself highly efficient and fully worthy
of the great traditions of the corps.
Whilst it is not part of the scheme of this book to deal with
modern military prints, F. Stacpoole, of well-known pictures of Lady
Butler, must make an exception in the case of the engravings.
These are: Quatre Bras, Scotland forever, and The Roll Call.
The uniforms, it may be added, are accurately reproduced, their
details having been carefully studied by the gifted lady who painted
them. The regiment in
square at Quatre Bras is the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the
faces of the soldiers admirably expressing the stern determination,
which animated the men in repelling the enemy’s charges.
The British Army is today the only army in the world the
regiments of which have no numbers.
As has previously been mentioned, the introduction of the
Territorial system in 1881 effected sweeping changes in the nomenclature
and dress of a number of regiments.
At the same time, it must be said that as many concessions as
possible were accorded to regimental sentiment, the new regiments being,
where possible, formed out of two which have previously been linked
together. Nevertheless, the
changes necessarily entailed much loss of esprit de corps, several
regiments losing their old designations and reappearing as second
battalions under names with which there past history was totally
unconnected. The fist
twenty-five regiments, however (which all had more than one battalion),
were left untouched.
The abolition of the numbers, it should be added, was generally
unpopular, and led to a good deal of confusion.
Even today their old numbers than better knows certain regiments
by the somewhat lengthy designations, which have replaced them.
A curious thing about the abolition of the old regimental numbers
was that the promoters of the change (like the Chinese during the Boxers
riots, who never quite made up their minds to utterly destroy the
Legations, as they could easily have done) did not have the courage to
go so far as to banish the numbers from the Army List altogether, for in
every case the numbers of the old regiments still continue to be given
beneath the designations adopted in 1881.
From time to time there have been rumours that the numbers were
to be restored, a policy, which would be much, welcomed in the army, and
could not fail to act as a stimulus to recruiting.
Were such a course taken, it would now be almost inevitable to
number the regiments straight on as they stand in the army List, which
would entail many of the old regiments having to assume a number
different from that which they originally bore.
There is no particular reason why the Territorial titles should
not remain, also though in a number of cases they might be shortened to
a less inflated form than that which appears in the Army List.
Previous to 1751, though regiments were numbered, it was
customary for them to be designated by the name of their Colonel, on the
removal or death of whom the title naturally changed.
In 1746, for instance, Barrett’s was the 4th,
Howard’s the 3rd, and Wolfe’s the 8th Regiment
of Foot. In that year there were two regiments commanded by
Howard’s; these were known as the Green and the Buff Howard’s,
according to their facings.
On the 1st of July 1751, a Royal Warrant of George II
directed that the numbers of regiments should be embroidered upon their
standards, but even after the numbering of regiments had become
generally recognised the names of the Colonels commanding were for some
time retained as regimental titles.
The relative rank of regiments had been determined by a board of
officers in 1691, by which the regiments formed in England were placed
by seniority of rising, and those from Scotland and Ireland on their
being placed upon the English establishment.
It may not be generally known that both Cavaliers and Roundheads
had their own Army Lists, original copies of which are in the Bodleian
Library. The Roundhead List
was called “The List of the Army Officers-General of the Field.”
Artillery officers are called “Gentlemen of the Ordnance,”
and Oliver Cromwell’s name is amongst the Ensigns of Infantry.
During the campaigns of Marlborough there was no official Army
List the English Army List first appearing in printed form in 1754, and
being published by permission of the Secretary of State for War till
1779, when it became an official War Office publication.
The present monthly Army List commenced in 1814.
The following comparison of the titles and facings of the
regiments as they appeared in the Army List of 1815 with those of today
will shoe the changes which have taken place during the last ninety four
years: -
1815
1st
or the Royal Scots, Facings blue-Lace gold
2nd
or the Queens Royal, Facings blue-Lace silver
3rd
East Kent of the Buffs, Facings buff-Lace silver
4th
or the King’s Own, Facings blue-Lace gold
5th
or Northumberland Regiment of Foot, Facings gosling green-Lace silver
6th
or the 1st Warwickshire Regiment of Foot, Facings yellow-Lace
silver
7th
Regimental of Foot or Royal Fusiliers, Facings blue-Lace gold
8th
of the King’s regiment, Facings blue-Lace gold
9th,
The East Norfolk Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
10th
or the North Lincolnshire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
11th
or the North Devonshire Regiment, Facings deep green-Lace gold
12th
or the East Suffolk Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace gold
13th
or the 1st Somersetshire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
14th
or the Buckinghamshire Regiment, Facings buff-Lace silver
15th
or the Yorkshire (E.Riding) Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
16th
or the Bedfordshire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
17th
or the Leicestershire Regiment, Facings white-Lace silver
18th
or the Royal Irish Regiment, Facings blue-Lace gold
19th
or the 1st Yorkshire (N. Riding Regiment), Facings green-Lace
gold
20th
or the East Devonshire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
21st
or Royal North British Fusiliers, Facings blue-Lace gold
22nd
or the Cheshire Regiment, Facings buff-Lace gold
23rd
or Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Facings blue-Lace gold
24th
or the Warwickshire Regiment, Facings green-Lace silver
25th
or King’s Own Borderers Regiment, Facings blue-Lace gold
26th
or Cameronian Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
27th
or Inniskilling Regiment, Facings buff-Lace gold
28th
or the North Gloucestershire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
29th
or the Worcestershire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
30th
or the Cambridgeshire Regiment, Facings pale yellow-Lace silver
31st
or the Huntingdonshire Regiment, Facings buff- Lace silver
32nd
or the Cornwall Regiment, Facings white-Lace gold
33rd
or the 1st Yorkshire/West Riding) Regt, Facings red-Lace
silver
34th
or the Cumberland Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
35th
or the Sussex Regiment, Facings orange-Lace silver
36th
or the Herefordshire Regiment, Facings gosling green-Lace gold
37th
or the North Hampshire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
38th
or the 1st Staffordshire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
39th
or the Dorsetshire Regiment, Facings pea green-Lace gold
40th
or 2nd Somersetshire Regiment, Facings buff-Lace gold
41st
Regiment of Foot, Facings red-Lace silver
42nd
or the Royal Highland Regiment, Facings blue-Lace gold
43rd
or the Monmouthshire Regiment, Facings white-Lace silver
44th
or the East Essex Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
45th
or the Nottinghamshire Regiment, Facings dark green-Lace silver
46th
or the South Devonshire Regiment, Facings pale yellow-Lace silver
47th
or the Lancashire Regiment, Facings white-Lace silver
48th
or the Northamptonshire Regiment, Facings buff-Lace gold
49th
or the Hertfordshire Regiment, Facings green-Lace gold
50th
or the West Kent Regiment, Facings black-Lace silver
51st
or the 2nd Yorkshire (West Riding) Regiment (Light Infantry),
Facings grass green-Lace gold
52nd
or the Oxfordshire Regt (Light Infantry), Facings buff-Lace silver
53rd
or the Shropshire Regiment, Facings red-Lace gold
54th
or the West Norfolk Regiment, Facings green-Lace silver
55th
or the Westmoreland Regiment, Facings green-Lace gold
56th
or the West Essex Regiment, Facings purple-Lace silver
57th
or the West Middlesex Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace gold
58th
or the Rutlandshire Regiment, Facings black-Lace gold
59th
or the 2nd Nottinghamshire Regiment, Facings white-Lace gold
60th
or Royal American Regiment, No Facings given
61st
or the South Gloucestershire Regiment, Facings buff-Lace silver
62nd
or the Wiltshire Regiment, Facings buff-Lace silver
63rd
or the West Suffolk Regiment, Facings deep green-Lace silver
64th
or the 2nd Staffordshire Regiment, Facings black-Lace gold
65th
or the 2nd Yorkshire North Riding Regt, Facings white-Lace
gold
66th
or the Berkshire Regiment, Facings gosling green-Lace silver
67th
or the South Hampshire Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
68th
or the Durham Regiment (Light Infantry), Facings bottle green-Lace
silver
69th
or the South Lincolnshire Regiment, Facings green-Lace gold
70th
or Glasgow Lowland Regiment, Facings black-Lace gold
71st
Highland Regiment (Light Infantry), Facings buff-Lace silver
72nd
Highland Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
73rd
Highland Regiment, Facings dark green-Lace gold
74th
Highland Regiment, Facings white-Lace gold
75th
Highland Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
76th
Regiment, Facings red-Lace silver
77th
or the East Middlesex Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
78th
or Highland Regiment (or the Ross-shire Buffs), Facings buff-Lace gold
79th
Regiment of Cameron Highlanders, Facings dark green-Lace gold
80th
Regiment or Staffordshire Volunteers, Facings yellow-Lace gold
81st
Regiment, Facings buff-Lace silver
82nd
Regiment or Prince of Wale’s Volunteers, Facings yellow-Lace silver
83rd
Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace gold
84th
York and Lancaster Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
85th
Regiment or Bucks Volunteers (Light Infantry), Facings yellow-Lace
silver
86th
or the Royal County Down Regiment, Facings blue-Lace silver
87th
of Prince of Wale’s Own Irish Regiment, Facings green-Lace gold
88th
Regiment or Connaught Rangers, Facings yellow-Lace silver
89th
Regiment, Facings black-Lace gold
90th
Regiment or Perthshire Volunteers, Facings Buff-Lace gold
91st
Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
92nd
Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
93rd
Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
94th
Regiment, Facings green-Lace gold
95th
Regiment, Regimentals green-Facings black
96th
Regiment, Facings buff-Lace silver
97th
or Queen’s Own Regiment, Facings Blue-Lace silver
98th
Regiment, Facings buff
99th
or Prince of Wales Tipperary Regt, Facings pale yellow
100th
or His Royal Highness the Prince Regent’s County of Dublin Regiment,
Facings deep yellow
101st
or the Duke of York’s Irish Regiment, Facings white
103rd
Regiment, Facings yellow-Lace silver
103rd
Regiment, Facings white
104th
Regiment, Facings buff
1908
Royal
Scots, Lothian Regiment, Facings blue
Queen’s
Royal West Surrey, Facings blue
The Buffs
(East Kent Regiment), Facings buff
King’s
Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), Facings blue
The
Northumberland Fusiliers, Facings gosling green
The Royal
Warwickshire Regiment, Facings Blue
The Royal
Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), Facings blue
The Kings
Liverpool Regiment, Facings blue
The
Norfolk Regiment, Facings yellow
The
Lincolnshire Regiment, Facings white
The
Devonshire Regiment, Facings Lincoln green
The
Suffolk Regiment, Facings yellow
The Prince
Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, Facings blue
The Prince
of Wale’s Own West Yorkshire Regiment, Facings buff
The East
Yorkshire Regiment, Facings White
The
Bedfordshire Regiment, Facings white
The
Leicestershire Regiment, Facings white
The Royal
Irish Regiment, Facings blue
Alexandria,
Princess of Wale’s Own Yorkshire Regt, Facings grass green
The
Lancashire Fusiliers, Facings white
The Royal
Scots Fusiliers, Facings blue
The
Chesire Regiment, Facings buff
The Royal
Welsh Fusiliers, Facings blue
The South
Wales Borderers, Facings grass green
The
King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Facings blue
The
Cameronians Scottish Rifles, Facings dark green
The Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers, facings blue
The
Gloucestershire Regiment, Facings white
The
Worcestershire Regiment, Facings white
The East
Lancashire Regiment, Facings white
The East
Surrey regiment, Facings white
The Duke
of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, Facings white
The Duke
of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment), Facings scarlet
The Border
Regiment, Facings white
The Royal
Sussex Regiment, Facings blue
The
Worcestershire Regiment, Facings white
The
Hampshire Regiment, Facings yellow
The South
Staffordshire Regiment, Facings white
The
Dorsetshire Regiment, Facings grass green
The Prince
of Wale’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), Facings white
The Welsh
Regiment, Facings white
The Black
Watch (Royal Highlanders), Facings blue
The
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Facings white
The Essex
Regiment, Facings white
The
Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), Facings
white
The Duke
of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, Facings white
The Loyal
North Lancashire Regiment, Facings white
The
Northamptonshire Regiment, Facings white
Princess
Charlotte of Wale’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment), Facings blue
The Queens
Own (Royal West Kent), Facings blue
The
King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry), Facings blue
The
Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry, Facings white
The
King’s (Shropshire Light Infantry), Facings blue
The
Dorsetshire Regiment, Facings grass green
The Border
Regiment, Facings white
The Essex
Regiment, Facings white
The Duke
of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regt), Facings lemon yellow
The
Northamptonshire Regiment, Facings white
The East
Lancashire Regiment, Facings white
The
King’s Own Rifle Corps, Facings red
The
Gloucestershire Regiment, Facings white
The Duke
of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment), Facings buff
The
Manchester Regiment, Facings white
The Prince
of Wale’s (North Staffordshire Regt), Facings white
The York
and Lancaster regiment, Facings white
Princess
Charlotte of Wale’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment), Facings blue
The
Hampshire Regiment, Facings yellow
The Durham
Light Infantry, Facings dark green
The Welsh
Regiment, Facings green
The East
Surrey Regiment, Facings white
The
Highland Light Infantry, Facings buff
Seaforth
Highlanders, Ross-shire Buffs (The duke of Albany’s, Facings blue
The Black
Watch (Royal Highlanders, Facings blue
The
Highland Light Infantry, Facings buff
The Gordon
Highlanders, Facings yellow
The Duke
of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, Facings red
The Duke
of Cambridge’s Own Middlesex Regt, Facings lemon yellow
Seaforth
Highlanders Rosh-shire Buffs (Duke of Albany’s Own), Facings buff
The Queens
Own Cameron Highlanders, Facings blue
The South
Staffordshire Regiment, Facings white
The Loyal
North Lancashire Regiment, Facings White
The Prince
of Wale’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), Facings white
The Royal
Irish Rifles, Facings dark green
The York
and Lancaster Regiment, Facings white
The
King’s (Shropshire Light Infantry), Facings blue
The Royal
Irish Rifles, Facings dark green
Princess
Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers), Facings blue
The
Connaught Rangers, Facings green
Princess
Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers), Facings blue
The
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), Facings dark green
Princess
Louise’s (Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders), Facings yellow
The Gordon
Highlanders, Facings yellow
Princess
Louise’s (Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders), Facings yellow
The
Connaught Rangers, Facings green
The Rifle
Brigade, The Prince Consort’s Own, Facings black
The
Manchester Regiment, Facings white
The Queens
(Own Royal West Kent Regiment), Facings blue
The Prince
of Wales North Staffordshire Regt, Facings white
The Duke
of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment), Facings buff
The Prince
of Wale’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians), Facings blue
The royal
Munster Fusiliers, Facings blue
The Royal
Dublin Fusiliers, Facings blue
The Royal
Munster Fusiliers, Facings blue
After 1815, it should be added; the 95th (Rifle Corps)
was removed from the list of Regiments of the line, and became the Rifle
Brigade, the numbers of the infantry regiments coming after the one,
which had been deleted, being alerted.
The 96th, for instance, became the 95th,
and the 100th the 99th.
There was no 100th Regiment in the British Army from
this time till June 1858, when a new 100th Regiment was
raised.
A great number of regiments in the British Army possess some
distinctive badge or other feature of their equipment that distinguishes
them from other corps. The
principal of these, together with some reference to regimental records,
are noted in the following pages. In
a number of cases nicknames also have been given.
These, curiously enough, have often had a considerable influence,
as was strikingly shown in 1857, when the Land Transport Corps was
re-named the Military Train, at which time some very fine Spanish mules
were substituted for horses. The initials “M.T.” and the mules together gave rise to
the nickname of “Moke Train,” which produced a serious effect, great
difficulty being experienced in obtaining officers.
For this reason it is said mules had to be abandoned, and the
appellation of Army Service Corps adopted.
The 1st (Royal Scots Lothian Regiment) is the oldest
regiment in the British Army being said to be able to trace it descent
from “Le Regiment de Douglas,” in the service of the French King,
which became Dumbarton’s Regiment, and was sent over to England in
1661, on the application of Charles II.
A few years ago this regiment received permission to abandon the
helmet, assuming in its place a characteristic Scotch headdress.
The Royal Scots are sometimes called Pontius Pilate’s
Bodyguards, in allusion to the antiquity of the regiment.
The 2nd (Royal West Surrey Regiment) possesses a third
colour, which it carries on parade.
This regiment was originally largely recruited from the garrison
of Dunkirk, many veterans who had fought on the Royalist side during the
Civil Wars being included. Tanglers
having become the property of the English Crown as the marriage portion
of Catherine of Portugal, the regiment was sent to garrison that town,
which bravely defended against the Moors.
It then bore the alternative title of the First Tangier Regiment,
and was a corps d’elite.
Owing to this, the regiment was at one time nicknamed the
“Tangerines.” It has
also been called “Kirke’s Lambs,” having once been commanded by
the notorious Kirke.
At one time, it is said, overtures were made to this Colonel,
with a view to causing him to become a Roman Catholic.
Kirke, however, pleaded a previous engagement, declaring that he
had promised the Sultan of Morocco that he would become a Mohammedan,
were he ever to change his faith.
The 3rd Foot, or the Buffs,
formerly bore the designation of the “Holland Regiment.”
It was originally formed from the trained bands.
The privilege of marching through the City of London with colours
flying and bayonets fixed, which this famous regiment enjoys, ha been
exercised upon several occasions.
The Buffs were once called the “the Buff Howard’s,” on
account of the name of their Colonel from 1737 to 1749.
They were also nicknamed, “the Nutcrackers,” on account of
their prowess in cracking the heads of the Polish Lancers at Albuhera.
The 4th (the king’s Own royal Lancaster Regiment),
originally known as the 2nd Tangier regiment, has a most
distinguished record.
The King’s Own was once called “Barrell’s Blues,” in
allusion to the name of a former commander.
The 5th (Northumberland Fusiliers) wear a red and
white hackle feather in their fur caps, in remembrance of the regiment
having captured a body of French Grenadiers in the woods of Wilhelmstahl,
at the Battle of Groebenstein, in 7162.
When, in 1829, all the regiments of the line, with the exception
of Rifles and Light Infantry, were ordered to exchange their red and
white feathers for white ones, the 5th Foot was allowed to
retain the distinction, which it still continues to wear.
This regiment has also been known as “the Old Bold Fifth,”
and “the Shiners.”
The 6th (Royal Warwickshire Regiment) have an antelope
on their badge. It is said
that this was adopted owing to the regiment having once captured a
standard with an antelope upon it, which they presented to the Queen of
the day.
At one time, when quartered at the town, the Royal Warwickshire
had a pet antelope, which marched with them, led by a silver chain.
The regiment has sometimes been called “the Saucy Sixth,” and
also “Guise’s Geese,” for the name of a formal Colonel.
The 7th Royal Fusiliers has a splendid record of
services in the Peninsula. In
the Crimea, the 7th were in the Light Division, under Sir
George Brown, and made a splendid charge at the Alma, pressing on admist
a regular hail of bullets, those carrying the colours being shot down
one after the other. The
regiment is now closely identified with the City of London.
A curious circumstance is that at the time when it was commanded
by the Duke of Kent (1791-1800) its drummers were all Negroes.
At one time the Royal Fusiliers were known as “the Elegant
Extracts,” many o the officers having been transferred to the corps
from other regiments.
The drummers of the 8th King’s Liverpool Regiment
and eight other line regiments wore fleur-de-lys lace of various hues up
to 1866, when, for some unknown reason, these quaint regimental
distinctions were abolished. Only
the drummers of the Guards now wear the fleur-de-lys on their tunics
about the last vestige of that sovereignty over France, which English
monarchs formerly claimed. One explanation as to the reason of the drummers wearing
fleur-de-lys was that their doing was to show contempt for the French
Army; this, however, rests on no serious foundation.
The 9th (Norfolk regiment), which has been nicknamed
“the Holy Boys,” “the fighting Ninth,” and “the Norfolk
Howard’s,” in addition to having played a glorious part in many
other engagements, bore itself with great distinction at Almanza, where,
curiously enough, the English were commanded by Lord Galway, who was of
French extraction, and the French by the Duke of Berwick, and
Englishman.
The 10th (Lincolnshire Regiment), when it was raised,
was the only infantry regiment, which wore blue coats.
It behaved with gallantry in the Sikh War.
The Lincolnshire Regiment, probably in allusion to the famous old
ballad of the “Lincolnshire Poacher,” was once known as “the
Poachers.”
The 11th (Devonshire Regiment), the splendid services
of this regiment in South Africa were worthy of its past fame.
In consequence of the heavy losses sustained at the battle of
Salamanca, it received the nickname of “the Bloody 11th,”
341 men and officers having been killed out of 412.
The 12th (Suffolk Regiment) also once sustained a
great number of casualties; this was at Fontenoy, where 371 men and
officers fell.
The 13th (Somersetshire
Light Infantry) wore a black line in its lace, a distinction which I
believe, is still retained. This
is supposed to have been granted after the battle of Culloden, when the
sergeants of the regiment were accorded permission to wear their sashes
over the left shoulder.
It may be added that for a long space of years after the death of
General Wolfe on the plains of Abraham, all the regiments that fought
with him wore a black thread or worm in their lace, as a sign of
perpetual mourning. At
present the following regiments wear black line bordering each side of
the gold lace on the officers tunics: The Norfolk, East Yorkshire,
Leicestershire, East Surrey, Loyal North Lancashire, York and Lancaster,
Gordon Highlanders and Connaught Rangers regiments, the commanders of
which have been killed or wounded in important battles.
The 14th (Prince of Wale’s Own West Yorkshire
Regiment) has a long record of distinguished service, from the siege of
Namur, in 1695, to Waterloo, where the 3rd Battalion, then at
its first trial, displayed a highly pleased with the gallantry of the
men, he called out, “Well done, Old Buffs.”
Being told he had made a mistake, he added, “Well done, Young
Buffs, then.”
The 2nd battalion (the 70th) was in 1812
called “the Glasgow Lowland Regiment,” only becoming the Surrey in
1825.
The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry has bitter memories of
the Indian Mutiny. Two
hundred of the 1st battalion (32nd) were with Sir
Henry Lawrence in Lucknow, only the valiant relics of which number
survived to welcome the rescuing column of the gallant Havelock.
The 32nd was nicknamed “the Lacedaemonians,” owing
to a former commander having praised the military virtues of
Lacedaemonia when under fire.
The 1st battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s West
riding Regiment was raised about 1702.
This is the only regiment in the British Army named after a
subject not of Royal Blood. The
colour of the facings at Dettingen was red and white, afterwards
becoming red alone, a rare colour for English facings, which was
abolished in 1881. It is,
however, pleasant to be able to add that the old facings have been
recently restored. The 33rd
have been called “the Havercake Lads.”
The title of Duke in 1852, when his crest and motto were also
adopted.
The border regiment acquired the privilege of wearing the laurel
wreath on their head dress on account of the gallant behaviour of the 1st
Battalion (the 34th) at Fontenoy, where the regiment
displayed great courage in the severe and arduous duty of covering the
retreat, during which the “Blues” also behaved particularly well.
So much so, indeed, was this the case, that when the last man had
passed the bridge spanning the stream, which checked the enemy, Lord
Crawford took off his hat to them and thanked them.
This regiment was also present at many battles in the Peninsular
War, and at Arroyo dos Molinos captured the 34th French
Regiment, the drums and drum major’s staff of which are still in the
possession of the 1st Battalion.
It is said that on occasion the French regiment, discovering the
coincidence between the two numbers, cried out: “Ah, Messieurs, vous
sommes des freres, vous sommes du trente-quatrieme regiment tous les
deux. Vous etes des
braves.”
The Royal Sussex Regiment, amongst other gallant records on its
regimental roll of fame, counts its exploit at Maida, where a hundred
and fifty picked men of the 1st battalion (35th),
under Major Robinson, were in the right wing of the force which Colonel
Kemp led against the French light infantry with triumphant result.
A battalion used to be recruited at Belfast, and wore orange
facings, which gained it the name of “the Orange Lillies” and “the
Prince of Orange’s Own.”
The Hampshire Regiment has been in many engagements, including
Minden.
The South Staffordshire Regiment has a record, which few
regiments can rival. The 38th,
now the 1st battalion served in the West Indies for the
unprecedented period of sixty years, taking part in the captures of
Guadeloupe and Martinique.
The Dorsetshire Regiment, which has fought in India, Egypt, and
in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, has, at its depot, a French field
piece captured by the regiment.
The Prince of Wale’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment),
composed of the old 40th and 82nd, has a lengthy
record of gallant services. The
old 40th used to be known as “the Excellers,” from the
X.L. of the regimental number.
The 1st Battalion of the Welsh Regiment (the 41st)
was in the eighteenth century called “the invalids,” a title which
appears in some of the older Army lists.
It may be added that in 1773 there were as many as twenty-six
independent companies of invalids, not forming part of any regiment,
each commanded by a captain, a lieutenant, and an ensign.
These companies were composed of soldiers whose health had been
impaired by various causes-service in unhealthy climates, wounds
received in battle, or even old age.
Four of the companies in question were stationed in Scotland,
eight in the Channel Islands, one in Scilly, one at Pendennis, three at
Berwick, two at Hull, two at Chester, two at Dover, one at Sheerness,
one at Landguard Fort, Felixstowe, and one at Tilbury.
The 2nd battalion was the old 69th, and was
called “the Agamenons” (it is said by Nelson), on account of having
served as Marines at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent.
The regiment was also known as “the ups and downs,” in
allusion to its number.
The Black Watch, the 1st Battalion of the Royal
Highlanders (the old 42nd), was originally formed of six
independent companies of Highlanders that had been raised for the
protection of the City of Edinburgh in 1730.
This force presented a somewhat sombre appearance, being dressed
in black, blue, and green tartans, from which originated the name
“Freiceadan Dhu,” or Black Watch. In 1739 these independent companies were formed into a
regular Highland regiment, which some years later, in 1751, was numbered
as the 42nd.
At the time when the Black Watch was raised, most of the privates
were of good social position. George
II having sent for two of these men to St. James Palace, where they gave
an exhibition of some of their national sword exercise rewarded them
with a guinea apiece. They
accepted the money from the king, but gave it to the porter as they went
out of the Palace.
It was at the battle of Fontenoy that a sergeant of the 42nd,
as the regiment was retiring, before the assault of the Irish Brigade,
exhorted the soldiers to be steady, crying out, “Front and rear keep
thegither.”
The 43rd (the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light
Infantry), owing to an old privilege of its 1st battalion,
possesses the right of wearing shirt collars in uniform, which probably
arose from the Colonel commanding the regiment at the time when collars
were ordered to be hidden beneath stocks ignoring the regulation.
The 2nd Battalion (the old 52nd) enjoyed
the same right, which is shared by the 7th Hussars.
The Essex Regiment is composed of the 44th and 56th
Regiments. The first was
called “the Little Fighting Fours,” whilst the second was for a long
time familiarly known as “the Pompadours,” on account of the colour
of its facings. It was also nicknamed “the Saucy Pompeys.”
The Sherwood Foresters are connected with Nottingham; the 1st
Battalion-the old 45th-having originally been recruited from
the Nottingham Militia, which remaining loyal, refused to bear arms
against Charles I. This
regiment bore the nickname of “the Old Stubborns.”
The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment has been honourably engaged
in many quarters of the world.
The Northamptonshire Regiment formed of the 48th and
58th, bears many battles on its colours, notably Talavera,
where Colonel Donellan, the last officer in the English Army who adhered
to the old “Nivernais,” or three-cornered cocked hat, fell mortally
wounded. The 48th, owing to its bravery, was once known as
“the Heroes of Talavera.”
Princess Charlotte of Wale’s Royal Berkshire Regiment received
the title of “Royal” for its gallantry in Egypt.
The 1st battalion of the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent
Regiment (the 50th) was at one time known by the very
unpleasant name of “the Dirty Half Hundred.”
This arose from the black facings and silver lace, which it is
said, gave the regiment a slovenly appearance, the colour of the facings
being also apt to come off when the men’s cuffs touched their faces.
The gallant 50th gained great renown at the battle of
Vimiera, where, led by Colonel Walker, it made a glorious charge. It has been called “the Devil’s Royals.”
The national memory regarding the fiercely fought battles of the
Peninsular War does not appear to be particularly keen, scarcely a
mention having been made of the centenary of Vimiera, fought in August
1808. The centenary of corunna and Sir John Moore, it is true, have
not passed altogether unnoticed, the men of one battery of artillery
which had played a brave part in these August battles having (according
to the press) been taken to the Aldershot Hippodrome, by the way of
celebrating the century of the glorious fight!
Beyond this, little seems to have been done to keep green the
memory of British Heroes, no attempt having been made to foster the
esprit de corps of the regiments representative of those which fought so
gallantly in the Peninsula.
The brunt of the battle of Corrunna fell on the 50th,
which was then commanded by Majors Napier and Stanhope, whom Sir John
Moore warmly congratulated after the battle, calling out “well done,
50th! Well done, my Majors!”
Sir John Moore, as it happened, were engaged to be married to the
sister of the junior Major-the Honourable C.B. Stanhope who fell during
the campaign.
Officers of this regiment wear blue velvet facings, as do those
of the 2nd battalion (the old 97th).
The 50th originally wore black facings, which were of
velvet, and on becoming a royal regiment, in 1813, it was specially
authorised to adhere to the velvet for its officers facings.
The old 97th (now the 2nd battalion) was
called the “Celestials,” on account of its facings.
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