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British Light Dragoon Trumpeters, 1815
UniformInfo - Military Modelling magazine, January 1977
Q.
Sirs,
I should be grateful if the staff of the Uniforminfo Desk could be of assistance over the following questions. 1. In R.B. Sheridan’s play ʺThe Criticʺ first performed in 1779, mention is made of the Westminster Associations (Act one, Scene one). Were the uniforms worn by this corps identical to those of 1798 as described in P.J. Haythornthwaite’s article in the February 1975 edition of Military Modelling? 2. Were the buttons of privates and drummers of the 69th Foot made of brass or pewter during the Waterloo campaign? Could the panel also tell me whether they were flat or semi-spherical in section. 3. British Light Dragoon Trumpeters’ uniforms of the 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th and 23rd regiments at Waterloo?
Any information would be gratefully received.
Reading, Berks. P.J. Bennett.
A.
We have not been able to ascertain whether the Westminster Associations had any affiliations with the later Westminster Volunteers. However, as there was nineteen years between the two dates, and this being a time of transition in the uniforms of the British Army and Volunteer organisations, it is doubtful if the uniforms would have been the same if the units were identical, or some off-shoot. Perhaps Mr. Haythornthwaite may be able to enlighten us on the subject?
The buttons of privates and drummers of the 69th Foot were made from pewter and were almost flat in section. Officers had gilt buttons.
Regarding British Light Dragoon trumpeters’ uniforms worn at Waterloo. At the time of the battle there would appear to have been few differences in the uniforms of trumpeters and other ranks. There is a singular lack of contemporary evidence, either documentary or contemporary paintings, prints etc., on the subject. An official recommendation dated 25th September, 1811 states that, owing to the nature of trumpeters’ duties and ʹthe inconvenience of their lossʹ, which was attributed to their distinctive dress, they were to be dressed as the regiment, the only distinction being in their lace. A number of artists depict trumpeters wearing a different colour plume — usually red. Apart from this we know of only one contemporary painting which shows the Scots Greys’ bivouac on the eve of Waterloo; in the foreground is a figure, believed to be a trumpeter, with chevrons on the sleeves of his jacket.