"EIC Sepoy question (early 19th C)" Topic

Simon Millar's book on Assaye (a hard-fought victory of Wellington's in India in 1803) shows the Madras sepoys of the East India Company wearing the bell shaped turban-shako:

However, Stuart Reid's book "Armies of the East India Company 1750-1850" describes that turban-shako as "the 1806 pattern turban" and shows a very different hat, the "sundial turban," being worn up to 1806:

If the 1806 pattern turban lives up to its name in Reid's book, it could not have been worn at Assaye, in 1803. Thoughts?

The sun dial hat was worn by the Bengal sepoys.The Madras sepoys had a turban/shako at least since the 1780s but the style evolved over the years--becoming less turban and more shako.

That's at variance with Reid's book. He illustrates Madras sepoys in the sundial turban pre-1806. See plate B of his book.

I think I have that at home and will take a look when I get there but my "sacred text"--Mollo's book on the Indian Army has the Bengal army wearing the sundials with the triangular bit up front.

Yes, so does Reid. The implication is that both Madras and Bengal sepoys wore the sundial, with regional variations. The Bengali sundial was small, worn straight on the head, and had a triangle on top as you mention. Madras had a much larger sundial worn at a rakish angle. Then the Madras sepoys changed to the bell-shaped turban shako (apparently in 1806) and the Bengalis followed suit.

The problem is, neither Mollo nor Reid are footnoted, so it's impossible to check the original sources!

The "bell" turban in the first picture was authorized for the Madras Native Infantry on March 15, 1797. It was issued beginning May 1 of that year.

It was not an entirely happy piece of headgear, and a new pattern was due to be issued in 1805. Reid wrongly suggests that it was European style headgear, when in fact it was a different pattern of turban. The sepoys, however, firmly refused to wear it. The principle objection was that it looked, to sepoys at least, too much like the style worn by Eurasians (i.e. half-castes), who were frequently the drummers in the Native Infantry. Besides racial and caste prejudices, the Eurasians were often Christians, and the sepoys felt that the new turbans were a subtle step towards forced conversion. The other objection was to the leather rosettes which were to adorn the turban. The Hindus were convinced they were cow leather, while the Muslims were certain they were pig. The C-in-C refused to give and the result was a the Vellore Mutiny of 1806. After order was restored, the Madras Army decided hat design wasn't worth a mutiny and opted to retain the previous 1797 pattern. Leather rosettes (and plumes, for some reason) were forbidden, and the sepoys were also granted concessions in the wearing of beads and jewellery of caste significance, as well as mustaches.

As the reinstatement of the 1797 pattern turban was ordered July 17, 1806, it is sometimes wrongly held to be a new pattern, or the date when the "bell" turban was first authorized.

New range planned, Khurasan? Hope so!

Thanks enfant perdus that really helps to clear up the discrepancy between the two sources.

sjwalker38, I will be gradually releasing some codes to help gamers field the armies of British India during the napoleonic period, starting with Madras sepoys.

Go on Jon do the Sikh Wars!

That's basically a whole new period! I'm just going to be making some codes to allow gamers to use their British troops to fight in India as well as Spain and Belgium.

The first picture is from Charles Gold's Oriental Drawings, published 1806

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Sure Jon, I know, its just you and Clib' would do it so well.

15mm Sikh Wars is getting a bit over-crowded (Irregular, Black Hat, Freikorps plus suitable stuff from other manufacturers and ranges)and both Studio Miniatures and Empress are planning the same in 28mm (alongside Old Glory and Foundry) – how many more ranges can such a niche, albeit fascinating, campaign support?

But there should be a surge of interest when TVAG release their new book on the subject.

If any of you can get into the National Army Museum in London, they have a wonderful little booklet on East India Company uniforms of this period in their bookshop – and when I went in last month it was half price in their sale!
Ian