"91st Foot in the Napoleonic Wars." Topic

Does anyone have unique data about this regiment? Drummers in pink; diced border on base of stovepipe; other such oddities?

One Victrix 28mm plastic British infantry set includes paper flags for the 32nd Regiment of Foot (Cornwall), white with red cross; and another for the 91st – a yellow colour with the "normal red shield edged gold with XCI in gold in the center, enclosed in green wreath.

I understand the 91st was later called the Argyllshire Highlanders. Sources seem united that only the 42nd Black Watch; 79th Cameron; and 92nd Gordon Highlanders were kilted in fighting in the Peninsular war. So they were uniformed as for the line. I find them ("British Battles" on the internet) at Vitoria in the 2nd British Division:

Infantry:
2nd Division: commanded by Lieutenant General William Stewart
1st Brigade: commanded by Colonel Cadogan: 1st/50th (black faced West Kent), 1st/71st (Highland Light Infantry, faced buff); and 1st/91st Foot Co 5th/60th Foot (Royal American, dark green uniform with collar and cuffs red.)
2nd Brigade: commanded by Major General Byng: 1st/3rd (the Buffs), 1st/57th Foot (yellow facings, the "Die Hards?")
, 1st Provisional Battn. (2nd/31st and 2nd/66th Foot) and Co 5th/60th Foot.
3rd Brigade: commanded by Colonel O'Callaghan: 1st/28th (North Glosters, face yellow), 2nd/34th, 1st/39th Foot and Co 5th/60th Foot.
Portuguese Brigade: commanded by Brigadier General Ashworth: 1st and 2nd/6th, 1st and 2nd/18th Portuguese Line and 6th Caçadores. (A very colorful brigade, with all line battalions faced red cuffs, 18th with red collar; 6th with dark blue collar, all edged yellow)

I intend to use just these 2 colours with 2 officers, 1 drummer and 1 sergeant, as replacement of the same in another 32-figure unit "in a pinch," and would like to know of any unique features. The colours seem totally "typical."

For example: I am doing Victrix of the 9th Foot defending, with only the colours unique; and the 88th Connaught Rangers advancing, with the colour unique, but also with drummers with NO chevrons on the sleeves. I could use these 4 figures to turn either unit into the 91st for a specific game.

The other Victrix Peninsular War set has colours for the 3rd (Buffs) Foot; and the 59th, 2nd Nottinghamshire. Until I buy accurate colours for my 27th Inniskillings (defending); and 48th Northamptonshires, advancing; I will use the Buffs in the same way – 2 officers with colours, 1 drummer and 1 sergent.

Any ideas?

GdeP

Franklin's British Napoleonic Uniforms, The History Press, 2008 (a wonderful book!) says that they lost Highland distinctions in April 1809 (when they stopped being the 91st (or Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot and became the 91st Regiment of Foot.

Officer's lace and buttons gold from 1805. Hackles for light company changed to black in 1805 (but I've no idea if they kept this post 1809).

Drummer's jacket yellow, with no details of how lace was applied.

GdeP

The book 'Brit. Nap. Uniforms' says that the 91st drummers were in yellow, no info on how their coats were laced.

The Osprey 'Wellington's Highlanders' mentions that they lost their kilts in 1809, but after that years allotment of tartan material so they were allowed to make tartan trews out of it.
They wore them at Walcheren along with flat undress bonnets.
A plate c.1810 shows a Bn. Co, man in regular infantry coats faced yellow, tartan trews, plain dark blue tam with red pom-pom and small black hackle on the left.

Cliff

More variety! Black hackles! Trews so late in the war! Thanks both of you!

I never paid attention to this unit, and do not recall it in Spain much before Vitoria, by when the trews may have been replaced. At 78, I do NOT want to attempt tartan!

But the black hackles – wonder why (death of favored colonel/general? loss of Highland status?) – would require 4 extra light company men to replace 4 with green hackles.

I have some extra figures, with my plan to do 7 Victrix Peninsular War battalions at 32. But I may take them all to 40 figures to represent 10 companies of 4 figures each, which will mean another set of centre company men. That will give 4 spare officers, 4 sergeants, and 4 drummers to do a cadres for these planned battalions.

As an aside, I recall that the 71st wore feather bonnets early in the Peninsula, before becoming light infantry. They wore overalls (or trews)? I see them bridaged with the 91st at Vitoria, above.

GdeP

From Wellingtons Infantry.

1st Battalion
1796-1802 it served at the Cape. Returning to the UK.
It deployed to Portugal in 1808 and was at Rolica, Vimiero and Corunna. It was at Walcheren. It returns to the UK and stays their until 1813 when it returns to Spain. It was transferred to the Med after that and stayed there until long after 1815.
2nd Battalion
Raised in 1803, it didn't go abroad until 1813 when it was sent to Mecklenburg and served in the Holland campaign. It was at Waterloo but was part of the Hoy garrison. Returned to the UK in 1816 and disbanded.

Highland dress stopped in 1809.
It's title is given as Argylshire.

Gentlemen,

The reference on BritishBattles.com is incorrect, a typo, as it was the 92nd Gordon Highlanders brigaded with the 5oth West Kent and 71st Highland Light Infantry.

The 91st Argyllshire returned to the Peninsula in April 1813 where they were brigaded with the 1/42nd Royal (Black Watch) Highlanders and 1/79th Cameron Highlanders in the 6th Division – a proper Scottish brigade then!

See: link

At Vittoria they were assigned to guard the baggage etc, so not much action.

I like this unit and since it is well documented that they were allowed to use the tartan they had received to make trews, even after they were initially de-kilted, that is the route I have gone down. My 91st have trews, a mixture of headwear and a piper – which I believe they were allowed to keep. A little artistic license by 1813 maybe, but hey, they look good and it's nice to have more units not in the common line uniform to break things up a bit. Just my opinion and personal choice of course.

I would have replied sooner and offered more information as well as pics of my 91st, but I'm currently working away from home and don't have my sources (or figures) at hand!

Kind Regards
Mike

P.S. My 91st Light Company also has the documented Black Hackles

I love this site! Always more and more data. It looks like Argyllshire Highlanders may be the correct spelling. Also, an error in British Battles, corrected here: 91st should be 92nd.

The regiment certainly lived a charmed life, with no major battle losses until the last.

By the way, Mike, what is the tartan pattern you used for the trews? Not that I would even try!

GdeP

GdeP

I took the original info from Osprey's Wellington's Highlanders (which had a picture of a soldier of the 91st in Trews and a flat bonnet if I recall) as well as confirmation from other sources elsewhere.

Like I say, I'm working away at the mo and won't return home to the UK until approx 1st October, where I'll be happy to get the 91st out of there storage box and take a few pics if you like?

Looking at other sources online it states that the Tartan was Black Watch / Government – which rings true from memory, it was 2012 when mine were done.

As stated above, the correct spelling is Argyllshire, although some sources do incorrectly spell it differently – trust me, not only do I live in Scotland (albeit a Geordie in exile) but my wife is 100% Scottish!!!

R.E. TMP is a fantastic source of information, it's great how everyone can help each other out and shed light on subjects / topics etc. The knowledgebase is so vast it has to be the first port of call when help is needed by gamers & collectors alike!

Kind Regards

Mike

I am sure I am not alone in welcoming your putting up pictures of your 91st figures when you get home. I really enjoy seeing the game table battles, but always wish folks would show some of their troopers up close.

GdeP

Franklin's British Napoleonic Uniforms, The History Press, 2008 shows a kilt 1804 – 1809 in government sett (Chapter 12 makes the point that vegetable dyes were used which gave softer tones than modern dyes).

Hi GdeP,

Sorry for the delay in posting some pics, I was delayed getting home (from work abroad) and had some pressing family matters when I returned – not to mention the fact that I've never posted any pics on TMP before, so had to research that! Hopefully this will work, I'm no photographer mind! These particular figures are all Wargames Foundry (25 figures in the battalion itself) with a separate base for the deployed light company (when necessary) with an additional 4 figures. The flags are GMB.

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Kind Regards

Mike