"British grenadiers' bearskin caps" Topic

I wonder if anyone can help me with a few questions about British grenadiers' bearskin caps?

Were the front plates black metal with the raised detail picked out in white?

Was the rear patch on the caps always red and was the badge always a white grenade (similar to the ones on Napoleon's Old Guard's bearskins) or could it also be a regimental badge?

With regard to the 23rd, were the bearskins of the grenadier companies of the fusilier regiments the same as for the rest of the line? (Mollo and McGregor show an officer of the Royal Welch wearing a bearskin cap with a small regimental badge instead of a front plate).

Finally, when the bearskins went into storage what did they wear instead?

Thanks for any help you can give.

"Our will and pleasure is, that the following regulations for colours, clothing, etc. of Our marching regiments of foot, be duly observed and put in execution, at such times as the particulars are or shall be furnished.

…The caps of the grenadiers to be of black bear-skin. On the front, the King's Crest, of silver plated metal, on a black ground, with the motto, Nec aspera terrent. A grenade on the back part, with the number of the regiment on it. The royal regiments, and the 6 old corps, are to have the crest and grenade, and also the other particulars as hereafter specified. The badge of the royal regiments is to be white, and set on near the top of the back part of the cap. The height of the cap (without the bear-skin, which reaches beyond the top) to be 12 inches."

So reads the Royal Warrant of 1768

Fusiliers were, at least in their own eyes, all grenadiers. I can't quote you chapter and verse and perhaps somebody else can back this up, I suspect they would have all worn caps of the same size.

As for grenadier caps being sent to in storage, one strange exception is the 5th of Foot who kept fur caps, by that date replacements supplied by the Colonel, Lord Percy, to commemorate their victory over the French Grenadiers de France at Wilhelmsthal in 1762. They paraded wearing them in Philadelphia on New Year's Day 1778, much to the annoyance of Sir William Howe. These were entirely non-regulation, The 5th were not Fusiliers but it seems the Regiment believed they should have been designated Fusiliers after Wilhelmsthal. They claimed they were waiting for that year's issue of their hats to arrive from New York.

We have some evidence that Grenadiers went into the field wearing hats in New York 1776, in Pennsylvania 1777 (uncocked, Captain, 4th Regt) and also wore them in cantonement (New York) in 1779. We also have first hand evidence from the battle of Brandywine that at least some in the Grenadier battalions kept their caps handy to wear when going to battle. (officer 45th? IIRC)

There is a fair amount of reference, textual and visual, to hats being worn uncocked, sometimes with the brim being trimmed, both by light infantry, and by troops general. Extensive information about the Guards brigade.

These may have been old hats while new issue hats were preserved for 'best, but the common view is this cannot be simply be taken as common practice in the British army from 1775-76 onwards.The situation has to be assessed from campaign to campaign

For some reason I want to say that Fusilier's and musician's bearskins were slightly smaller than grenadier caps.

I believe it is generally accepted that fusiliers did not wear their caps into the field, and perhaps the same for the few drummers that remained with the regiment in the field.

I think the curve ball for the 23rd is the painting (water color?) of the 23rd in Boston wearing bearskins, but that might have been a grenadier.

We know the Marines (not Royal yet) thought enough of the bearskins to send to England for them when they formed two battalions in Boston. Same for colours.

Thanks for the replies guys. So according to the Royal Warrant of 1768 the raised areas on the front plate should be silver? I had always assumed they were white from the illustrations I have seen.

Yes, silver. Fusiliers caps were smaller than the grenadiers' according to the 1768 warrant:

"The regiments of fuzileers to have black bear-skin caps. They are to be made in the same manner as those which are ordered for the grenadiers, but not so high; and not to have the grenade on the back part."

Just to confuse matters, pioneers had red plates with silver detail on their bearskins:

"Each pioneer to have an axe, a saw, and an apron; a cap with a leather crown, and a black bear-skin front, on which is to be the King's crest in white, on a red ground; also an axe and a saw. The number of the regiment to be on the back part of the cap."

Thanks 22nd foot. I was thinking of attempting to convert a Napoleonic sapper into an AWI one to join the command stand for my grenadiers and I like the sound of the red front plate.

I believe 40th Foot Grenadier Coy had white bearskins prior to 1790.

Yes, fusilier shorter than grenadier caps; apologies I thought that was assumed. I beieve the 1768 British pioneer cap was not as tall as either the fusilier or grenadier cap. More like a frontlet forage cap or LI cap bordered with fur at the front.

There is no mention in Inspection reports of 1786 or 1789 (Strachan) of the 40th Regiment having grenadier caps in very-non regulation white fur. I have not heard of such a thing myself. Is it possible this wassomething to do with the regimental musicians?

No facial hair for any pioneers. That came after this period.

Have to look up the 40th caps, but it's late and I'm tired. Tomorrow.

Catherine the Great sent George III a load of polar bear pelts and they were distributed to various regiments – the only ones I can recall off-hand are the 40th's grenadiers, and the 3rd Foot Guards' drummers; but there were others.

Grenadiers in polar bear hats provided by Catherine the Great? The 40th foot have just become my "must have" unit for the American Revolution.

The 23rd had their fusilier caps while in Boston, 1775. The chap in the watercolor by Lt. Williams is a fusilier and not a grenadier (no shoulder wings, etc.). The three feathers of the Prince of Wales is very clear on the back of his cap. Regimental returns show orders for fusilier caps stopped in 1778. They were not resumed in till after the war. Hence the inspection after the war with feathers in the caps quoted. If they were worn in the field or not I do not know as there are no first person sources that reference this. It is all conjecture.

The unusual cap plate in Mollo is from a 1790's painting. No evidence for it for the 1775-81 period.

Thanks B6GOBOS,

Do you have a link to an image of the watercolor by Lt. Williams? I've tried Googling but couldn't find it (I did find some very nice views of Annapolis though).

SJD,

The image you require is part of a panoramic depiction of Boston made by Williams in the middle third of 1775; it can be found here:-

maps.bpl.org/id/n51637

You can navigate the site to see the other parts of the panorama, as well as depictions of Castle Island and other parts of Boston not usually shown when this work is used in books.

The feathers badge is on the cartridge box, not the cap (as far as I can make out), but there were possibly copies made in which details vary. Sadly, Williams died soon after returning to England in early 1776, due to ill-health.

Thanks Super Max,

If you zoom right in you can definitely make out the feathers on the cap as well as the cartridge box. (I tried to work out how to post a close up of the image here but it is beyond my capabilities)

I've already painted the 23rd in campaign dress but now I am going to have to do them in their caps as well.

SJD,

Take a look at Perry pack AWI 70 British Grenadier Command Marching – there is a sapper in that pack. He has his axe slung, his leather apron and a shorter, more rounded, cap. I'd go with that.

Best,

Jon

Thanks 22nd Foot,

Unfortunately I'm using 15mm miniatures. Still, I will look up the Perry's figure and use him as a guide if I do decide to take the plunge and attempt a head swap or two.

The Peter Pig range has a pioneer in one of the command packs.

Thanks SM. I'll check him out. I need to put him on my 23rd command stand next to the regimental goat.

SJD,

Remember Billy is not a mascot, he's a serving member of the regiment. ;^D

Antient Badge of the XXIIId, or ROYAL WELSH FUSILEERS.

– In the center of their colours, the device of the Prince of Wales, viz.,
Three feathers issueing out of the Prince's coronet. In the three corners of the second colour, the badges of Edward the Black Prince, viz. rising sun, red dragon, and the three feathers in the coronet. Motto, "Ich dien."
On the grenadiers' caps, the King's crest; also, the feathers, as in the colours.

The same badge of the three feathers, and motto, "Ich dien,", on the drums, and bells of arms. Rank of the regiment underneath.

Royal Warrant of 1768