"British 43rd Lt Infantry Officer's pelisse color?" Topic

Anyone know for sure: is it grey with grey fur or red with grey fur.
I've seen both versions from reputable sources.
thanks

As far as I know, the pelisse was not part of the official uniform for light infantry officers. Although there might have been some sort of regimental order or an informal "understanding" among the officers of the regiment, it was more likely a matter of individual choice.

The 43rd was unique in this part of the uniform. Their officers dressed in a hussar style.

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"…they also wore an unofficail scarlet pelisse, edged with grey fur and laced with silver." Franklin, p210. Note; the grey fur on the depicted pelisse looks like a very light grey.

Osprey MAA 400 Plate C3, also shows a 43rd field officer with a red pelisse lined with grey fur. The grey fur on this plate appears to be a light to medium grey.

In Chartrand's "A Scarlet Coat"; "'many of the officers in our corps [the 43rd] wore red and grey pelisses, similar to those of the hussars' recalled a veteren."

However, in the same paragraph…." A 'grey pelisse with silk braiding' with ' silk braiding on the pelisse' is mentioned by W.H. Maxwell.

The W.H. Maxwell referred to in the notes is from W.H. Maxwell, Peninsular Sketches (London, 1845-1846), II, p 68. The other source (apparently for the red with grey fur) is "The Story of the Oxforshire and Buckinhamshire Light Infantry" (London, 1915, pp125,128, 130.

So, it appears that both may be correct. However, I am leaning to a red grey lined pelisse.

I hope that this helps.

It does. It's hard to imagine a British officer choosing a dull grey jacket over a bright red one…
thanks

Out of curiossity; are you building a 28mm battalion of the 43rd using Perry specialized figures?

The 43rd is one of the units that I must build/paint for a future Battle of New Orleans.

I'm using the Perry command figures and left over Victrix other ranks.
Also the 52 Light. Their uniforms are more, uniform.
The buff and the white facings are a kind of relief from all the blues and yellows and greens.
On the buff guys (no puns here), everything is buff: backpack straps, musket straps, etc. They have a unique look and contrast sharply with the white facings. I use a brown wash for the buffs and a dark grey wash for the whites. Tons of entertainment.

Just finished my 52nd, based on Perry plastic, Brigade Light Companies of a Line Regt, arms from Victrix Flank Co box and Perry Peninsular Light Bobs skirmishing.

Challenging. Light Infantry officers cord sashes and shoulder wings, the subtleties of uniforms eg rank chevron badges (One or both arms for Lights? Both).

Buff facings indeed, but white lace. Unwhitened leather is not quite the same colour as buff facings. But no-one seems able to agree what colour that should be!

Brass badges for ranks in every unit regardless of regt metal colour, silver for officer's caps……it goes on and on.

Good luck!

In the Sharpe books, Lt Sillytwit wears a pelisse. So it must be true.

Oops! I may have committed a faux paux. I gave the OR's in the 52nd white metal shako plates. Hmmmm
I did get the white lace, though.

I did the same for 71st….but changed it

You will see white metal "plates" ie cap badges……. for rifles especially, indeed most light infantry, as you would expect and would be right, but only from Victorian times, to this day for cap/beret badges.

In our era of interest though, they were brass and yellow for ORs, but silver for occifers. Weird…….even for Rifles

Good luck with any British Army uniform of any era!

It seems that though the 43rd may have had worn a scarlet, trimmed with grey fur pelisse, I doubt they wore it on campaign as it would have gotten in the way and would have been too hot to wear, even in the slung mode. The same I would guess goes for the 95th officers too.

Here are some pictures by modern and contemporary artists and ranging from the 1790's to 1813:

as for the 95th other ranks cap-badge. I think that it wasn't worn in the field.

Paul :)

"the 95th other ranks cap-badge. I think that it wasn't worn in the field"

Now that I did not know. Makes sense for concealment!

I could weep though as my 2/95 and 3/95 are now well advanced

Well, the fine thing about my little metal and plastics fellows is that they never get tired or hot, never protest about campaign conditions, and obey my every order.
"You are wearing that red jacket."

deadhead

"the 95th other ranks cap-badge. I think that it wasn't worn in the field"

Now that I did not know. Makes sense for concealment!

I could weep though as my 2/95 and 3/95 are now well advanced

Don't worry yourself over the cap badge issue as none of the available information is solid as to the colour (brass pewter) or whether it was worn in the field. All I can say is that all the contemporary illustrations of volunteer rifle units and the picture of a seated 95th rifleman in Booths depiction and Hamilton Smith's (95th kneeling and firing, though the 60th rifleman behind him does wear the badge in pewter) have no cap-badge when they are depicted in the field. Later illustrations do show the badge adorned cap whilst on campaign which may well account for the misleading depictions we have today.

Perhaps also, this could be the reason for the lack of any archaeological finds attributed to the 95th badge being found on the battlefields and campaign areas where they served. The other problem is that there is no extant example of the badge anyway, so perhaps it was never 'generally' issued within the regiment.

Paul :)

I live in Ontario and have spent the summer doing a lot of visiting of 1812 battlegrounds and forts here. Although I'm painting up some 49th here are some pictures from Fort George where the 43rd is heavily displayed.

[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/d3428/media/IMG_20170712_123251.jpg.html]

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[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/d3428/media/IMG_20170712_115424.jpg.html]

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If you need better pictures let me know.
Cheers.

@BattleSausage,

It looks like we definitely need better pictures, as in any at all. You are not alone; there have been several other victims of Photobucket's new policy trying to post here on TMP. Anyway, thanks for trying.

Sorry about that. Didn't realize Photobucket had a new policy. Here are the links to my Google account.

These are from Fort George.

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