"British in Egypt 1801 : Cap or round hat?" Topic

I should be grateful for some guidance re. a question that's been bothering me and I don't have time to look in to just now.

The conventional wisdom seems to be that British line infantry of Abercromby's expedition landed in Egypt wearing the new infantry cap (chaco) while officers, at least at field and staff level, wore some form of round hat. De Loutherburg's two Egypt canvasses 'The Landings at Aboukir' and 'Alexandria' certainly reflect that (Obviously we know that Highlanders wore the woolen bonnet and the 90th Perthshire Vols., for instance, wore light dragoon caps (poor søds)).

However, there seems to be a minority view that rank and file of the line also wore a round hat. That is the impression I have got out of the corner of my eye, as it were. Not reached scientifically, so please be gentle!

Are there reliable studies or reports as to the truth of the matter?

A) Given my experience of Mediterranean sun at higher latitudes, one would hope that the poor soldiery weren't in hard laquered caps and had better protection.
B) Given the way of the world, and considering that both sides fought in the Peninsula wearing caps/chacos, I won't be surprised to learn that in Egypt many did march with their ears and necks burned raw.

If you see "redcoats" other ranks in round hats they are most likely Royal Marines. It's not the first nor last time officers took advantage of attiring themselves more comfortably than the rank & file!

I think the general consensus is that Abercromby's troops from Britain wore the cap, and that the reinforcements that arrived from India wore the round hat.There are contemporary sketches which show the 61st ( from India) wearing round hats with loose trousers. And officers pleased themselves, wearing round hats.
The Alexandra battle was fought in March, when it can still be a bit cool, so I don't suppose they suffered unduly. A month or so later would be a different matter…

I asked the Perrys about that as well, they are in full consensus with Anthony Barton, I painted their round hat headed miniatures as 10th of Foot who arrived from India, but they arrived too late for the major battles, in fact I don't know if they fought at all.
About the colours, I still go for AWI style.

Go on Anthony, you know you want to sculpt up some of those Brits from India in round hats, and some sepoys to go with them.

My French in Egypt include some conversions (from ABs and others) to give them the distinctive caps – I mixed them into various units.

David F Brown

Thanks all. The presence of the contingent from India, with clothing more appropriate to the climate, helps explain, and dispel, my confusion.

Even though average temperatures in March might be lower, I imagine the daytime sun could still burn quite fiercely. Yet there was no official allowance made throughout the period, and indeed until the sun helmet was made official Foreign Service headgear in the 1870s, soldiers in mediterranean stations were expected to parade and march in whichever pattern of the cap or chaco was regulation at the time. Hence the frequent 'loss'of Albert chacos in the Crimea.

I have units with round hats alongside those with with shakos; just to keep the options open, and include some variety. There's a good choice now especially with the Perry range, which, annoyingly, arrived just as I finished painting my armies. I have to say I particularly enjoyed doing the indian contingent – at the time I used Redoubt's figures for sepoys.