"Regimental caps of the 95th Rifle Regiment 1800-15" Topic

Most of the 2/95th and all the 3/95th at Waterloo were not in the Peninsular but came from Shorncliffe Garrison depot as they were convellescents and new recruits.

Sorry Sommerfield, but just wondering where you got that from? I'm afraid it's simply not true.

Taking Le Blanc's company of the 2/95th as an example – they were virtually ALL Peninsula veterans, some of them who lived to 1847 and collected an MGS had 7 or more clasps (Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Vitoria, Pyrenees, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse).

Enlisted in:
1795 1 man
1798 1
1799 1
1800 1
1805 18
1806 2
1807 1
1808 1
1809 26
1810 5
1811 3
1812 2
1813 27
1814 11

The two men with least experience were, interestingly, both wounded and died of their wounds: Private Owen Sweeny, who had enlisted 11th August 1814 and Private Robert Hewson, who had enlisted 6th Dec 1814.

It's a similar story for the two companies of 3/95th.

Dear Lord Hill
Please read my book on the 1813-14 campaign. The combined battalion made up from the depots at Shorncliffe was sent to Holland in November 1813. The depot consisted of mainly convelescent veteran soldiers who had come back from the Peninsular and Walcheren. Plus few recruites. This made up the provisional 95th Bn of one coy of the 1/95th, one coy of the 2/95th and 1 coy of the 3/95th made up from the Depot at Shorncliffe. The rest of the 1/95th, 2/95th and 3/95th as you know were in the Peninsular.

In Sept 1814, 5 coys of the 3/95th were sent to US. (Not 1/95th as previously posted but could not correct).

The meaning of convelescent is that they were veterens of campaigns that were either too ill or injured to fights and needed time to recover.

link

In April/May 1815, they were joined by a further four companies of the 2/95th and a draft for the 3/95th. The coy of 1/95th rejoined their battalion.

Stephen

Hi Stephen
Thats interesting, thanks. But not sure how it changes the fact that the idea that "Most of the 2/95th and all the 3/95th at Waterloo were not in the Peninsular" is incorrect.
Most of the men of all three Rifle Battalions at Waterloo WERE veterans of the Peninsula. I have the enlistment dates of all Waterloo men – (www.waterloomen.com) as well as biographical detail (MGS medals, pension details, wounds, birth dates, court martial records, height, age) for the whole lot. If you ever need any of this data, let me know.

That PDF looks very interesting, thank you. I will give it a proper read this weekend.

Dear Lord Hill
I accept that my working was very poor. I was meaning that a large part of the 2/95th and 3/95th had served in Holland rather than coming direct from the Peninsular. It was an unfortunate contraction. Even those from the depots had served in the Peninsular.

Sorry for the confusion. I was at work and could not edit what I had written and it was different from what I thought I had expressed.
Stephen

Good afternoon Stephen,

Not to worry on 2/95th in America. I can certainly sympathise with distractions. I understand that the colonel of a regiment was responsible for the provision of uniforms and accoutrements, but units were periodically inspected to ensure they were properly maintained – hence Clinton's report.

Interestingly, I believe that Hamlet Wade was in the Peninsula when companies of 2/95 received their 'bang ups' in April 1813. (He seemingly left in Aug 1813, shortly after becoming brevet colonel, returning in Feb – Apr 1814).

When it comes to 3/95th in America, do you have a particular comtemporary image in mind that depicts them in a stovepipe at that time?

Given that Charles Hamilton Smith's prints predate the campaign, am I correct in thinking that George Jones is our sole source for the wearing of stovepipes by ORs at Waterloo (28th Foot aside)?

Kind regards,

Stephen

Hi Stephen, no worries, I thought I must have misunderstood. Thanks again for the PDF, it looks very interesting.

The description matches that of a stovepipe shako with the leather square peak rather than Belgic Shako with the curved peak.

In my view a good argument for the stovepipe shako.

the full book is only available directly by Shorncliffe Trust?

In the case of the 95th, as I understand the regiment had a Colonel-in-Chief, in this case Sir David Dundas, and a Colonel Commandant for each battalion. What responsibility did the Lieutenant Colonel- or which ever field officer might find himself in acting command of the troops at a given period- what responsibility did that officer have for supply of uniforms, apart from expressing need?- (not forgetting that every item of uniform had a regulation period of wear and replacement, even if 'there was a war on.')

The Colonel Commandant of each battalion had responsibility for the clothing and equipment. The Colonel in Chief did not in this case have this responsibility. This is distinct to the other Line Regiments. The Colonel Commandant would normaly have the rank of Lt-Col as he was commanding a battalion.
Stephen