"British Fusiliers at Albuera?" Topic

Did the Fusilier Brigade of 4th Division wear bear skins at Albuera?

Thanks, Mark

No.

But they sure look cool on your figs…use them anyway.

I would, but I don't think anyone makes them in 15/18mm.

Mark

For my club's 15mm Albuera I acquired some Fusiliers with bearskin hats and as the British army is so monotonous, decided to use them even if they didn't wear them in campaign.

Lancashire miniatures is the one I bought mine from:
link

link

Battlepacks are the cheapest way to buy their minis:
link

Albuera material from my club's site:
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Well I wouldn't mind betting their grenadiers kept theirs. That's how I depict mine anyway.

Wow Lonkka, that is a fantastic game board.

Mark

Visited Albuera some years ago. One of the few Spanish battlefields where there is any commemoration where we found a wreath laid by the Middlesex Regimental Association (the "Diehards"). Quite moving in the hot, dusty sunshine with not another soul about.

My 15s are old minifigs.

Is it true that the Fusileers, back in the UK on home service, would have paraded with all companies wearing the bearskin, except the light company. The light company wore the stovepipe shako at all times (until the Waterloo era shako)?

GdeP

I must admit this is news to me. I thought all fusiliers wore the bearskin at all times, admittedly based on zero research. I have around 40 fusilier figures in the large pile to be painted, all in bearskins.

So, I was looking through my copy of C.E. Franklin's "British Napoleonic Uniforms" and he states that the bearskins were usually replaced with the shako while on campaign.

Mark

I don't doubt it, just that I hadn't realised before now. I've had a quick look through the Ospreys, which don't seem to mention fusilier headgear at all. GdeP, what's the source for fusilier light companies never wearing the bearskin? I may have invented the fusilier bearskin with green plume.

It is so easy to confuse campaign with parade outfit, especially as contemporary images favour the latter.

Fusiliers are a law unto themselves …headgear, shoulder wings, NCO stripes, occifers rank badges…God help anyone trying to understand British Army Uniform Res at any period

Hard evidence is hard to find but one detail to add to the mix is that each of the fusilier regiments adopted different customs relating to headgear.

Mark Urban reported on the Napoleon Series forum, during a similar discussion back in 2006 :
"The fusilier regiments certainly had flank companies and they were designated as 'grenadier' and 'light' just like other regiments."
link

This was certainly so in the late 18th. Mark points out that Fusilier battalions in the Peninsula still had flank coys available for the flank detachments with more limited scope allowed by Wellington.

Just around the time the cocked hat was replacd by the regulation infantry cap, the Light company of the 7th Royal Fusiliers were depicted wearing soft leather caps with a transverse pleat across the crown (in theory to allow folding) along which lay- wait for it- a white feather.

It is believed in some quarters that fusiliers wore white 'grenadier' feathers in all companies. The RWF website claims this was authorised for fusiliers in 1789.

It is claimed later in the same Napoleon Series discussion that the fusilier regiments used the term 'right flank' and 'left flank' rather than 'grenadier and 'light infantry.' The premise was that since they were in effect all 'grenadiers,' the customary company designations did not apply – as indicated by their wearing shoulder 'wings' in all companies.

There were no Ensigns in the 7th Fusiliers. The subalterns were all Lieutenants, reflecting the organisation of grenadier companies.

However, it was stated on TMP a few years ago, in 2013- TMP link that the 7th and 23rd, at any rate, had Light companies and that these wore a green 'tuft' on their caps. In addition, the 23rd centre companies wore regulation white-over-red 'tufts.' What the source of that information was, I don't know.

Lambert- With regard to distinctions worn on beaskin caps
I can report that in 1802 it was ordered:

"Grenadier Officers and Officers of Fuzilieer Regments to wear Black Bear Skin caps with Ornaments Gilt… The Officers of Grenadiers and Fusileer Corps are to wear these sort of Caps with a White Feather [and Grenade] at Occasional Parades.. The Battalion Officers of Fuzileer regiments are also to have these sort of caps for Occasional Parades but with a red and white feather[*]

Yep. Clear as mud, eh?

[*'Standing Regulations for the Colours, Clothing, etc., of the Infantry'
q. in Carman, W. Y. (1940), ‘Infantry Clothing Regulations, 1802', Journal of the Society of Army Historical Research,
vol. XIX, pp. 200– 235.]

All ranks of the 7th and 23rd wore white feathers, though there were light infantry and Grenadier companies for the 23rd. Drummer Richard Bentinck was in the Grenadier Company and served at Albuera

The 23RD at Waterloo, Captain Major Hawtyn Commanded the Grenadier Company, and captain Wynn the light infantry Company.

The only distinguishing parts of the uniform would be the Bugle badge/grenade badge on the officer light company/Grenadier style epaulettes, on the shoulder belt plate of all ranks and on the turnbacks and a curved light infantry officers sword for the lights and a straight blade for the Grenadiers.

The 7th Royal Fusiliers according to records, say this:

From 1789 to 1801. H.R.H the Duke of Kent was the Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment produced Standing Orders which recorded, inter alia 'All officers are to understand that the terms "right and left flank companies " are fixed upon the application of what, in other regiments, are styled Grenadier and Light Infantry companies, it being the colonel's pleasure that, in the Royal Fusiliers, the terms "Grenadier" and "Light Infantry" should never be used."

I posted information some time ago pertaining this. I also posted a link to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum pertaining the white 'hackle' plume.

TMP link

There are no contemporary pictures showing anything other than the white hackle for either the 7th Royal Fusiliers or the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers. Oh And don't forget the black Flash (pleated ribbon) hanging from the rear of the collar, which hung down to about between the shoulder-blades.

Paul :)

42flanker and dibble – many thanks, this is really useful stuff, even if confusing.

Re. the 'Flash,' although it is associated with the order to cut the hair short and do away with the queue, issued in 1808 and with which the 23d in Nova Scotia finally complied in spring 1809, there seems to be no clear evidence as to when this 'superfluous decoration' was adopted by the 23d.

Whenever that was, the Flash was only worn by officers and sergeants, since these ranks alone had worn the 'grenadier' plait, a distinction they lost when the hair was cut short.

There is an ambiguous watercolour by Atkinson held by RWF (IIRC) that seems to represent a senior NCO of the 23rd, seen from behind, who has both the Flash attached to his collar _and_ the 'grenadier' plait (turned up and tucked under his fusilier cap) which it was supposed to commemorate.

The painting is dated circa 1814, I believe – which would correspond to the arrival of the 23rd in Portsmouth after six years overseas in the Americas and the Peninsula. The NCO is dressed as for review at home, wearing regulation bearskin (with white feather), white breeches and knee-length black gaiters, and a very fancy sword.

The RWF Museum website has a small image of the painting- (it used to be bigger!).

link

My apologies. I have been guilty of misleading the assembled company: The quotation from 1802 omitted a crucial section, thus changing the meaning. I will copy the section in full so that all can scrutinise it for themselves. The key thing to note is that the bulk of the text refers to the regulation infantry cap ('shako') and not to the bearskin. I have highlighted the text relation to coloured cap distinctions for Fuzileer officers:

'Grenadier Officers and Officers of Fuzileer Regiments to wear Black Bear Skin Caps, the Ornaments Gilt, but in dimensions and every other respect similar to those hereafter specified for the Men.

Officers of Light Infantry to wear Caps of the same Materials as Those ordered for the Whole Infantry of the Army with a Dark Green Feather and a Bugle Horn in the Front. The Officers of Grenadiers and Fusilier Corps are to wear these sort of Caps with a White Feather and a Grenade at Occasional Parades, But when not required They are to wear Hats as already specified (excepting with a Gilt or Silver Grenade instead of Button and) with a White Feather.

The Battalion Officers of Fuzileer Regiments are also to have these sort of Caps for Occasional Parades with a Red and White Feather, but when not particularly ordered they are to wear Hats in a similar manner as other Regiments