"91st Foot - did they have Belgic shakos in the Peninsular?" Topic
12 Posts
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Trockledockle | 04 Sep 2021 5:56 a.m. PST |
An obscure question but there is a lot of knowledge on this forum. The timeline is as follows: 1809 Lost Highland dress 1810 Grey trousers and caps (shakos) issued (reference in regimental history) 1811 (24th December) New regulations issued for officer's dress 1812 September. Transferred to Peninsular 1814 March. Comment made by Sergeant Anton of 42nd that the 91st are in rags as their clothing is two years old. I understand that clothing issues were made on 25th December and shakos were supposed to last for 2 years. My thinking is that in mid 1812, the 1810 issue could have been at least 18 months old and a good commanding officer would have made sure that they were reequipped with the latest before going on campaign. It is of course possible that they just carried on with the stovepipe but that would have been at least 3 and 1/4 years old by March 1814. Against this are the considerations that the Belgic shakos may not have been in production and there is always a desire to use up old stocks. Does anyone have any further information to support or refute? |
42flanker | 04 Sep 2021 11:24 a.m. PST |
Without knowing the answer to your question, if we are balancing probabilities, it looks like the five months spent in winter quarters at San Remo would be a likely time for the 91st to have received new clothing (if they hadn't received the 1812 issue early before leaving for the Peninsula, as you surmise) – of what pattern is another question. Others here, I am sure, will have a note of the earliest period during which battalions were recorded wearing the new cap. The earlier that was, the greater the probability of the 91st receiving theirs. That might be the closest you can get. |
Artilleryman | 04 Sep 2021 3:02 p.m. PST |
In the Peninsula Wellington had laid in such a stock of uniforms and clothing that he requested permission to delay issue of the new 1812 pattern items until the end of 1813 if not the beginning of 1814. From Sgt Anton's remarks, I would surmise that they did not get the new issue before they left the UK. The next issue would probably have given them the Belgic shako. In short I would think that they did not have the shako until they were in France. |
42flanker | 05 Sep 2021 2:37 a.m. PST |
Interesting that such a stock of clothing should have been laid up and yet some troops were in rags. |
ColCampbell | 05 Sep 2021 12:22 p.m. PST |
Probably because of the lengthy supply line between supply bases Portugal and the army's location in southwest France. One would surmise that ammunition, weapons, and food would be higher in priority than new uniforms. Jim |
Prince of Essling | 05 Sep 2021 12:29 p.m. PST |
I would also tend to agree no – from "History of the 91st Princess Louise's Argyllshire Highlanders, Now the 1st Battalion Princess … by John Percy Groves Publication date 1894 Publisher W. & A. K. Johnson link Footnote 2 on page 10 (relates to period of Walcheren expedition): "About this period the condition of the Scottish regiments attracted the serious attention of the authorities at the Horse Guards. The protracted war with France had nearly depleted the Highlands of men fit for military service, and great difficulty was experienced in obtaining recruits for the national corps. It therefore became evident that, in order to maintain their proper establishments, the Highland regiments must look for recruits in England ; but unfortunately the "garb of old Gaul" was objectionable to southerners, and consequently the following memorandum, dated 7th April 1809, was issued from headquarters :— As the population of the Highlands of Scotland is found to be insufficient to supply recruits for the whole of the Highland corps in the establishment of His Majesty's army, and as some of these corps laying aside their distinguishing dress, which is objectionable to the natives of South Britain, would, in a great measure, tend to facilitate the completing of this establishment, as' it would be an inducement to the men of the English Militia to extend their services in greater numbers to these regiments ; it is, in consequence, most humbly submit for the approbation of His Majesty, that His Majesty's 72nd, 73rd, 74th, 75th, 9lst and 94th Regiments should discontinue in future to wear the dress by which His Majesty's Regiments of Highlanders are distinguished ; and that the above corps should no longer be considered as on that establishment. (Signed) Harry Calvert, Adjutant-General. The proposed alteration was approved of, but the 91st do not appear to have regularly adopted the ordinary uniform of the British line until the latter part of 1810: for in his History of the Regiment, Captain Goff says: -"John Campbell, a soldier who served in the 9lst throughout the Peninsular War, and who was living at Aberdeen in 1871, stated that in 1809. just before the regiment embarked for Walcheren, the tartan for the kilts and plaids reached the regiment; but an order came shortly afterwards to make the stuff up into trews. Along with the trews, a low flat bonnet was worn with a feather in it. In 1810, even the tartan trews were taken away from the 91st, and a kind of grey trouser was ordered to be worn instead; the feathered bonnet was taken away at the same time, and the ordinary black cap of the line regiments was substitute! The pipers seem to have been dressed in the national garb at the battle of Toulouse; but they wore grey trousers in the winter months " (Goff's History of the 91st, p. 303)" |
42flanker | 05 Sep 2021 12:51 p.m. PST |
Although, the issue of the "ordinary black cap" to the 91st in 1810 (only a year after the order ending their Highland status) won't cast much light on the situation in the winter of 1813-14. |
Prince of Essling | 05 Sep 2021 1:22 p.m. PST |
Cecil C. P. Lawson's "A History of the Uniforms of the British Army" Volume 5, page 39 demonstrates how bad the state of the clothing was of the 91st "Notes from Anton's Military Life describe the clothing of the Army and in particular the Highland Brigade as being in a very tattered state. That of the 91st had been two years in wear and the men under the necessity of repairing their old garments as best they could. Some had the elbows of the coat mended with grey cloth, ‘others with one half of the sleeves a different colour from the body.'." Lawson also comments on the Belgic shako (pages 18 to 20)- in summary "It is doubtful that this shako was worn in the peninsular, except by those drafts coming from England in the last year or so of the campaign, in view of the fact of time taken to manufacture and transport overseas.". |
Trockledockle | 06 Sep 2021 4:41 a.m. PST |
Thanks to everyone for their contributions. Logistics Completely agree that it is very unlikely that the 91st received Belgic shakos while on campaign- why would there be a comment about them being in rags if they had? There are some comments in Robertson "A Commanding Presence" that clothing was received but went to the wrong ports and even essentials such as greatcoats took 6 months to be received at the front. This was a period when the supply lines were rerouted from Britain to Portugal to Britain to the north coast of Spain so some confusion was likely. Wellington also complained about the lack of naval support (ships diverted to the east coast of North America?). The shipping distance from Lisbon to San Sebastián is nearly the same as Portsmouth to San Sebastián so it would have been an inefficient use of ships to use stocks in Lisbon. Regimental History Thanks Prince of Essling- those were the sources that I used before posting. I have tried to see if there are any references to the issue of Belgic shakos in the histories of other regiments who came to the Peninsula in 1813 but haven't been successful. There is one for the 76th but I can't access it online. What can we conclude? 1: The 91st were issued caps (stovepipe shakos) in 1810. I don't know when in the year. They returned from Walcheren in December 1809. 2: They left for Spain in Sept 1812. 3: They were in rags in March 1814 having had their last clothing issue 2 years before – March 1812? I think that it is possible that they were re-equipped in mid 1812 before leaving for Spain and may have received Belgic shakos at that time. I say possible not probable as manufacturing and distribution takes time. This could only be proved by digging through the national/regimental archives and they may not exist any more. In the field of course, they may not have had any shakos left as they are relatively fragile and wouldn't have stood up to much wear and tear |
Prince of Essling | 06 Sep 2021 5:59 a.m. PST |
Historical record of the 76th "Hindoostan" Regiment : from its formation in 1787 to 30th June, 1881 / compiled and edited by F.A. Hayden Published: Lichfield : A.C. Lomax's successors, The "Johnson's Head", [1908?] link From a quick glance, didn't notice any reference to the Belgic shako. |
42flanker | 06 Sep 2021 6:02 a.m. PST |
Ironically, if the regulation caps of the 91st had fallen to pieces, one of the common forms of forage cap worn at the time was a round cloth cap in the form of a Scotch bonnet topped with a tourie- lacking only the band of chequered dicing of the 91st Highlanders' original hummle bonnet. |
Trockledockle | 06 Sep 2021 6:32 a.m. PST |
Thanks for looking Prince of Essling. It was a long shot but you never know. Good point 42ndflanker. |
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