"British 1815 Cavalry Bugler Questions" Topic

My Sad Poem

I've Googled 'till I'm blue.
But now I think I'm through.
I'm giving up and asking you,
What are the colors true.

I'm painting the 2nd North British Dragoons and the 12th Light Dragoons. The officers and trooper uniforms are no problem and appear in the Arms and Armour's "Uniforms of Waterloo" and in the Ospreys "Wellington's Heavy Cavalry" and "Wellington's Light Cavalry". The 12th Light Dragoons re-enactors have a great webpage with great photos of the uniforms and horses.

However, I have a problem. There seems to be precious little concerning the buglers of Napoleonic British cavalry. None appear in the color plates or black and white illustrations in any of my books. I can't find any illustration online. I can't even find anything written that speaks to buglars.

So does anyone know the following:

1. What are the differences in tunics?
2. What does the bugle cording look like?
3. Did they have different color horses?
4. or shabraques?
5. of fleeces?

I've been to several sites to see how others have painted theirs, but I can't find a photo that shows the cording. Besides, without references, a painted figure on a webpage isn't exactly what I would call a "reference".

I can't help with the colours but have you tried searching for "trumpeters" instead of buglers? This is how they are normaly refered to in the British cavalry. Bugles were used mounted but trumpets when dismounted.
Tony

Found this bit in relation to Light Dragoons

"Since a General Order dated 8 October 1811, trumpeters were to wear the same color jacket as the rest of the regiment with a distinguishing lace, instead of the reversed colors previously worn."

Don't recall ever seeing Heavy Drgoons in anything but Red.

There is an excellent book by John Mollo, "Waterloo Uniforms – British Cavalry".

On p. 68 it quotes a submission dated 25 September 1811, approved by a General Order of 7 July 1812, which proposed that the distinction between trumpeters'/buglars' uniforms and those of the privates should be "pointed out only by the lace".

On the same page, there is a reference to "Howe's painting of the Scots Greys in bivouac before Waterloo" showing "what is presumably a trumpeter, with chevrons of lace all the way up his sleeve."

No more info on trumpeters in this book. Hope this helps a bit anyway.

British Light Cavalry by John Pimlott (Almark, 1977) has a plate showing various light dragoons of the 1813-15 period. The only "Trumpeter" shown is one from the 23rd Rgt. in service dress, and he is wearing a normal trooper's uniform -- not even any lace.

Thanks all. The answer to question #1 seems to be well answered. Do any of the pictures show the bugle? What do the cords look like? Then there is the question of horse. The 2nd North British Dragoons are all on Greys. Did the light dragoons follow (or attempt to follow) the French custom of reversing the fleece colors and mounting the musicians on light colored horses?

Don,

I have that book too. The picture fits with the comment from the 1811 regulations – apart from the lace, which I'll bet never made it into the real world anyway.

Hello, Ray Rangel: Some additions/corrections/comments:
In John Plimlott's 1977 book for Almark Publishing Co of England, with illustrations by Emir Bukhari – British Light Cavalry 1800-1815 – they show (1) a trumpeter of the 17th Regiment, full dress 1800, wearing a black cylindrical felt shako with large white plume, and white cords wrapped around twice – or two cords. There is a red undervest edged white; the tunic is also red with white rolled wings, white collar and pointed cuffs, edged silver. There appear to be 7 lace tapes across the coat front, with the front open at the 5th row downward. The tapes are joined to each other with a kind of point at the ends. White turnbacks, white tight breeches, straight topped boots up to below the knee. No horse or shabraque shown. The trumpet is white metal – steel? – and the cording is white or silver or a mix. Same page shows schematic for (2)trumpet major of the 10th Regiment, 1796, (became hussars later) same coat in buff (this may be a dark yellow, as the 10th had yellow collar and cuffs when they became hussars, and before changing to scarlet) with red collar, cuffs and turnbacks. The tapes and edging seem to be gold thread. No shako shown, but could well be the Tarleton type worn until the Shako came in. The schematic for a corporal of teh 10th next to it has the same dark yellow collar and pointed cuffs, with what appears to be a yellow girdle, and two yellow (double-edged white) starps around right arm above the elbow (left arm not shown). Also yellow shoulder strap edged white with white metal button. (3) the Trumpeter of the 15th, 1796-1806, (became hussars later) service dress, shown with scarlet topped mirleton, bottom black band with white cords draped around. White or silver top band, tall plume – fluffy, red bottom 1/3 white top 2/3. scarlet shell jacket, no turnbacks, no sash at the waist. Blue collar and cuffs, edged silver or white. 8 tapes across the chest, joined as before, with lace down the single-breasted from and around the bottom of the shell. Light gray overall breeches covering the boots, with broad scarlet stripe down the side. Blach sabretache, does not show front. No trumpet shown. (4) A schematic of the 18th, 1796-1806, shows white shell jacket, no sash, red collar and cuffs, white (silver?) edging as for the 15th. Shows lace up the seams of the back from near waste to near shoulder. mid- to dark gray breeches with two wide stripes down the side. When they became hussars, the troopers had white collar and pointed cuffs, and a bag on the busby of light blue. This white-coated trumpeter is essentially reversed color, but with red collar and cuffs. (5) Trumpeter of the 18th, campaign dress, 1808, wears a French-looking black colpak, white raquettes on right side with brided white cord draped down across the front and probably around and up the back. fluffy white plume on left, lower 1/3 scarlet, upper white. Scarlet (NOT reverse color as before) shell jacket as for those just before, white or silver cords and trim, dark blue collar and pointed cuffs, edged white or silver. Overalls are light gray, buttoned up the side, no tapes. Looks like light leather lining against the horse and saddle area. Definitely mounted on a gray, darker than the breeches! Simple dark blue blanket rolled over the pistol hoslters, dark blue simple blanket under the saddle, round cantlepack in dark blue, may be edged white. Black leather halter and other straps on the horse. Steel bugle, steel sabre knuckle guard and scabbard. (6) Trumpet Major 13th, 1807-12, schematic. Dark blue collar, cuffs, and panel behind 4 down-pointed gold shevrons on right arm, buff shell jacket as earlier, edged gold. The entire front is tight gold laces with white buttons! Blue gray overalls with two gold stripes. (7)1813-1815 shows trumpeter of 23th, service dress, looking like trooper with dare blue double-breasted jacket with red collar, cuffs, red/blue girdle. Gold (brass) bugle (no cords). (8) Also, schematic of trumpet major of 13th, 1815, light buff collar, cuffs, polish turnbacks, lapels edged gold. lt buff/dk blue girdle. Gold epaulettes, 4 gold downward pointed chevrons on right sleeve.

La Garde de Paris

Garde de Paris…Wow! Thanks! Many mysteries solved with this one. Thanks for all the hard work researching and typing!

Glad to be of help. No one to game with near me, so the research is fun.

GdP