Private, 1690


When the Earl of Devonshire's Horse was raised at the beginning of 1689 the coats worn by the men were dark blue, but this lasted less than two years. After the battle of the Boyne the coats were changed to red with white cuffs as seen here. This brought them in line with other cavalry regiments. The armorial colours of both the Earl of Devonshire and the Duke of Schomberg were black and white. This may have influenced the choice of white for the facings, and the subsequent change to black. The illustrator has managed to hide the buttons on the man's chest as this was an unknown area. Contemporary descriptions mention cuirasses worn by the cavalry, but these may have been worn for battle only. At the beginning of the 18th century the cuirass was discontinued but Queen Anne ordered its re-introduction in 1714. The two cross belts were for sword and ammunition pouch. A crimson sash was worn around the waist at this time. The hats were reinforced with a steel cap and the legs protected with thick jack boots.


Regiment | Uniforms


Armed Forces | Art and Culture | Articles | Biographies | Colonies | Discussion | Glossary | Home | Library | Links | Map Room | Sources and Media | Science and Technology | Search | Student Zone | Timelines | TV & Film | Wargames


by Stephen Luscombe