Officer. Light Company 1779

Light companies were essential when the 4th served in America. They were more flexible than battalion companies and better able to cope with unconventional warfare. This officer, painted by Gainsborough, carries a Short Land muzzle-loading musket with the 17'' socket bayonet attached. His coat is red with blue facings and no lace. Officers of battalion and grenadier companies had silver lace on the button holes. The lapels are not clearly defined in this painting. The coat looks buttoned up near the top as there is no sign of the blue lapel above the crossed belts, only the silver buttons, and there are buttons showing lower down but sewn on the red part not the blue lapel. The blue cuff has buttons but the turned down collar is plain.
The belts have a belt-plate which is silver and engraved with IVth. The buttons are similarly marked. The silver epaulette on his right shoulder has lace of a distinctive regimental pattern. His gorget is also silver. The hat is a different shape to those worn by battalion companies. The rear turn-up is much higher than the front two turn-ups. His hair is not powdered so he is probably in marching order, not parade order.

Uniforms | Regimental Details