Sergeant, Grenadier Company 1815

This illustration by Bryan Fosten is of the uniform worn by the 4th at Waterloo. Although the officers had adopted gold lace and buttons, the other ranks continued to have white lace and pewter buttons. The red wings striped with white lace indicated a flank company, the tufted edge was not worn by all regiments. The detail of an untufted wing placed below the jacket shows the blue shoulder strap. Light companies had an extra line of lace along the straight edge of the red wing.
The white lace rank chevrons were worn on both sleeves for flank companies and on the right sleeve only for battalion companies. The wide white belt is for his sword. Ranks below sergeant would have a matching belt on the left shoulder as well, to support the ammunition pouch. But sergeants of grenadier companies did not carry a musket or fusil. They carried a pike with a crossbar below the spike. The sword belt is kept in place by a waist sash that has a blue middle stripe.

Uniforms | Regimental Details