Private, 1854


The uniform for the rank and file had changed even less for men than it had for the officers. They were still wearing coats with white bastion loops across their chest as they had half a century before. This man is in a battalion company, denoted by his epaulettes and white over red ball tuft. However, the coat tails no longer had the laced pocket flaps and sergeants no longer had a blue stripe in the middle of their crimson sash.

He wears the Albert shako with peak front and back, with a black leather chin strap. The cap plate is a simple design with a 4 in the middle.

In 1850 there was a change in the way the bayonet was carried. It was now to be slung from a waist-belt instead of the wide shoulder belt. But some regiments went to the Crimea with the old equipment and it seems that the 4th were one of them. The waist-belt had a small pocket on it to hold percussion caps, but if the regiment did not have waist-belts then this pocket was made as part of the coat as can be seen here, next to the second to bottom button.

The ammunition pouch was still carried on the belt slung over the left shoulder by all rifle-carrying soldiers. The pouch was 8" long and carried 60 rounds. The rifle could be the new Minie that was introduced in 1851 but one infantry division still had the previous model which had a different calibre of ammunition.

One other improvement arrived in time for the Crimean War. Up until the 1850s soldiers had worn shoes or boots that were made to fit either foot. As from this period, footwear was made to fit left and right feet.


Uniforms | Regimental Details


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by Stephen Luscombe