Symptoms of Humility

Marks etched this cartoon, published by S W Fores in April 1824. The meaning is not altogether clear. There is a superior officer to whom the other officers are bowing. He is probably the Colonel of the regiment, the Marquis of Londonderry. He was involved in a disciplinary matter concerning Cornet William Battier. Battier is not mentioned in the cartoon but a notice on the wall includes the words ‘Apologise’ and ‘conduct’, and headed ‘By Command’. The man on the left talks of the regiment not bullying now, so the bad conduct may have included bullying. The fact that Battier used the press to attack the regiment implies that it might have been him that was bullied.
There may be a significance in the fact that the superior officer is wearing the red cossack trousers ordered for use in dress uniform of the 10th. Undress trousers were blue-grey cossacks, not the dark blue worn by the bowing officers. His collar and cuffs are red, unlike the blue facings worn by the others. Behind the door is a mysterious figure who bears a resemblance to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Quentin, the CO. The cartoon was kindly supplied by the British Museum.

Regimental Details | 10th Hussars Cartoons 1824