Mounted Officer 1825

Henry Martens’ painting is undated but is assumed to be around 1825. It is significant in that it shows the chainy pouch-belt which must have been introduced c1824. The uniform and horse furniture present a peacock display of military splendour. The amount of gold lace, braid and embroidery made it impossible for officers to join the regiment unless they were from wealthy families. The jacket and pelisse are all blue with thickly laid horizontal braid across the chest, around the cuffs and up the back seams. The pelisse fur is white and the barrel sash is crimson and gold. He wears light blue trousers, known as cossacks, with gold stripes, which indicates field day order. For more formal occasions scarlet cossacks were worn. The red shabraque has changed from the one seen in the 1822 painting; the lace edge is gold with two thin black stripes, the GR cypher is beneath the Prince of Wales feathers. A similar shabraque can be seen on the equestrian portrait of General Charles Vane Stewart who was Colonel of the regiment from 1820. The red and gold sabretache also has the feathers badge, and battle honours.

Regimental Details | Uniforms