The artist Richard Simkin painted these reconstructions in the 1880s so their accuracy is doubtful. However, they show the development of the uniform at the end of the 18th century, from the partially closed jacket with laced lapels as worn by the private on the left, and the closed jacket worn by the officer on the right. The lace worn by the rank and file was white with one yellow and two red stripes. The officers had gold lace and epaulettes. The feather bonnets developed into more voluminous headgear during the 1790s. The feather hackle on the left side was white over red for battalion companies and had a black Hanoverian cockade at the base.
Simkin has not attempted to paint the Cameron of Erracht tartan sett for some reason, and has given both men a very plain sporran. Paintings and prints of other Highland regiments in the 1790s show a more ornate sporran. A Private and Officer of the 42nd Highlanders 1792 indicates that Highlanders prized these items. The shoulder belts are white but may have been black from 1793 to c1798.
The Cameron Highlanders paraded for the first time at Fort William in December 1793 and a few days later marched to Stirling. There it was inspected by General Leslie on 3 Jan 1794, although at that time they were not equipped and uniformed. In February they were shipped to Belfast where they stayed until June. During that time they were issued with uniforms. The uniforms conformed to the other Highland regiments but had green facings. Lt-Col Alan Cameron decided that the Cameron of Lochiel Tartan was too red and would not look right with the red jackets, he therefore introduced a sett designed by his mother, Cameron Erracht.
The Letter of Service dated 17 Aug 1793 demanded that the regiment be made up of 10 companies, one grenadier, one light and eight battalion companies. Each one to consist of one captain, two subalterns, 3 sergeants, 3 corporals, two drummers, and 57 privates. No mention was made of pipers.
