These coloured drawings by Lawson reveal the unusual display of the Colour badge on both sleeves. Usually Colour sergeants of infantry had the badge on the right arm only, with the left arm having only three sergeants’ stripes. The badge is embroidered, consisting of a Union flag with crossed swords on the staff, a crown above and surrounded by a wreath of thistles. This was worn with a single stripe only. The caption says that this is a Colour Sergeant of the Grenadier Company, a fact that can be ascertained by the grenade badges on his coat-tails, only just visible. This pattern of Colour sergeant badge was changed in 1868, to two flags crossed above three stripes and a crown above.
The large shoulder wings would normally indicate that he is in a flank company but all the Highland Companies wore them. The back view shows how the white leather shoulder belts support the black leather ammunition pouch and the socket bayonet. A crimson sergeant’s sash is worn on the left shoulder, in the style of an officer, and his plaid is attached to the left shoulder with a green ribbon or cord.
