13th Light Dragoons


Senior Officer 1829


This watercolour by Richard Dighton is unusual for showing an officer of the 13th in levee dress, the gala and evening wear. The most striking feature is the pair of bright red trousers with gold stripes. Above the waist is normal full dress, the short blue coatee with white collar and cuffs ornamented with gold lace and braid. There is no white plastron on the front of the coatee, as this was replaced in 1828 by two rows of gilt buttons. The cap lines are grouped together to form a wide band across his chest, with acorn ends hanging from the left shoulder. In his right hand is the tall shako adopted by light dragoons in the 1820s, the chinscales tied above the cockade. Round his waist is the gold and red girdle and below that is a buff belt with two gold stripes from which hang his mameluke sword, worn in levee dress, and the sabretache which features in the photo group of regimental sabretaches in this section.


13th Light Dragoons: Uniforms | Regimental details


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by Stephen Luscombe