Sergeant, Dismounted Review Order c1873


The tunic is scarlet with black velvet facings. It is not always made clear if other ranks had velvet or whether it was a distinction of the officers' uniforms, but in this photo the cuffs look velvet. Without the white leather gauntlets we can see the cuffs with their yellow cord figuring known as an Austrian knot, a decoration that replaced the button loop on the cuff c1863. There is also yellow cord around the collar and on the edges of the false pockets at the back. The sergeants' stripes on his right arm are of gold lace on black cloth. There is no badge over the stripes and none on the collar as the regiment had no badge until Ligonier's crest was adopted in 1899.

The helmet resting on the balustrade is the pre-1871 type with the white horsehair hidden beneath the black. Presumably the regiment, being proud of their nickname 'The Black Horse' would have preferred to be allocated a black plume instead of black and white. His trousers are not leathered as he is in dismounted order, but it was around this time that the breeches and knee boots replaced the trousers for riding. His sword is the 3-bar hilted type which was more of a light cavalry sword. The white leather waist-belt has a brass snake clasp which replaced the rectangular clasp at around this time.


Regiment | Uniforms


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by Stephen Luscombe