Officer and Private 1815

The Buffs are depicted in this Simkin illustration wearing uniform generally associated with Waterloo. But although they were part of the army of occupation in Paris in the late summer of 1815 they arrived from North America too late for the battle which was on 18th June. The headgear is the Waterloo shako which was short lived (1812-1816) so they may have been issued with it in 1814 after the Peninsula War, before they were shipped from Bordeaux to America. They both wear white over red plumes to denote battalion company. The officer on the right has a gold and crimson shako cord while the private has a white one. The officer's coat is very pain, having no lace on the collar and cuffs, This agrees with a miniature painting of c1805 which is of an unnamed officer wearing the coat buttoned over to hide the lapels, and a white sword belt with an oval silver belt-plate. The sword-belt in this illustration is buff as are the belts worn by the private. The officer's belt-plate is a silver rectangular type like the one worn in 1799. The buttons are in pairs and he has a single silver epaulette on his right shoulder. The private's lace is unchanged since 1768; red black and yellow stripes. His buttons are white metal but his belt-pate is brass.

Uniforms | Regimental Details