Mounted Officer 1820

William Heath’s print of a mounted officer of the Horse Artillery in 1820 shows him in dress uniform with dark blue trousers that have a gold stripe down the outside. The triple stripe effect is misleading as it should be one broad line of gold lace. For everyday wear the officers wore blue-grey cossacks with gold or red red stripes. The jacket was decorated across the chest with gold cord at this stage and had three vertical rows of gilt ball buttons. The red collar had a fairly simple line of gold braid following the edge, but the red cuffs were more ornate. (see Sir Robert MacDonald). For dress wear officers had a gold laced pouch-belt with an embroidered pouch. Following the hussar style a gold and crimson barrel sash was worn around the waist. His sabretache resembles the 1820 type with a crown and George IV cypher, although his shabraque is plain blue with a gold lace edge.
The Royal Horse Artillery were the last regular army unit to continue wearing the Tarleton helmet beyond 1812. While the light dragoons changed to a shako in that year, the RHA stayed with it until 1827. They were distinguished by having a gilt chin-scale.

Regimental Details | Uniforms