British Dragoon Royal North British (The Scots Greys) 1815 Campaign Dress as they would have appeared at Waterloo. Note the regulation grey cavalry overalls and shako cover.
The other Dragoon, Dragoon Guards, and Household Regiments would have been similarly attired but with different headresses and in the case of the Royal Horse Guards wearing a royal blue jacket rather than red. Most of these regiments never saw active service until Waterloo.
The British Light Cavalry Uniform
The British light cavalry uniform went through a period of major transition over the period from 1796-1815. There were three major changes, but historical evidence shows that these regiments were notorious for adopting their own affectations on the regulations, and of ignoring them completely when the mood took them.
However, these images give a rough idea of what they ought to look like in the game.
Light Cavalry Uniform 1796-1806 (essentially how they ought to appear in for most of the period covered by the game.)
Note: The Sergeant of the 13th LD is wearing more or less the regulation service dress for the Light Dragoons as stated in the clothing book. Except of course he shouldn't be, as his regiment had buff facings and so he ought to be wearing buff breeches.
The trumpeter of the 15th LD is wearing the reverse coloured jacket worn by most musicians, but has opted for a mirliton hat instead of a tarleton helmet.
The trooper of the 14th LD is wearing standard campaign service dress including the regulation overalls as shown on the Dragoon in the upper image. The colour of these overals did vary, from quite a pale grey, through dark grey, to an almost blue/blue grey. The image shows the latter shade. The only real difference between the overalls worn by the cavalry and the infantry was the leather protection on the insides of the leg, and the tendency for the cavalry to prefer the style that buttoned down the otherside seam.
Other known affectations included:
Officers of the 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 18th wore non-regulation blue breeches rather than white, and officers of the 9th preferred mirliton hats rather than helmets. The officers of the 10th and 13th are shown wearing stovepipe shako's. The officers of the 18th standard regulation Tarleton helmets.
Light Cavalry Uniform Changes 1807-1812
The 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th were renamed 'Hussars' and took on various affectations to go with their new elitist status
The 7th adopted the mirliton hat.
The 10th, 15th and 18th began wearing fur busby's, similar to French hussars. An officer of the 7th is also shown wearing a busby in 1808, but its made of brown fur rather than black. Troopers of the 15th are shown wearing stovepipe shakos in 1808 rather than busby's.
The other regiments appear to have stuck with their 1796 uniforms at least until 1812. Though the 14th are shown wearing mirliton hats in 1808, as are the officers of the 16th. This would have been after the 1808 uniform changes below, showing that they were not immediatley adopted.
In 1808, the facing colours of regiments 20-25 were changed but some of these regiments ignored the orders.
A new French style shako was introduced, but not adopted until after the Peninsula Campaign and so only appeared on the battlefield of Waterloo. As did the simplified jacket with the coloured lapels and lack of frogging. So for all of the period covered by the game the uniform would have been in the style shown in the images above.
Light Cavalry Unfirom changes 1813
The French style light cavalry shako was more generally introduced in 1813, some five years after the order to start wearing it.
The 10th Hussars began wearing it but in red rather than black, the 15th wore it in black, the 7th, 15th and 18th stuck with the busby. The 10th switched to the busby in 1814. The 15th changed to the shako in 1815. I get the impression this was just an attempt to be different. The pink facings only ever seem to have been worn by the 22nd, the 21st flatly refusing to adopt the new colour.
By 1815 most regiments seem to have accepted the 1808 regulations and started wearing the new uniforms, so they made their first general appearance on campaign in 1815 and caused complete chaos. Mainly because the British light cavalry now looked like the French, as did the Dutch light cavalry and so many panic's and friendly fire incidents occurred. The main problem being the shako which looked exactly like the French cavalry shako when seen through smoke, mist or darkness.
Regiment of Horse - Port of Origin
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Originally Posted by Mike in Montreal
(go figure)
