Archive for March, 2010
Uniform of Capt & LtCol Percy, VC, Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Guards Brigade, 1st Division, English Army of the East. These were Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s elite personal guards. In the Crimea, the Guards Brigade consisted of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Fusilier Guards. The Guards’ battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
Henry Percy was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards at age nineteen. After almost twenty years of service, he embarked for the Crimea at age thirty-seven, as a Captain and Lieutenant Colonel (The dual rank system exclusive to Her Majesty’s Guards regiments).
At Alma he was wounded in the arm, but continued to lead his men in battle. At Inkerman he led a charge into the Sandbag Battery, then held it against repeated Russian assaults by superior numbers. Having run out of ammunition, he ordered his men to throw stones at the attacking enemy. The Russians began doing the same, knocking Percy off the parapet once. Upon his climbing back up, he was knocked senseless with another even larger stone. He awoke bleeding badly and half blinded, but was able to join his men in a charge driving the enemy down the hill below the battery. Out of ammunition and cut off, the wounded Percy led his men through dense brush to safety. He received the Victoria Cross from Queen Victoria, personally, in Hyde Park on 26 June 1857.
This photograph shows his coatee, sash, and epaulettes under an officer’s greatcoat draped over the coatee in the manner commonly worn by officers in the Crimea. Note that Percy had cut the standing collar from his coatee, no doubt to make it less restrictive on campaign. The right sleeve of the coatee (not visible under the greatcoat) shows signs of rough field repair and dried blood. The epaulettes show the grenade of the Grenadier Guards, and the braiding and crown of a Captain and Lieutenant Colonel.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of the Guards Museum, London, UK.
Officer's Shoulder-Belt Plate, Battalion Company, 19th Regiment of Foot
The 19th Regiment of Foot, later nicknamed the Green Howards, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Light Division of the English Army of the East. Their battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
Most of the British officers who went to the Crimea carried a sword, and in some cases, a pistol, to defend themselves. Various types of pistols were carried stuck in waist belts or saddlebags, but the sword was carried within easy reach on a sword belt across the officer’s right shoulder and hanging at his left hip. This belt bore a breast plate more ornate and detailed than the enlisted soldiers (known as the ‘other ranks’) wore.
The artifact in this photograph is such an officer’s sword-belt plate of the 19th Regiment. It is in excellent condition, with the exception of the chipped green malachite within the rope circle. The officer’s regimental number is in Roman numerals (XIX). Such a badge worn by enlisted soldiers would merely contain the Arabic number “19.” The rope pattern, number, crown, and rectangular plate are gilt for officers. The eight-pointed star is silver.
Although there is wear on the plate, there is no specific evidence of this artifact having been in the Crimea.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Green Howards Museum, Richmond, UK.
Bearskin Cap worn by Sir Charles Russell, VC, Grenadier Guards, in the Crimea
The Grenadier Guards landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Guards Brigade, 1st Division, English Army of the East. These were Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s elite personal guards. In the Crimea the Guards Brigade consisted of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, and Scots Fusilier Guards. The Guards’ battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
Sir Charles Russell was awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest decoration for bravery, for his actions at the Battle of Inkerman, 5 November 1854, at age twenty-eight. The then Brevet Major Russell offered to dislodge a significant group of Russians from the Sandbag Battery, asking if anyone would follow him. A sergeant and two privates volunteered. His assault party met much resistance, and seemed on several occasions to be close to annihilation. Their skill, particularly with the bayonet, prevailed, and the enemy was sent on their way. Russell fought with great distinction, at one point wrenching the rifle from the hands of a large, powerful Russian. Sir Charles achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring from the Guards.
The 1846 Uniform Regulations describe the cap in the photograph as a “bear-skin, twelve inches deep, fastened under the chin by a plain gilt taper chain.” Just prior to embarking for the Crimea, the Guards modified their bearskin caps by cutting them down a few inches. Perhaps in keeping with this modification, the actual measurement for the cap in this photograph was ten inches deep. It is also interesting that this bearskin is a soft leather collapsible cap, rather than the stiff Guards caps routinely seen, which have a bamboo-like cage beneath the skin itself. The white goat’s hair plume on the left side indicates the bearskin is Grenadier Guards, who were on the right flank of the Guards Brigade. A Coldstream Guards’ scarlet cut-feather plume was on the right side, as they were on the left flank. The Scots Fusilier Guards had no plume and were in the center of the line.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of the Guards Museum, London, UK.
Highland Officer's Doublet - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot
As a result of publishing an image of the Scottish Feathered Bonnet, I received an email from someone with an interest in the Black Watch in the Crimean War. Thus I thought I would publish this excellent example of the traditional highland military dress.
The 42nd Regiment of Foot, more commonly known today as The Black Watch, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Highland Brigade, 1st Division, English Army of the East. Their battle honours include Alma, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
The coat in this photograph is the scarlet doublet, introduced in 1855, and worn by Black Watch officers during the later part of the Crimean War, at least through 1856. Although the facings on collar and slash cuffs appear black, this is a regiment designated as ‘Royal’, therefore, the facings are a very dark blue.
The doublet has two rows of nine each regimental pattern diamond-shaped highland buttons down the front. Each button bears a crown over the number ‘42’. There are two ‘Inverness’ style skirts on the lower front with three buttons each, and loops of gold braid. There were short skirts on the rear as well.
The single row of braid and the crescent badge on both sides of the collar indicate that an Ensign wore this particular doublet. Ensigns were not only Second Lieutenants in the Crimean period, but often carried the colour or colours – the Ensign of the regiment and the Queen’s colour.
Although the doublet shows campaign wear, and a roughly hand-stitched mend under the left arm, there is no specific evidence it saw action in the Crimea.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Black Watch Museum, Perth, Scotland.
Nearly Complete Marching Order - Other Ranks - 19th Regt of Foot
Please excuse my not having blogged in a bit. Life, as it often does, got in the way. Since my response to publishing photographic images and descriptions from “Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War, has met with positive responses, I shall continue to do so for a time.
The 19th Regiment of Foot, better known today as the Green Howards, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Light Division of the English Army of the East. Their battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
The artifacts in this photograph represent the only known museum presentation of a nearly Complete Marching Order uniform, with shako (1844-1855), enlisted soldier’s coatee, and nearly full accoutrements and equipment, as worn in the Crimea in 1854. Based upon the shoulder epaulettes, the white over red shako plume, and the plain number 19 in the shako badge (without a grenade for grenadier company or a hunting horn for light company) we know that this is the uniform of a member of a ”battalion company” of a line regiment.
The red serge coatee has two tails in the back, which have white turn-backs. The coatee has grass-coloured regimental facings on collar and cuffs. There are ten rows of doubled white tape with square end loops across the front. The coatee is fastened by a single row of pewter buttons bearing the regimental number 19.
You can see on the back a black Trotter style knapsack with white leather shoulder straps across the front. The black waterproof cloth-covered mess tin set is just visible strapped to the knapsack top. The leather cartridge box can just be seen peeking out from where it is suspended on the cross belt on the right side, under the right arm.
The manikin is wearing one plain white cross belt, and the then newly issued waist belt with locket buckle. The outer ring of the buckle bears the name of the county the regiment is from: York North Riding Regiment, today the North Yorkshire Regiment. Inside the ring is, again, the number 19. No bayonet is on this manikin, but would have been worn with the scabbard affixed to a leather frog on the left side of the waist belt. Note the small white pouch slid onto the shoulder belt to contain percussion caps for igniting the powder in the barrel when firing the soldier’s rifle musket.
Originally the bayonet in its scabbard was worn on a second cross belt across the opposite shoulder, which also contained a brass belt plate with the regiment’s number on it. Just before departing for the Crimea, the second cross belt was eliminated in some line regiments, and replaced by the waist belt. The locket buckle at the waist, bearing the regimental number, replaced the brass shoulder belt plate.
The soldier represented by the manikin is wearing the British standard issue round canteen on a leather strap, painted a bluish colour. The soldier does not have a linen haversack over his shoulder, normally used to carry rations.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Green Howards Museum, Richmond, UK.
OK. Call it outrageous self-promotion, but I don’t care this time. What a great day. First I found out that my latest release in the Ian Carlyle Series, The Gettysburg Conspiracy, was accepted for sale in National Park bookstores. This opens a whole new world of promotional opportunities.
Then late this afternoon I discovered that The Gettysburg Conspiracy was selected as a finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards for best historical fiction. I was surprised and pleased. It’s always good to know someone recognizes your work. In fact, it’s good to know someone is actually reading it 
Goodlake's Pepperbox Pistol and Bullet Pouch
Lieutenant and Captain (The dual rank system exclusive to Her Majesty’s Guards regiments) Gerald Goodlake, Coldstream Guards, took part in the Battle of Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol. The Coldstream Guards landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Guards Brigade, 1st Division, English Army of the East. These were Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s elite personal guards. In the Crimea the Guards Brigade consisted of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, and Scots Fusilier Guards. The Guards’ battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
During a Russian probing action up Windmill Ravine on 28 October 1854, a week prior to the Battle of Inkerman, he led approximately 40 Guards sharpshooters against ten times their number in delaying a Russian flanking movement. This allowed British reinforcements to arrive and drive the enemy back into Sevastopol. For his gallantry in this action he was presented the Victoria Cross at Hyde Park by Queen Victoria, personally, on 26 June 1857. He retired in 1881 as a Major General, and was awarded the Honorary Rank of Lieutenant General.
The photograph is of Goodlake’s six-shot ‘Pepperbox’ revolving pistol and his leather bullet pouch. He used these items throughout the Crimean War. This type pistol, sometimes referred to as a “Pepperpot or Pepperbox”, was manufactured in .36 through .40 calibre, beginning in around 1830. It was primarily for self-defense. The six barrels were about 3.5 inches long. The pistol, itself, was about 9 inches long, and weighed about 2 pounds.
The barrels revolved around a spindle, firing in turn as they came under the hammer. As the trigger was pulled, the hammer cocked, the barrel rotated, and the hammer dropped on a percussion cap (thus igniting the powder and firing the bullet). The bullets were round lead balls, loaded from the front of each barrel. Fairmans of London manufactured this particular pistol.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of the Guards Museum, London, UK.
French Zouave Officer's Kepi
A French Army of approximately 22,000 strong landed alongside the British Army (Approximately 18,000) at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854. The French infantry had three regiments of Zouaves. Although the Zouaves when originally formed around 1830, and consisted of native Algerian tribesmen with French officers, by the Crimean War their uniform had become so popular that there were numerous Europeans in their ranks. The uniform followed traditional Algerian tribal dress: baggy red trousers stuffed in leather jambieres, a short blue jacket trimmed in their regimental colour, and a red fez with turban and tassel. Their officers and non-commissioned officers dressed somewhat similarly, but wore a red Chasseur-style kepi, as shown in this photograph. The two rows of gilt braid designate the rank of lieutenant, and the wear indicates that this remarkable piece of headgear saw campaign use.
In the Crimea, the Zouaves came to the aid of the Guards Brigade during the desperate fighting in and around the Sandbag Battery. It was said they advanced “like tigers,” and succeeded in driving the Russians out of the battery.
Interestingly, General George B. McClellan, who was an observer for a short time with the French in Sevastopol, fancied this type kepi. He is said to have brought the design, with its low silhouette and countersunk round top, back from the Crimea to the United States. Many officers in the American Civil War, especially those on his staff, adopted the style. It became known as the ‘McClellan Kepi’.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of the Guards Museum, London, UK.
Sir James Scarlett's specially modified helmet
General Sir James Scarlett was placed in command of the entire Heavy Brigade of cavalry in the Crimean campaign. English Army of the East landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, without the Heavy Cavalry Brigade (2nd Cavalry Brigade), which was still at Varna, awaiting transport. Brigadier General Scarlett began landing the Heavy Brigade along the Crimean coast on 24 September 1854, and completed the landing at Balaclava on 6 October 1854. The Heavy Brigade battle honours include The Battle of Balaclava and the Siege of Sevastopol.
On 25 October 1854, in South Valley at the Battle of Balaclava, General Scarlett led his Heavy Brigade in a charge against a strong force of Russian cavalry, and succeeded in driving them off the field. Unfortunately, not much is heard of this charge, as it was over-shadowed by the spectacular disaster that followed it. This was when Lord Cardigan led his Light Cavalry Brigade against massed Russian artillery and cavalry down a gauntlet of enemy fire in the North Valley. The Heavy Brigade followed in support of the Light into the Valley of Death, but stopped midway into the valley on orders from Lord Lucan, who commanded the entire cavalry division.
General Scarlett’s own regiment was the 5th Dragoon Guards. The helmet of the 5th Dragoon Guards is brass, but the front peak is straight down over the eyes, and there is a regimental badge on the front. Scarlett was nearsighted and designed the helmet in this photograph with the front peak extended forward, no doubt to lend a better view. He substituted long elegant black feathers for the horsehair plum. He also seems to have redesigned the 5th Dragoon Guards helmet plate with a full silver garter surmounted by a crown, leaving out the dragoon badge in the center. Altogether this makes the helmet and this photograph quite unique.
Ironically, in spite of the better view afforded by his modified helmet, the near-sighted Scarlett almost missed the on-coming Russian cavalry until a staff officer politely pointed them out to him.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of the Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum, Burnley, Lancashire, UK, where the Scarlett collection is maintained.
NR officer, who is an NPS Black Powder Safety Specialist, teaching weapons safety
Soldiers in the American Civil War lived 24 hours a day the drill, discipline, and the various soldier skills necessary to fight effectively. To accurately portray such soldiers in a “living history” context today and teach the public about their sacrifices is a challenge. The National Regiment (NR) is one of a few such living history organizations which tries to honor the memory of those soldiers by emulating as close as possible what they wore, their daily life, and how they fought as a regiment. The NR is made up of many smaller living history units who have decided to band together as a regiment to better understand how the soldiers of the past functioned and fought. To accomplish this, the NR holds an Officer/NCO School each year at the beginning of the living history season. It is open to all who are an officer or NCO, and those who aspire to become a leader in the unit.
We meet in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the atmosphere is conducive to teaching, rather than trying to appear totally authentic at the school. For that reason, and because we are required to wear soft sole shoes on the floors where we hold the school, the attendees usually wear modern trousers and shoes, with their Civil War period coats, caps, equipment and weapons. Fully authentic camp schools are also held, but later in the year, and with all hands present, not merely the leadership.
NR NCO demonstrating correct position of the rifle musket
The NR Officer/NCO School is to try to instill in the leaders of the organization, to the degree possible in two days, the soldier skills that the Civil War soldier took for granted every day – a bit of the muscle-memory they acquired through constant repetition. Thus, we may well teach the same subjects each year, with a few new ones thrown in to spice things up.
Subjects taught include drill, guard duty, dress parade, military courtesy, cooking food and generally surviving in the field, how to pack for the field, weapons safety and maintenance, skirmish drill, the correct way to wear the uniform, etc. These subjects are not very different from what might be taught as a refresher course at any National Guard unit on any given weekend today, but we also teach our troops how to present the image of a Civil War soldier to the public at National Parks and elsewhere – to properly and appropriately do honor to their memory.
This past weekend we conducted our school at the firehouse in Gettysburg. From all reports from attendees, it was a success. They learned a great deal, and will be able to pass that knowledge on to the soldiers in their respective smaller units – and that’s what it’s all about.
To the members of the National Regiment who were there, and to the NR membership everywhere, my cap is off to you, and I’m proud to be one of you.
Instruction in changing of the guard between posts
NR senior officer teaching classroom battalion drill before going outside to execute maneuvers
