Kilted or Trews-ered?

[ClausewitzRulesOk]

Hi Guys

Just a quick question as to how it can be determined if a highland regiment was kilted or not.

Sorry if this seems to be a stupid question, but I am new to Napoleonics

Thanks

[Cubster]

You just have to check individually with the Regiment and the date. There's no hard and fast rule with them, so I'd advise getting yourself a good book (Osprey's 'Wellington's Highlanders' seems logical) or make friends with Google.

This is the Delprado booklet, with only illustrations and captions, none of the text - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/osprey-Delpra ... 2ebd953b89

Or WHSmith have the full book at a good price - http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSear ... 1855322561

[Sean Davis]

Depends what period in the Napoleonics wars. In 1809 there was 6 regiments that wen't from Kilts to trews. Only three kept the kilts, 92nd Gordon Highlanders, 42nd Black Watch and 79th Cameron Highlanders.

If you need any more information email me jacobyteminis@aol.com

[ClausewitzRulesOk]

Thanks guys, that's sorted me.

I did try google a bit, and I looked at the Osprey book on amazon but it didn't include my regiment, if I remember correctly.

I may drop you an email at some point Sean, so thanks for the address. I imagine I will have more questions when I get round to building the models.

Thanks

[Correus]

Okay - correct me if I'm wrong (which I probably am), but real plaid 'trews' were not typically worn on the continent during the Napoleonic wars but instead, grey overalls were worn.

I did find a reference to the 71st wearing either tartan trews or grey overalls (having just joined the Corunna campaign in 1907 after coming from South America), but all the picture deviance shows the grey overalls.

There are also records that show units, in the Peninsular, being ordered to turn there kilts into trews when the weather got cold.

By 1814, supposedly, only the 42nd was still wearing the kilt.

Feathered bonnets were discontinued after 1809 except for pipers (I keep thinking pipers in ALL regiment continued wearing kilts till a later date). Light Infantry wore dark-blue 'stove-pipe' shakoes with a diced band at the bottom.

Highland regiments stationed in hot or unhealthy surroundings often took to wearing simple white cotton trousers or tartan trews. For example, the 91st Highland Regt of Foot wore trews during the Walcheren campaign of 1809 and more famously, the 93rd Highland Regiment of Foot wore trews and round unfeathered Highland bonnets during the war of 1812–1815 against the USA, when taking part in the British campaign to capture New Orleans in January 1815 and during the disastrous Battle of Chalmette Plain itself.

All-in-all, of the sources I have at the ready, no two seem to agree on when the kilts were dropped and replaced by tartan trews.

If it were me - I would model a the Scottish Highland Light Infantry in grey overalls with the dark-blue 'stove-pipe' shakoes and diced band at the bottom. The regular Highland Infantry I would have in kilts - unless specifically noted.

Besides - who doesn't like a bunch of Wellington's Amazon's thrown at them in kilts?!

[Invisible officer]

The 71st wore normal trousers but a stove pipe with a central pompom and red-white-blue dicing.

The Kilt was still worn in 1815 at Waterloo by the 42nd, 79th and 92nd too. With feather bonnets. Close to home that was no problem.

In the Peninsula many Highlanders wore locally made trousers and caps. The long distance from UK bases caused that, not any official change in dress orders.
Officers wore grey trousers but many had to do with brown Spanish ones. Same reason. And lack of money. The diaries give some very good insights in the problems of Officers on canpaign.

[Correus]

The 71st wore normal trousers but a stove pipe with a central pompom and red-white-blue dicing.

The Kilt was still worn in 1815 at Waterloo by the 42nd, 79th and 92nd too. With feather bonnets. Close to home that was no problem.

In the Peninsula many Highlanders wore locally made trousers and caps. The long distance from UK bases caused that, not any official change in dress orders.
Officers wore grey trousers but many had to do with brown Spanish ones. Same reason. And lack of money. The diaries give some very good insights in the problems of Officers on canpaign.

That's basically the same info I have. What really through me was what one source said "by 1814 only the 42nd was still wearing the kilt"; note - I said "supposedly". I knew the 42nd, 79th and 92nd were wearing kilt at Waterloo so it didn't make much sense. This, plus the 'trews vs grey overalls' is what caused me to say no two sources seem to say the same thing. What really throws ME is that very few seem to agree on which unit wore what!

Oh well....