Right: I had thought that this engraving depicted Lieutenant John
Andre in the uniform of a light infantry officer of the Royal Fuzileers,
c, 1775. However, research by Mr. William P. Tatum located the
original oil painting on which the engraving is based has caused a
reappraisal. For further information on this development, see
below.Click on illustration to enlarge
Right: A sketch by Lieutenant Andre of a dance comprising natives,
Canadiens, and members of the Light Infantry Company of the Royal
Fuzileers. Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: A 1780s illustration of the uniform of the bass drummer of
the Band of Music of the Royal Fuzileers. bands of music were
distinct from corps of drums in the British Army. From the 1770s, a
fashion for "Turkish" percussion instruments in bands of music led to
the adoption of Levantine costume and hiring of Africans and
Levantines as bandsmen.
Click on illustration to enlarge
Right: A 1780s illustration of the uniform of the drum major of the
corps of drums of the Royal Fuzileers. The drum major commanded
the drums and fifes of the Regiment and was in charge of their
musical training. He was also responsible for supervising the
corporal punishment of the Regiment's defaulters by flogging. Click
on illustration to enlarge
Right: A 1780s illustration of the uniform of the fife major of the
corps of drums of the Royal Fuzileers. The fife major was
subordinate to the drum major, but supervised the discipline and
musical training of the fifers of the Regiment. Click on illustration to
enlarge.
Right: A 1780s illustration of the uniform of a drummer of the light
infantry company of the Royal Fuzileers. Drummers were
responsible for sending messages through the Regiment and playing
marches as a musical accompaniment on the march. Under the
supervision of the drum major, they were also responsible for
administering corporal punishment on the Regiment's defaulters by
flogging. Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: A 1780s illustration of the uniform of a private soldier of the
light infantry company of the Royal Fuzileers. Light infantrymen
were skirmishers who preceded the rest of their Regiment into battle.
They sniped at officers and non-commissioned officers in an attempt
to weaken and demoralize their opponents.
Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: A 1780s illustration of a serjeant of the light infantry
company of the Royal Fuzileers. Serjeants were the senior
non-commissioned officers of the Regiment and were responsible for
day-to-day supervision and discipline of the other ranks. In the Royal
Fuzileers, they were recognizable by having a scarlet and blue sash
around their waists and epaulettes on their shoulders.
Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: A 1780s illustration of a subaltern officer of the light infantry
company of the Royal Fuzileers. Officers of the Royal Fuzileers
were recognizable by their swords, their gold lace and epaulettes and
by the crimson sash worn around their waists. Click on illustration
to enlarge.
Right: A 1780s illustration of a pioneer of the Royal Fuzileers.
Pioneers were veteran soldiers trained to clear the line of march of
obstructions and debris. Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: A caricature from the 1780s of new recruits being paraded
before the recruiting serjeant. The British Army had (and continues
to have) a perennial problem obtaining recruits. In times of low
unemployment, recruiters used many devious and dishonest tricks to
entice free men to surrender their liberties and enlist. Englishmen
traditionally distrusted the standing army, and as a result few men
enlisted for patriotic reasons.
Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: An engraving of the corps of drums and band of music of
the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards parading past St. James' Palace in
London. The drum major, on the extreme left of the engraving, may
well be the famous Samuel Potter. The dark coloured and strangely
curved instruments are called serpents. Note also the Turkish
influenced uniforms of the bass drummer and his mates.
Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: Another contemporary illustration of recruiting. In this case,
the callow youth's mother pleads for his liberty with the
unsympathetic recruiting officer while the drummer attempts to drag
him away. Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: A reproduction of the original oil painting mentioned above.
Located by Mr. William P. Tatum in the collection of the Huntingdon
Library. As Professor Gregory Urwin has observed, if this is
Lieutenant Andre, his buttons and metallic lace should be gilt rather
than the silver depicted. The embroidered Prince of Wales' feathers
motif on the epaulette would also seem to be out of place. Mr.
Christian Cameron has convincingly suggested that the officer is
from the light company of the 75th Regiment (the Prince of Wales'),
which had silver buttons and lace as well as blue facings. It is
certainly not Lieutenant John Andre of the 7th Royal Fuzileers.
Courtesy: the Huntingdon Library. Click on illustration to enlarge.
Right: An officer of the 21st Royal North British Fuzileers c. 1775.
This Regiment served in the liberation of Canada in 1776 and the
Burgoyne Campaign of 1777. Officers of other Fuzileer regiments
such as the 7th Royal Fuzileers and the 23rd Royal Welch Fuzileers
would have worn similar uniforms. Courtesy: the National Army
Museum. Click on illustration to enlarge.
