Grenadier, 27th Foot, 1751 (Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers)

Description

The 27th (Iniskilling) Regiment of Foot was raised in 1689, and was one of the regiments permitted, with the ‘Six Old Corps’, to display its ancient badge of ‘castle and name’ on its grenadier caps. Later known as the Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers it today forms part of the Royal Irish Regiment. David Morier painted grenadiers of each infantry regiment for the Duke of Cumberland. This (together with the 1751 Clothing Warrant) gave a clear picture of the army dress at the time. The elaborate lace is striking; the ‘wings’ on the shoulders peculiar to grenadiers, as is the left shoulder flap to accommodate the pouch strap. The end of this man’s ring bayonet is seen beneath the coat, mounted on a frog with his basket-hilted sword. Swords were retained by grenadiers but ceased to be worn by about 1790. The cut of the coat is loose. In the army all red cloth had to be washed and shrunk before it was made up into coats. This spoilt the appearance of new coats, so colonels sometimes induced contractors to make up coats without shrinking the cloth. If they became wet, they could shrink and become tight. The personal unpopularity of Cumberland led to denigration of his organisation and administration of the army, which was badly needed and well carried out.

Source:  Portraits by David Mourier (1705-1770) of the Uniforms of the Army, painted for the Duke of Cumberland.