Grenadier, 42nd (Highland) Regiment, 1751 (Black Watch)

Description

In 1725, following the Jacobite rebellion, George I authorised General George Wade to form six “watch” companies to patrol the Highlands, three from Clan Campbell, one each from Clan Fraser of Lovat, Clan Munro and Clan Grant. These to be “employed in disarming the Highlanders, preventing depredations, bringing criminals to justice, and hindering rebels and attainted persons from inhabiting that part of the kingdom.” Known in Gaelic as Am Freiceadan Dubh, “the dark” or “black watch”, in 1881 the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch) was created on amalgamation with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot. In 2006 it became the 3^rd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland [3 SCOTS]. Here is a Grenadier, depicted by Morier in 1751. Grenadiers were changing from mitres to fur caps. The 42nd wore fur caps from the beginning. The coat, with regimental lace, is more elaborate than before, with a turned down collar of a type not in use in other regiments until later. The plaid is of the dark Government tartan with a red stripe added – apparently a distinction of the Grenadiers of the regiment. The buff facings were changed to blue in 1758 when the regiment became ‘The Royal Highland Regiment of Foot‘ as a reward for its distinguished conduct. The check pattern of the hose is different from the more usual pattern seen subsequently. This hose was made of stitched cloth and worn with a garter round the top not turned down over the garter. The Black Watch takes its precedence from the date of the amalgamation of the Independent Companies, but it is a direct descendant of those companies and has its roots firmly in the original companies of 1624.