The Army
Reserve Infantry in British tailored uniforms.
By: Knotel - Courtesy of: Dominic Goh
The Infantry - Uniforms of the Reserve Regiments
The clothing and equipment of the Reserve Infantry was drawn from numerous different sources. In 1813 Prussia was not able to clothe her Reservists in the normal regulation dress and so a whole sereies of improvised uniforms evolved which continued to be used until the end of Napoleonic Wars. Although general rules can be written to cover the uniforms of the Reservists, it is necessary to examine their clothing down to battalion level in order to gain a true appreciation of their, sometimes, unusual dress.
Each Reserve Regiment had a regular formation, usually of the same number as its 'Stammregiment' (parent regiment). As far as possible, oficers and NCOs wore the Stammregiment's dress. The uniforms of the men, however, came from three main sources. Firstly, there was a Prussian-produced uniform consisting of a gray 'Schirmutze' with a black peakl, a grey tail-less tunic. The 'Jacke' and grey trousers. The collars and cuffs were in the provincial colour as worn by the Stammregiment. It was this uniform that was prescribed on December 20th, 1812, in anticipation of the mobilization of the reserve units. To it were later added black gaiters, grey greatcoats and gloves, black cross-belts and cartridge pouches and grey cloth knapsacks and haversacks. This dress was worn, with minor variations, by the entire reserves up to the time of the Armistice in the summer of 1813, and by some untis, right up to the close of the Napoleonic Wars. By July 1813, enough clothing had been received from England to enable many reserve units to be uniformed in a more substantial form of dress. This clothing was provided as a subsidy to help maintain the Prussian Army in the field. The uniforms were either ofBritish pattern, or more commonly, of the style then being manufactured for the Portuguese Army engaged in the Peninsular War.
Lastly, there were large quantities of French clothing that was pressed into use, as and when it became available.
Below are detailed the regimental and battalion variations worn by the different Reserve Formations.
Reserve Infantry Head-dress 1813-15: (A) French Infantry shako stripped of ornaments, but still retaining its distinctive chin scales. (B) English sugar-loaf shako with ametal bulge horn plat and a plume. (C) Sugar-loaf shako with a Portuguese plate and a white over black tufted plume. (D) Prussian shako with waxed cover, on to which is painted the black and white Prussian cockade. (E) The regulation schirmutze here bearing a battalion roundel of the 4th R.I.R.
