5th (Northumberland) Regiment 1796-1800

[jf42]

Greetings- TO those many enthusiasts and former Fusiliers who might know, is there any record of the response of the Fifth to the order for all infantry to adopt white hat feathers in 1796? This does not appear to have produced the dismay caused by the 1829 Regulation that the Line should adopt white feathers. Did the fact that in 1796 the Fifth were away in Canada soften the blow?

When the white battalion 'ball tufts' for the Infantry were dropped ca. 1844 on the adoption of the 'Albert' pattern shako with white-on-red battalion 'ball tufts' being resumed as before, was there any talk of reverting to the original white feather distinction- or had the unique red-on-white distinction become cherished for itself, setting apart the Fifth, as it did, from all other regiments? I suppose, once the Fifth had finally achieved Fusilier status in their own right, presumably the status of a white feather, despite the St Lucia tradition, did not have the same urgency that it had before.

A final thought: is there any possibility that the 'Herd' Light Coy cap with its fine red horsehair crest might have been worn after 1778- or does the St Lucia tradition make that demonstrably unlikely?

Many thanks.

[Graham Stewart]

Sadly all of my notes are at home in the UK regarding this subject, although I'm sure Leigh will come in with an answer for you. However we did start a Northumberlands section here, if you haven't already been there;-

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=25563

Edited April 19, 2010 by Graham Stewart

[leigh kitchen]

From Historical Records of The British Army - The Fifth Regiment of Foot; or, Northumberland Fusilers (1837).......

[leigh kitchen]

1778 the men equipped with white plumes page 51

It was in this action that the FIFTH by its gallant conduct aquired the privilege of wearing a white plume n the cap instead of the red and white tuft worn by the other regiments of the line; having taken from the bodies of the slain French grenadiers, the advance and elite of the enemys force, as many white feathers as sufficed to equip every man in the regiment with the new decoration. The loss of the French amounted to about 400 killed and eleven hundred wounded, while the killed on the side of the British was only ten, and one hundred and thirty wounded………………

1824 privilege of wearing a distinguishing feather confirmed page 87

The privilege which the corps for a long series of years enjoyed, of wearing a distinguishing feather, was this year confirmed to it by a letter from the Adjutant-General of the army, of which the following is a copy.

Horse-Guards, 2nd July, 1824.

Sir ,

I have had the honour to receive and submit to the Commander-in-Chief, your letter of 28th ultimo, and enclosure, and in reply am directed to signify to you, that under the circumstances therein stated, His Royal Highness has been pleased to approve of the White Feather, which for a long series of years has been worn as a mark of distinction by the FIFTH Regiment of Foot, being continued to be used by that corps.

I have &c.

(Signed) H. TORRENS, Adj-Gen.

Colonel Sr C. PRATT, K.C.B.,

5th Foot.

1829 to wear a red and white feather Page 91

The distinction of wearing a white or grenadier feather, which the FIFTH regiment had proudly won for itself, having become extinct by the regulations of the 10th of February this year (1829), which directed thata white feather to be worn by the whole of the infantry of the army, rifle regiments and light infantry excepted, the commanding officer (Leutenant-Colonel Sutherland) lost no time in applying, through General Sir Henry Johnson Bart., G.C.B., the Colonel of the regiment, for an equivalent; this was graciously conceded by his Majesty, George the Fourth, and the distinction of wearing a feather different from the rest of the army, was continued to the corps in the following handsome terms in a letter from Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert Taylor, G.C.H., Adjutant-General of the Forces.

Sir,

I have had the honour to receive and lay before the General Commanding-in-Chief your letter of the 6th of May last, with its enclosures, representing the anxiety felt by the officers and men of the FIFTH regiments, of which you are Colonel, to be allowed some distinction, as an equivalent for that which the regiment has lost in consequence of the regulations of the 10th of February last, prescribing a white feather to be worn by the whole of the infantry of the army, rifle regiments and light infantry excepted.

On this occasion, Lord Hill commands me to say that his Lordship enters fully into the feelings of the FIFTH regiment, and adverting to the gallantry of the exploits which obtained for that corps its original distinction, his Lordship has been please to submit to His Majesty, that the FIFTH regiment shall, in future, wear a red feather half red and half white, the red uppermost, instead of the plain white feather worn by the rest of the army, as a peculiar mark of honour, whereby its former services will be commemorated, and a perpetual incitement be afforded to a continuance of its good conduct.

I have, &c.

(Signed) H. TAYLOR, Adj-Gen.

General Sir H. Johnson, Bart, G.C.B.

&c. &c.

Edited May 19, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

A hand coloured plate showing the fur cap with red over white plume worn, 1835, a similar plate shows an officer in similar headgear, 1837.

[leigh kitchen]

Hope the above helps a bit.

#There is of course the claim by Fusilers that the red over white is a reference to the white plumes of the French being dipped in the blood of the French dead, if that really was the case or a rumour/legend grew then perhaps the regiment was a lttle more inclined to accept this tampering with their distinction?

[leigh kitchen]

Might as well post a link to another thread involving the "5th Fusilers" - THe Armed Police Mutiny, Aden, June 1967:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=29334&st=0