95th Rifles...... 1800 to 1815

[QSAMIKE]

Good Evening Everyone......

Can anyone tell me where I can find a photo / description / line drawing of the webbing (I know its not called webbing in that period) worn by the 95th Rifles during the Napoleonic Wars up to Waterloo.....

Mike

Found this site...... Sorry for the bother.......

http://2nd95thrifles.myfastforum.org/index.php?component=content&topicid=981&highlight=

Edited July 10, 2012 by QSAMIKE

[Rayjin]

Hi Mike

Have you looked at Osprey Publishing, they have published a book - British Rifleman 1797-1815 Paperback; April 2002; 64 pages; ISBN: 9781841761770.

They are usually full of colour drawings, photos and descriptions. Its 64 pages, but their drawings are usually pretty accurate.

You can find this book here http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/British-Rifleman-1797%E2%80%931815_9781841761770

Steve

[QSAMIKE]

Thanks Steve will look for the book......

Mike

[Tony Barton]

The pics in that Osprey are really rather poor and fuzzy , and very derivative of earlier books , rather than being based on fresh research . You would be better off looking at original items as on the 2nd Batt 95th re-enactors site , who seem to have done a lot of original work with old documents and surviving items.

Napoleonic Infantry are still being depicted with Trotter wood framed knapsacks : an item that never existed ! It's one of those myths that arose from some kind of misunderstanding back in the 1920s, and has been copied and embroidered ever since in almost every reference book , often by authors who should know better . The Rifles would either have had the simple folding envelope knapsack , and perhaps at Waterloo the "1811" model , which had sides but no internal frame. The earliest frame knapsack seems to have been in about 1826 .

Similarly , the re-enactors have established that square peaks were worn on 95th shakos ; and that they also wore a copper priming flask on a cord around their necks , and stowed in pockets in the sides of the jacket front. These are the sort of details that are not even noticed in the Osprey .

[Mervyn Mitton]

Tony - welcome to GMIC. Some useful reference material and I hope it will help Mike.

You mention the re-enactment group - perhaps they would allow you to post a few pictures on this thread ? Mervyn

[Tony Barton]

In response to this thread , I was lucky enough to be able to take some pics the other weekend, showing the latest thinking as to the precise kit worn by the 95th.

Credit for this lies with the re-enactors of the 2nd Battalion 95th , whose work is ongoing.

Notice the square-cut peak and the green braid round the base of the shako.

Also the small copper priming flask on a cord round the neck , and stowed in a pocket under the left arm. There is a matching pocket on the other side.

This side shows the sit of the soft pack , and the pouch used for non-rifle rounds used for rapid fire .

Here's the pack inside :

And outside :

The books that tell you all about the " Trotter " knapsack with a wooden frame appear to be talking nonsense, a kind of received wisdom that no-one has questioned until now. The fact is that there is not a shred of contemporary evidence that it existed. The simple envelope type with open sides seems to have been replaced by this type around 1811 , but at present its details are conjectural . This reconstruction seems pretty sound.

And one showing the sheer size of the haversack : much larger than ususally shown. Survivng haversacks are 21" by 12" :~

Many thanks to Paul Biggins for posing patiently.

Edited July 23, 2012 by Tony Barton

[Mervyn Mitton]

Tony - thankyou for taking the trouble to take photos and post them. I'm sure that Mike will be pleased to

see a modern interpretation of the uniform. Please also say Thanks to your friend Paul Biggins - he makes

a very convincing 'old soldier'. Mervyn

[QSAMIKE]

Thankyou Gentlemen.......

A friend was able to obtain an original 95th Jacket, Pants and a Baker Rifle from an estate sale...... The jacket and pants are not in great condition and he wants to get them repaired and to make up a proper display..... I have forwarded all your replies to him.....

Thanks again.....

Mike

[SerjtDave]

My Dear Sir's. Allow me introduce myself. My name is Dave Gower a Serjeant in the 2nd Battalion 95th Regiment of Foote {Rifles} Re-enactment Society. I was passed a link to your forum by another member and first of all I would like to say thank you for acknowledging our research.

I was fascinated with the last comment made by one of your members {Mike} has a friend who claims to have come across an original uniform and rifle. Did anything come of that? If so we’d love to know more about this find as I don’t doubt that you are aware that these are very thin on the ground with only two Officer jackets serving that we know of and no OR’s uniforms at all.

We are always happy to share our research with like minded people and if there’s anything you to know or we can help you with you only have to ask. I look forwards to hearing from you very soon,

Regards

Dave.