42nd Band Tartan

[Orvis]

All,

I apologize that my link didn't work for you - I typed the entire link into my text, but the system evidently chopped some of it off, rendering it inoperable.

Thanks for posting photos of the painting, with emphasis on the drummers. With regard to the label on the painting, it says that the painting was presented to the Officers of the 2nd Battalion, Black Watch in the 1940's, not that the painting depicts the 2nd Battalion, 42nd Regiment in 1758. So there seems to be a bit of confusion caused by that.

Mikhail - the painting's label says that it depicts Glasgow Green in 1758. I am a bit confused about that, too. I am at work and don't have access to my references, but I recall that the 1st Battalion, 42nd Regt was dressed in red coats with no lapels and faced with buff in 1756, when they came to North America, and that they would have been reviewed by a General Officer before departing Scotland. I believe this review took place in Glasgow, but I could be wrong. The 1st Battalion evidently retained this uniform until the spring of 1759, when the year's new clothing arrived from the Regimental Agent in Britain (according to a contemporary order book that I have a copy of). The new clothing was red coats faced with blue (the coats had lapels with bastion-shaped button-hole "loops" of regimental lace - white with two red stripes), cuffs and collars, in accordance with the Royal Warrant granting the 42nd Regt royal status in 1758. As to the 2nd Battalion, 42nd Regt, it was raised in 1758, but I am unclear if it was originally clothed in red coats faced buff, or whether it received red coats faced blue when it was raised. Later, when the 2nd Battalion arrived in North America, it was immediately amalgamated with the 1st Battalion, which had suffered heavy losses at Ticonderoga/Carillon in the summer of 1758. Thus, some of the men may have been wearing the old buff-faced uniform while others wore the new blue-faced uniform. If I recall correctly, when the two battalions were amalgamated, the combined battalion put the 2nd Battalion's blue Regimental (or 2nd) Colour into use to reflect its new royal status. I don't recall whether the 2nd Battalion was subjected to a General Officer's review in 1758 before they sailed from Scotland.

Anyway, that's what I recall - I'll have to look it all up tonight when I get home. Since my home computer is defunct, I'll not be able to take this up again until Tuesday (Monday is a holiday in the U.S.), but I'll be very interested to learn what you've come up with regarding the 42nd's chronology. I always enjoy learning new information about the Black Watch.

But regardless if the painting depicts 1756 or 1758, the main point is that it depicts the drummers wearing Government tartan rather than the Band (or Musicians) tartan, thus providing evidence that the latter tartan was not in use at this early date in the 42nd Regt's history.

[Domehead]

Mr. MacDonald,
I just wanted to add my gratitude, as has everyone, to your continued efforts in educating us with thorough research and excellent prose. Thank you very much for this. I, as everyone, truly appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Ryan M. Liddell

[figheadair]

An updated version with some new images of he 42nd pipers wearing the Band tartan.

[IsaacW]

Wonderful!!!

[MacEanruig]

Thanks for providing the link. Will read tonight,

[OC Richard]

As to the feasibility of the Music Tartan's existence/use before 1780, the only thing I can think of that might support its earlier use would be the British Army's Royal Clothing Warrants that mandated infantry field musicians (fifers/drummers - which may have included pipers in Highland regiments that were enlisted as drummers since pipers were not authorized "on the strength" until the 1850s) be dressed in "reversed" regimental coats. The exception were field musicians of Royal regiments of foot, who were dressed in royal livery coats (scarlet with blue facings and royal lace).

Thing is, there seems to be little or no consistency in the dress of pipers up until the 1870s or so, with every Battalion being a law unto itself. You'll see pipers dressed as other soldiers are, pipers dressed in reversed colours, pipers dressed in colourful livery including tartan jackets, and so forth.

In 1670 an officer in a Scottish battalion wrote "with us any Captain may keep a Piper and maintain him too, for no pay is allowed him, perhaps just as much as he deserveth". These pipers would be dressed as they would be outwith the army, in the livery of their employer, and this can be seen well into the 19th century.

[KD Burke]

"..,,no pay is allowed him, perhaps just as much as he deserveth".

So they were complaining about gig fees back then too?