History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 2 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal EngineersConnolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
History
History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 2 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers
Connolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
Great Britain. Army. Royal Sappers and Miners
The drivers have no rifles or muskets, but are armed with light Prussian
swords having half basket-hilts and buff leather tassels. The gripe is
partly of black japanned wood, ridged; all else, with the scabbard, are
steel. The narrow buff waist-belt, with slings which suspend the sword,
have a plain brass waist-plate. In addition, the non-commissioned
officers have a buff pouch-belt carrying a small plain black leather
pouch. The former bears a brass slide at the breast as a substitute for
a buckle. All ranks wear swan-necked spurs with spiked rowels.
Of the dress of the quartermasters nothing has yet been recorded in
these pages. Their costume is similar to that of the subalterns of
engineers, with the exception of the appointments. The tunic harmonizes
with that of the staff-sergeants, except that the sleeves bear no device
beyond the Austrian knot, and the gold cord is larger.
The jacket is also similar to the staff-sergeants, deviating only by the
addition of gold Russian braid down the fronts and round the girth,
finished at the centre of the waist and collar seam with crowsfeet.
A waistcoat is also worn of scarlet cloth, single-breasted, with gilt
studs crowded down the front. Hooks and eyes serve the place of buttons.
Collar, pockets, and edges are trimmed with gold braid and graced with
crowsfeet at the centre of the collar, and at each end and centre of the
pockets.
A surtout is permitted as a lounging appendage to the costume, but it
would require the professional assistance of a Buckmaster to describe
without fault the man-millinery of this military frock. It is of
dark-blue cloth, single-breasted, opening five inches down the breast to
show the waistcoat, up to which from the waist the fronts are closed by
hooks and eyes. Eight loops of braid nearly two inches broad, with two
rows of netted barrels or olives on each side—two on each loop—descend
from the shoulders in lessening lines to the waist. The ends of the
loops inwards have flys three inches long which fall down like tags,
covering the inner row of barrels. The front edges, rolling collar, and
pointed cuffs, hind arm and back seams are trimmed with braid
seven-eighths of an inch broad traced in and out and finished on the
cuffs and centre of collar with crowsfeet. From the back seams flow two
streamers eight inches long on each skirt of the same width of braid as
that which covers the seams; and the tracing on both edges terminates in
two crowsfeet. All the trimming and traceries are of mohair braid.
The trowsers are the same as the uniform of the corps, but with gold
lace stripes one inch and three-quarters wide for dress occasions. The
cloak is of blue cloth, riding length, with sleeves. Lined with scarlet
shalloon, and amassed with a cape, make it waterproof in a storm. An
upright collar of scarlet cloth with gilt fuming grenades, chains,
hooks, and buttons, make up the sum of its ornaments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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