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DUTCH INFANTRY

1806-10

by S Heap

THE uniforms of the Kingdom of Holland were, from 1806, made of white cloth with lapels, collars, cuffs and turnbacks in the regimental colours, e.g. 2nd Red, 6th Pale Green, 7th Yellow. White breeches were worn and white or black gaiters together with white or grey long trousers for campaign.
    The grenadiers wore bearskin caps with red plumes and white cords or shakos with the same decorations; the grenadiers wore also red epaulettes with red knots attached to their sabres. The voltigeurs wore the shako with a green plume and white cords; they also wore green epaulettes and had a green sabre knot. The fusiliers wore the shako with, again, white cords and a cockade on the left side of the shako in company colours — the fusiliers had a white red and blue sabre knot. All the shakos had the regimental number on the front. The fusiliers had shoulder straps piped in the facing colour.
    Officers wore the same uniform as the men; grenadiers officers wore the bearskin (minus the brass plate). Voltigeur and fusilier officers wore the shako, all had silver cords on their head-dress, silver epaulettes and buttons, and their sabre knots were gold. The plume in the old Dutch colours (red, white and blue) was also worn in some regiments by both officers and men.
    Musicians wore the typical wings on the shoulders; these were in the facing colour, laced white for the men and laced silver for Drum-Majors. Plumes were white with the top or base of the plume in the facing colour.
    The colour plate illustrates the following:
(Fig. A) Grenadier pennant bearer of the 6th Regt. 2nd Batt.
(Fig. B) Drum Major of the 6th Regt.
(Fig. C) Voltigeur Officer of the 2nd Regt.
(Fig. D) Sabre Knot Voltigeurs.
(Fig. E) Fusilier's Sabre Knot.
(Fig. F) Grenadier Sabre Knot.
(Fig. G) Shako, Voltigeurs.
(Fig. H) Shako, Grenadiers.
    The line drawings show, on the left, a Voltigeur fifer and fusilier in campaign dress, both c. 1809.

Uniforms of Dutch Infantry 1806-10 by Stephen Heap.

Source: pp. 338-339, Military Modelling, June 1975.

See also Netherlands Infantry Uniforms 1813 to 1831
Other 19th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers