1860's cdv Scottish infantry unit identification

[Donald James]

highland regt..jpg (85.22 KiB) Viewed 484 times

A google search shows photographer Howie Junior was listed at 60 Princes St., Edinburgh 1864-67. The three band percussion musket seems a pattern 1853 Enfield. Perhaps the uniform, equipment and sporran badge details may suggest the unit to forum members familiar with Scottish uniforms of the era. Thanks for your assistance.

[Will Mathieson]

Thje sporran badge appears to me to have an elephant showing service in India. Too bad he did not turn his head to the right!

[gordon92]

highland regt..jpg

A google search shows photographer Howie Junior was listed at 60 Princes St., Edinburgh 1864-67. The three band percussion musket seems a pattern 1853 Enfield. Perhaps the uniform, equipment and sporran badge details may suggest the unit to forum members familiar with Scottish uniforms of the era. Thanks for your assistance.

I do not have a decisive suggestion on this interesting photo. It can be safely said that this is not a regular soldier. I do not think that the subject is a member of one of the Volunteer battalions which were initially formed in 1859; the standard work on the VBs is Grierson's Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859-1908, and I have been unable to establish a uniform match with the illustrations in Grierson. So, by process of elimination, I would say this is likely a Militia battalion soldier of the pre-1881 era before the affiliation with the regular regiments. Unfortunately, there is no consolidated work on the Militia battalions analogous to Grierson. The picture does not match any of the Militia photos I have of those units that were eventually to become part of the Seaforth Highlanders or Cameron Highlanders. That takes this to the limit of my expertise on this issue.

[trooper]

The unit in question is the 1st Highland Company of the 1st City of Edinburgh Rifle Volunteers. The picture would date to previous to 1871 as in that year the Volunteer Force was issued with Sniders. The glengarry is dark blue, the doublet dark grey with black piping and black buttons. the kilt is of 42nd (Government) tartan and the hose were diced green and black. goatskin sporran with white metal badge . Trooper

[Frogsmile]

I think you have it bang on Trooper. The doublet seems to be missing its earlier cross chest frogging, but that might be because it is a later pattern, perhaps from around 1870.

As they were only at company strength it must be an extraordinarily rare image.