British Rifle Volunteers of the 1860s
Don't mistake John Bull for Johnny Reb
An article from our volume 1, number 1
by Philip Katcher
On page 17 of William Albaugh's valuable and interesting More Confederate Faces appears a soldier identified as a "Southern Volunteer circa 1860-61." The image is an unmarked carte de visite.
A close examination of the uniform, however, indicates that the man is a volunteer, indeed, but located in the south of Great Britain if in the south at all. He appears to be a member of one of the biggest fads to sweep Britain until the mini-skirt, the Rifle Volunteers.
Towards the end of the 1850s, Britain's population, traditionally safe behind the greatest navy in the world and her "thin red line," suddenly began to notice the size of the French and Austrian armies then fighting in Italy. Fears were voiced that Britain could be overrun, lying "prostrate before hordes of Chasseurs de Vincennes and black-muzzled African legions." A demand was raised for a greatly enlarged militia and volunteer corps.
The initial official response was not encouraging. It was thought the volunteers would simply get in the way of the efficient regular army. Moreover, volunteers might become an "armed and dangerous rabble."
Even so, the War office issued a circular on 12 May 1859 authorizing the lord-lieutenants of various cities to commission men as officers who had raised sufficiently large companies. The response was amazing. Manchester alone raised seven units, while 91 rifle volunteer units were raised in Lancashire between 1859 and 1872. By June 1860 some 130,000 Britons were under arms as rifle volunteer corps members.
Many of these units were formed around already existing rifle clubs. The members were generally from a middle class that had previously not done much military service, British officers largely being drawn from the landed or upper class, while the other ranks came from the laboring, lower class. As such the volunteers were well disciplined, motivated, and brought skills into the military not seen before. As a result the Army itself greatly benefits from the volunteer movement, as well as well as gaining a decent reserve for the first time.
Since most volunteers were from a class with some spare money, most seem to have had their photographs, carte de visites and Ambrotypes, taken in their newly found finery. These images often show the men armed and wearing their accoutrements because they kept their equipment when off duty. Photographs of regular British soldiers of the period rarely show weapons, which were maintained in depots.
The War Office directed that rifle volunteer uniforms should be "as simple as possible." The typical one was grey, with red or green piping and black braiding, copied from the famed Chasseurs de Vincennes. The coat was single breasted, with a standing collar and elaborate cuff. The cap was a copy of the French kepi, usually with a red or green pompon worn on front. Trousers were very baggy grey chasseur pantaloons, tucked into yellow zouave gaiters. Large plain grey coats made with a hood were also copied from French styles and issued.
Green uniforms, copied from the famous Rifle Brigade and King's Royal Rifle Corps, were also issued to some units, while scarlet coats, as worn by regulars, were worn by more traditionally minded volunteers.
Volunteer artillery units wore the same design uniforms but usually of dark blue with red piping, black braiding and black gaiters.
Any combination of colors and styles, however, could be found among rifle volunteer units. Queen Victoria reviewed a parade of some 3,000 volunteer officers in March 1860. The officers were described "in every shade of grey and green, drab-blue and tartan knickbockers and blouses, wide-awake head dresses, helmets, shakos and caps with any quantity of horsehair and feather plumes, and belts of black, white and buff leather."
Accoutrements, a cartridge box worn on a cross belt, a waist belt and a ball bag or ready pouch worn on the right front hip, were, however, generally black as that was the color of rifle regiment accoutrements. The primary weapon was the P1853 rifled musket. Many of these were made in America by Robbins & Lawrence of Windsor, Vermont. These three-band P1853 rifle muskets were considered of poorer quality than English-made arms and were therefore withdrawn from line regiments after the Crimean, refurbished at Pimlico and reissued to rifle volunteers in 1861-62. Many other volunteers bought their own rifle muskets, usually beautifully made weapons with checked wrists on the stocks.
Since so many volunteers were photographed and often on cartes with plain backs, their pictures have come to circulate widely in America by now, often mistaken as American volunteers. Actually they are a unique field in themselves, although there were so many dress varieties that it's rare that collectors can identify a specific regiment.
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