In Armies of the Nineteenth Century: The British in India, 1825 to 1859 by John French, and with drawings by Ian Heath.(Nottingham: Foundry Books, 2006. 176 pages illustrations, maps, glossary, appendix, bibliography, index) the other offers examples of the vast array of uniforms and campaign dress worn by the soldiers of the period in regimental colours.
For this volume, the soldiers he restricts himself to are British, Indian, and Anglo-Indian soldiers of Britain and the Honourable [sic] East India Company. The East India Company was not tied to British military tradition and many of the troops on the British side were from tribes throughout India and today's Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The uniforms of the colonial soldiers belonging to the regular British Army display large hats and wide straps and sashes typical of the military uniforms of all European nations in the nineteenth century. The uniform of the H. M. 31st Regiment of Foot, for example, is described in part, "The white cap covers have the regimental number in black Roman numerals. The red shell jackets had buff facings,including pointed cuffs. The light company had 'wings' on the jacket shoulders...." Many of the figures are pictured with appropriate weapons of the period, adding to the authenticity and appeal of the illustrations, .
In addition to the descriptions of the soldiers wear, French follows major and lesser-known battles during this colonial period from the standpoint of the participating British military units' involvement. "The light company of the 48th Regiment and the grenadiers of the 32nd N. I....were used in the attack on the rear of the troublesome stockade" in an encounter in the Coorg Campaign in 1834. Several of the colonial battles have maps as well.
Military history buffs will appreciate French's thorough, meticulous research to document the relatively specialized topic of British Colonial India in this one comprehensive, incomparable source.
