This contemporary print depicts sepoys of the 3rd Battalion at Bombay. The first two battalions had been raised in 1768 and by 1774 two more had been added. The 5th Battalion (104th Wellesley’s) was raised in January 1775. It is fair to assume that this print was probably produced at the time the 3rd Battalion was raised, being 1773. The uniforms for the sepoy battalions would have been similar to each other. The coats were red but the colour of the facings is not known. This print is partially coloured, leaving the facings and the pattern on the shorts unpainted. The accuracy of the print is in question as there is no apparent scabbard for the bayonet. And the slim cane tucked into the belt on his right side is puzzling.
The first description of the uniform in the History coincided with the expansion of the army and the change of title from 5th to 9th Battalion in 1788:
‘The Bombay Army was divided into two brigades, the 1st to the 6th Battalions forming the 1st Brigade, the 7th to the 12th Battalions the 2nd Brigade. The dress of the Brigades was differentiated by the colour of the lace: gold for the officers and yellow for the men of the 1st Brigade; silver for the officers and white for the men of the 2nd Brigade. Turbans and cummerbunds were blue, edged with lace; and the short drawers were similarly ornamented. The front of the turban was of black leather with the number Battalion cut in Roman figures in metal of colour similar to the lace worn by the Brigade. The plume of our 9th Battalion was blue. A badge was sanctioned for those battalions which had been on the old peace establishment, whereas the new battalions still had to win this distinction. The badge of the 9th Battalion was a crescent.’
