The dress uniform of this soldier from the grenadier company is carefully rendered by the artist (probably Guiseppe Chiesa). The colouring may vary in reproductions but it is generally accepted that the light yellow facings are not correct, as the 25th Regiment had deep yellow facings, almost orange. The complicated bastion-shaped loops on the lapels, collar and cuffs show blue and red stripes. The artist has omitted the yellow stripe between the blue and red, which was the regimental lace pattern from 1751 to 1811. The shoulder wings have straight lace loops, although other images show bastion loops.
This reproduction is from a booklet Uniform of the Scottish Infantry 1740 to 1900 by W A Thorburn (HMSO Edinburgh 1970). The picture cuts off the original caption written by the artist. It reads, ‘Granatiere del XXV Reggimento con il suo = Ahito di Uniforme’.
The broad shoulder belt for the black ammunition pouch has a carefully drawn brass match-case, fixed to the belt with two clips. It is probable that this did not have a practical use in this period. It was supposed to contain a lighted taper for igniting a grenade fuse, but by this time it was a token symbol of his elite status. The narrower belt on the right shoulder is for his bayonet. Grenadiers normally carried a sword as well but this water-colour drawing shows no sign of it.
The plain white waistcoat is fastened with white-metal buttons and there is no waist-belt. White breeches and black knee-length gaiters are shown from the front so that we cannot see the buttons up the sides.
The black fur cap is plain, not conforming to the universal pattern that had a metal plate on the front. Another drawing in this series of five shows a grenadier sentry wrapped in a blanket. His fur cap is embellished with white tassels, but they do not appear on this fur cap.
The background to this study is full of interest. The strong fortifications of the Castle of St Philip, at the mouth of the harbour of Mahon, the main city of Minorca, include outlying redoubts. There are small triangular shapes lining the paths in front of the walls. A parade of soldiers can be seen on the right side of the picture, and a civilian with his wife on a donkey walk along a path.
