71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's Highlanders - Uniforms of The Fraser Highlanders

Uniforms of The Fraser Highlanders

Little is certain about the regiment’s dress. Archaeological research revealed buttons and a bonnet badge from the Regiment, but little else.

The Frasers were originally outfitted in proper Highland Military uniforms since surviving records indicated "no breeches" when the regiment was formed. Kilts were probably of standard military tartan, commonly called "Black Watch" today. Pipers may have worn another tartan since they were not officially on the Army's rolls.

Enlisted men wore brick-red coats and officers and non-commissioned officers wore scarlet. Uniform coats had white facings and the buttons were numbered 71. The lace for the button holes was white with a red worm for enlisted and corporals; sergeants wore white tape while officers had silver.

The cartridge box badge, commonly misidentified as a bonnet badge, was a brass roundel with the cross of St. Andrew surrounded by an outer band with the words Quicquid Amt Facere Aut Pati (Whatever is to be performed or endured). In the centre of the Roundel is a Thistle and below it is the number 71. In an Inner circle around the Thistle is the phrase: Nemo Me Impune Lacesset (No one assails me with impunity). The type of headgear the unit soldiers wore was a blue bonnet with a diced band. This was adorned with a regimental button, silk cockade and ostrich feathers.

The American climate and lack of re-supply may have had an adverse effect on men wearing the kilt during the first year, since there is no mention of the kilt in historical records after that. First-hand accounts confirm that by the time of the Southern Campaign the unit’s soldiers wore trousers. Typically, white linen trousers were worn in the summer while brown wool trousers were worn in the winter months. Regimental records indicate that large numbers of these tightly fitted trousers were ordered in the Southern Campaign.