To the colors, 1799 edition
A plate from Thomas Rowlandson’s Loyal Volunteers of London & Environs, Infantry & Cavalry, in their respective Uniforms. Representing the whole of the Manual, Platoon, & Funeral Exercise in 87 plates Designed & Etch‘d by T. Rowlandson. [London]: Rudolph Ackermann, [1798-99].
Via NY Public Library Digital Collections
The work shows off the uniforms of two mounted units of “Citizen Soldiers” of the Surrey Yeomanry and London & Westminster Light Horse. These two companies were scratch-formed volunteer corps spawned as a response to the (perceived) imminent invasion by the French. Within weeks in the winter of 1798-99, some 12,000 came forward and formed units, with many being veterans who marched in the Americas against Washington more than a decade before.