Sergeant-Drummer,
Coldstream Guards.
The Life Guards, Dragoon Guards (except the 6th), Dragoons, and 16th Lancers wear scarlet, the remainder of the Cavalry dark blue, tunics.
The Life Guards and Blues are the only regiments who wear cuirasses, and these they would probably leave behind on active service. They, the Dragoon Guards and the Dragoons (except the 2nd Scots Greys, who wear bearskins), wear steel or brass helmets, with plumes varying in colour according to the regiment. The Lancers wear the well-known Lancer cap, with the scarlet[6] “plastron” in front of their tunics. The Hussars wear the busby, with busby-bag and plume of different colours according to the regiment; and they have also six rows of yellow braid across the front of the tunic. All the Cavalry wear dark blue pantaloons[7] or overalls, with red, white, or yellow stripes, and the Household Cavalry has in addition white leather breeches and jackboots for full dress. The Cavalry forage-cap is a small round one, and always worn over the right ear.
Their arms are sword and carbine throughout; the Lancer regiments in addition carry the lance of male bamboo, and with a red and white pennon. The Cavalry carbine is of the Martini-Henry pattern, with a bore of ·450 in.; it is sighted up to 1,000 yds., and is a first-rate little weapon.
The establishment of a Cavalry Squadron (2 troops) in the field is:—
| 6 | officers, |
| 16 | non-commissioned officers, and |
| 122 | rank and file, of whom 26 are dismounted, and |
| 144 | horses, including draught-horses. |
A Regiment (4 squadrons) is composed of:—
| 1 | lieutenant-colonel, |
| 3 | majors, |
| 6 | captains, |
| 16 | subalterns, and 6 other officers, including adjutant, quartermaster, surgeon, paymaster, and 2 “vets.” |
| 75 | N. C. O.’s, |
| 666 | rank and file, and |
| 614 | horses. |
A Cavalry Brigade numbers 3 regiments, and details altogether 114 officers, 2,280 men, and 2,200 horses.