Let us therefore begin with the men; and as we have already seen what manner of men they were, physically considered, let us first note how they were dressed. Strictly speaking, it was not until 1764 that the Light Dragoon regiments received their distinct dress regulations; but the alterations then made were so slight that we may fairly take the dress of 1764 as the dress of 1760. To begin with, every man was supplied by the Colonel, by contract, with coat, waistcoat, breeches, and cloak. The coat, of course, was of scarlet, full and long in the skirt, but whether lapelled or not before 1763 it is difficult to say. Lapels meant a good deal in those days; the coats of Horse being lapelled to the skirt, those of Dragoon Guards lapelled to the waist, while those of Dragoons were double-breasted and had no lapels at all. The Light Dragoons being a novelty, it is difficult to say how they were distinguished in this respect, but probably in 1760 (and certainly in 1763) their coats were lapelled to the waist with the colour of the regimental facing, the lapels being three inches broad, with plain white buttons disposed thereon in pairs.
The waistcoat was of the colour of the regimental facing—white, of course, for the Seventeenth; and the breeches likewise. The cloaks were scarlet, with capes of the colour of the facing. In fact, it may be said once for all that everything white in the uniform of the Seventeenth owes its hue to the colour of the regimental facing.
Over and above these articles the Light Dragoon received a pair of high knee-boots, a pair of boot-stockings, a pair of gloves, a comb, a watering or forage cap, a helmet, and a stable frock. Pleased as the recruit must have been to find himself in possession of smart clothes, it must have been a little discouraging for him to learn that his coat, waistcoat, and breeches were to last him for two, and his helmet, boots, and cloak for four years. But this was not all. He was required to supply out of an annual wage of £13: 14: 10 the following articles at his own expense:—
| 4 shirts at 6s. 10d. | £1 | 7 | 4 |
| 4 pairs stockings at 2s. 10d. | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| 2 pairs shoes at 6s. | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| A black stock | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Stock-buckle | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1 pair leather breeches | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 1 pair knee-buckles | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 pairs short black gaiters | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| 1 black ball (the old substitute for blacking) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 shoe-brushes | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| £4 | 7 | 1 |
Nor was even this all, for we find (though without mention of their price) that a pair of checked sleeves for every man, and a powder bag with two puffs for every two men had likewise to be supplied from the same slender pittance.
Turning next from the man himself to his horse, his arms, and accoutrements, we discover yet further charges against his purse, thus—
| Horse-picker and turnscrew | £0 | 0 | 2 |
| Worm and oil-bottle | 0 | 0 | 3½ |
| Goatskin holster tops | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Curry-comb and brush | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Mane comb and sponge | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Horse-cloth | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| Snaffle watering bridle | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| £0 | 11 | 7½ |
Also a pair of saddle-bags, a turn-key, and an awl.
All these various items were paid for, “according to King’s regulation and custom,” out of the soldier’s “arrears and grass money.” For his pay was made up of three items—
| “Subsistence” (5d. a day nominal) | £9 | 2 | 0 | per annum. |
| “Arrears” (2d. a day nominal) | 3 | 1 | 0 | „ |
| “Grass money” | 1 | 11 | 10 | „ |
| £13 | 14 | 10 | „ |