Royal Artillery Officer's Bicorne

Article Profile

Classification: Headwear / Full Dress Uniform

Era: Mid Victorian (1860-1879)

Maker: J. Hodgson Tailor & Outfitter

Dimensions: 45cm x 18cm

Materials: Silk Plush, Royal Artillery pattern button, ostrich plume

Historical Significance

This is an 1860s Royal Artillery Bicorne, adorned with its original white plume. It was produced at the dawn of the decade, 1860, a time notorious for the British Army as it was during a period of waking up following the Crimean War (1853-1856). The army was moving away from the old Napoleonic style of combat towards a more professional era of warfare where Artillery pieces began to dominate the battlefield rather than just sheer numbers. The white plume of feathers is not just for show, however, it is a signal of rank that is still used today. In the 1860s, white plumes on British uniforms typically meant members of Regimental Staff or even Generals, which ultimately served to be a visual shorthand for authority. The men did not need to see the rank to know they were looking at an officer. However, it does need to be acknowledged that white plumes were exclusively for 'Full Dress' or Ceremonial occasions. Full dress, in this instance, refers to the type of uniform, Full Dress Uniform, which was used on ceremonial occasions, for formal events and during reviews and parades. 

This particular bicorne also has the distinction of being worn by a member of the Royal Artillery, as seen on the side holding the loop. The Royal Artillery was a Technical Corps, and thus they were needed to be far more mathematical than the average infantryman, because of the weaponry they operated. As was stated before, this was an era where Artillery began to dominate the battlefield, and these bicornes were used to dominate the ballroom. Furthermore, in contrast to the Purchase System, which allowed infantry officers to buy their commission, Artillery and Engineering officers had to be trained at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. To wear a bicorne like this was a sign that they were a man of education and merit, not just of wealth. 

Select References & Further Reading:

• Carman, W.Y. A Dictionary of Military Uniform.

• Miller, Amy. Dressed to Kill: British Naval Uniform, Masculinity and Contemporary Fashions, 1748-1857.

• Skelley, Alan Ramsay. The Victorian Army at Home: The Recruitment and Terms and Conditions of the British Regular, 1859-1899.

• War Office (Adjutant-General's Office, Horse Guards). Regulations for the Dress of General, Staff, and Regimental Officers of The Army. (1864 edition). 

Header image: 'Portrait of Major General Harding Steward', Edyth Starkie (1890). Image sourced via Public Domain.