Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 99/397

THE 105 TH REGIMENT OF FOOT , 1761-1763

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of Mantua silk supplied indicates that the blue of the Union in the King’s colour was the same as that used for the regimental colour and that crimson, rather than an ordinary red, was the shade used for the St. George’s cross within the Unions on both King’s and regimental colours. Paintings of the mid-eighteenth century generally show the shade of blue in the Union flag to have been a good deal paler at that period than it is in modern times. As was the case with the extant colours of the 94th Foot, the design of the colours of the Queen’s Own Royal Highlanders did not conform to the standard design of flags for infantry regiments as laid out in the regulations. 19 It is unclear as to whether the pipe banners were crimson on one side and blue on the other for both battalions, or whether one battalion had banners that were all crimson and the other, banners that were blue throughout. Though the Standing Army was viewed with suspicion and concern by those who thought that it might subvert the constitution, nevertheless the number of portraits of officers that were evidently intended to commemorate their military service indicates that more pragmatic and realistic sentiments were espoused by many. These sitters were clearly keen to record the fact that they had done their duty when their country was under threat. Batoni’s painting of Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable William Gordon in addition to recording his Grand Tour, bears witness to his service and provides a unique reference to the uniform of a regiment that served its country briefly but honourably during the Seven Years War.

Saint Andrew, the Patron saint of Scotland, with his saltire cross and carrying the Acts of Andrew as a bound volume. Illustration by the author

19 A. Cormack, ‘The History of the 94th Foot, 1760-1763’, JSAHR , Autumn 2011. The conventional designs of the colours for 16 infantry regiments raised in 1758 appear in TNA, Board of General Officers – Clothing, WO 7/25.