the red hackle

[Luke MacGillie]

A red feather(most likely Ostridge) was first issued by Col Murray to Pipers in the 42nd in 1758. The red hackle in the bonnet, and some form of a "knot" worn on the shoulder are what distinguished pipers (other than the pipe major, who had a silver embroidered grenadier style cap) from regular enlisted men during that time when the cost of pipers came out of the Col's pocketbook.

In the recreated 42nd from the 1750's that I belong to, we are not the Grenadier company, so our piper wears a red plume, and has a mixed blue and white twisted knot in the style of a corporals knot worn on his right shoulder.

Later in the Revolutionary War the grenadier and Light Infantry companies of all the regiments in the northern Armies were stripped from them and formed into composite assault battalions. In these they were combinations of red, green and white plums as the only bit of unit uniformity that could be done. It is thought that the Grenadiers when returned from their detatched duty continued to wear the red plum, and perhaps then eventually the whole battalion.


The Regimental history most often, for some unknown reason overlooks these early uses of a red feather by the regiment.