The hats are made of black felt, with white worsted tape edging.
Black tape is used to cock the hats, and the cockade is also black.
Hair cockades are strongest, and of course fittest for soldiers: they should be
of a fixed pattern, with the edges as plain as possible, that they may be the
less liable to retain dust, and thereby be the easier cleaned with oil, which
nourishes the hair, and always given them a black and glossy look.
A soldier should never be permitted to wear his hat improperly,...
it is quite pressed down on the right brow, the left
one just uncovered, and the front cock pointing exactly over the outside corner
of the left eye;...this position of the hat, besides adding a becoming smartness
to the air of a soldier, places the left cock of it in such a direction as to
not interfere with his firelock, in the motion of shouldering.
It is mistaken economy in Officers, to buy very coarse linen for their soldier's shirts;... four shirts (three of which should be perfectly good) are as few as a soldier can dispense with, to support that neatness, which at all times should distinguish him: less than three yards and a half ought never to be put in one,... as it is a certainty, that the longer and larger they are made, the greater service may be expected from them: care must be taken, that they are worked both neat and strong, with buttons at the collar, which should not be allowed to turn over the stock, above an inch, to prevent its being entirely hid.
Black stocks... are a saving to the men in point of washing, and do not show the dirt of a shirt, so much, after a day's wear: two will be necessary for each man; one of horse-hair for common use; the other of Manchester velvet for dress:... the ends for the clasps to fix in, are best of leather, as that will last while the stocks do.
The waistcoat is made of white wool.
All waistcoats must cover the soldier well, and to be made full in every part:
they are to be cut square at the bottom, and open back from the lowermost
buttonhole to the point: which lower button and hole are to cover the lower part
of the waistband of the breeches.
The breeches are also made of white wool.
Buckles to the knee bands of a soldier's breeches are improper, both on account
of the expence, and because their tongues are perpetually wearing out the
straps: a button answers every purpose of keeping the knee-band tight; five
therefore (including that upon the band) are sufficient for each knee, as a
greater number looks too crowded; a falling flap to the breeches, with two large
buttons to fix it to the waist-band, appears always tight and smooth, and is to
be preferred to any other: one cross pocket of moderate depth, is all a soldier
need desire in his breeches, as it will answer any purpose he can want.
The greatest uniformity should be observed, in the colour of the stockings, through a Regiment, as nothing more offends the eye, than a variety in this particular: white, besides being most showy, is the readiest colour to be obtained in all places;... four pair of stockings should at least be each soldier's stock, three of... fine yarn, eighteen-pence a pair, and the fourth of thread, worth about two shillings and four pence, to wear on Sundays and other particular occasions.
The 1768 Clothing Warrant stipulates long gaiters with stiff tops, but the picture shows
the shorter alternative.
As long gaiters confine and heat the soldiers legs too much, upon a march, in
warm weather, it will be prudent to furnish them with black short ones, to rise
only to the swell of the calf, with a small peak at the top of the back seam,
and made in every other particular like the long gaiters: and as they are
considerably cheaper, it must be economy to wear them on all occasions, when
the others can be dispensed with; besides, a commanding-officer will very much
consult the good appearance of his Regiment by it, as soldiers never look so
tight or well prepared for any service, as when dressed in gaiters of this kind,
especially, if uniformity has been established in the colour of their stockings,
and that a neat black garter be buckled below the knee.
It should be particularly observed, that the men do not always wear their shoes on the same feet, but that they change them every day about, to prevent their running crooked;...Shoe buckles of a roundish form are to be preferred to square ones, as they never cut the tongue of the gaiter.
The coat is made of Madder Red wool, the dye being considerably cheaper than the scarlet
dye used for Serjeants and Officers, with Black facings (collar, lapels and cuffs).
The Lace around the buttonholes is particular to the regiment, and is half an inch wide
white worsted, with a central red stripe, and a black stripe near the outside edge.
The Buttons have the arabic numerals '64' in the centre.
The flap on the pocket of the coat is sewn down, and the pocket is cut in the lining
of the coat.
Pockets in the side plaits of a soldier's coat must always make the skirts swell
out, and hang in an aukward manner, whenever any thing is carried in them,
therefore should be fixed where pockets usually are in a full skirted coat, with
the difference of being on the inside, instead of the outside of it.
Shoulder straps provide a means to secure the belts of the cartridge pouch and bayonet
frog.
Quotations from Bennett Cuthbertson's "System for the Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry"