Uniform

Headdress

The felt ‘stovepipe’ shako was adopted in 1806 to replace a similar model made of lacquered material, and was the common headdress of British infantrymen in Canada at the beginning of the War of 1812.

The shako sported a large brass 1801 Pattern plate decorated with the monarch’s cipher and military trophies, though some prestigious regiments, such as the 1st (Royal Scots) or 8th (King’s) Regiments had distinctive regimental patterns with heraldic badges.  It was surmounted by a black tooled leather cockade (signifying loyalty to the British Crown), and a woollen plume denoting the wearer’s service in the grenadier (white), battalion (white over red) or light infantry (green) companies.

In December 1811 the ‘New Pattern’ (later referred to as the ‘Belgic’) shako copied from that utilized by Britain’s Portuguese allies was introduced in an attempt to improve on the stovepipe shako’s protective shortcomings.  It consisted of a felt body with a false front, ornamented with a shield-shaped brass plate struck with the monarch’s cipher (regimental variants also existed), festooned with braided woollen cords, and a cockade and tuft affixed to the left side.  It was also the first British shako to be issued with a painted canvas or oilskin foul weather covering to be worn on campaign.

The transition to New Pattern shakos had only just begun in Canada when the United States declared war in June 1812.  At the time, most British regiments in North America still wore the older headdress, although Quebec and Montreal merchants began to advertise the sale of New Pattern shakos for officers (who purchased their uniforms privately) during the fall of 1812.  Adoption of the new headdress by the rank & file continued throughout the war as supplies and fresh regiments were dispatched from Britain, until most regiments in Canada wore the New Pattern shako by the summer of 1814.

Bearskins

Drummers and fifers wore black bearskin caps for ceremonial occasions since first introduced by the Royal Warrant of 1768.  Originally worn as the everyday headdress, their use was restricted to full dress after the advent of the shako in 1800.  Buglers of the regimental light infantry companies were not mentioned in the regulations, although they presumably wore the shako common to light infantry companies and regiments.
The model worn in 1812 was introduced in 1805, and differed from the previous pattern by being significantly larger and having a rigid internal bamboo or wooden frame.  The brass plate adopted with this pattern bore the British Coat of Arms, while the cap was encircled by braided woollen cords, and surmounted with a cut feather plume which was white for both grenadier and battalion companies.  Affixed on the back was a brass drum badge, an identifying feature also transferred to the back of the shako.