‘Nineteenth Lancers’, 1820 (aquatint, coloured)

‘Nineteenth Lancers’, 1820. Coloured aquatint by and after William Heath, published by J Watson, Vere Street, Bond Street, London, 25 April 1820. Uniform study of an officer of the 19th Lancers. The first use of the numeral ‘19’ for a British Army line cavalry regiment was in 1786, when the 23rd Light Dragoons was renumbered. This unit had originally been raised in 1781 and was the first ever British cavalry regiment to operate in India. The 19th Light Dragoons fought against Tipu Sultan in the Third and Fourth Mysore Wars (1790-1792 and 1799), including at the Siege of Seringapatam (1799). It later fought Dhoondia Wao in 1800 and served under Arthur Wellesley at Assaye in 1803, during the Second Maratha War (1803-1805). In 1806, it took part in the suppression of the Vellore Mutiny. The Regiment's last years in India were spent on garrison duties. It then sailed to Canada to fight in the War of 1812 (1812-15). The regiment was converted to lancers in 1816 but disbanded in 1821 as the size of the British Army was reduced. Because of the length of their service in India, the regiment was known as the ‘Terror of the East’. A successor regiment, the 19th Hussars, were created in 1862 and permitted to use the battle honours of the 19th Lancers.

From an album of 18 aquatints entitled 'Military Costume of the British Cavalry, 1820'.