The insignia on the uniforms at the fort reads FHG and stands for Fort Henry Guard. British regiments each had their own number and/or insignia which would be found on their buttons, knapsack and shako plate.
The
pompom on a shako was not just there for decoration. Depending on the colour, one could
tell the type of soldier and their training by the colour of their pompom: White pompom
— worn by grenadiers, the elite of the battalion, who usually led assaults. White
over Red — regular infantry of the line, trained to fight in the standard fashion.
Green pompom — light infantry, trained as skirmishers and snipers.
With these easily distinguished symbols, officers could determine quickly what kind of troops they were dealing with.
Next Page: Women's uniforms...
