NAM.2018-07-13-1-1

A private of the 8th West India Regiment, 1804 (c). Oil painting on canvas, by an unknown artist, 1804 (c). This portrait depicts a private soldier of a light company of the 8th West India Regiment. The regiment was raised in 1795, disbanded in 1802 following a mutiny and then raised again in December 1803 under the command of Lt Col Sir Thomas Hislop (1764-1843) who had previously commanded the 11th West India Regiment. As well as commanding the regiment, Hislop was lieutenant governor of Trinidad and owned a plantation and slaves. Associated with Napoleonic Wars, West Indies (1803-1810). The re-raised 8th West India Regiment of 1803 was largely composed of men from the disbanded 11th West India Regiment. From 1805-1806 the regiment purchased 612 new slaves to fill its ranks, favouring new slaves taken directly from Africa rather than those who were already in the West Indies. In 1806, knowing that legislation banning the slave trade was imminent and fearing that this would dry up their source of recruits, the Windward and Leeward Islands Command purchased 1,554 slaves for the West India Regiments. This was more than in any previous years and cost £115,887. Prior to 1807, there was much debate about the legal status of the soldiers of the West India Regiments, and whether they were subject to slave laws or not. Following the end of the slave trade in 1807, the Mutiny Act published that year finally established that the black soldiers of the West India Regiments were freemen and should be treated like any other soldiers. Details of the shako, white cross belts and square lapels suggest a date of around 1804 for this portrait.

Napoleonic Wars, West Indies (1803-1810)