An Officer of the Grenadier Company, 63rd Regiment of Foot, 1775 (c)

This officer wears a black bearskin cap with silver tassels and plates, which identifies him as a member of the grenadier company. He carries a fusil or light musket, a type of weapon which was often carried by officers and was usually privately purchased. His regiment is identifiable by the specific shade of its green facings, a very deep green, rather than gosling or willow green.

Each battalion of infantry included a grenadier company, intended to be composed of the tallest and strongest men in the unit. These companies were frequently grouped together as shock troops for especially hazardous duties.

The 63rd Regiment of Foot served in North America in the American War of Independence (1775-1783) from 1775 to 1782, taking an active part in the fighting.