'St. James's Volunteer', 'Stand at Ease', 1798 (c)

Aquatint by and after Thomas Rowlandson, from a volume of 86 aquatints entitled, 'Loyal Volunteers of London & Environs', published by R Ackermann, 101 Strand, London, 1 June 1798.

Plate 'No. 1' of the Infantry section. A member of the St James's Westminster Volunteers demonstrates the stand at ease position.

Inscribed drill instruction, 'At the word Ease the right foot is brought about two Inches behind the left, bending the left knee, & resting firmly on the right leg, the hands are shut in each other with the thumbs turn'd in. The piece resting in the right Arm with the muzzle against the shoulder'.

The St James's Loyal Volunteers was raised in London in 1797. Like many other auxiliary units at the time, it was formed to counter the threat of invasion from France and to quell any internal civil unrest. William Pitt Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst and later Governor General of India, was the unit's Colonel. The regiment's colours were presented by Princess Frederica Charlotte, the Duchess of York, in July 1798. The unit was disbanded after the Peace of Amiens in 1801 but was raised again in June 1803.