Company officer's coatee, Warwickshire Militia, 1822 (c)

Scarlet wool cloth coatee with yellow wool cloth facings with pewter buttons and no epaulette.

After the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) the need for a militia lessened and in some quarters there was alarm at the prospect of rank-and-file militiamen turning against the military authorities during periods of civil unrest. Although muster rolls were prepared as late as 1820, compulsory obligation to serve in the militia was abandoned. Those who joined would return to their day jobs after initial training, subsequently reporting only for extra instruction and the two-week camp every year. There was never an obligation for militia to serve overseas like regular soldiers sent on active service, and for all ranks it was a relatively soft option in comparison.