AN OFFICER'S LEVEE DRESS COATEE AND EPAULETTES, BERWICKSHIRE YEOMANRY CAVALRY, CIRCA 1803-28 of scarlet wool, faced green and decorated overall with silver gimp forming closely packed loops on the front, quatrefoils at the slashed cuffs, edging the collar and bordering and embellishing the tails and turn-backs, with narrow silver gimp providing delicate tracery on the collar, cuffs and tails; the front bearing three lines of white metal ball-buttons, each struck centrally with a monarchical crown and by Bushby London, closing with 24 buttons and either side decorated with 23 (the top one on the left side a smaller replacement of the same style); two similar buttons at centre back; white false turn-backs edged with green and with ornaments in the form of double-sheaves of wheat in silver wire, sequins and green thread on a scarlet ground; the collar 2¾ inches high, closing with three hooks-and-eyes; epaulettes lined with white silk and with plain silver lace straps, edged with silver purl, terminating in purl-and-sequin crescents with two layers of loose silver wire bullions and with ball buttons; lined with white silk (damaged and incomplete) and with two deep pockets in the tails This coatee is reputed to have originally belonged to Captain John Spottiswoode, younger son of John Spottiswoode, Berwickshire (1780-1866), who became captain of the 3rd, or 'Eagle' troop of Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry in 1803. His father, also John Spottiswoode (c.1742-1805), had raised the 3rd troop in 1801 and was appointed the regiment's major in 1803, whereupon his son - the younger John - was appointed captain of the troop. The 3rd troop was closely identified with the Spottiswoode family, its appellation 'Eagle troop' coming from its troop-specific badges - worn on the troop's 'Tarleton' helmets - which replicated the Spottiswoode family's crest of an 'eagle rising'. The troop remained in existence from 1803 until the disbandment of the regiment in 1828 and was noted for the magnificence of its uniforms and general appearance: it was noted in 1803 that the wish of the whole troop was to have the lace on its jackets like that of the Light Horse Volunteers of London and Westminster, a move that necessitated the use of 28 yards of lace and which was regarded as 'extravagant in the extreme' (Norman, 1963, p. 117) Literature: Norman, A.V.B., 'Notes for a History of the Dress of the Scottish Yeomanry and Volunteer Cavalry up to 1850, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol. XLI (1963), pp. 113-137. Freeman, B.F.M., 'Historical Records of the Border Yeomanry Regiments: No. 3. - The Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry, 1797-1828', Transactions of the Hawick Archaeological Society 1915, pp. 53-64.