Some Buttons from the Volunteer Militia
I bought a small collection of military buttons a little while ago, not because I collect them (I know nothing about the subject), but rather because one or two labels suggested that they had something to do with the far north. I have since done a bit of research, and these are my findings (for what they are worth). Perhaps someone who knows more about the subject could enlighten me further.
It seems that from 1757, each English county was required to submit a quota of men for military service. With the threat of invasion from Napoleon at the end of the 18th century, the policy was extended into Scotland, and in 1798, the 1st to 10th Regiments of the North British Militia were raised. The badge below I believe to come from the uniform of the second regiment, NBM:
The text on the button reads something like "GWR, 2REG NBM".
The collector dates this one 1798.
Whoever collected these buttons suggests that 2 (or possibly 3) of them are from uniforms of the Ross-shire Volunteers. As you can see, they have been dated 1803:
You can see an "RV" at the bottom of each of them, but I worry that they are remarkably like the button of the Rochester Volunteers of Kent, an example of which I think lies in the collection:
For the purposes of this website, it would be nice if the three were from Ross-shire.
One button that does definitely belong to the far north is marked RCSC: The Ross-shire, Cromarty, Sutherland & Caithness Highland Rifle Militia. It has a crown above, and a bugle below.
Other buttons from the collection that have Scottish origins include one marked LCV - Loyal Carrick Volunteers.....:
....and another with a splendid image of Saint Andrew, the text proclaiming the Argylshire Highlanders:
