The drummers in the 79th, as in the rest of the army up to 1812 wear reverse colours. That is to say, the tunic is in the facing colour, and the facings are in red. The lacing is far more elaborate than the common soldier, with Chevrons running the full length of the arms and lacing across the back of the tunic. The drummers wear a water bottle and bread bag, like the regular soldiers, but in place of the cross straps they wear a single white leather drum sling.
The drum is 16 inches deep with a 14 inch diameter. The heads are made of calf skin, and tensioned using ropes. A small cat gut snare provides some pitch, although traditionally the drums were very deep, much like today's tenor drums in pipe bands. This was to allow the sound of the drums to carry across the battlefield, and be heard over the terrible din of battle.
