Tarleton helmet
The Tarleton helmet, also called the Tarleton cap, is a type of 18th-century military headgear unofficially named in honour of then-Lieutenant Colonel Sir Banastre Tarleton. Described by contemporary sources as among the "handsomest" helmets of its period, it was generally worn by light infantry and light cavalry units. The helmet featured a leather or metal shell with neoclassical decorative elements, topped with a tall fur crest—commonly made of bearskin or horsehair. It was in-service between approximately 1789 and 1815, though personnel wore it unofficially earlier.
History
The helmet gained its name via association with Banastre Tarleton, the British hero of the American War of Independence, It may have been introduced to the British Army by Lt. Gen. William Keppel (British [Army officer, born 1727)|William Keppel] around 1771, who was himself inspired by European dragoons wearing a similar helmet.It is widely written that Tarleton adopted the helmet with the British Legion, wearing it himself in battle and in portraits by artists such as Sir Joshua Reynolds. The helmet officially entered service with British dragoon regiments in 1789 and continued to be worn by light dragoon regiments until about 1812, as well as by horse artillery units through the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
Similar helmet styles appeared across Europe, including the in Bavaria, which remained standard until replaced by the Pickelhaube following King Ludwig II of Bavaria's death in 1886.