18th ( Royal Irish ) Regiment. A young ensign photographed circa 1859-61

An attractive photographic portrait of a young ensign of the 18th Royal Irish Regiment of Foot. It is of carte de visite size, 4 x 2½ ins [10 x 6.2 cm], but is on a piece of card, probably cut from an old album page. It is identified on the background in contemporary ink H. Heath, 18th. The young officer is shown half length seated, holding his French style shako, worn only from 1855 to 1862. Hart’s Army List 1861 shows Henry Gordon Heath as an ensign in the 18th, having been commissioned in the regiment in August 1859 and serving with the 2nd Battalion.    jan14/1