Red Hackle
Preserved but no longer current.
The nickname of "The Black Watch," the regiment officially known as "The Royal High- landers." They are easily recognized by the small bunch of red feathers, known as the red hackle, which they wear on their bonnets in lieu of a regimental badge.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Red Hackle” mean?
The nickname of "The Black Watch," the regiment officially known as "The Royal High- landers." They are easily recognized by the small bunch of red feathers, known as the red hackle, which they wear on their bonnets in lieu of a regimental badge.
Is “Red Hackle” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.