A carte de visite depicting an unidentified private the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot taken at Bermuda sometime in early 1881.

The 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot - a nominally Scottish regiment - arrived in Bermuda aboard HM Troopship Himalaya on 20 December 1879 after service in Natal and Zululand during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. The 99th had originally been ordered to South Africa in November 1878 and embarked aboard the SS Walmer Castle, the SS American, and SS Asiatic.

Attached to Colonel Pearson's No. 1 Column during the first invasion of Zululand, elements of the regiment were present at the battle of Inyezane on 22 January 1879. These same companies advanced with the rest of the column and were holed up at the mission station at Ekowe (Eshowe) during its siege until relieved on 3 April 1879.

Elements of the 99th were also part of the relief column and took part in the battle of Ginginhlovo on the 2nd of April. During the second invasion, the 99th formed part of the Coastal Column under Major-General Crealock during which its duties consisted primarily of guarding lines of
communication and various escort duties.

After the end of hostilities, the regiment was ordered to garrison duty in Bermuda where the above photograph was taken. The photo would have to have been taken sometime between January and March 1881 since the regiment was issued its 1877-79 South Africa Medal on 8 January and the
regiment re-embarked for Natal, South Africa on the 8th of March.

This private is shown wearing the soon to be replaced 1877-81 pattern seven-button dress tunic with one long service and good conduct stripe on his right sleeve. His collar badges consist of the Duke of Edinburgh's cipher. He wears his newly issued medal with its single "1879" bar. On the chair next to him, is his glengarry cap with it diced band denoting the regiment's Scottish (Lanarkshire) affiliation.