2nd Foot Guards
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised by Colonel George Monck in Northumberland on 13 August 1650 from 5 companies of Fenwick's Regiment, quartered at Berwick, and five companies of Hesilrige's Regiment, quartered at Newcastle. A few weeks later, on 3 September 1650, the regiment fought at the Battle of Dunbar. In November, it took part in the capture of Edinburgh and Leith, in the storming of Derlton House near Haddington, in the capture of Roswell Castle, and on 24 December, in the capture of the Castle of Edinburgh. In 1651, it took part in the capture of Tantallon Castle and in the sieges and capture of Stirling Castle and Dundee. In mid-November, the regiment took its quarters in Aberdeen. In January 1652, it marched from Aberdeen to Dundee where it relieved Colonel Cooper's Foot. In May, it took part in the capture of Dunotter Castle. In June, the army was ordered to march into the Highlands. By 18 July, the regiment was at Bashenough while detachments occupied the Bray of Mar and Ruthven Castle. Towards the end of autumn, the regiment left the Highlands and marched to Edinburgh where 200 of its men were disbanded. In October 1653, two companies of the regiment took part in the reduction of the Western Isles and of the Orkneys. In January 1654, the entire regiment went to Falkirk. In April, it entered into Stirling and then marched to Kilsith beyond Glasgow. It then took part in the capture of the Island of Loch Tray and Balloch, Weemys Castle and Garth Castle. In August, Monck returned to St. Johnstone's and Stirling for provisions, then marched on Aberfoile in pursuit of the Earls of Glencairn and Athol who finally surrendered. In March 1655, two companies of the regiment marched from Edinburgh to Berwick to strengthen that garrison. In August, the regiment was reduced 20 men per company, leaving it 800 strong.
On 19 October 1659, after Cromwell's death and the reinstatement of the Parliament, Mock, who was commander-in-chief in Scotland, mustered his regiment and Morgan's Foot in Edinburgh. He then told his officers that he was resolved to make military power subordinate to the Parliament. Officers and soldiers unanimously declared they would live and die with him. He also announced his intentions to Wilkes' Foot, stationed in Leith. On 21 October, Monck marched to Lithgowe with some troops of horse and a few companies of foot. On 22 October, he returned to Edinburgh. On 8 December, Monck's Army assembled at Coldstream on the Tweed. From then on, his regiment was almost always designated as the "Coldstream Regiment". On 1 January 1660, Monck set off from Coldstream at the head of his army (including his own regiment), marching towards London by Newcastle, Leicester, Harborough, Northampton, Dunstable, St. Albans and Barnet. On 3 February, Monck triumphantly entered London. Upon its arrival in London, the regiment repressed anarchy, enforced due obedience to the laws and secured the respect for the civil government. On 24 February, Monck was constituted Captain-General under the Parliament. On 9 April, Lambert escaped from the Tower of London but companies of the regiment pursued him and defeated his supporters at Daventry. On 22 April, it brought Lambert back to the Tower of London. On 8 May, with the support of Monck and of the Parliament, Charles II was proclaimed king in London. On 28 May, Monck's regiment encamped at Blackheath with the rest of the army, in readiness to receive the King. For his role in the Restoration, Monck received the title of Earl of Albemarle. In August, orders were given to disband all former regiments of the English Army with the exception of Monck's regiment, now known as the “Lord General's Own Regiment” or “Duke of Albemarle's Regiment of Foot”. On 11 January 1661, the King resolved to constitute this regiment his household troops along with the newly created King's Regiment of Guards. On 14 February, the regiment was symbolically disbanded in relation to the kingdom's pay and immediately taken in the king's service as guards. From then, it was known as the “Lord General's Regiment of Foot Guards”.
In May 1664, 50 men of the regiment were drafted for an expedition to Guinea. In November, a detachment of the regiment embarked on board the fleet for service. In January 1665, when war broke out with the Dutch Republic, 500 men were added to the regiment for sea-service and distributed on board the fleet. In May 1666, a large portion of the regiment served once more on board the fleet, taking part in the Four Days' Battle (1 to 4 June) and in the St. James's Day Battle (25 July).
After Monck's death, in January 1670, William Earl of Craven became colonel of the regiment. From this period, the regiment became better known as the “Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards”. In February, a detachment of the regiment (1 officer, 1 sergeant, 1 corporal and 50 men) embarked to reinforce the ships sent in the Mediterranean to check the depredations committed by the Algerian pirates. The squadron returned in November.
In February 1672, when the Third Anglo-Dutch War () broke out, each company of the regiment contributed 10 men for the creation of the “Duke of Monmouth's Regiment of Foot”. Furthermore, 300 men of the regiment embarked on board the fleet. On 28 May, they took part in the Battle of Solebay before being sent back to London. In November, 100 men of the regiment were integrated into a combined regiment who served with the French against the Dutch. In May 1673, 6 companies of the regiment were distributed on board English ships. They took part in the two Battle of Schooneveld (28 May and 4 June) and in the Battle of Texel (21 August). By March 1674, the regiment was stationed in and about London while two of its companies were quartered at Rochester.
In October 1676, the 12 companies of the regiment contributed a total of 3 officers, 2 sergeants and 84 men for the creation of a regiment destined for service in Virginia. In 1677, two men from each company of the regiment were trained and exercised for the duty of grenadiers. The same year, England concluded an alliance with the Dutch Republic. In January 1678, the regiment was increased by 480 men to bring all 12 companies to 100 rank and file. Another augmentation of 8 companies soon took place. These 8 new companies were ordered to assemble at Rochester. In February, 4 of the old companies embarked at the Tower for Ostend. On 4 April, a company of 100 grenadiers was added to the regiment. In May, 4 additional companies of the regiment were ordered to embark for Ostend. These 8 companies then campaigned under the command of the Duke of Monmouth, being attached to the brigade of Colonel John Churchill. After the Treaty of Nijmegen, the 8 companies returned to London. The regiment was then reduced to 12 companies of 60 men each.
At the end of July 1680, a detachment of the regiment (1 captain, 1 ensign, 4 sergeants and 120 privates) was sent to the relief of Tangiers. They were converged with other contingents to form the so called “King's Battalion” who sailed from Portsmouth. Meanwhile, 2 companies of the regiment went to Oxford to attend the King. In April 1684, the detachment previously sent to Tangiers returned home. The same month, a second grenadier company was added to the regiment. In September, the uniform of the regiment is described as follows:
- “red coats lined with green, red stockings and red breeches, ...grenadier caps lines green with green tassels”
By the time of the coronation of King James II in 1685, the regiment consisted of 12 companies and one company of grenadiers. The same year, one battalion of the regiment saw active service during the Monmouth Rebellion and, on 6 July, fought at the Battle of Sedgemoor. In July, the regiment was twice reduced first from 100 to 80 men and then to 60 men per company. On 21 May 1686, the regiment was provided with bayonets for the first time; previously only the grenadiers had them.
From 1 September 1688, four companies were to the regiment: 3 musketeer companies and 1 grenadier companies. On 5 November, the Prince of Orange landed at Torbay and marched with his Dutch regiments to Exeter. In December, prior to his entry into London, the Prince of Orange sent orders for all the King's forces in and about the capital to march out, with the exception of the Coldstream Guards. On 19 December, the regiment was drawn up in Moor-fields and received orders to march for Rochester, Maidstone and Dover. On the accession of William III, the regiment was taken from Lord Craven and bestowed to Thomas Talmash.
In March 1689, according to its treaty with the Dutch Republic, England got involved in the Nine Years' War (1688–97). The two battalions of the regiment embarked for Helvoet Sluys. In may the regiment was reduced from 17 to 14 companies (2 companies were transferred to the 1st Foot Guards and the third was disbanded). At the end of the year, a battalion of 7 companies was raised for home duty and only one battalion remained on the establishment in Flanders. At the end of May, the regiment, commanded by Colonel Bridgeman, and some other regiments from England assembled on the Sambre, under Marlborough. On 25 August, the first battalion of the regiment took part in an engagement at Walcourt. It later took its winter-quarters in Ghent. In July 1690, the battalion was posted in Bruxelles. In May 1691, the first battalion left its cantonments and joined the Allied army assembling at Anderlecht. On 3 August 1692, the battalion took part in the Battle of Steenkerque. It was then attached to a force sent to Bruges and later formed part of the garrison of Dixmude. At the beginning of 1693, the Allies evacuated Dixmude. In May, they assembled at Dieghem, between Bruxelles and Louvain. On 29 July, the first battalion fought in the Battle of Landen. In September, it was part of a force placed, under the command of the Elector of Bavaria, who marched to Saint-Quentin Linneck but was soon recalled to Ninove. The battalion took its winter-quarters in Ghent. In May 1694, it rejoined the army assembling near Louvain. In June the Brigade of Guards encamped at Valeduc to cover the king's quarters. In October, the whole of the heavy artillery was forwarded to Ghent in charge of the first battalion of the regiment. On 18 June of the same year, a detachment of the home battalion (4 officers, 4 sergeants, 6 corporals, 3 drummers and 138 privates) took part in an unsuccessful landing in Camaret Bay where Lieutenant-General Talmash was mortally wounded. Lord Cutts was then appointed colonel of the Coldstream Guards. In July 1695, the first battalion was part of Cutts' Brigade who contributed to the siege of Namur. In March 1696, William III fearing a French invasion recalled several units, including the first battalion of the regiment to England. However, this force was soon sent back to Flanders and, by April, was back in Ghent. On 2 June, it marched to Wavre where an army was assembling. It later took its winter-quarters at Ghent. Early in April 1697, the first battalion was part of William's Army of Brabant who encamped between Deynse and Nivelle. In October, after the signature of the Treaty of Ryswick, the battalion embarked for England.
By the time of the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment counted two battalions.
During the War of the Spanish Succession, the successive colonels of the regiment were:
- since June 1694: Lord Cutts
- from 1707 to 11 October 1714: Charles Churchill
Service during the War
From June 1702, six companies of the regiment took part in the unsuccessful expedition against Cádiz. They embarked on board the following ships of the lines where its soldiers served as marines:
- 110 men on board the Ranelagh (80)
- 130 men on board the Prince George (96)
- 129 men on board the Triumph (90)
- 123 men on board the Lenox (70)
After this unsuccessful expedition, as the fleet was returning to England, Admiral Rooke was informed that a considerable force of ships, including certain Spanish galleons which had lately arrived from the Indies, were somewhere on the coast. One of his ship finally located them in Vigo Bay and, on 23 October, the Anglo-Dutch fleet attacked and captured this fleet in the Battle of Vigo Bay where the six companies of the regiment were part of the landing force. In this action, Captain Butler Ramsden was killed and Colonel Pierce was wounded.
In July 1704, 400 men of the regiment were converged with 200 men of the 1st Foot Guards to form a Battalion of Guards destined to Portugal. This battalion marched to Portsmouth from where it sailed for Lisbon at the end of September, disembarking at Lisbon on 30 October. On 3 December, the Battalion of Guards joined the relief force destined for Gibraltar. On 10 December, this force sailed from Lisbon. On 18 December, the Battalion of Guards was landed at Gibraltar.
From January to May 1705, the Battalion of Guards took part in the defence of Gibraltar. In August, the battalion embarked on board the fleet destined to the expedition against Barcelona. On 22 August, the fleet anchored before Barcelona. On 23 August, the troops landed without opposition. In October, Barcelona surrendered. The Battalion of Guards was left with Archduke Charles in Barcelona.
In March 1706, a detachment of 338 men of the 1st Foot Guards and the Coldstream Guards embarked and sailed from Portsmouth to reinforce the Battalion of Guards in Barcelona. On 2 April, a large French corps appeared in front of Barcelona. By 6 April, the city was almost completely surrounded On the night of 15 to 16 April, the French attacked the post occupied by the Battalion of Guards but were repulsed. At the beginning of May, an Allied relief force arrived at Barcelona and the French raised the siege. At the end of May, the Battalion of Guards sailed from Barcelona to Valencia. The battalion, now under the command of Lieutenant-General Wyndham, took part in the capture of Requena and Cuenza. On 12 September, it joined the main army near Veles which soon took its winter-quarters along the frontiers of Valencia and Murcia. The same year, Charles Churchill succeeded to Lord Cutts as colonel of the Coldstream Guards. Still the same year, after the Union with Scotland, the regiment received new colours.
In April 1707, the Allies took the field. The Battalion of Guards was attached to Lord Galway's Army. On 31 March, this little army reached Caudete. On 18 April, Galway laid siege to the Castle of Villena. On 24 April, informed that the French had assembled an army nearby at Almansa, Galway abandoned the siege of Villena and marched to the Torre de Bourgarres in preparation for battle. On 25 April, the battalion took part in the Battle of Almansa where it formed the centre of the positions of the Allies. In the centre, the Allied infantry advanced against the enemy, driving them back on their supports. The battalion even reached the walls of Almansa. However, the two cavalry wings had been defeated and the infantry centre was soon charged on both flanks. After forming squares, the infantry withdrew in perfect order from the battlefield. On 26 April, they surrendered as prisoners of war. In September, the companies in England from which the Battalion of Guards had been formed, were newly recruited.
In March 1708, a battalion of English Guards, drawn from the 1st Foot Guards and the Coldstream Guards (4 companies), was ordered to Scotland in consequence of the threatened French invasion. After the departure of the Pretender, the English Guards, who had reached York, were countermanded, and sent to Colchester. On 20 May, this converged battalion of English Guards now including 6 companies of the Coldstream Guards) embarked and sailed for Flanders. On 22 May, it landed at Ostend. On 15 June, the combined battalion recently arrived from England joined the battalion of the 1st Foot Guards at Terbank near Louvain. On 8 July, this Brigade of Guards marched to Herselingen where it was joined by the rest of the army. On 11 July, the brigade took part in the Battle of Oudenarde. After this victory, the brigade covered the siege of Lille, its grenadiers taking part in the siege. On 28 November, during Marlborough's advance to relieve Bruxelles, the Brigade of Guards force marched and seized the bridges over the Dender at Alost. At the end of December, it took part in the siege and capture of Ghent. The brigade then took its winter-quarters in Bruxelles.
On 23 June 1709, the Brigade of Guards, who had assembled with the rest of the army near Ath, marched to Leuze on the road to Tournai. On the night of 27 June, Marlborough decamped in silence from Leuze and marched upon Tournai which was immediately invested. The two battalions of Guards, encamped at Villemeau, took part in the siege. On 5 August, the town of Tournai surrendered and its defenders retired into the citadel which surrendered on 3 September. The Allies then invested Mons. On 11 September, the two battalions of Guards took part in the sanguinary Battle of Malplaquet where they were deployed on the extreme right of the infantry centre. The Allies then resumed the siege of Mons and the place surrendered on 26 October. In November, the Guards took their winter-quarters in Bruxelles.
In April 1710, the Guards marched from Bruxelles to Tournai. From 5 May to 25 June, they took part in the siege and capture of Douai. They were also present at the sieges of Béthune, Saint-Venant and Aire.
In April 1711, the Guards marched to the general rendezvous of the Allied army at Orchies, between Tournai and Douai. On 14 June, when the Imperialist army was compelled to leave the Low Countries, Marlborough crossed the Scarpe at Vitry and encamped on the plains of Lens. The Brigade of Guards was quartered near Lens. At the end of August, they were at the siege of Bouchain which surrendered on 13 September. In November, they took their winter-quarters in Bruxelles. On 31 December, Marlborough was deprived of all his offices. The same year, a second battalion was raised.
On 14 April 1712, the Brigade of Guards serving in the Low Countries quitted Bruxelles and marched to Bassieux near Tournai where the Allied army was assembling. On 26 May, the army crossed the Scheldt at Souche, between Bouchain and Denain. Ormonde finally informed Prince Eugène de Savoie that he was not authorised to hazard neither battle nor siege and the Allied army moved back across the Selle. On 25 June, Ormond informed Eugène that he had received orders to publish a cessation of arms for three months. On 16 July, Ormonde's British contingent separated from the Imperialist army under the command of Prince Eugène and marched to Avesnes le Sec. On 17 July, Ormond published a cessation of arms and notified that Great Britain had made a separate truce with France. As the British troops marched towards the coast, they were insulted by their former allies: the gates of Denain were closed against them, they were denied admittance into Douai; and at Oudenarde they were refused passage through the town. On 29 July, Ormond took possession of Bruges and Ghent, the British Guards taking up their old quarters at Ghent. The Guards remained in Flanders till 1713.
At the end of March 1713, the two battalions of Guards who had served in the Low Countries returned to London.
Uniform
There were still no regulation concerning uniforms and colonels were responsible for the clothing of their soldiers. Therefore, there were wide variations from one regiment to another.
Hairs were worn long in a “long bob”. They were sometimes tied at the back of the neck. The hair bag was also already in use.
Men as well as officers were clean-shaven. Officers sometimes wore small moustaches.
By the time of the coronation of King James II in 1685, uniforms were quite similar to those of the 1st Foot Guards. In his book “History of the Coronation”, Sandford describe their uniforms as follows:
- “The officers of this Second Regiment of Foot Guards were exceeding richly habited, but differing in their imbroideries, laces and fringes, which were of gold, and their buttons of gold thread, from the officers of the First Regiment of Foot Guards, which had them of silver.
- The captains, lieutenants, and ensigns, were distinguished by corselets or gorgets, as those officers of the First Regiment, and their hats were also adorned with tours of white feathers.
- The private soldiers, viz. musquetiers, pikemen and granadiers, were in all points armed and accoutred as the First Regiment, and agreeable to them in their clothing, except their breeches, which were of red broad cloth, and their stockings of red worsted. Their hats were black, turned up, and laced with gold galoon, in which they wore red ribbands, and the sashes or waste scarffs of the pikemen being of worsted, were fringed on the sides and at the ends with red worsted.
- The granadiers had their caps lined and faced with blew chaloon, and laced with gold galoon, and imbroidered on the frontlets with the King's cipher.”
In 1686, the uniforms of the regiment are reported to be red lined with blue, blue breeches and white stockings. In 1687, all captains of the Guards regiments were promoted to lieutenants-colonels.
Privates
| Headgear |
| ||||||||||||
| Neck stock | knotted white linen neck-cloth with ends hanging or tucked into the top of the coat | ||||||||||||
| Coat | red lined blue; brass buttons along the full length of the right side and 1 brass button on each side in the small of the back
N.B.: the coats of grenadiers had tufted laced loops ornamenting the buttonholes down to the waist
| ||||||||||||
| Waistcoat | long red waistcoat lined yellow with brass buttons | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | blue (maybe red as in 1685) | ||||||||||||
| Stockings | during campaigns, a first pair of finer stockings was pulled up under the breeches at the knees while a coarser pair of white stockings was worn over them, pulled over the knees and fastened with a leather strap and buckle | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | gaiters were gradually adopted during the campaigns in the Low Countries | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
|
Musketeers were armed with a musket without sling, a bayonet and a sword. Grenadiers were armed with a firelock with a sling, a hatchet, a bayonet and grenades.
NCOs
NCOs wore uniforms almost identical to those of privates with the following differences:
- tricorne laced silver
- silver braids on the seams of the coat
Sergeants initially carried a halberd and corporals a pole-axe. Gradually, all NCOs were equipped with musket.
Officers
Officers wore beaver tricornes laced gold (probably reserved to superior officers) or silver (probably reserved to subaltern officers). They also wore the fashionable full flowing curled wigs. On service they usually plaited their wig.
A large gorget was worn around the neck tied with ribbons. The gorget was gilt for captains, black studded with gold for lieutenants and silver for ensigns.
Officers usually wore uniforms somewhat similar to those of privates (even though there were not yet any regulation compelling them to do so), made of finer material. Their coats were decorated with gold or silver braids down the seams and on the sleeves; and with gold or silver embroidered buttonholes. Cuffs were usually of the same colour as the coat instead of the distinctive colour of the regiment.
The waistcoats of officers were often decorated with gold or silver fringes.
A crimson sash (often interwoven with gold or silver and fringed similarly) was worn around the waist.
Breeches were tied with rosettes below the knee.
Officers wore gloves, often decorated with gold or silver fringes.
Officers carried a sword and a half pike or a spontoon.
The cartouche box of officers were often covered in velvet and decorated with gold or silver embroideries.
In 1708, the Duke of Marlborough ordered all officers serving in Flanders to have, in sign of mourning, red coats with black buttons and black buttonholes for that year.
Musicians
Drummers and hautboys usually wore coat of the facing colour of the regiment, decorated with lace on the seams of sleeves and back and on the buttonholes. Their coat was decorated with the crowned King's cypher or the Colonel's crest embroidered on the breast and back. Sometimes their coat had hanging sleeves.
Colours
In his book “History of the Coronation”, Sandford describe the colours of the regiment in 1685 as follows:
The old colours:
- “The colours or ensigns of this regiment had been of blew taffata: the colonels without distinction; the lieutenant-colonels with a white plain cross throughout surmounted by a cross of crimson taffata, or cross of St. George; as were the ten other ensigns. Only the majors ensign was distinguished by a white pile wavy issuing out of the canton of the first quarter, and the several captains by numeral letters, viz. The eldest by I, the second by II, the third by III, and so to the youngest or ninth captain, who had IX, all painted in white on the dexter cantons of the first quarters.”
The new colours issued in 1685 to make them more similar to those of the First Regiment of Guards:
- “Excepting the colonel's ensign, which was purely of white taffata, the other eleven were charged with crosses of crimson taffata throughout. The lieutenant-colonel's without distinction; the major's had a pile wavy; the cross of the eldest captain was charged on the centre with the letter I, in white, ensigned with an imperial crown of gold painted thereon; the second with II, the third with III, the fourth with IV, and so forward to the ninth captain, who was distinguished by IX, each of them under an imperial crown of gold.”
A warrant dated 24 February 1700 describes the colours as follows:
- colonel colour: crimson taffeta with, on each side, the St. George's Cross, blaze and garter surmounted by a crown; crimson silk and gold tassels and strings
- lieutenant-colonel colour: crimson and white taffeta in a cross; on each side, the St. George's Cross, blaze, garter and crown; crimson silk and gold tassels and strings
- major colour: crimson and white taffeta in a cross; on each side, the St. George's Cross, blaze, garter and crown; a distinction of crimson taffeta in a quarter of the white; crimson silk tassels and strings
- other colour: crimson and white taffeta in a cross; on each side, with a loop end and crown
- other colour: crimson and white taffeta in a cross; on each side, St. George on horseback and the dragon, surmounted by a crown
In 1705, the 12 crimson and white colours of the regiment are described as follows in Lawson's book:
- colonel colour: crimson taffeta with, on each side, the St. George's Cross, blaze and garter surmounted by a crown; crimson silk and gold tassels and strings
- lieutenant-colonel colour: crimson and white taffeta in a cross; on each side, the St. George's Cross, blaze, garter and crown; crimson silk and gold tassels and strings
- major colour: crimson and white taffeta in a cross; on each side, the St. George's Cross, blaze, garter and crown; a distinction of crimson taffeta in a quarter of the white; crimson silk tassels and strings
- captain colours: crimson tassels, different badge for each company
- lion and crown
- feathers and crown
- rose, garter and crown
- panther and crown
- centaur and crown
- crossed swords and crown
- crossed sceptres and crown
- St. George and crown
- knot within a garter and crown
In 1707, the 12 colours of the regiment were altered after the union with Scotland.
References
This article is mostly and abridged version of the following book which is in the public domain:
- MacKinson, Daniel: Origin and services of the Coldstream Guards, vol. 1, London: Richard Bentley, 1833
Farmer, John S.: The Regimental Records of the British Army, London: Grant Richards, 1901
Lawson, Cecil C. P.: A History of the Uniforms of the British Army, Vol. 1 From the beginning to 1760, London: Kaye & Ward, pp. 12-54, 138-139
Mills, T. F., Land Forces of Britain the Empire and Commonwealth (an excellent website which unfortunately seems to have disappeared from the web)
The Royal Sussex Regimental Society
Walton, Clifford: History of the British Standing Army A.D. 1660 to 1700, London, 1894
N.B.: the section Service during the War is partly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
