Earl of Barrymore's Foot
Hierarchical Path: War of the Spanish Succession (Main Page) >> Armies >> British Army >> Earl of Barrymore's Foot
Origin and History
The regiment was created on 20 June 1685 by Theophilus, Earl of Huntingdon. It was one of the nine new regiments of foot, raised to meet the Monmouth rebellion. It was raised in the southern counties of England and its general rendezvous was at Buckingham. The new regiment consisted of ten companies. In the middle of July, it was employed to guard prisoners taken after the overthrow of the rebel army at Sedgemoor. It was then ordered to march to the training camp on Hounslow Heath where it encamped in the beginning of August. After this camp, it marched into garrison at Hull.
By 6 January 1686, the regiment consisted of:
- staff
- 1 colonel
- 1 lieutenant-colonel
- 1 major
- 1 chaplain
- 1 surgeon
- 1 assistant-surgeon
- 1 adjutant
- 1 quarter-master
- 1 marshal
- 10 companies, each of:
- 1 captain (the colonel being captain of the 1st company)
- 1 lieutenant
- 1 ensign
- 2 sergeants
- 3 corporals
- 1 drummer
- 50 soldiers
In June 1686, the regiment was again encamped on Hounslow Heath. In August, it marched into Yorkshire and Cumberland; the headquarters being at York, where it passed the winter. In February 1687, the headquarters were removed from York to Chester, where they remained during the following twelve months.
In April 1688, the regiment left Chester. In June, it pitched its tents on Hounslow Heath. In the meantime, the proceedings of the King, to establish Papacy and arbitrary government, had filled the country with alarm, and many of the nobility and gentry had solicited the Prince of Orange to come to England with a Dutch army, to aid them in opposing the measures of the court. The Earl of Huntingdon continued, however, faithful to the interests of the King, and his regiment was ordered into garrison at Plymouth, together with the Earl of Bath's Foot. When the Prince of Orange landed, the garrison of Plymouth was divided in its political views: the governor, the Earl of Bath, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hastings, of the regiment, were in the Protestant interest; the Earl of Huntingdon, who was present, and performing the duties of commanding officer, with Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Carney, of the Earl of Bath's Foot, were devoted to the Roman Catholic interest; but nearly all the officers and soldiers had espoused the Protestant cause. The Earl of Bath, Lieutenant-Colonel Hastings, and several other officers, arrested the Earl of Huntingdon, Captain Owen Macarty, Lieutenant Talbot Lacells, and Ensign Ambrose Jones, of the regiment, who were Roman Catholics, and afterwards declared for the Prince of Orange, in which the two regiments in garrison concurred. When the fortress of Plymouth was established in the Protestant interest, the arrested officers were released. The army refusing to fight in his cause, King James fled to France. The Prince of Orange then promoted Lieutenant-Colonel Ferdinando Hastings to the colonelcy of the regiment.
In the Spring of 1689, the regiment was ordered to Scotland. On arriving at Edinburgh, it was employed in the blockade of the castle, which the Duke of Gordon held for King James; at the same time Viscount Dundee was arousing the clans to arms. While the regiment was at Edinburgh, Major-General Hugh Mackay, commanding-in-chief in Scotland, ordered Colonel Ramsay to join him with 600 men of the Scots Brigade, in the Dutch service. The colonel commenced his march, but was intimidated by the menacing attitude of the Athol men, and returned to Perth; when 100 men of Berkeley's Dragoons, 100 men of the present regiment and 200 men of Leven's newly raised regiment were ordered to join him. Thus reinforced, the Colonel commenced his march through Athole and Badenoch for Inverness; and with the aid of this detachment, Major-General Mackay chased the clans, under Viscount Dundee, from the low country, and compelled them to take refuge in the wilds of Lochaber: the detachment of present regiment was afterwards stationed at Inverness and the regiment was relieved from the blockade of Edinburgh Castle by the surrender of that fortress on 13 June. After forcing Viscount Dundee to take refuge in Lochaber, Major-General Mackay proceeded to Edinburgh, where he learned that the clans expected to be joined by a reinforcement from Ireland, and would probably soon descend from the hilly country; Mackay therefore assembled the regiment and several other corps and marched from Edinburgh, to watch the motions of the insurgent Highlanders. At daybreak on the morning of Saturday 27 July, Mackay started his advance towards the pass of Killicrankie, to confront his opponents, and on this occasion the regiment (excluding a detachment of 100 men left at Inverness), commanded by its colonel, Ferdinando Hastings, formed the rearguard, to cover the march of 1,200 packhorses, which carried the baggage of the army. The regiment emerged from the difficult Pass of Killicrankie with the baggage when Mackay's Army was already deployed in order of battle on some rising ground at the foot of a hill, on the summit of which appeared the insurgent host, under Viscount Dundee. The regiment formed on the right of the line. During the Battle of Killicrankie, it stood firm on the right wing but the other corps of Mackay's Army were routed and the army was forced to retreat to Stirling. However, Mackay received reinforcements and resumed his offensive and the Highlanders separated to their homes.
At the beginning of October, the regiment embarked from Scotland to take part in the Williamite War in Ireland. On 9 October, it landed at Carlingford and marched into quarters at Armagh and Clownish, where it was stationed during the winter. In April 1690, the regiment was stationed at Belfast. On 1 July (Old Style), it took part in the Battle of the Boyne. After this decisive victory, the regiment advanced with the army towards Dublin, and it was stationed several weeks in garrison in that city under Brigadier-General Trelawny. England being threatened by a potential French invasion, several regiments (including the present regiment) were recalled. After landing at Portsmouth, the regiment was encamped for several weeks near that fortress. When the alarm of invasion had passed away, it was ordered to join the expedition against Cork and Kinsale under Lieutenant-General the Earl of Marlborough. In mid-September, the regiment embarked on this service. On 21 September, it arrived in Cork roads. On 23 September, it landed and took part in the siege of Cork which surrendered on 28 September. On 1 October, the troops marched out of Cork and reached Kinsale on 2 October. It then participated in the siege. On 15 October, Kinsale surrendered. The regiment was then stationed in garrison at Cork. It had only 462 men fit for duty and 216 sick. In the Spring of 1691, the regiment was left in garrison at Cork, launching several raids in the countryside. On 22 December, it embarked for England, where it arrived towards the end of that month.
In 1692, the regiment was sent to the continent to take part in the Nine Years' War which was raging since 1688. It was initially assigned to an expedition against the French coast. After menacing the coast at several points, the fleet finally sailed to Ostend. On 22 August, the regiment landed at Ostend. It then formed part of a corps who took possession of Furnes and Dixmude, and fortified these towns. When the army went into winter-quarters, the regiment was ordered to return to England and it was employed on home service during the remainder of the war.
In 1698, the regiment was placed upon a peace establishment. It counted 10 companies forming a battalion of 34 officers and 411 men. In 1699, it was sent to Ireland to replace one of the corps ordered to be disbanded in that country.
By the time of the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment counted one battalion.
During the War of the Spanish Succession, the successive colonels of the regiment were:
- since 13 March 1695: Sir John Jabob
- from 15 March 1702 until 8 July 1715: James Earl of Barrymore
Service during the War
In 1701, the regiment was allocated to a contingent of 13 battalions who were sent to the Dutch Republic to act as auxiliaries. It had previously been augmented to 830 officers and soldiers. In mid-June, it sailed from Cork. On 8 July, it arrived at Hellevoetsluis, in South Holland. The British troops were afterwards sent up the Meuse to Breda and other fortified towns. On 21 September, they were reviewed on Breda heath by King William III. The regiment passed the winter in garrison in Holland.
On 10 March 1702, the regiment quitted its quarters and proceeded to Rosendahl where the British infantry encamped under Brigadier-General Ingoldsby. On 15 March, Colonel Sir John Jacob, being desirous of retiring from the active duties, sold his commission to his brother-in-law, James Earl of Barrymore. In mid-April, the regiment was part of a corps who traversed the country to the Duchy of Cleve, and joined the army covering the siege of Kayserwerth. This army, commanded by the Earl of Athlone, was encamped at Kranenburg. A French army of superior numbers proceeded, by forced marches, through the forest of Cleves and plain of Goch, to cut off the communication of the troops at Kranenburg, with Grave and Nijmegen. On the evening of 10 June, in consequence of this movement, the British and Dutch struck their tents and, retreating throughout the night, arrived at 8:00 a.m. on 11 June within a few km of Nijmegen, at which time the French columns appeared on both flanks and in the rear. Some sharp skirmishing occurred: the British corps forming the rear guard behaved with great gallantry, and the army effected its retreat under the works of Nijmegen. Kayserswerth surrendered three days afterwards. Additional forces arrived in the Dutch Republic, the Earl of Marlborough assumed the command and the regiment was allocated to a brigade under Brigadier-General Frederick Hamilton. This brigade took part in the manoeuvres by which the French army was forced to withdraw from the frontiers of the Dutch Republic; and when the siege of the Fortress of Venlo — a town in the Province of Limbourg, on the east side of the Meuse — was undertaken, Brigadier- General Hamilton's Brigade formed part of the force of 32 battalions and 36 squadrons detached from the main army for this enterprise, under Prince Nassau-Saarbrück. The regiment carried on its attacks against the detached fortress of St. Michael, on the west side of the river. On 18 September, the grenadier company of the regiment was ordered to take part in storming the covered-way. Around 5:30 p.m., the signal was given and the grenadiers rushed forward. The French fired a few rounds and fled; the British leaped into the covered-way, and pursued their opponents so closely, that friends and foes entered the ravelin together. The French in the ravelin were soon sabred; those who escaped fled across a small wooden bridge, and were followed so closely that they had not time to remove the bridge, and after a sharp struggle, the British and French entered the fort together. The British got over the fausse-braye, climbed up the rampart with great difficulty, pulled up the palisades from the parapet, ascended the rampart, and captured the fort sword in hand, making 30 officers and 170 soldiers prisoners; the remainder of the garrison, which consisted of 600 men, were either killed in the attack, or drowned in attempting to escape across the river, excepting twelve men, who passed the stream in small boats. On 23 September, Venlo capitulated. At the end of September, the regiment was engaged in the siege of Roermond which surrendered on 7 October. The army afterwards advanced towards Liège; the city was immediately delivered up. On 23 October, the Citadel of Liège was captured by storm: on which occasion the grenadiers of the army distinguished themselves. A detached fortress, called the Chartreuse, surrendered soon afterwards, and these conquests terminated the campaign. On 3 November, the regiment marched from Liège towards Breda where it was stationed in garrison during the winter.
In April 1703, the regiment marched from Breda towards Maastricht. It served this campaign in brigade with the same units as in 1702. It was employed in several movements designed to bring the Franco-Spanish army to a general engagement but the enemy withdrew behind its fortified lines. In August, the regiment took part in the siege and capture of the fortress of Huy, located on the Meuse above the City of Liège. In September, it was at the siege and capture of Limbourg. Thus completing the conquest of the Spanish Guelderland. The regiment was then selected to transfer its services to Portugal, to take part in the attempt to place Archduke Charles of Austria on the throne of Spain by force of arms. In October, he regiment embarked from Holland and sailed to Portsmouth; but it was detained by contrary winds for a very long time.
In March 1704, the regiment landed at Lisbon and marched to Abrantes. It was afterwards removed to the Alentejo. The British troops in Portugal were commanded by General Mainhard Duke Schomberg, and he suggested active measures; but tardiness and inability were manifested by the Portuguese authorities, to so great an extent, that the Duke of Berwick invaded Portugal with a Franco-Spanish army, before the allies were prepared to take the field. The court of Lisbon was alarmed: Duke Schomberg solicited to be recalled; and the Earl of Galway was sent with reinforcements to Portugal. In the early part of the campaign, the regiment was employed in the Alentejo. On 21 July, it was reviewed at the camp at Estremoz and was afterwards removed to Vimiera (unidentified location). After the summer heat had abated, the regiment joined the army, and penetrated into Spain as far as the bank of the Águeda, near Ciudad Rodrigo; but the Duke of Berwick had made so skilful a disposition of the Franco-Spanish forces under his orders, on the opposite side of the river, that the Allies were prevented passing the stream, and the British troops returned to Portugal for winter quarters. At the beginning of December, the Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, who had captured Gibraltar and was now defending it, applied to the commander of the forces in Portugal for aid. Rapidly a corps (a combined battalion of the 1st Foot Guards and 2nd Coldstream Foot Guards, the present regiment, the Earl of Donegall's Foot, the Dutch Waes Infantry and the Portuguese Algarve Infantry) was assembled. At that time, the regiment mustered 39 sergeants, 39 corporals, 26 drummers and 650 privates. It marched from the frontiers of Portugal to Lisbon On 8 December, it embarked on board of transports. On 10 December, the fleet sailed under the convoy of four frigates. On 17 December, the fleet was becalmed, when the boats were hoisted out, and attempts made to gain some progress by the use of oars. A fleet of men of war appeared in sight, under British and Dutch colours, and it was supposed to be the squadron under Vice-Admiral Leake and Rear-Admiral Van der Dussen; but observing the men-of-war forming a half-moon to surround the transports, a private signal was made, and the men-of-war being unable to answer it, instantly hoisted French colours. The danger was great, with a hostile fleet so near, but the transports put out every boat, and made some way by towing: the enemy was becalmed, and in the evening a breeze sprung up, which enabled the British vessels to escape, excepting one ship, which was captured.. On 18 December, the regiment landed at Gibraltar, at the moment when the garrison was beginning to despair of assistance. On the night of 22 December, a detachment of the regiment distinguished itself in a sortie, forcing the Spanish posts, routing a body of cavalry, levelling part of the works, burning many fascines and gabions, and retiring with little loss.
At the beginning of 1705, still anticipating success, the French and Spaniards prosecuted the siege. At the beginning of February, a chosen band of French grenadiers attacked the round tower: they climbed the rock by the aid of hooks, but were repulsed with lost. On the night of 6 to 7 February, 600 select French and Walloon grenadiers, supported by a large body of Spaniards, ascended the hill with great silence in the night, and concealed themselves until daybreak. On the morning of 7 February, when the night guard had been withdrawn from the breach near the round tower, they made a sudden rush, and drove the ordinary guard from its post with a shower of hand grenades. At the same time, 200 grenadiers attacked the round tower, the troops in garrison were soon alarmed, and Captain Fisher, of the Queen's Own Regiment of Marines, charged the enemy at the head of 17 men; but his party was soon overpowered and himself taken prisoner. Major Moncall of the regiment then collected about 450 men, principally of his own regiment, and charged the enemy, sword in hand, so vigorously, that he soon drove them back, recaptured the round tower, after it had been in the possession of the enemy about an hour, and liberated Captain Fisher and several other prisoners. The soldiers of the regiment were aided, in this gallant effort, by Colonel Rivett of the Foot Guards, who climbed the rock on the right of the covered way with 20 grenadiers, and favoured Major Moncall's success. Additional men were brought forward, and the French and Walloon grenadiers were driven from the works with severe loss. On 8 February, Major Moncall lost his leg by a cannon-shot. The French and Spaniards continued their unavailing attempts on Gibraltar. Towards the end of March, the Franco-Spanish besiegers withdrew from before the place, and left the British in possession of the fortress. At the beginning of August, an amphibious force under the command of Charles Earl of Peterborough, arrived at Gibraltar on its way to the Mediterranean. The regiment was relieved from duty in the garrison of Gibraltar by a newly-raised regiment from England, and embarked on board the fleet, which put to sea in a few days afterwards. The expedition appeared off the coast of Valencia: about 1,000 Catalans and Valencians threw off their allegiance to Philip V, acknowledged Archduke Charles as sovereign of Spain, and seized on Denia, while others made demonstrations of giving effectual aid to the expedition. Thus encouraged, the Earl of Peterborough undertook the daring enterprise of besieging Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, The troops landed on 23 and 24 August and the regiment took part in the siege. On 13 September, the grenadier company of the regiment left the camp, and after a night march among the mountains. At daylight on 14 September, it appeared before the detached fortress of Montjuich and took part in storming the outworks of that place, in which it had several men killed and wounded. On 17 September, the strong castle and citadel of Montjuich surrendered, which greatly facilitated the progress of the siege of Barcelona. Barcelona finally surrendered. Soon afterwards, nearly all Catalonia surrendered. The Earl of Peterborough then resolved to invade Valencia. The regiment took part in this enterprise. It marched from Barcelona to Tortosa under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Pearce. In the meantime the Conde de las Torres, having been sent by King Philip, with a numerous force, to retake the towns which had declared for Archduke Charles, he had besieged the fortress of San Matteo. The regiment was ordered to march to the relief of this town. The British General succeeded in surprising his opponents, and de las Torres, being deceived by spies, made a precipitate retreat. After this service was performed, the officers and men were so exhausted by long marches, day and night over the mountains, that the regiment was ordered into quarters of refreshment at Vinaros, where it remained a short period, while the Earl of Peterborough was making preparations for the expedition to Valencia.
Early in 1706, Lieutenant-Colonel Pearce received orders to march with the regiment from Vinaros to Oropeso, where an extraordinary alteration took place in the character of the corps, which is without parallel in the history of the British Army. The Earl of Peterborough was much in want of cavalry for his expedition to Valencia, and he procured, with great zeal and industry, about 800 Spanish horses; about 200 of these horses were given to the Royal Dragoons, and other corps, to remount the men whose horses had died, and with the other 600, he resolved to form a corps of cavalry. He had been much pleased with the conduct of the regiment on all occasions, and he determined to constitute them a Regiment of Dragoons. This was, however, not communicated to the officers and soldiers until every preparation was made, and as the regiment approached Oropeso, it was met by the Earl of Peterborough, and reviewed on a small plain near the town. After the review the horses were produced, and the regiment was constituted a corps of dragoons of eight troops, of which Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Pearce was appointed colonel. The remaining officers and soldiers, who were not incorporated into this new dragoon regiment, returned to England to recruit the regiment of foot to its original establishment.
The regiment of dragoons thus formed proved a valuable corps, and distinguished itself on several occasions. It formed part of the force engaged in the Earl of Peterborough's splendid campaign in Valencia and captured the Spanish battering train near the city of Valencia. After the siege of Barcelona was raised, this dragoon regiment advanced upon Madrid. On 8 August, it joined the Army of Portugal, under the Earl of Galway, at Guadalaxara. It subsequently took part in covering the march of the army to Valencia, and was so reduced in numbers by continual service, and the losses it sustained in numerous skirmishes, that in the Spring of 1707, it only mustered 273 men. On 25 April 1707, it was one of the units which displayed great intrepidity and bravery at the Battle of Almansa when it had Lieutenant-Colonel Deloches, Cornets Cundy and Holmes, and Quarter-Master Sturges killed; Lieutenant Fitzgerald and Cornet Barry wounded and taken prisoners : it also sustained a severe loss in killed and wounded. It was disbanded after the treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
In 1707, the regiment of foot recruited in England. On 24 December, being again fit for duty, it embarked for Portugal
In 1708, after landing at Lisbon, the regiment marched under the orders of its colonel, the Earl of Barrymore, to the Alentejo. In the Spring, it was encamped at Fuentes de Sapatores, between Elvas and Campo Major, with the army commanded by the Marquis de Fronteira, and was allocated to Brigadier-General Thomas Pearce's Brigade. It took part only in defensive operations.
In April 1709, the regiment was encamped near Estremoz, from whence it was removed to Elvas, and subsequently to the banks of the Caya. On 7 May, the French and Spaniards under the Marquis de Bay marched in the direction of Campo Major, when the Portuguese generals resolved to pass the Caya and attack the enemy, contrary to the advice of the Earl of Galway. The Battle of La Gudiña ensued. The Portuguese cavalry of the right wing crossed the river, and opened a sharp cannonade; but when the opposing horsemen advanced to charge, the Portuguese squadron galloped out of the field, leaving their cannon behind. The Allied infantry stood its ground, repulsed the charges of the Spanish cavalry three times, and afterwards commenced its retreat, when the Earl of Galway led forward the present regiment, Stanwix's Foot, and his own regiment, to favour the retrograde movement, the present regiment was in front and charged the Spaniards; the other two regiments of the brigade also evinced great bravery, and the three corps overthrew the leading columns of the opposing army, and recaptured the Portuguese guns. Animated and encouraged by this success, the three regiments pressed forward until they became exposed to the attack of superior numbers, when the Portuguese cavalry of the left wing were ordered to support them, but instead of obeying these orders, the Portuguese squadrons galloped to the rear. Thus forsaken, the three regiments were cut off from the Allied army, surrounded by opponents, and only a few officers and men were able to cut their passage through the host of adversaries which environed them; the remainder were forced to surrender prisoners of war. Among the prisoners were Major-General Sankey and Brigadier-General Thomas Pearce. The regiment sustained a severe loss on this occasion; besides the killed and wounded, it had Colonel the Earl of Barrymore, 4 captains, 8 lieutenants, 8 ensigns, 3 volunteers, and approx. 250 NCOs and soldiers taken prisoners.
Early in 1710, the captured officers and soldiers were exchanged; and the regiment served the campaign on the frontiers of Portugal, but had no opportunity of distinguishing itself.
In 1711, the regiment was withdrawn from Portugal and proceeded to Gibraltar, where it was stationed until the peace of Utrecht in 1713, when that fortress was ceded to Great Britain. At the conclusion of the peace, the regiment received drafts of non-commissioned officers and soldiers from several corps which were ordered to be disbanded. It then formed part of the garrison of Gibraltar.
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.
In 1686, the uniform of the regiment was, round hats with broad brims, the brim turned up on one side, and ornamented with yellow ribands; scarlet coats lined with yellow; yellow breeches, and grey stockings; the pikemen were distinguished by white sashes tied round their waists.
Privates
Headgear |
| ||||||||||||
Neck stock | knotted white linen neck-cloth with ends hanging or tucked into the top of the coat | ||||||||||||
Coat | red lined yellow; white buttons along the full length of the right side and 1 white 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 yellow waistcoat with white buttons | ||||||||||||
Breeches | yellow | ||||||||||||
Stockings | during campaigns, a first pair of finer stockings was pulled up under the breeches at the knees while a coarser pair of grey 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 musket. 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.
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
Colonel's Colour: plain yellow field;
Lieutenant-Colonel's Colour: yellow field with the red cross of St. George bordered white;
Major's Colour: yellow field with the red cross of St. George bordered white; a red pile wavy;
1st Captain's Colour: yellow field with the red cross of St. George bordered white without any distinguishing device.
Later during the war:
no information found
References
This article is essentially and abridged and adapted version of the following book which is in the public domain:
- Cannon, Richard: Historical record of the Thirteenth, First Somerset or, The Prince Albert's Regiment of Light Infantry, London: Parker, Furnivall and Parker, 1848
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, 77, 137
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, p. 45
N.B.: the section Service during the War is partly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.