70th Foot

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Origin and History

The regiment was raised on April 28, 1758 from the second battalion of the 31st Foot and designated as the “70th (Glasgow Lowland) Regiment of Foot”. It comprised many men who were natives of Scotland, particularly of Glasgow, and they were commonly called the “Glasgow Greys.” The regiment was under the command of Colonel John Parslow, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Vignoles and Major Robert Pigot.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:

• from 1758: Colonel John Parslow (removed to the 54th Foot in September 1760)
• from September 1760 to 1778: Colonel Cyrus Trapaud

After the peace in 1763, the regiment was reduced and removed to Ireland.

Service during the War

As of May 30, 1759, the regiment was stationed in Scotland and counted 1 battalion for a total of 900 men. The same year, it was removed to South Britain where it remained during the entire war.

Uniform

Very few information is available about the uniform of this regiment: its distinctive colour was deep grey (Richard Cannon gives the distinctive colour of the regiment as light grey instead of deep grey), the lining of the coat white and its regimental braid white with a blue stripe. The uniform illustrated below is based on these sole details, other details have been reconstructed based on the hypothesis that the uniform followed the instructions of the Royal Clothing Warrant of 1751.

Privates

Uniform in 1759 - Source: Richard Couture from a template by Frédéric Aubert

Uniform Details

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced white and a black cockade (left side) Grenadier British mitre with: a deep grey front edged white embroidered with white scroll work and with a white King's cypher surmounted by a crown (yellow with red cushions, white pearls and ermine headband); a small red front flap edged white with the white horse of Hanover surmounted by the motto "Nec aspera terrent"; red back; a deep grey headband edged white probably wearing the number 70 in the middle part behind; pompom of an unknown colour
Neckstock	white
Coat	brick red lined white and laced white (white braid with a blue stripe) with 3 pewter buttons and 3 white buttonholes (same lace as above) under the lapel Collar none Shoulder Straps brick red (left shoulder only) fastened with a pewter button Lapels deep grey laced white (same lace as above) with 7 pewter buttons and 6 white buttonholes (same lace as above) Pockets horizontal pockets laced white (same lace as above) Cuffs deep grey slashed cuffs laced white (same lace as above) with 4 pewter buttons and 4 white buttonholes (same lace as above) on the sleeve above each the cuff Turnbacks white
Waistcoat	brick red edged white (same lace as above)
Breeches	brick red
Gaiters	white with black buttons brown, grey or black during campaigns (black after 1759)
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt white Waistbelt white Cartridge Box black Bayonet Scabbard black Scabbard black Footgear black shoes

Troopers were armed with a “Brown Bess” muskets, a bayonet and a sword.

Officers

Officers of the regiment wore the same coat as the private soldiers but with the following differences:

• silver gorget around the neck
• a silver aiguilette on the right shoulder
• silver lace instead of the normal lace
• a crimson sash

Officers wore the same headgear as the private soldiers under their command; however, officers of the grenadier company wore a more decorated mitre cap.

Officers generally carried a spontoon; however, in battle some carried a musket instead.

Musicians

The drummers of the regiment were clothed in deep grey, lined, faced, and lapelled on the breast with red, and laced in such manner as the colonel shall think fit for distinction sake, the lace, however, was of the colours of that on the soldiers' coats.

The front or fore part of the drums was painted deep grey, with the king's cypher and crown, and the number “LXX” under it. The rims were red.

Colours

Once more, if this new regiment abided by the Royal Clothing Warrant of 1751, its colours would have looked like those illustrated hereafter.

King's Colour: Union with its centre decorated with a rose and thistle wreath around the regiment number "LXX" in gold Roman numerals.

Regimental Colour: deep grey field; centre device consisting of a rose and thistle wreath around the regiment number "LXX" in gold Roman numerals. The Union in the upper left corner.

King's Colour - Copyright: Kronoskaf

Regimental Colour - Copyright: Kronoskaf

References

Cannon, Richard; Historical Record of the Seventieth, or the Surrey Regiment of Foot; London: Parker, Furnivall and Parker; 1849, pp. 1-2

Fortescue J. W., A History of the British Army Vol. II, MacMillan, London, 1899

George II, The Royal Clothing Warrant, 1751

Lawson, Cecil C. P., A History of the Uniforms of the British Army - from the Beginnings to 1760, vol. II

Mills, T. F., Land Forces of Britain the Empire and Commonwealth through the Way Back Machine

Schirmer, Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756 - 1763. Edited and published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg e.V., Magstadt, 1989

United Services Magazine 1863, Issue 3

Wikipedia 70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.

Acknowledgements

Digby Smith for information provided on this junior regiment.