The British Army in the Restoration Period.pdf

The British Army in the
Restoration Period
1660-1680
The wonderful thing about our North Star 1672 range is that the figures will do for many different nations armies in the
period 1665-1680. This is because it is a time just before uniforms, and the figures are all dressed in the fashions common
amongst soldiers throughout Western Europe. This of course includes Britain.
The years covered by our range is called the Restoration Period in Britain as it was the time the monarchy, represented by
Charles II, was restored after the English Civil War.
It was also the genesis of the British Army. Britain, tired of soldiers and war, had disbanded much of it’s forces after the
Civil War and Oliver Cromwells reign. With the return of Charles II to England in 1660, the units still under arms swore
allegiance to the King and became the senior units of the British Army.
Some of the infantry regiments:
Coldstream Guards
Grenadier Guards
Scots Guards
1st Regiment (Royal Scots)
2nd Regiment (The Queen’s)
3rd Regiment (The Buffs)
Painting the Early British
Infantry Regiments
Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards pikemen
History
The Coldstream Guards were created from the regiment
of George Monck, a survivor of Cromwell’s New Model
Army. The name comes from the fact Monck marched his
regiment from the village of Coldstream on the Scottish
border to London to support the restored King Charles II.
Uniforms
The musketeers of the Coldstream Guards are dressed in
the scarlet coats synonymous with the British Army, with
green cuffs, breeches and stockings. Attractively, the pikes
are dressed in reverse colours, that being Green Coats with
red cuffs, breeches and stockings.
Flags
The flags of the Coldstream Guards were plain blue for the
Colonels Colour, and a red cross lined with white on a blue
field for the Regimental Colour.
Coldstream
Guards
musketeers

The Buffs
History
The Buffs were originally Duke of York and Albany’s
Maritime Regiment of Foot, also known as Lord High
Admiral’s Regiment. They are also the forerunners of the
Royal Marines as they were on duty as soldiers on ships
during the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 1660’s. Because they
were onboard ships, the regiment did not have pikemen
and were issued with flintlocks rather than matchlocks.
Famously they were commanded by John Churchill,
ancestor of the 20th Century Churchill, but as the Duke of
Marlborough he is just as great a historical figure.
Buffs musketeer
and Officer.
Uniforms
This regiment was dressed in a yellow coat with red cuffs,
breeches and stockings.
Flag
Colonel Colour is yellow, the regimental colour a red cross
lined white on a yellow field.
Royal Scots
History
The Royal Scots were originally a Scottish regiment that
before our period had served in wars on the Continent for
three decades. Charles II recalled them on his restoration,
putting them under Crown service, but sent them back to
France with their Colonel, Douglas, to fight for his ally the
French King Louis XIV.
Uniforms
The Royal Scots (Known the Douglas Regiment in this
period) wore scarlet coats with white cuffs. Breeches and
stockings were grey. This was for both musketeers and
pikemen.
Flags
The Douglas Regiment here are shown carrying the flag of
their first colonel, Hepburn, the same flags they had carried
in the Thirty Years War. Just after our period, 1680, the
Douglas Regiment took up the Scottish Saltaire.
Royal Scots pikeman,
officer and Musketeer.
The Douglas Regiment here
are shown carrying the flag
of their first colonel.

The Royal English Regiment
History
The Royal English Regiment was raised in 1672 for service
in France as part of Charles II alliance with Louis XIV.
They fought in the French Dutch War until being recalled
to England in 1678. They were commanded by James
Monmouth, later made infamous by his Rebellion against
James II, and included the future Duke of Marlborough,
later the deadly foe of Louis XIV, but here as a brave
young Ensign.
Uniforms
There is evidence that the Royal English were kitted out
by the French, so were given Grey coats with Blue Cuffs,
Blue breeches and Grey stockings. This is for both the
musketeers and pikemen.
Flags
The Royal English carried the St George Cross with the
Royal Crown in the centre, perhaps with Charles’ cipher
as well.
Officers
Regimental Officers, including Ensigns, during this period
were encouraged by their Sovereigns to wear Regimental
colours. Where they did, they would have a better quality
of cloth, lined with silver or gold lace. But many would
still wear their civilian clothes, at the height of fashion of
course.
British
Regimental
Officers,
including an
Ensign, still
wearing their
civilian clothes,
at the height of
fashion of course!
Royal English
pikeman, officer
and Musketeer.
Other Clothing &
Equipment
Shirts, lace and neck scarves were almost always white.
The best quality worn by officers would be whiter than
that of the men.
Leather gloves, straps, pouches and other accoutrements in
various natural brown or buff coloured leathers. Officers
may expensive coloured alternatives covered in fabric.
Some cartridge boxes in black.
Shoes, dark brown or black leather. Officers may expensive
coloured alternatives covered in fabric. Shoelaces could
be black, grey or more attractively coloured to match
uniform.
Musketeers' apostles are made of wood, but could be
painted bright colours.
Pikes and muskets in natural wood, note the muskets of
this period have a wooden ramrod.
Further Sources
The Osprey Book The British Army
1660-1704
Two Great Blogs
http://warsoflouisxiv.blogspot.co.uk/
http://rampjaar.blogspot.co.uk/
And one very
useful forum.
http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/
fightingtalk/viewforum.phpf=6