Being a uniform and flag design service to wargamers and to the imaginary crowned heads of 17th and 18th Century Europe, especially of the Seven Years War period - now By Appointment to the Court of Saxe-Bearstein! (But please note that the uniforms and flags presented here are not fictional - they are genuine 17th and 18th Century uniforms and flags that are as authentic as I can make them from my sources.)
Although he does not show an illustration of it and quotes no source, Robert Hall describes this Colonel's flag for Dutch Infantry Regiment Aylva. My other post on the regiment can be found here, for service details etc.: https://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/2024/10/flags-and-uniform-dutch-infantry.html
These are the flags of Spanish Swiss Regiment Jung Reding or Nuevo Reding or Joseph Reding or José Reding, all variant names for the same regiment according to source.
First raised 1743. For much of its life 2 battalions, each of 4 companies, each of 150 men.
These flags were probably carried from 1743 at least until the new regulations of 1768.
These were a recent commission for Lewis Simpson-Jones who was happy to see them offered on the blog.
Uniform dark blue with red facings (lapels and cuffs) and turnbacks, dark blue breeches and white gaiters.
To complete the set of speculative flags for Huguenot regiments raised by William III, I have now created two very speculative versions of a cavalry standard for the Duke of Schomberg's Regiment of Horse of 9 troops, raised July 1689 and disbanded 1697-8, and a guidon for the Marquis de Miremont's Regiment of Dragoons of 6 troops, raised 1st October 1695 (although there is some uncertainty about the actual date, which may have been earlier) and disbanded 1697-8. (I can find no evidence of the dragoon regiment seeing action or service in Ireland.)
I have done two versions of the standard of Schomberg's cavalry regiment; one is more elaborate with a Huguenot motto (which means After Darkness [Comes The] Light) and the escarbuncles in the corner from Schomberg's coat of arms.
The English coat of arms on Schomberg's standards is taken from the infantry flags of a British Protestant (and probably Huguenot) regiment serving with the army of Savoy and which were captured by the French and illustrated in the Triomphes Louis XIV. I have created the two Savoy flags and posted them on the blog here: https://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/2024/03/flags-of-savoy-1693-1704-battalion-flag.html and here: https://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/2024/03/flags-of-savoy-1693-1704-colonels-flag.html
Schjomberg's was 395 strong in June 1690, according to Sapherson. At the Boyne 1st July 1690 they were only 240 strong. After the death of Schomberg at the Boyne the regiment's colonel was Henri de Massue, Marquis de Ruvigny, and then later it was the Earl of Galway. At Aughrim the regiment apparently had 60 killed and 13 wounded, an odd proportion and the opposite of what might be expected.
Sapherson says that Schomberg's wore a light grey uniform with red lace or trim, buff breeches and white hat lace, from what source I know not.
Now here's the tale (and a tall tale it is too! ;-)). When the three Huguenot infantry regiments were disbanded in 1697-8, their flags, which had miraculously survived intact, were laid up in store. When new Huguenot regiments were raised in 1706 a bureaucrat (name now unknown) remembered those flags and thought it would be very economical to issue them to some of the newly raised regiments. In the event, only three Huguenot regiments were actually sent abroad and Paul de Blosset's Foot was absorbed into the first, Frederick de Sibourg's Foot, in 1708.
In reality, we do not know what flags were carried by these regiments. I was asked to adapt my speculative 1690s William III Huguenot flags by substituting the cipher of Queen Anne for that of William III so they can be used for the WSS regiments.
So, you have the choice of my three sets of speculative flags to use, for Sibourg's Regiment or Paul de Blosset's Foot or Count Nassau's Foot. Kronoskaf WSS discusses all the regiments here: https://kronoskaf.com/wss/index.php?title=British_Army#Regiments_of_Foot including the three which were never properly raised in 1706.
Five regiments of Huguenots were raised from 1689:
One of cavalry, the Duke of Schomberg's Regiment of Horse of 9 troops raised July 1689 and disbanded 1697-8
One of dragoons, the Marquis de Miremont's Regiment of Dragoons 6 troops raised 1st October 1695 and disbanded 1697-8
Three regiments of infantry:
Colonel de la Melonière's Regiment of French Foot raised 4th April 1689 and disbanded 1697-8
Colonel du Cambon's Regiment of French Foot raised 4th April 1689 and disbanded 1697-8
The Marquis de Caillemotte's Regiment of French Foot raised 4th April 1689 and disbanded 1697-8
The infantry probably wore grey coats, according to Sapherson. They carried no pikes and apparently suffered badly at The Boyne as a result.
There is an old article from 1911 printed in the Proceedings of the Huguenot Society of London which can be found on Archive.org here; https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofhug913hugu/page/n9/mode/2up I ploughed through it all and there is not one mention of the detail of uniform or flags. However, it does give some information on the service of the units, and names officers and lists casualties etc.. The article begins at page 476.
In Robert Hall's book on Dutch flags and uniforms 1685-1715 he cites a statement from August Kühn (based on an unknown source) that "Huguenot regiments had black flags with white crosses and the emblems of the country which supported the regiment" and following that statement I have put together a couple of possible designs for British Huguenot regimental flags. They are probably ludicrously elaborate compared with the operational reality of the army in the 1690s but, if we are going to give our troops flags, then they should at least be impressive!
I have other flags whose texts I still need to write but I am intrigued by the Huguenot exile regiments so...
First raised 1702; the Colonel was Henry de Bois Billaud de Montaciel, Chevalier de Lislemarais
One battalion strong
The flag is based on Robert Hall's version of August Kühn's reconstruction (source unknown) which stated that Huguenot flags were black with white crosses and the emblems of the country that raised the regiment.
And by request from several people I have produced an entirely speculative all-white Colonel's flag:
I may do my own versions of the (unknown) flags of the three Huguenot regiments raised by William III for service against the Jacobites in Ireland.
Service:
1702 Defence of Hulst
1703 Siege of Limberg
1706 Siege of Ostend; 1 killed and 3 wounded
1706 To Spain
1707 Battle of Almansa and made prisoner
1710 Returned to Flanders
1711 Siege of Bouchain
And the uniform in 1703 was like this:
Preview shot of French Swiss Infantry Regiment Stuppa/Brendlé flags (here with Simon Miller's splendid troops (picture by Simon Miller)):
I did these some time ago and had almost forgotten them!
D'Alton's King James Irish Army List 1855 has a list of officers (see attached table below) and mentions that on the 10th May 1689, in a letter to Lieutenant General Hamilton, King James mentions (inter alia) that "Ten companies of Eustace's will be soon with you, all well armed and clothed" (quoted from King James's Letters, Trinity College MSS E 2 19).
The motto "Dum Spiro Spero" means "While I Breathe I Hope".
From Sapherson William III At War In Scotland and Ireland: Eustace's is given as 51 officers and 783 men (British Museum list) and 454 men from a list by the Comte d'Avoux. 13 companies and one battalion strong according to John Stevens.
After the Boyne listed as 13 companies strong with a total (nominal?) of 650 men (Sapherson).
D'Alton quotes from Story's Impartial History (which seems to be far from impartial!) that, after the Capitulation of Limerick, "On the 16th of October there marched out of Limerick Sir Maurice Eustace's Regiment, Major General Talbot's, Lord Bellew's, Prince of Wales (so Story styles Fitz-James's), Lord Clanricarde's, and Colonel Bermingham's; yet they made in all only 618 men". So by that late date Eustace's was clearly very weak.
Mark Allen in his article THE WAR OF THE GRAND ALLIANCE French Foreign Regiments Part Two: The Irish shows Eustace's in red with yellow facings, which I suspect is supposition rather than fact but most wargamers do seem to depict Eustace's dressed like that.
For the sake of completeness - "I've Started So I'll Finish... ;-) - here are the flags of the last of the five French infantry regiments destroyed at Blenheim. Yes, they are sadly "vanilla" and nowhere near as interesting as the flags of the previous four regiments. And we do not even know the details of the uniform nor can I discover where in the Franco-Bavarian battle line they were positioned. But it is sobering to think that these flags were perhaps the last thing some of those poor devils saw in the centre of the regiment as it was wiped out by the Allied attack...
But now see below; this unit was not at Blenheim and not in fact destroyed!
First raised 18th January 1702 by the Comte de Franquières
1704 Not In Fact Destroyed at Blenheim!
Uniform unknown
UPDATE (from comment by an Anonymous Correspondent with seriously useful connections :-)):
"AND THE ANSWER IS! This regiment first formed part of the garrison at Belfort in 1703 and then became part of the garrison at Old Breisach when the French took it that same year (M de Regnac Commanding, Foix Infantry (2 bns), Franquieres (1) and D'Anlezy Horse (2), remaining there until it was disbanded end of year 1704. The Allies actually tried to retake the town in November that year, but were driven off, Franquieres taking heavy casualties and losing a color. Upon disbandment its soldiers were used as a replacements for the Foix Regiment. AND FOR THE RECORD, when the British had their victory parade in London, January 1705, all trophies were officially credited as having been taken at 2d Hochstadt [Blenheim] whether they were at the battle or not. Thus, Franquieres was given battle credit for 2d Hochstadt [Blenheim] (as in the campaign), but was not physically on the battlefield. It was at Breisach."
And expert Iain Stanford writes further:
"Hi All,
I
thought I would add to this discussion since my initial assumption that
this regiment was disbanded in 1704 was incorrect. I looked further,
via Pelet and Vault Vol V and the records of the Hotel des Invalids.
Franquieres is still recorded as part of the garrison of Breisach in May
1705 (Pelet Vol 5 Page 775 - AH Vol 1844 no 106)
The Hotel
d'Invalids https://www.hoteldesinvalides.org/format_liste.php records 11
admissions of soldiers who served in the Regiment of Franquieres. Have a
look at the link and type in the name. There are 2 direct admittances
from the regiment:
December 19, 1704
Jean Vallier, known as
Dragon, aged 62, born in St Vallier [26333] in the diocese of Vienne in
Dauphiné, soldier of Lord Du Sauset, Regiment of Franquieres, where he
served for 3 years, previously 9 years in the King's Dragoons, 15 years
in Vermandois, and 5 years at sea. All this is shown by his certificate.
His weakness of sight, together with his other inconveniences, put him
out of service, and is a Catholic - soldier.
June 19, 1705
Denis
Auger known as La Fumée, aged 60, Born in Erricy near Fontainebleau,
Soldier of the Sieur de Scot Regiment of Franquieres, where he served 3
years, previously 14 in the Regiment of the King, and 16 years in Artois
and La Motte, All of which is supported by his Certificate, his decent
together with his injuries and other inconveniences put him out of
Service, and is Catholic - Soldier - April 5, 1717. He died.
6 men
later served in the regiment of Franclieu (Susane 1305) - a regiment
raised at the same time (1702). La Londe/Franclieu/Bouzy served on the
Rhine from 1702-5 and moved to Flanders in 1706.
Marlborough Goes
to War was published over 20 years ago, and needs to be updated as I have
additional data on the battle. [That volume can be bought from the Pike And Shot Society website for only £8 plus postage: https://pikeandshotsociety.org.uk/store-2/?model_number=-Marlborough-Goes-to-War ] I am currently researching Malplaquet,
the orders of battle and casualties.
I hope you find this of use."
Very useful! Many thanks to Iain for that.
Raised 4th January 1702 by the Marquis de Bandeville
Service:
Army of the Rhine
1703 Siege of Breisach; then in garrison there
1704 Army of Bavaria; battle of Blenheim. Susane says "Completely destroyed and the colonel killed" (Hall adds that there were 120 made prisoners).
And another unit where the uniform was completely grey!
A couple of glitches now corrected and the new version of the flags uploaded!
Originally a Walloon regiment. First raised June 1684 by N. Lallement. Given 14th April 1685 to Béat-Jacques de La Tour-Châtillon, Comte de Zurlauben (mortally wounded at Blenheim 1704).
Service (from Hall and Susane):
1689 Army of Catalonia
1690 Expedition to Ireland; almost destroyed at the Battle of the Boyne
1691 Army of Flanders; siege of Mons
1692 Siege of Namur; battle of Steenkirken
1693 Battle of Neerwinden; siege of Charleroi
1694-1695 Army of Flanders
1696-1697 Army of the Meuse
1701 Army of Italy; combat of Chiari
1702 In garrison at Mantua
1703 Army of the Rhine; capture of Breisach and Lansau; battle of Speyerbach
1704 Army of Bavaria; battle of Blenheim where the regiment was annihilated and the colonel mortally wounded (Hall adds that the colonel was wounded seven times and died later at Ulm) The regiment was two battalions strong and brigaded with regiment St Segond, stationed behind Blenheim village at the beginning of the battle
Disbanded 21st September 1704
And this was the uniform to 1702 and 1703-1704:
First raised 3rd May 1694. It was a Berne regiment of two battalions. The first colonel was Nicolas Tscharner from Berne to 1697, then it was Charles de Montmollin who died 22/12/1701 and then Vincent Stürler (1662-1734) from Berne who was made brigadier in 1709.
Lieutenant Colonel Francois de Montmollin was killed at Blenheim in 1704. There were horrendous casualties at Malplaquet in 1709 (see below).
The flags were captured at Le Quesnoy, according to the Triomphes Louis XIV; the flags may therefore only relate to the later regiment under Vincent Stürler.
Service (extracted from Hall ):
1703 Capture of Trabach; defence of the Stolhofen-Buhl lines; battle of Stekene; battle of Eckeren; defence of Augsburg (all only one battalion)
1704 Battle of the Schellenburg - 523 all ranks present with 54 casualties; battle of Blenheim - 469 all ranks present with 41 killed in action and 57 wounded
1706 Battle of Ramillies - one battalion with 37 killed in action and 60 wounded; one battalion at the siege of Ostend - 2 killed and 8 wounded
1708 Battle of Oudenarde - two battalions with 2 killed and 4 wounded
1709 Siege of Tournai; battle of Malplaquet - two battalions with 258 killed and 435 wounded
1710 Siege of Saint Vernant - one battalion with 8 killed and 44 wounded
1712 Siege of Quesnoy one battalion (where both flags were captured and then featured in the Triomphes Louis XIV)
1712 Defence of Douai - two battalions
And this was the uniform after 1704:
Raised 6th January 1702 by the Chevalier d'Albaret.
Initially with the Army of the Rhine
1704 Army of Bavaria; part of the Brigade Trecesson with infantry regiment Robecque (which was captured), it was one battalion strong at the battle of Blenheim where it was destroyed and the colonel killed
And this was probably the rather dull uniform in 1704; not a trace of colour!:
I find myself fascinated, for some strange reason, by the French infantry units destroyed or captured at Blenheim in 1704. Perhaps it's the underdog thing. So here we have the flags of the first of these units, reborn here and so providing wargamers with the chance to give them a more glorious and long-lived service. Vive la France! Vive Chabrillant! :-)
Raised 5th January 1702 by N. de Moreton, Marquis de Chabrillant.
1702 Army of the Rhine
1704 Army of Bavaria; battle of Blenheim, where it was destroyed and the colonel killed
Of the flag design, Hall says: "The Maltese cross design was probably based on the colonel being a Knight of Malta according to Père Daniel, “Histoire de la Milice Française”, Livre XI p.429 (Y. Roumegoux)".
At Blenheim Chabrillant was one battalion strong and brigaded with Auxerrois (which I have already depicted here: https://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/2024/07/flags-of-french-regiments-disbanded.html). It was one of the nine regiments of French foot crushed by the Allied attack on the Franco-Bavarian centre late in the battle. At the end of the battle Chabrillant had only 91 men, 17 NCOs and 4 officers left.
The uniform in 1704 was probably like this:
Raised 15th September 1702 by Louis Pfyffer de Wyher.
Service [from Susane]:
1703 Army of Flanders; combat of Eckeren [although Kronoskaf WSS says the regiment does not seem to appear in OOBs of Eckeren]
1706 Battle of Ramillies
1707 Defence of Provence
1708 Army of Flanders; battle of Oudenarde; defence of Lille
1709 Defence of Tournai
1711 Combat of Arleux
1712 Battle of Denain; sieges of Douai, duQuesnoy and Bouchain
1713 Siege of Landau
1715 Disbanded 11th February
Uniform was probably red with blue cuffs, waistcoat and breeches and white metal buttons
First raised 22nd March 1702, probably by Louis Anthoine de Brancas, Comte de Maubec
Although this was not an especially distinguished regiment in its fighting record, this is an interesting and unique flag design, using the coat of arms of Brancas. As Hall says of this flag, "While colonels often used colours or elements of their arms on their flags at this period, it is surprising to find such a blatant use of the exact coat of arms on a flag."
1702 Initially Army of Flanders
1706 To the Moselle
1709 13th July given to Marie-Joseph de Brancas, Marquis d'Oyse.
1711 7th September given to N. de Labadie, who led it to Roussillon
1714 Siege of Barcelona
1715 Disbanded
Uniform: Probably grey coat, waistcoat and breeches with red cuffs.
Created 4th October 1692 and given to Louis-François-Henri Colbert, Chevalier de Croissy.
2 battalions strong in the WSS; one battalion strong by the 1740s
Service:
1693 Army of Flanders; taking of Huy; battle of Neerwinden; siege of Charleroi
1695 Army of the Meuse
1696-7 Campaigns in Flanders
1701 Army of Flanders
1702 Defence of Kaiserswerth
1703 Sieges of Brisach and Landau; battle of Speyerbach
1704 Army of Bavaria; battle of Blenheim [2nd Höchstädt] where much of the regiment was captured. Originally in reserve behind the village it was sucked into the village along with the rest of the French army reserve and uselessly "imprisoned" there by the rather clueless Clerambault - who himself eventually fled and drowned in the Danube
1704 Given to N. de Cetséans
1705 Army of the Rhine
1706 Taking of Drusenheim and the Isle of Marquisat
1708 Given to Michel-Jean-Baptiste Charron, Marquis de Conflans-Ménars
1709-1712 Campaigns in Flanders
1709 Battle of Malplaquet
1711 Combat of Arleux
1712 Sieges of Douai, Quesnoy and Bouchain
1719 Given to N., Marquis de Ménars
1723 Given to Jean-Baptiste-Louis de Clermont d'Amboise, Marquis de Resnel
1733 Army of Germany; siege of Kehl
1734 Combat of Ettlingen; siege of Philipsbourg
1738 Given to François-Marie, Marquis de Pérusse d'Escars
1741 Army of Westphalia
1742 Relief of Braunau and Egra
1743 Army of Bavaria
1744 Army of the Alps; conquest of Savoy and the County of Nice
1745 Occupation of Piedmont; combat of Rivarone [part of the battle of Bassignano]
1746 In garrison at Casal and made prisoner there
1747 Exchanged; then at the battle of Assietta
1749 Given to N. de Roussel d'Espourdon
1749 10th February incorporated in Béarn and the grenadiers in the Grenadiers de France
The uniform was grey-white with blue facings, buttons yellow metal and the braid yellow.
First raised 1673 under Wolfgang Greder; then Ludwig Greder 1691; Baltazar Greder 1703; 1714 became Regiment Affry; 1734 Wittmer; 1757 Waldner; 1781 Vigier; 1792 disbanded
Originally 12 companies of 200 men each.
Service:
1676 Siege of Bouchain
1677 Siege of Valenciennes; battle of Cassel where Major Zegher mortally wounded and 5 other officers wounded
1678 Sieges of Gand and Ypres; investment of Mons; battle of St Denis
1684 Siege of Luxembourg
1689 Combat of Walcourt
1690 Fleurus; 21 officers killed and wounded including the colonel who died later
1691 Siege of Mons; combat of Leuze
1692 Taking of Namur; battle of Steenkirk where Captain Socin was killed and 7 other officers wounded
1693 Battle of Neerwinden; colonel wounded twice and one of his brothers mortally wounded; siege of Charleroi
1695 Bombardment of Brussels
1697 Siege of Ath
1701 Flanders; combat of Nijmegen
1703 Combat of Eckeren where the colonel wounded
1706 Battle of Ramillies
1708 Battle of Oudenarde
1709 Battle of Malplaquet; defence of Aire
1711 Arleux
1712 Sieges of Bouchain; Douai; Le Quesnoy
1714 Took the name of Affry
Uniform red probably with blue facings and collar in the WSS
First raised 25th July 1702 by Antoine Oudart, Marquis du Bièz de Savignies.
Hall (Flags and Uniforms of the French Infantry Under Louis XIV 1688-1714) connects the regiment with a former regiment of the same name raised 1695 which served in Flanders and was disbanded in 1699, and relates the same flags to them so this sheet could probably be used for the older regiment.
Service:
1702 Army of Flanders
1706 Battle of Ramillies
1708 Battle of Oudenarde
1710 Given to N. de Grossoles de Flamarens
1711 To the Alps
Disbanded 1714
The uniform in 1708 was grey/white with red cuffs and stockings and white breeches; lace on cuffs and hatlace was silver and buttons white metal.
First raised 3rd January 1693 and given to Adrien, Comte de Mailly-La-Houssaye
The date of the change of colouring of the flags is unknown but the second version is attested in the 1721 French MS so is from at least that date. Although a relatively simple design, it should be fairly distinctive and striking on the battlefield.
Service [from Susane]:
1693-1697 On the coast
1702 Army of the Rhine
1703 Campaign in Bavaria; siege of Kehl
1704 Battle of Blenheim [2nd Höchstädt][but not shown as present in other accounts]
1704 3rd August given to Alexandre-Maximilien-Balthazar-Dominique de Gand d'Isenghien, Comte de Middelbourg
1705 Army of the Moselle
1706 Army of Flanders; battle of Ramillies[but not shown as present in other accounts]
1708 Battle of Oudenarde
1709 Battle of Malplaquet
1711 Combat of Arleux
1712 Sieges of Douai, Quesnoy and Bouchain
1716 3rd August Given to Louis de Frétat, Comte de Boissieux
1730 15th September Given to Ferdinand Agathange, Marquis de Brun
1733 Army of Germany; siege of Kehl
1734 Combat of Ettlingen; siege of Philipsbourg
1738 16th April given to Claude-Gustave-Chrétien, Marquis des Salles
1743 6th March given to N. Comte de Villeneuve
1744 Army of the Alps
1747 Combat of the Assiette
1747 3rd April given to Pierre-Louis-Aimé de Guiffrey de Monteynard, Chevalier de Marcieu
1748 1st January given to François-Gaspard, Comte de Poly-Saint-Thiébaut
1749 10th February the grenadiers incorporated in the Grenadiers de France and the rest of the regiment into IR Hainaut
Uniform all grey throughout but possibly with red stockings in the late 17th/early 18th century
Although relatively simple in design, these flags were of taffeta changeant, which, as Pierre Charrié says in his book Drapeaux et Étendards Du Roi, is difficult to depict convincingly. I last tried to do so in my flags of French regiment Royal Artillerie in 2014 and feel again here that the result is fairly convincing. I am quite happy with it, anyway! The largely red sections were of "rouge et aurore changeant" and the largely green sections of "vert et aurore changeant".
Bassigny was first raised 27th September 1684 and given to Louis, Count of Mailly
One battalion strong in the 1740s
Service:
1688 Conquest of the Palatinate
1689 24th April Given to Jules-Auguste Potier, Marquis de Gesves
To 1693 Served on the Rhine; then to the Alps; battle of Marsaglia
1696 Back to the Rhine; served there to the peace
1701 Army of Italy; combat of Chiari
1702 Defence of Cremona
1702 3rd September given to Anne-Jacques, Chevalier de Bullion
1703 Expedition to the Tyrol
1704 Sieges of Verceil, Yvrée and Vérue
1705 15th March given to Jean-François, Marquis de Creil-Nancré
1705 Siege of Chivasso; battle of Cassano
1706 Battle of Calcinato; siege of Turin; battle of Castiglione
[1706 Battle of Ramillies; the Nafziger French and Allied OOB 706EAB.pdf specifically mentions "2nd Bassigny" and the regiment is mentioned at Ramillies in other modern accounts so it seems possible one battalion served there]
1707 Defence of Toulon
1708-1714 Army of Dauphiné
1715 Expedition to Majorca
1719 Army of the Pyrenees
1730 18th September given to Jean-Baptiste-François de Riotor, Marquis de Villemur
1733-1736 Army of Italy
1738 To Corsica
1741 Back to France
1740 21st February given to Emmanuel-Louis-Auguste, Chevalier de Pons-Saint-Maurice
1742 Army of Flanders
1743 Army of the Lower Rhine; battle of Dettingen
1744-1745 Defence of Alsace
1746 Sieges of Mons, Saint Ghislain and Namur; battle of Rocoux
1747 Battle of Laufeld; siege of Bergen op Zoom
1748 Siege of Maastricht
1749 1st February given to N de la Luzerne, Marquis de Briqueville
1749 10th February grenadiers incorporated in the Grenadiers de France and the rest in regiment Royal Comtois
The uniform in the late 17th and early 18th century was grey-white with blue facings, grey collar, red waistcoat, red stockings and yellow buttons.
Lemau de la Jaisse Abregé 1735 gives: coat, lining and breeches grey-white with blue facings, red waistcoat and stockings, flat, plain copper buttons and false gold trim on the tricorne.
The last Lemau de la Jaisse of the 1740s is less full in its uniform details but does still describe blue facings on the grey-white coat.
First raised 24th February 1693 by François de Rossi de Baville, Marquis de Saint-Segond. An Italian unit, one battalion strong.
First served on the coast then
1695 Army of Flanders
1697 Siege of Ath
1702 Army of Germany
1703 Sieges of Kelh, Brisach and Landau; battle of Speyerbach
1704 Army of Bavaria; taken prisoner at the battle of Blenheim (2nd Höchstädt). Part of Clerambault's force crammed rather uselessly into the village of Blenhein; brigaded with Walloon Regiment Zurlauben
1705 Exchanged
1705-1706 Campaigns in Alsace
1708-1712 Army of Flanders
Disbanded 22nd January 1715
Uniform not known but possibly grey-white with red facings.
First raised 1678 as troops were added to each of the 3 Life Guards companies. Disbanded 1680 but then re-raised in 1683.
Fought as a single squadron at the Boyne in July 1690.
Fought in the Nine Years War 1688-1697 at the battle of Steenkerque in 1692 and then in 1693 at the battle of Landen.
They did not see action in the War of the Spanish Succession.
The standards are described in the Great Wardrobe Accounts as listed by C. C. P. Lawson, A History of the Uniforms of the British Army, Volume 1. I have based my design for the thistle and rose motif on slightly later designs used on British cavalry standards.
More detail on the Kronoskaf WSS site here: https://kronoskaf.com/wss/index.php?title=Horse_Grenadier_Guards
These standards were different from those carried in the 1690s, which are also recorded in the Great Wardrobe Accounts and which I shall also recreate eventually. These particular standards appealed as the design of the thistle and rose is so different from the royal cipher design used earlier.
First raised 1671. One battalion strong. Disbanded 1748.
Colonels: 1673 Nicolaas Frederik Zobel died 1695 as a Major General; 1695 Johan Wijnand van Goor killed as a Lieutenant General at the storming of the Schellenberg 2nd July 1704; 1704 Frederik Theodor Hangest Genlis, called d'Yvoy, Heer van Binderen
The Colonel Commandant in 1704 was Johann Frederik Hildebrandt who was killed at Blenheim 13th August 1704 as was the major Erasmus von Fresenburg. Major Court Gijsbert Baron von Asbeck was killed at Malplaquet on the 11th September 1709.
Service:
1690: 1st July Battle of Fleurus; strength of 708 officers and men in 12 companies;
265 killed and missing in action, 67 wounded in action and 90 prisoners
1703: 27th April Defence of the Rottweil-Stolhofen Lines
1704: Battle of the Schellenberg ; strength of 581 with losses of 46
1704: 13th August Battle of Höchstädt/Blenheim with a strength of 535 all ranks and losses of 244 killed in action and 211 wounded
1706: 3rd July Siege of Ostend; 4 wounded
1709: 1th September Battle of Malplaquet; losses 54 killed in action and 257 wounded (where the recorded flag was captured)
Uniform was pearl grey with red cuffs, linings and waistcoat
(All details from Uniforms and Flags of the Dutch Army And The Army of Liege 1685 - 1715 By Robert Hall, Iain Stanford and Yves Roumegoux but flag details taken from the Triomphes Louis XIV as generously provided for download by the Bibliotheque Nationale of France)
Created in 1685 as the Aderkaas Dragoon Regiment. Garrison in Rendsborg City and county as well as Angel and Flensborg counties.
Disbanded 1701 and incorporated into the Livregiment Dragoons.
Uniform was a red coat with green cuffs and lining.
I have been working on Brunswick flags of the period 1735-1754, which may have been carried during the Seven Years War, and came across this example of a captured Brunswick flag from 1712 depicted in the Triomphes Louis XIV. It is remarkably similar to the later models.
So far I have little information on the regiment, which was apparently in Dutch service in the period 1709-1713 and was 8 companies strong (acording to the Kronoskaf WSS webpage). I am currently waiting for a copy of Hall's volume on the armies of Hanover, Celle and Brunswick 1670-1715 and hope that may tell me more, which I can then add to this post.
Standard of the Queen Dowager's Horse 1685
The regiment carried three identical standards like this.
(later King's Regiment of Carabineers then 6th Dragoon Guards)
Detailed account of the regimental history up to the War of the Spanish Succession and beyond here on Kronoskaf: https://kronoskaf.com/wss/index.php?title=Carabineers
I have depicted plain yellow damask standards of the type carried by the other squadrons in the regiment here: https://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-generic-plain-damask-english.html
During the War of the Spanish Succession it is likely the regiment carried yellow or buff standards with the cipher of Queen Anne; I have depicted such a standard here: https://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-generic-damask-cavalry-standards.html
But it is perfectly possible these standards were carried later than the reign of James II.
Detailed account of the regiment here on Kronoskaf:
https://kronoskaf.com/wss/index.php?title=Arran%27s_Horse
Raised 1672 and commanded by Hans Willem Bentinck, Earl of Portland; often called Lord Portland's Horse in English accounts. At least 6 troops strong and possibly 9 so a very strong unit. Uniform was a blue coat with blue facings and sleeves often worn loose. Lace was gold. The hat was buff laced gold. The horses were black with red housings and holster caps laced gold.
The Windsor Great Wardrobe Accounts describe the standards as "blue Genoa damask" fringed gold and silver.
In English service 1688-1699
Actions:
1688: Landed Torbay 5th November at a strength of 3 squadrons (6 troops) for a total of 480 men
1690: Battle of the Boyne 2 squadrons strong; sieges of Cork and Kinsale
1691: Battle of Aughrim; 2 squadrons strong and suffered 29 casualties
War of the Spanish Succession:
1706; Battle of Ramillies
1708: Battle of Oudenarde
1709: Battle of Malplaquet
The standards were carried with William's cipher from 1696 after the death of Queen Mary. We do not know if the same standards were carried in the WSS but, given the longevity of expensive and high quality cavalry standards, it is possible - and we have no evidence otherwise...
Thinking where I might go with more of my favourite French infantry flags (despite having done over 100 sets and posted them, there are still many left to depict!), as an initial project I may focus on French infantry flags carried at Malplaquet in 1709. Still pondering that...
In the meantime, here are the flags carried by French infantry regiment Boufflers 1706-1710 which became Bombelles 1710-1714; both sets of flags are shown here.
First raised 3rd February 1706 by Antoine-Charles-Louis, Count of Boufflers.
Service (according to Susane): Army of Flanders
1708 Battle of Oudenarde
1709 Battle of Malplaquet
Given 24th October 1711 to Henri-Francois, Count of Bombelles
Service: 1712 Battle of Denain; capture of Douai, Quesnoy and Bouchain
Incorporated into Regiment Royal on the 4th October 1714
And this was the uniform in 1708:
First raised 1602 or 1628. Gelderland. One battalion strong with 10 or 12 companies at various times.
Colonels: Willem van Bülow 1679-1695; Steven van Welderen 1695-1710; Gijsbert van Welderen from 1710
Actions:
1689 Battle of Walcourt [780 men strong in August/September]
1702 Battle of Nijmegen
1702 Defence of Hulst and taken prisoner
17093 Siege of Bonn
1703-1704 To Portugal
1707 Battle of Almanza
1708 Back to Flanders
1709 Siege of Tournai
1709 Battle of Malplaquet; 45 killed and 209 wounded in action
1710 Siege of Aire; 28 killed and 89 wounded in action
1712 Battle of Denain; 169 prisoners
And this was the uniform 1690 and 1703:
Stevens records 26 companies at 80 per company for a total of 2080 private soldiers in June 1690. 2 battalions strong. Uniform red with blue facings. At the Boyne they were 1980 strong.
The regiment was a former English one which went over to James on his arrival in Ireland. It was commanded by William Dorrington. Dorrington was captured at Aughrim on 12th July 1691.
Mark Allen suggests that the colour described by Stevens and depicted here was perhaps a royal colour and that the regiment, which later became Dorrington's in French service, carried as regimental colours those of Dorrington's which I have already depicted (= Rooth later, with the same flags; see below).
Captain John Stevens records in his Journal that the Lord Grand Prior's Regiment in June 1690 consisted of 13 companies, each of 62 men for a total of 806 private soldiers at full strength with 39 corporals, 26 sergeants, 12 ensigns, 13 lieutenants, 1 captains, 1 major, 3 lieutenant colonels, plus reformado officers (i.e. officers with no companies of their own), for a complete total of 910. The drummers wore blue lined white. The grenadiers had caps with the logo of a flaming city and the motto "The fruits of rebellion", the same as the colours. The musketeer uniform was red lined white.
Two regimental and one Colonel's colour were carried. The regiment was also called Fitzjames after its colonel. Originally the regiment had two battalions with 22 companies and a strength of 1100.
