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The regiment was recruited in Northumberland in early 1643 originally as part of the Marquis of Newcastle's Army. It was sent south with as one of the foot regiments escorting the ammunition convoy sent south to Oxford by the Marquis of Newcastle, and upon arrival in Oxford sometime in May 1643, this "raw material" was fashioned into two "new" foot regiments - Lord Percy's and Colonel Thomas Pinchbeck's. Therefore, the original regiment was split in half, so the two regiments could be formed.
On August 24th, 1643, both Pinchbeck's and Percy's regiments, along with the rest of the Oxford garrison, received a barrel of powder (1 cwt) and a hundred weight each of match and ball, to each regiment. The two regiments were at this time, guarding the East Gate of the City of Oxford, but shortly after receiving these ammunition supplies, the regiments were released from their duties of garrisoning the city, in time to participate in the battle of Gloucester and the first Newbury campaign, although what the regiment did on this campaign is currently unknown. After the first battle of Newbury, where the regiment lost its colonel, Thomas Pinchbeck, the regiment returned to Oxford, and shortly thereafter further ammunition supplies, again comprising a 1 cwt barrel of powder "with match & ball proporconable" (proportionate), were issued to the regiment. This ammunition was issued so a detachment from the regiment could take part in an expedition to be led by Prince Rupert into Buckinghamshire, but after the principal object of the exercise (the fortification of Newport Pagnell) had been abandoned, Prince Rupert then decided to base these Royalists in Towcester until well into December. At a muster in "New Parkes behind Wadham College" on February 13th, 1644, it was noted that Pinchbeck's regiment was present, indicating that the regiment's colonel had not yet been replaced. Though shortly afterwards Henry Bard (who was Lt.-Colonel in Percy's Foot) became colonel of Pinchbeck's regiment (now known as Col. Henry Bard's Regiment of Foot). Colonel Henry Bard then led his regiment to disaster at the battle of Cheriton in March 1644. Since the brigade which he belonged to (and may even have led in the battle) was comprised of detachments from the Oxford garrison regiments, it is likely that some of Percy's Foot were also present at the battle. Indeed, given the close association that the two regiments continued to enjoy, it would be surprising if it was otherwise. A week after the battle the Colonel Henry Bard's Regiment of Foot mustered only 176 men. Subsequently, in the summer of 1644, Colonel Henry Bard's Regiment of Foot took part in the King's summer campaign of 1644, along with most of the other regiments of the Oxford Army. Therefore the regiment was at the battle of Cropredy Bridge, the campaign and battles of Lostwithiel, and the second campaign and battle of Newbury. The regiment served, along with Percy's Foot, as part of of the First Tertio (the Royalist vanguard) under the command of Colonel Thomas Blagge. The regiment then went into garrison at Campden House, where it received reinforcements, some from the Queen's Lifeguard of Foot, which brought it up to 300 men. It is also known, probably due to now being a garrison unit, that firelocks were delivered to the regiment at this time. The regiment was at the storming of Leicester in May 1645, then destroyed at the battle of Naseby (June 1645), along with the rest of the King's Army of veteran foot. The regiment was known to have worn gray coats and breeches, and due to originally being part of Newcastle's Army and raised in the north, probably blue bonnets as well. Although, when the regiment went into garrison at Campden House and reinforced by the Queen's Regiment of Foot (which wore red coats, breeches & monteros), the regiment could have switched to red coats at this time as well, but this is not known for certain. Officers of Sir Henry Bard's Regiment of Foot The following are the officers known for the original regiment.
Uniform & Equipment of the Sir Henry Bard's Regiment of Foot The following is the complete uniform and equipment of a soldier of Sir Henry Bard's Regiment of Foot as the regiment would have in the ECWSA. Uniform: Gray broadcloth (wool) soldier's coat, lined in gray baise (rougher & thinner wool), with small round wool cloth buttons made from the same material as the coat (wool over leather with shank). Gray broadcloth (wool) breeches, linen lined (muslin may be used), with a large 'neats' (chamois) leather pocket in each side of breeches, and buttons as for coat, with wool drawstrings closing the breeches below the knees as stocking ties. White wool stockings, with 'ragg' wool gray oversocks (the 'rowling' type which were worn down around the calves). Natural (tan) colored leather shoes with round toes, low heels and small cutouts, with a leather thong to fasten closed. Linen shirt with only a small collar (i.e. no falling band type), and wooden 2-hole buttons at neck and on small cuffbands. Dark blue broadcloth (wool) bonnet, made using a drawstring of the same wool to gather it about the head (so it is adjustable for each head size), but no cockade, ribbon or plumes are worn at this time. Equipment Vegetable tanned 6-7 oz. leather baldric sword belt with vegetable tanned 3-4 oz. leather scabbard; belt has a brass period-style buckle, and the scabbard has a brass 'frog' and tip. Simple-style soldier's sword guard with wide stage epee blade (no real blades!). Vegetable tanned 3-4 oz leather snapsack, which has a 6-7 oz. leather belt with period-style iron buckle. Note: snapsack has leather thong to close it at each end by wrap around, not drawstring. Pikeman Arms: Tapered ash pike (1 3/4" buttend & 1" tip), being 12-16' long (length up to unit), and having a broad-bladed iron tip with 4' cheek pieces. A pikeman's 'pot' helmet, being blackened. Body armor (back/breast/tassets), while being issued to pikemen, is optional for the individual pikeman, but would be blackened. Musketeer Arms: Matchlock musket with rest. A 'collar of bandoliers', which was a 2" wide vegetable tanned 6-7 oz. leather belt ('collar'), which had a period-style brass buckle at the back, with 3-4 oz. leather drawstring bullet bag, and 12-15 (depends on musket bore) wooden charges ('bandoliers' or 'boxes') strung from it. The priming flask would be of the triangular-style (i.e., vegetable tanned leather covered over wood with black metal finishings). Musketeers carried 10' of slowmatch, cut into 2' lengths for use, and wrapped around their 'collar' just behind the bullet bag, plus various cleaning tools for the musket as well. Personal Items: Natural colored (blue, gray, tan, brown, white, etc.) wool blanket (no stripes or tartan patterns). Wooden bowl and/or trencher/plate, wood, horn, or pewter spoon, period style eating knife (no fork!), plus any entertainment items (period playing cards, wood or lead dice, small wooden games such as 9-men, backgammon or checkers, etc.). Skirmish Items: These are required to be in a skirmish or when fencing; 3-weapon fencing mask, vegetable tanned 6-7 oz. leather jerkin, brown or tan leather gauntlets. Colours There are two different sources for the colours carried by this regiment. The first is from the diary of Richard Symonds, who was in the King's Lifeguard of Horse, and witnessed them on display at the Albourne Chase muster in Spring, 1644. The second is from the book by John Turmile on the Royalist colours taken at the battle of Naseby, which he also witnessed as they were paraded through London after the battle. Both sets are reproduced below. It has been suggested that Turmile's drawings were simply made, and that those by Symonds are more accurate for this particular regiment. Both show the field as white, with red devices. Note that if a reconstructed regiment wanted to do a company of the regiment, than it is suggested that the first Captain's company be the one, and therefore consult the first Captain's colour as given by Turmile, but the device should look like those given by Symonds. Sources List of Indigent Officers original & revised editions. ROYALIST ORDNANCE PAPERS I. Roy. Army Lists of the Roundheads and Cavaliers E. Peacock. Cropredy Bridge 1644 Toynbee & Young. Strangers in Oxford Toynbee & Young. |
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