The English Brigade in the French Service 1672-1678

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The English Brigade in the French Service 1672-1678

Post by Captain of Dragoons » Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:35 am

Found a copy of John Childs The Army of Charles II at the RMC Library, interesting stuff, I have listed the regiments and their histories below. The appendix also includes list of all known officers in the regiments.

From Appendix D - The English Brigade in the French Service 1672-1678

Douglas's / Dumbarton's / The Royal Scots
This Scottish Rgt had been in the French Service since the first part of the 17th C, but had returned to England at the Restoration. With the raising of the English Standing Army in 1661 it was unnecessary for the regt to remain in England, and so it returned to France in 1662. It was again recalled to England for the 2nd Dutch War, but back to France in 1667. There it continued until 1678 when it was finally summoned home to serve on the English establishment as the First Royal Regt of Foot, or the Royal Scots. Twelve companies of 100 men each.

Services
1673-4 Rhine Theatre under Turenne
1674 Battle of Sintzheim
1675 Siege of Dachstein, Siege of Treves
1676 Siege of Philippsburg
1677 Siege of Freiburg

The Royal English Regiment
Sometimes refered to as Monmouth's Foot or the 'Old Battalion of Monmouth's Foot. It was rasied in England in 1672 and sent over to France, where it remained until recalled into England in 1678. Sixteenth companies, totalling 2,000 men.

Services
1673 Siege of Maestricht
1674 Rhine Theatre under Turenne,Battle of Sintzheim, Battle of Entzheim
1675 Battle of Altenheim
1676 Siege of Philippsburg

Skelton's / 2nd Battalion of the Royal English
This bn was drawn from the standing regts in England. It went over to France in 1672 to replace the eight companies of the Royal English which had been disbanded. Once across the Channel, Skelton's was retained as a seperate unit and acted as the 2nd Bn The Royal English. In 1673 this bn was granted seniority over the original battalion as it was composed of guardsmen. This caused great jealousy betwen the two formations.
The companies of Skelton, Daniell and Sackville were recalled to England in Apr 1674. John Churchill assumed command of the remaining five companies and amalgamated them with the Earl of Peterborough's Regiment to form a new regiment which continued in France until 1677.

Services
1674 Rhine Theatre under Turenne, Battle of Entzheim
1675 Battle of Altenheim
1676 Siege of Philippsburg

The Life Guards
On 10 feb 1673 a composite troop of cavalry was taken from the three troops of the Life Guards and sent to France under the command of Louis de Duras, Marquis de Blanquefort. This special troop remained in France until 1674, although Duras stayed in France to command the English Brigade after that date.

Services
1673 Siege of Maestricht

Sir Henry Jones's Light Horse / Monmouth's Horse
A company of English Gens d'Armes was rasied for the French service by Sir George Hamilton in 1667 from the catholic officers who had been dismissed from the English establishment following the purge of 15 Sept 1667. Sir Henry Jones, a capatin in the Royal Horse Guards, was a lieutenant of this company, with Lord Morpeth as cornet. In 1671 Jones replaced Hamilton as commander when the company was expanded to a full size regiment. Total of 505 men.

Services
1673 Siege of Maestricht
1674 Rhine Theatre under Turenne, Battle of Entzheim, Battle of Waldheim
1676 Siege of Philippsburg

The Irish Regiment / Hamilton's / Dongan's
Sir Geroge Hamilton rasied this regiment in Ireland during 1671 especially for France. It was disbanded in France in 1678, returned to Ireland, and was then reformed under Thomas Dogan in the same year. Under Justin Macartie it returned to France as a mercenary regiment in 1679. Fifteen companies of 100 men each.

Services
1673-4 Rhine Theatre under urenne, Battle of Sintzheim, Battle of Entzheim
1675 Battle of Altenheim
1676 Siege of Philippsburg, action at Saverne

Roscommon's Irish Regiment
This Irish regt was rasied for French service in 1671 by Wentworth Dillion, Earl of Rosccommon, but it enjoyed a very short life. In 1672 it was disbanded in Lorraine by the French and the soldiers drafted into Hamilton's Regt. Twelve companies of 100 men each.

Sir William Lockhart's Scottish Regiment
Lockhart's went to France in 1673 and was used to recruit the Old Battalion of the Royal English.

John, Lord Vaughan's Regiment
Vaughan's was sent to France in 1673 and was again used to fill the ranks of the Old Battalion of the Royal English.

Earl of Peterbourgh's Regiment
This regiment went to France in 1673 and was amalgamated with the remnants of Skelton's Battalion to form Churchill's Foot.

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Edward
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Re: The English Brigade in the French Service 1672-1678

Post by obriendavid » Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:02 am

Interesting stuff Edward!
I like John Childs style of writing, I have his book on the British Army of William III which is also an interesting read.
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Re: The English Brigade in the French Service 1672-1678

Post by footslogger » Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:27 pm

Nice description.

Were these guys all in red at this point in time? Copplestone makes figures that might be nice.
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Re: The English Brigade in the French Service 1672-1678

Post by Captain of Dragoons » Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:58 pm

In the book above - The Army of Charles II perhaps the most interesting chapters are the two on the Tangiers adventure. The first chapter is about the strength, cost, organization, discipline, etc. The second chapter is a description of the campaigns and defense of the colony.

Really interesting - lots of excellent scenarios for small scale fights.

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Edward
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