Sir Henry Bards and Sir John Boyes Regiments of Foote

Whilst painting up Lee's foot regiments I also painted up a couple of my own for my Oxford army, all figures are Baccus. The first being Sir Henry Bards who were originally a northern regiment under the command of Colonel Thomas Pinchbeck. The regiment was large enough that half the regiment was detached became Lord Percy's regiment after it arrived in Oxford in 1643. Pinchbeck was then killed at First Newbury at which point the regiment was given to Sir Henry Bard. 

The first engagement for the renamed regiment was Cheriton Woods which was a disaster and a week later it numbered but 176 mem. It has to be assumed that fresh recruitment was done in the south as it featured in the battle of Cropredy Bridge, the Lostwithiel campaign and again at the 2nd Battle of Newbury.

Losses again forced further recruitment and the melding of the Queens Lifeguard into the ranks but it obviously was still under strength as it formed the garrison of Campden House. Also you can only contemplate the morale and make up of the regiment that had started as a northern regiment and had spent so long away from home and had a large percentage of southern troops added to it's strength. 

Whilst on garrison duty the regiment was issued firelocks and it's possible it became musket only though that is not known. Originally dressed in grey coats it has been recorded as wearing red coats though it's also possible it wore both at the same time as the Queens Lifeguard wore red and in the later years supply became a greater problem and replacement coats would have been low on the list of priorities if their red coats were still serviceable.

Like many other Royalist foot regiments it was destroyed at Naseby where it's thought all it's standards were captured.

Sir John Boyes Regiment of foot was raised in time to fight at the battle of Edgehill and was brought to Oxford and became part of the standing army. They were unusual in that they wore black coats which only a few regiments on either side wore. It's doubtful they remained so clad beyond mid to late 1643 and a mix of coats fading in colour, being replaced with easier to source grey or red coats and even the mixed colours of replacement troops recruited from the area having to wear their own coats whatever the colour.

We now have enough infantry for a minor battle, though Lee still needs some cavalry and guns at the least and a few dragoons would not kill him. Next up then will be said guns and cavalry with a few command bases just to keep things sweet.