Table of Contents

Colonel Harry Barclay’s Regiment of Foot

Active1642-5
CountryEngland
AllegianceParliamentarian
ConflictsFirst Civil War
TypeFoot
ColonelHarry Barclay
Area Raised
Coat ColourRed lined Blue
Red or Grey
Flag ColourRed or Green
Flag Design
Field ArmiesEssex 1642-5

Parliamentarian regiment of foot raised as part of the Earl of Warwick’s reserve army, fought as part of the Earl of Essex’s army during the First Civil War

Service History

1642

1643

1644

1645

Notes

Coats, Flags and Equipment

Barclay's foot were issued red coats lined blue in November 1642, these were replaced, probably with red or grey in August 1643 1). In November 1644 they received new flags to replace those lost on the Lostwithiel campaign. These were either green colours (with differences of yellow billets, yellow half-moons or white diamonds), or crimson colours (with differences of yellow mullets or white balls).

Notable Officers

Harry Barclay

From The Cromwell Association Online Directory of Parliamentarian Army Officers 2)

Henry [Harry] Barclay. A Scot, he was colonel of a regiment of foot raised in autumn 1642 and which continued to serve as part of the earl of Essex’s Army until spring 1645, taking part at the siege of Reading, the relief of Gloucester, both battles of Newbury and Essex’s march into the South West in summer 1644. He was earmarked as colonel of a New Model regiment of foot, but he was one of a group of Scots who were directed by their government not to take up his command.

References: Wanklyn, New Model Army, 1. 47-8, 150.

Officer Lists

1642 /43

Original Officers

New Officers

1644

Added to Regiment in Reading Garrison late 1644 - early 1645

(These 3 Companies were added to strengthen the regiment they appear to have been existing units and were paid seperately to the rest of the regiment and usually described as “marching in the regiment of Colonel Barcley”)

April 1645

The Regiment was originally intended to move almost unchanged into the New Model Army with only Major Thomas Pride being reduced.

However as Scots both Barclay and Innes were unable or unwilling to serve and the Regiment passed to Sir Edward Harley with Pride returning as Lt Col.

Strength

See Also

1) ECW Flags and Colours 1: English Foot, Stuart Peachey & Les Prince 1990, Partizan Press ISBN:0946525846
2) 'Surnames beginning 'B'', in The Cromwell Association Online Directory of Parliamentarian Army Officers , ed. Stephen K Roberts (2017), British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/cromwell-army-officers/surnames-b [accessed 21 July 2022].
3) N.A. SP28/267/pt3/33