Table of Contents

The Prince of Wales’ (Welsh Marches) Regiment of Foot

Active1643 to 1646
CountryEngland
Wales
AllegianceRoyalist
ConflictsFirst Civil War
TypeFoot
ColonelPrince of Wales
Sir Michael Woodhouse
Area RaisedWelsh Marches
Coat ColourBlue
Flag Colour
Flag Design
Field ArmiesOxford 1643

Royalist regiment of foot from the Welsh Marches serving with the Oxford Army

Service History

1643

1644

1645

1646

Notes

Coats, Flags and Equipment

Wore blue coats when quartered in Shrewsbury in 1643 1).

Notable Officers

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales

Prince Charles (1630-1685) appears to have been honourary Colonel of the Regiment of Foot led by Sir Michael Woodhouse on the Welsh borders, as well as Colonel Ackland's West Country Regiment. Later King Charles II, biographies can be found online, at BCW, Wikipedia, Britsh Royal History amongst many others.

At the age of 12 Charles and his younger brother James were present at the Battle of Edgehill, where they amused themselves shooting toy pistols in the direction of Essex's army and Charles had to be dissuaded from charging the enemy himself. Parliamentarian cuirassiers broke through the Royalist infantry causing havoc at the rear of the army and the Princes were saved from capture by the efforts of the Gentlemen Pensioners. The young Prince of Wales visited Raglan Castle to raise support, charming the proud Welsh, but spent most of the war together with his father at Oxford or on campaign. In March 1645 at the age of 15 he was appointed nominal Captain General of the West Country Royalists with a headquarters at Bristol, but despite the advice of Clarendon and Hopton the West Country forces fell apart in the face of the New Model Army. After the fall of Bristol Charles fled to the Scilly Isles, the Jersey, then joined the Queen at St Germain in France. His father was executed in 1649. Desperate to gain the support of the Scots Covenanters he signed the Treaty of Breda, and landed in Scotland in 1650, was crowned King of Scotland in 1651, then marched South on the fateful Worcester campaign. Soundly defeated by Cromwell, Charles spent six weeks on the run, aided and unintentionally hindered by Henry Wilmot Earl of Rochester, before escaping to France again. In 1654 Charles was forced to move to Cologne then Bruges and allied with Spain against Parliament and the French. By 1658 he had raised a small army of English and Irish exiles allied to the Spanish, which was defeated by Turenne and Protectorate forces at the Battle of the Dunes. As the Protectorate collapsed after the death of Cromwell, General Monck organised Charles' return to England in 1660. He landed at Dover on 25 May. Amid wild rejoicing across the nation, Charles made a triumphal entry into London on his 30th birthday, 29 May 1660. His coronation at Westminster Abbey took place on St George's Day, 1661.

Sir Michael Woodhouse

Strength

See Also

1) ECW Flags and Colours 1: English Foot, Stuart Peachey & Les Prince 1990, Partizan Press ISBN:0946525846