Colonel Thomas Morgan’s Regiment of Dragoons

Later Colonel Thomas Morgan's Regiment of Horse

Commonwealth regiment of dragoons serving in Scotland and instrumental in defeating Glencairn’s Rising

• September: Major Thomas Rippon commissioned to raise four troops of dragoons in Lancashire
• October: Sir Arthur Hesilrigge commissioned to raise seven troops of dragoons in Yorkshire

• August: Morgan commissioned Colonel of Dragoons under Monck
• August to September: Siege of Dundee?

• To May: Siege of Dunottar Castle?

• December: One troop at Cromarty

• February: Skirmish at Brechin (Maj. Bramston)
• February: Skirmish at Cromar
• February: Taking of Kildrummy Castle
• April: Garrison of Dingwall
• July: Skirmish at Dalnaspidal
• Raid Caithness

• Serving in Scotland

• Serving in Scotland

• Serving in Scotland

• Serving in Scotland

• November: Promoted to a regiment of horse by Monck
• November: Robinson’s troop abscond to Newcastle
• November: One troop sent to Carlisle but fail to secure the city

• January: March to York under Monck
• January: Return to Scotland
• October: Disbanded, except for Morgan’s troop

• Serving in Scotland

• April: Return to England
• July: Sent from Plymouth to serve in Portugal under Capt Lt Francis Kelly

A history of the regiment is given in The Regimental History of Cromwell's Army by Sir Charles Firth and Godfrey Davies, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1940.

Morgan had led his own regiment of dragoons in Lord Fairfax’s army during the First Civil War, Colonel Thomas Morgan’s Regiment of Dragoons. In 1650 a number of dragoon companies had been commissioned in Yorkshire and Lancashire, but little is known of their activities. Evidently some had accompanied Cromwell to Scotland, as in 1651 Morgan was commissioned to form a regiment out of the ‘loose troops’ of dragoons under Monck. They may have served at the eight-month siege of Dunottar Castle under Morgan.

In 1654 the regiment were active in defeating Glencairn’s rising, also raising additional troops. For the remainder of the 1650s they served in Scotland. In 1659 the regiment were converted to horse by Monck, who was short of cavalry regiments. They were issued ‘back and breast and pots’, ie armour and helmets, at the time No doubt the increase in pay and status was welcome. In 1660 the regiment was disbanded, apart from Morgan’s own troop under Capt Lt Francis Kelly which remained in garrison in Scotland. In 1662 this troop was sent on the expedition to Portugal, still under Kelly’s command.

Probably issued red coats while dragoons. On conversion to horse in 1659 they were issued back and breast plates and helmets.

Thomas Morgan

Major-General Thomas Morgan's Regiment of Dragoons¹⁾

• Colonel's troop at Montrose, “whereof 4 are att” Donotter
• Major John Farmer's troop at Dowglas Castle & Lanerick
• Captain William Hellin's troop at Brechin “whereof 2 are att” Braemar
• George Robinson's troop at St Johnstons, Ballough Weme, Blair & Finlarocke

• October 1651: 8 troops
• January 1653: 4 troops, of 60 men each, excluding officers
• 1654: 8 troops, authorised to be 100 men each
• 1655: 4 troops
• 1657: 4 troops of 48 men apiece
• November 1659: Two troops of 100 men added
• 1661 to 1662: A single troop