Sir Robert Byron’s Regiment of Foot

Royalist regiment of foot raised in Ireland and serving with Lord Byron

• March: Ordered that Sir Robert Byron should raise 1000 musketeers from Ormond’s Leinster Army
• 16th November: Shipped from Leinster, Ireland to Mostyn, North Wales - Part deployment
• 13th December: Shipped from Leinster, Ireland to Chester - Remainder of regiment
• December: Storm of Barthomley Church
• December: Second Battle of Middlewich

• January: Siege of Nantwich
• 25th January: Battle of Nantwich
• May: Storm of Stockport
• May: Storm of Bolton
• June: Siege of Liverpool
• July: Garrison of Liverpool
• August to November: Besieged in Liverpool
• November: Mutiny and surrender in return for passage back to Ireland
• November: Recruited in Dublin by Colonel Napier for Lord Byron’s Foot
• Shipped back to Chester

Raised out of a number of regiments of Ormond’s army in Leinster, Byron had been Lieutenant Colonel of Sir Henry Tichborne’s Regiment of Foot, so likely started with men of his own regiment. On reaching Cheshire the regiment were involved in a notorious massacre at Barthomley Church but went on to serve bravely in the defeat at Nantwich. They took part in the first phase of Prince Rupert’s York March but were left as garrison in Liverpool. Besieged for three months by Brereton, they mutinied and negotiated to surrender, with terms including being shipped back to Ireland. On arrival at Dublin they were promptly recruited again by Lord Byron’s agent, Colonel Napier, and shipped back to Chester where they joined Lord Byron’s Regiment of Foot.

Tichborne’s regiment had ash and red colours in 1640 but it seems unlikely that Byron’s would have kept the same design. When commissioned the regiment was supposed to be comprised solely of musketeers, but whether this actually transpired is uncertain.

A list of the regiment's officers is shown in Officers and Regiments of the Royalist Army by Stuart Reid (Partizan Press).

Sir Robert was one of the brothers of John, 1st Baron Byron.

Sometimes referred to as Colonel

• November 1643: 250 men shipped to Flintshire
• December 1643: Together with Col. Warren's Regiment of Foot, 1300 men shipped to Cheshire