Sir Horatio Cary’s Regiment of Horse
Royalist regiment of horse raised by Sir Horatio after changing sides from Parliament
Service History
1643
- August: The Regiment was being raised in Somerset, including men and horses provided by the local clergy
- December: Skirmish at Westbourne?
1644
- March: Battle of Cheriton?
1645
- May: Storm of Leicester
- June: Battle of Naseby
- June: Besieged at Leicester?
- July: Ordered to be remounted
- July: Ordered to Bristol
- August to September: Besieged at Bristol
- October: Battle of Sherburn in Elmet??
1646
- May to June: Besieged at Oxford
Notes
The regimental history is confused by Symonds's mistaken suggestion that the regiment was taken over by the Earl of Cleveland who was colonel of Lord John Stuart’s Regiment of Horse. It is believed that Cleveland took command of Cary's brigade not his regiment.3).
After Naseby the regiment appears to have been left to garrison Leicester along with The Queen’s Regiment of Horse, resulting in the loss of their horses and Rupert's order to remount the unit after the surrender of Leicester.
VJ notes: Check terms of Leicester surrender. I'm sure these and the Queens Horse had their horses taken away.
Flags
Cary's cornets were noted by Symonds in April 1644.
Cary's own troop's cornet was red with a creature in a barrel and the motto 'come out you cuckold' (Illustration 1); Richard Symonds offers further detail about the creature in his Notebook4) description “a fox pulling the roundhead by the ears”. The major's cornet simply bore the motto 'cuckolds we come' (Illustration 2).
The cuckold taunt of the colonel's cornet is often believed to be a reference to the failed marriages of the Earl of Essex; but, when taken with the wording on the major's cornet, it is more likely they are a general insult aimed at all roundheads.
Notable Officers
Sir Horatio Cary
Previously fought as a Parliamentarian captain of horse at Edgehill and led Sir Horatio Cary’s Regiment of Foot in Waller’s Parliamentarian army of the Western Association. He evidently changed sides after the Parliamentarian defeat at Roundway Down and loss of Bristol in July 1643.
Officer Lists
From original research by Victor Judge aka BCW user 1642
- Colonel Horatio Cary
- Lieutenant Colonel Fleetwood (1)
- Lieutenant Colonel William Rumball Ment. I.O.
- Sargeant Major Debee Ment. I.O.
- Sargeant Major Richard Goldsmith (1)
- Captain Barber (1)
- Captain Bennett (1)
- Captain Jacob Chauke I.O. L + W
- Captain Clarke (1)
- Captain John Debee Ment. I.O.
- Captain Agmundisham Pickhay Ment. I.O.
- Captain Whelland Ment. I.O.
- Captain Humphrey Yeo I.O. Cornwall
- Captain Edward Zouch Ment. I.O.
- Captain Lieutenant Joseph Horner I.O. Gloucester
- Lieutenant Henry Brooke I.O. L + W to Lt. Col Rumball
- Lieutenant Henry Clarke I.O. L + W to Sgt. Maj. Debee
- Cornet Nathaniel Berad I.O. L + W to Capt. Whelland
- Cornet John Champnes I.O. Somerset to Capt. Debee
- Cornet James Julian I.O. L + W to Capt. Pickhay
- Cornet Christopher Overfield I.O. L + W to Capt. Chauke
- Cornet Thomas Woollscot I.O. L + W to Lt. Col. Rumball
- Quartermaster Richard Nicholson I.O. L + W to Capt. Zouch
Contemporary References
Remounts
(1) Harl. Mss. 986.f.86
Harl. Mss. 6852 f.284 Prince Rupert to ? 12.7.1645 Colonel Horatio Carys Regiment that was dismounted at Leicester to be re-mounted.
King's warrant to raise men in Somerset
(2) Gloucester Record Office D.115.12
To our trusty and wellbeloved Edmond Wyndham Esqr. high sheriffe of our County of Somersett
Trusty etc., whereas the Clergy of that ye County of Somersett have out of theire affection to us raysd and armed divers men and horse for our service which as yett are not disposed or put under any command our will and pleasure therefore is and wee doe hereby authorise you forthwith to cause the said men and horses to bee assembled in some convenient place there to be viewed listed and mustered and then put under the Command of our trusty and wellbeloved Colonell Horatio Cary who is now raysinge a Regiment of horse for ye service, our pleasure wee require you diligently to execute and for your so doing this shallbe your sufficient warrant.
Given at our Court at Matsdowne neere Gloucester this 15th of August 1643
Strength
- May 1645: At least 200 at Leicester5)
