4th May 1672 Very interesting depiction of troops on wooden panels - attributed to William Van der Velde - it looks like they're using musket rests. Further images of troops (possibly Militia as they appear to be not in a uniform) are also up on from these panels and the story behind the visit at the excellent Queens Royal Surrey website. I wonder from the colour of the uniforms - is this the Lord High Admiral's Regiment?
2 comments:
The uniform colors would certainly suggest the Maritime Regiment, but if so then the artist employed a great deal of "artistic license". The Maritime Regiment was formed of fusiliers only with no pikes, and I haven't seen any other reference to them using musket rests, even with their earlier matchlocks.
Bill
It could however represent a regiment of the Kent Militia. When the Duke of Richmond was appointed to the lieutenancy of Kent in 1668he proposed that in future every regiment of the Militia should wear yellow coats, except his own which should wear red. (Source: The Twysden Lieutenancy Papers 1583-1668), quoted in Reform of the Provinces by Anthony Fletcher, p. 331.
The County Militia regiments were still composed of matchlock muskets and pikes of course, and it is possible that in some cases rests were still being used. Musketeers of the Society of the Artllery Garden (Honourable Artillery Company) in London were still required to furnish rests at least as late as 1659 and this requirement may have continued into the early years of the Restoration period. This may also have been the case for the County Militia.
James Bull
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