SIR HENRY BARD'S FOOTE was formed at Oxford in May 1643 by Sir Thomas Pinchbeck from a
contingent of Northumberland men sent South by Newcastle as escort to a munitions convoy.
It took part in the First Newbury campaign where both Pinchbeck and his second in command, Henry Goodrich were killed.
Sir Henry Berd, a professional soldier recently returned from Ireland who had been serving in Lord Percy's Foote, took command in early '44 -- in time to lose most of his men at Cheriton (a week after the battle the unit mustered only 176 men).
Subsequent1y, they fought at Cropredy Bridge, Lostwithiel and Second Newbury. During the Winter of 1644/5 they were quartered at Campden House and brougbt up to 300 strong. An account implies regiments garrisoned the House, which would suggest that in addition to Bard's original remnant two seperate reinforcemente were received. It seems that one of the contingents came from the Queen's Regiment, but the likeliest source for the other would seem to be the Irish soldiers coming over in their thousands since the Cessation.
In 1645 they rejoined the field Army and after taking part in the storming of Leicester were destroyed at NASBBY.
At a muster on February 13th 1643, the regiment, still without field officers and still known as Pinckbecks, was described as GREY-COATS. The contingent from the Queen's Regiment were Red-coats and it may have been that at Naseby the whole Regiment wore Red. However, bearing in mind the supply difficulties which the Royalists were experiencing at this time, it is equally possible that a mixture of uniforms were worn.
EDITOR'S NOTES
In Jacques Callot's (1592-1655) engravings THE MISERIES OF WAR, plate 14 shows a Regiment of foote watching punishments. The colour on the Left carries the same large fly device as Bard's. As he served in France this may be significant. However, the same Cross was used by many Catholic troops in the Engllsh Civil Wars. Also the colour could have been inherited from Pinchbeck, as was usual.
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