It is generally accepted by latter-day writers that Northampton's Foote wore OracD coata, but there may be grounds for doubting this.
In 1645 Cpt. John Moore, Northampton'a Scout-Master, captured a quantity of Red cloth and cheerfully announced he would use it to clothe his Troop with it. This would suggest that the Horse at least were already in Red. It is of course possible that the Foot were dressed differently, but it is worth reconsidering the idea in view of the 'evidence' for them having worn Green.
The authority for this explanation would appear to rest on nothing more subatantial than the unfortunate experience of Cpt. William Legge, who, at Southam in August 1642, managed to get himself captured when he mistook Col. John Hampden'a Parliamentarian Green-coats for Northampton's men. Convincing enough, you may think, until it is remembered that Red-Green colour blindness is the most common form of this type of eye defect!
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