In my first article on Royalist firelocks (ECW N&Q 49), I briefly outlined the history of the firelock mechanism and argued that its introduction in the early seventeenth century was to do with its fundamental operational advantages rather than any general technological superiority of its mechanism over the matchlock. Far from only serving as artillery train guards, the early firelock units were ideal for garrison and general sentry duty where vast quantities of match would otherwise be burnt. They were also ideal for leading surprise assaults on fortifications and for staging ambushes where burning match cord would otherwise have given away the operation. Having first seen significant service in Ireland prior to the English Civil War where the nature of operations best suited their use, the Civil War itself, especially in its later stages, saw their increasing prominence on both sides.
This article firstly focuses on some of the firelock units of the Parliamentary and Protectorate armies with examples of a few of their actions. Secondly, it looks at the general establishment of the Protectorate infantry to demonstrate how the firelock become a recognized proportion of all infantry regiments by the 1650's and how this reflected the types of operations they were performing. Finally it focuses on the actual manufacture and supply of firelocks to Parliaments and the Protectorate armies from 1645-1658.
FIRELOCK UNITS IN PARLIAMENTS ARMY 1642-1645
As with the royalist army, companies of Firelocks were found both guarding the artillery train as part of the Ordnance and as specialist companies in otherwise standard infantry regiments. The later were found in commanding officers regiments, for example the Lord Generall's and the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance's regiments where, as with that of the King's Lifeguard of Foot and the Prince Rupert's and Maurice's respective Lifeguard's of firelock's, they were viewed as elite bodies. Their specific function was to provide a guard for the personage of the commander where their firelock's would ensure instant service. While unrecorded, one could assume they would have also given useful service, as their royalist counter-parts did, in the storming of fortifications, general out-post work and even for ambushes.
1 GENERAL DE BOYES COMPANY OF FIRELOCKS
This was raised in August-September 1642 to guard the artillery train of Essex's Army. [1] As Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, de Boys was only Captain in name, actual command fell to the senior Lieutenant Richard Price, who, after the company had served at the Battle of Edgehill, was promoted to Captain. Under Captain Price and later Thomas Williams this company of firelocks appear to have served Essex on all his campaigns as his artillery train guard. Interestingly enough, in the aftermath of the debacle at Lostwithiel when Essex's army was being re-equiped, a warrant dated 19th October 1644 ordered,
"to deliver into ye stoares for ye Trayne of Artillery for ye Lord Generall.......Musketts with snaphance locks and bandoleers to them 200 at 20s. a peece". [2]
They were subsequently reduced in April 1645 and merged with the firelocks of Waller's army to form the cadre for the New Model Army's companies of firelocks. They probably wore red coats along with most of the rest of Essex's infantry, although it is arguable they may have worn tawny coloured coats.
2 GENERAL JAMES WEMYSS COMPANIES OF FIRELOCKS
These were raised in October 1643 as part of the Artillery Train for Waller's Army and they saw considerable action. On 30th October their presence was recorded by Lieutenant Elias Archer of the Tower Hamlets Yellow Regiment when Waller's army assembled at near Windsor,
"where in the afternoon we met some of Sir William Waller's Troopes of horse, his own Regiment of foots, and one company with Snaphans muskets which guard the Trains of Artillene only." [3]
In fact there may have been as many as five companies as the Tanner Manuscript records Capatin's David Wemyss (son of the general), Henry Hazzard, William Davidson, John Fowke's and Henry Roc as all having firelocks under their command. [4] They are also recorded as wearing blue coats.
Their service through the winter campaign of 1643/44 and at Cheriton appears unremarked, and one assumes they simply fulfilled their duty of guarding the train. But at Cropredy Bridge their service was far from unrecorded. Towards the end of the battle eleven pieces of Waller's artillery were over-run and General Wemyss himself was captured. It seems some of the firelocks died defending the train for the account of Sir Edward Walker refers to many blue coated soldiers lying dead around the artillery pieces. Yet not all could have died there, for Richard Coe of the Tower Hamlets Regiment records that to mislead the royalists that night into thinking the army was still before them when it was in fact marching away,
"..., but we were there over cunning for them, for our fire-locks were placed under a hedge, and light match hung alone on the pallisadfs a Musket shot off;" [5]
After this though their service is vague, although they probably served with Waller at the Second Battle of Newbury - in October. The surviving firelocks were officially reduced in April 1645 according to the Tanner manuscript with the rest of Waller's regiments, and, along with Essex's firelocks, they were combined to form the two companies of firelocks in the New Model Army.
3 THE NEW MODEL ARMIES COMPANIES OF FIRELOCKS
There is little doubt that the two companies for the New Model Army were formed from the cadre of Essex's and Waller's companies of firelocks in late April / early May 1645. For example, the records for the Sale of Crown land in 1650 list a John Driver, then serving in Ireland in Richard Deane's Firelocks (successor commander of the New Model Army Firelocks) as having originally served in Waller's Firelocks under Captain Hazzard back in 1644. [6] Although they are commonly stated to have worn tawny coloured coats, the original source for this, dated 1st May 1645, suggests that only some of the firelocks were so clothed,
"....the Fire-locks (only) some of them are tauny cotes". [7]
It may be speculated that those in tawny coats were the men of Essex's old firelock company who had as yet to be re-clothed in red like the rest of the army. What-ever their coat colour, these firelocks appear to have seen action in the role of outlying pickets even before Naseby as according to "The True Informer' for 31st May 1645 in a report on the siege of Oxford by Fairfax's newly formed army;
"The enemy have about 300 Musketiers at a Bishops house neer to their South Works on Abington Road, and from thence they sometimes sally out upon our Fire-Locks, but are still beaten in again." [8]
More famously they helped defend the train at Naseby from Rupert's horse, for as Sprigg relates,
"...and Prince Rupert himself having prosecuted his success upon the left wing almost to Naseby town, in his return summoned the train, offering them quarter, which being well defended with the firelocks, and a rearguard left for that purpose, who fired with admirable courage on the prince's horse...". [9]
It is sometimes stated that these two companies originally came under the command of Major John Desborough (Cromwell's brother in law). In fact this is probably an error as the commanders of the two companies are respectively listed only as Captain-Lieutenants "Desborow" and "Brent" without any indication as to christian names. It would appear unlikely that John Desborough, who had been a cavalry officer under Cromwell since the start of the war, would have held both a Major's commission in Cromwell's own Regiment of Horse in 1645, where he undoubtably served at Naseby, and also have held a Captain-Lieutenenancy of firelocks in the Ordinance. It would seem more likely that there were two Desboroughs (there are certainly various spellings of the name) in the army. [10] After Naseby, the firelocks continued to accompany the artillery train throughout the rest of the New Models campaigns up to June 1646.
In late April 1647 a return on the strength of the army listed "Two Comps firelockes and train" as 22 officers and 166 men. [11] This suggests that the two companies had fallen considerable below their original strength given that a significant proportion of the total given were non-firelocks. The army's artillery train had been part of the Oxford garrison since that cities surrender in June 1646, but in late May 1647 the whole train was moved to the Tower of London for storage, it being ordered "That the Firelocks belonging to the Traine doe Guard the same to London". [12]
The artillery train, including the Firelocks, were withdrawn from the Tower during the Second Civil War in 1648 after which it accompanied Cromwell to Ireland in 1649. By early 1650, while still in Ireland, the firelocks had come under the command of Richard Deane. While not necessarily these two companies, a contingent of firelocks also guarded the army's artillery train throughout the campaigns in Scotland, the artillery train of some 690 men which was raised for Cromwell's Scottish campaign of 1650 listing a company of 100 firelocks. [13] With the end of major hostilities in late 1651 it is probable that the Firelocks again accompanied the artillery train to the Tower where a proportion may well have remained as guards.
4 THE EARL OF ESSEX'S REGIMENT OF FOOT
When the Lord General's Regiment was raised in the summer of 1642 it possibly included three companies armed with firelocks, Nicholas Deveraux's, Ambrose Tindall's and Robert Turner's. Although it should be added that Peacock lists all three of these companies under a separate heading as "Firelocks" and it cannot be discounted that they served as a separate body from the Lord Generals Regiment as part of the artillery train.[14]
This possibility is strengthened by the fact that a company of firelocks escorted Essex's train of pontoon bridging boats under the overall command of Captain Peter Cannon throughout late 1642. While the bridging train was administratively part of artillery train, the twenty odd wagons on which the pontoons were transported along with ammunition were not ready to leave the New Artillery Ground for the Lord General's army until 12th October, a fortnight after the main artillery train had departed. [15] A company of one hundred firelocks was undoubtably part of this bridging train's establishment. [16] Travelling first to Worcester in a vain attempt to catch up with the mam field army, the bridging train ended up in Gloucester where they stayed,
"there came unto the city upon the 21 day of October about 80 watermen and 70 fire-locks attending the boats and carriages sent unto this place, and here billeted...'. [17]
By December 1642 Gloucester had come under the command of Colonel Massey. As he only had the Earl of Stamford's Regiment of Foot with which to garrison the city he was happy to make the bridging train part of his command along with its depleted company of 70 firelocks. At this point it is possible that their commander was Captain Nicholas Devereaux. [18] The question is, was this Devereaux's original company of firelocks or had he given them up for another company specifically formed to guard the bridging train? A pay warrant of November 1642 indicates that all three companies of firelocks, Deveraux's, Tindall's and Turner's, were transferred around the time of Edgehill to Colonel John Milton's Regiment of Dragoons, which shortly thereafter itself disappeared from the order of battle into the mists of obscurity. [19] Whatever the origin of Devereaux's company of firelocks, it is possible that they went on to accompany him in early 1643 into Colonel Arthur Forbes Regiment of Dragoons before going on to form the nucleus for Deveraux's own Regiment of Foot in September 1643.
5 THE EARL OF PETERBOROUGHS REGIMENT OF FOOT
This regiment had one company of firelocks, Captain Sir Edward Payton's company. [20] This regiment did not serve at Edgehill as it was in garrison at Banbury. The whole regiment was captured three days after Edgehill when Banbury fell to the King and although the men were allowed to return to London, they were entirely stripped of weapons. While it was re-armed by late 1642, in May 1643 the regiment was disbanded. They wore red coats with blue lacings. [21]
6 THE TOWER ORDNANCE COMPANY
Strictly speaking this was not a single unit of firelocks. Basically, from 1639 and the First Bishops War onwards, one or more companies of firelocks were raised or designated to guard the Tower of London and its strategic magazine. The first such one was royalist under William Legge. Raised in 1639, it went on to join the Kings army in 1642 and became the firelock company to the King's Lifeguard of Foot. [22] Meanwhile, back in London, from May 1642 onwards, a company (or possibly two) of The Tower Hamlets Trained bands appears to have for-filled the role. Certainly, by 1647, Tower Hamlets had become popularly known as 'The Tower Regiment' and its flags had replaced their earlier wreath symbol with a representation of the White Tower. [23]
With the armies seizure of London in the summer of 1647, the job of garrisoning the Tower was taken over by Colonel Barkstead's Regiment which soon became known as 'The Tower Regiment. In addition, General Fairfax raised a completely new regiment from Londoners under the command of the new Lieutenant of the Tower, Colonel Tichburne, to provide a permanent garrison for the Tower which soon became known as "The Tower Guards". In fact though, this second regiment was soon drawn out to join the main field army before Colchester in August 1648 and from then on served as a normal field regiment, although it continued to be known as The Tower Guards despite never returning to that service. Meanwhile, from 1647 until 1660, Barkstead's regiment supplied the regular garrison of the Tower under the name of The Tower Regiment. [24] As before, given the contents of the Tower, these "Tower" companies were armed with firelocks. In 1660, three of these companies were retained as the "Tower Ordnance Companies" back under the command of William Legge! [25] When he died his son, the Earl of Dartmouth, took over their captaincy in 1683 and in 1685 the three Tower Ordnance Companies formed the cadre for the "Royal Fusileers whose first colonel was the Earl of Dartmouth, George Legge. [26] To this very day, the Royal Fusileers still have their HQ and museum at the Tower. All these different formations wore red coats and Parliament's ones grey breeches!
MISCELLANEOUS
It should be added that there were various other companies of firelocks less well recorded than the above serving in garrisons across England and participating in local assaults. For example, Sir Samuel Luke makes brief mention on 2nd February 1645 in a letter to the Earl or Essex of his use of "Capt. Vandenboome with his company of firelocks" in providing a garrison for the little town of Addington. In the Welsh Marches a force under Sir Thomas Myddelton attempted a surprise assault on Chirk Castle on 21st December 1643 where he unsuccessfully "fell on with fire-locks at a sink-hole". On 22nd February 1644 - when Sir William Brereton successfully stormed Shrewsbury his leading assault troops were forty odd 'Fire-locks' under a Captain Finch. [27]
In many garrisons though, while firelocks were an economic necessity given the tremendous amounts of match that would otherwise be burnt, the Parliamentary garrison at Lyme being recorded as burning up to five hundredweight in a single twenty-four hour cycle, there was not always a specific firelock company. Often there were only a limited number of firelock muskets available so they had to be equally divided amongst the various companies of a garrison to ensure those who stood sentinel duty could be issued them. An extract from the minute book of the Parliamentary garrison of Stafford demonstrates this:
"FIRELOCKEMUSKETS.21 DEC
Whereas for want of muskets with Firelocks upon the guards in this garrison there hath beene very much Match spent which is an extraordinary charge to the State for the prevention of which It is considered that Mr Flower shall forthwith delyver out of the Earle of Denbighs Magazeene unto the severall Commanders of Foote belonginge to this garrison for every twenty soldiers they have in there severall companies 5 firelock muskets And the said Comanders upon delyverie thereof are to delyver to the said Mr Flower soe many muskets with matchlocks as they shall receyve Firelocks from him to be laid up in the said magazeene and to be restored when they bringe in the said Firelocks againe which the said Mr Flower is to call for when any of the said companies goe to remayne in any other garrison." [28]
There seems little doubt as to the value put on their firelocks be this garrison.
Finally, a brief glance at the Scottish allies of Parliament reveals that they to were recognising the operational advantages of firelocks, at least for sentry duty. The Scottish Ordnance Papers for October 1644 list the issue of 126 firelocks to the seventeen infantry regiments giving siege to the Royalist garrison in Newcastle. Six to seven were distributed to all but one of the regiments, Lord Sinclair's, which received twenty. There can be no doubt that they were for sentry duty in the siege lines, following very much the logic of the Stafford garrison, these weapons were issued to sentinels as they went on guard. [29]
It should finally be added that the Scots, albeit on a rather meagre scale, even adopted the practice of firelock armed lifeguards. In January 1644, when the Marquis of Argyll's Lifeguard of Horse was raised, the government offered to pay for the servants of the mounted volunteers to become a lifeguard of foot if armed with "snap gunnes" and "swords'. It appears some 60 servants were so equipped, although to what degree they ever served as a formal Lifeguard of Foot to the Marquis of Argyll is open to question. [30]
EQUIPMENT
Details of the organisation and equipment of two of the above have survived. The company of de Boys' firelocks of 1642, as their Captain was in reality the Lieutenant-General of Essex's Artillery, was actual commanded by it's Lieutenants, Richard Price and Thomas Williams. The rest of the company consisted of an Ensign, 2 sergeants, 3 corporals, 2 drummers and 66 men, the company being short of its regulation strength of 100 men. On the 10th of October 1642 they were issued standard uniform coats and were otherwise equipped as a normal company of foot with an ensign, halberds, 2 drums, 100 firelocks and 100 swords. [31] Details of the two 1645 New Model Army companies also survive and they show that their organisation and equipment were almost identical to that of de Boys' earlier company at the commencement of the war. Each of these two companies consisted of 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Ensign, 2 sergeants, 3 corporals and 100 firelocks (there is no mention of drummers). [32]
Part 2 - Firelocks 1646 - 1660
List of References
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