Smith's Costumes: Week Twenty-Nine
Welcome back to our exploration of Charles Hamilton Smith's Costumes of the Army of the British Empire, in which we'll be looking at a different print every week of the year.
This week we're looking at "An Officer of the Guards in Full Dress". Because we've talked about the 1st (Grenadier) and 2nd (Coldstream) Guards already, for this print we're going to talk about the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, known today as the Scots Guards. [2]
Or the Kiddies. [3]
Why the Kiddies? Well, read on and find out.
In 1642, King Charles I requested Archibald Campbell, Marquess of Argyll (1st) raise a unit in Scotland for service in the British Civil Wars (1642-51). When that king lost his head, they served as a personal guard for Charles II, until they were disbanded when he failed to reclaim the throne in 1651. It was only after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 that new companies were raised in Scotland to serve the King. These independent Scottish companies were merged into a single regiment in 1662. Thereafter these troops served two main purposes: garrisoning royal castles in Scotland and putting down Presbyterian dissidents. [3]
However, they were not considered a part of the English establishment until 1686, when James II placed them upon it. This is the date when they officially became the Army's third regiment of foot guards. The 1st Regiment and the Coldstreamers decided that this new regiment needed a nickname of its own. One that would reinforce and emphasize its junior status. Hence they called the 3rd "the Kiddies." [3]
When the Glorious Revolution occurred in 1688, the 3rd threw their lot in with James II's enemy, William of Orange, raising a 2nd Battalion to support his cause against the Jacobites. [This, mind you, put them against the Coldstream Guards, who supported James II.] The regiment was then deployed to Flanders during the Nine Years War (1689-97). For the early years of the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-13), the 3rd remained in Scotland to guard against the continuing Jacobite threat. Around 1709, however, the 1st Battalion was posted to Spain, while the 2nd Battalion was relocated from Edinburgh to London. Although a single company remained on duty in the Scottish highlands until 1714, once they departed, no part of the regiment would be deployed to Scotland for another two centuries. [3]
Until the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards served at home, primarily in London, engaging in many public order duties. These were desperately needed in an era before professional policing. Although it was deployed abroad for much of that war, fighting at Dettingen (1743), Fontenoy (1745), and Lauffeld (1747), the regiment returned home in 1745 for a brief stint in their traditional duties of Jacobite opposition. They protected London during the Second Jacobite Rebellion and a detachment of the 1st Battalion pursued the rebel army to Carlisle on horseback. The above image is of a Soldier of the 3rd Regiment circa 1742, so this is likely what they looked like while doing so. [3]
In the Seven Years War (1756-63), the 3rd Regiment's service included home defense, amphibious raids on the coast of Normandy, and (for the 2nd Battalion) service in the Guards Brigade that fought in Germany under the Marquess of Granby. During the American War of Independence (1775-1783), 15 men from each company joined the composite Guards Battalion (which we've already touched on in speaking of the 1st and 2nd Regiments). There they too participated in the battles of Long Island (1776), Brandywine Creek (1777) and Guildford Courthouse (1781) before being captured at Yorktown (1781). [3]
By 1793 the 1st Battalion was off to Flanders to participate in the French Revolutionary Wars (1793-1802). This was followed by the Helder Expedition of 1799, and in 1800, a trip to Egypt. It landed at Aboukir Bay and fought in the Battle of Alexandria (1801). [3]
Then it was time for the Peninsular War. The 1st Battalion deployed to the Peninsula in 1809 and served throughout the campaign, including at Talavera (1809), Bussaco (1810), Fuentes d’Onoro (1811), Salamanca (1812), Vitoria (1813) and Bayonne (1814). The troops of the 2nd Battalion likely wished they were sent with them, as they instead got to enjoy a trip to the Netherlands for the Walcheren Expedition. Much like the other troops that suffered that fate, they were then posted to Cadiz. In 1813 the 2nd Battalion returned to the Netherlands to take part in the Siege of Bergen-Op-Zoom, after which they continued on as garrison troops. [3]
In the Waterloo Campaign, the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Guards fought as part of the same 2nd British Brigade as the 2nd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, under the command of Major General Sir John Byng. [6; 237] They numbered 1,061, just slightly more than the Coldstream Guards. [6; 237] As they were grouped with the Coldstream Guards, much of what they did is the same as what we discussed last week, but I hope you'll forgive me for repeating myself a bit if you've read both.
After a march of twenty-six miles, the last four or five at the double, Byng's Guards Brigade arrived at the Battle of Quatre Bras on the 16th of June, 1815. [6;66, 69] They skirted the western edge of Bossu Wood, a site that had already seen significant conflict, and within half an hour the entirety of Cooke's division was south of it. [6; 66] Two French attacks were repulsed and the British were able to form a mile-long line in front of the wood. [6; 67] By the end of the day the Allied army had regained every inch of ground they had occupied that morning. [6; 67]
Blucher's defeat at Ligny necessitated a parallel retreat in order to remain in line with the Prussians. [6; 73] On the 17th, Cooke's Division was one of those utilized to disengage from the French. Two of Byng's light companies were the last to break contact, around 2pm, leaving only the cavalry screen and horse artillery as the rear guard. [6; 75] That night, the light companies of the 3rd joined the 1st and 2nd in securing the Chateau de Hougoumont, defeating a French unit sent to do the same. [6; 87] The walled garden, buildings, and the western portion of the woods were occupied by the light companies of the 2nd Guards Brigade, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell. [6; 88]
Hougoumont was the first place attacked the morning of the 18th, just before noon. [6; 89] Jerome's Division attacked, spread through the woods, but though they pushed the defenders back, when they reached the strong buildings-garden-orchard position, they were swiftly sent back in the other direction by the combined fire of those posted there. [6; 89-90]
The remainder of the 3rd was, not long after this attack, stationed with the rest of Byng's Brigade in columns of companies not far from the protected way near Hougoumont. [6;90] Wellington sent two companies of the 3rd Guards to intercept and defeat the tirailleurs moving along the east hedge, enabling the orchard to be recaptured and the east and south hedges manned. [6; 92] The 3rd Guards (probably only six companies at first) were moved into the orchard when Wellington reorganized the Hougoumont garrison. [6; 92] Eventually all of Byng's Guards Brigade were eventually inside the northern third of Hougoumont, except for one company of each of the Coldstreamers and the 3rd Guards, which held their colours. [6; 92]
The 3rd Guards deserve their share of credit for the Allied success in holding Hougoumont. [6; 90] The French losses in and around the chateau were three times that of the Allies and it consumed a disproportionate amount of manpower. [6;94] Wellington held Hougoumont with a relatively small number of men compared to that of the attackers. [6; 94] Holding Hougomount also limited the area Napoleon could use to attack, reducing the size of Napoleon's front. [6; 94] In nearly nine hours of continuous fighting the chateau never fell. [8]
After the battle, the 3rd Guards formed part of the Army of Occupation in France. [3]
In 1831 the regiment was renamed the Scots Fusilier Guards. They served in the Crimean War (1854-55) as part of yet another Guards Brigade, including at the Battle of the Alma (1854). Four Guards received the Victoria Cross at this battle, the first land action for which this honor was awarded. [3]
In 1862, the 2nd Battalion traveled to Canada to guard the frontier during the American Civil War. [3] In 1877, someone decided that the Scots Fusilier Guards was too long, and the name was shorted to the Scots Guards. [3] Under their new name, the 1st Battalion deployed to Egypt in 1882. [3] Between 1883 and 1885, men of both Battalions fought in Sudan, including as part of a Guards detachment of the Camel Corps. [3] This detachment consisted of 23 officers and 400 men from all three Guards Regiments. [4] The painting above is of Camel Corps' officer Lieutenant Frank Baden-Powell of the Scots Guards. [4] A 3rd Battalion was raised in 1889, but it was short lived, lasting only until 1906. Both Battalions served in the Boer War (1899-1902). [3] Once more in London, in 1911 they assisted the police in handling the "Siege of Sidney Street," an incident involving an armed stand-off after Latvian revolutionaries botched a robbery attempt. [3]
The First World War sent the 1st and 2nd Battalions to the Western Front, where they remained throughout the conflict. A 3rd Battalion was reestablished for the duration of the war, but served only in London. Although 33 battle honors were gained, 3,000 men were lost. The return of peace did not prove particularly peaceful for the Scots Guards. They spent much of it deployed around the world for both peacekeeping and garrison duties. [3]
In World War II, Scots Guards saw action in Norway, North Africa, Italy, and North West Europe. The 1st and 2nd battalions were joined by both a 3rd and 4th for the duration of the war. Forty-one battle honors were acquired but over 1,000 men were killed in action. [3]
Immediately following the war, both battalions were used in occupation roles. Later they would alternate overseas active service in Africa and Asia with postings to West Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine. Stints in Northern Ireland were added in 1971, the troubles there saving the 2nd Battalion from being shrunk to a single company. These tours ended only in 2001. The 1st Battalion served in the Falkland Islands in 1982. [3]
In 1993, the Battalions diverged significantly. [3] The 2nd Battalion was turned into the ceremonial 'F' Company, which continues to guard royal residences and participates in ceremonies such as state funerals. [3] The 1st Battalion remains active as an armoured infantry unit, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan. [3] Although the above recruiting poster is from 1982, it presages this split nicely with the two different privates, the one on the left in full dress, the one on the right in combat dress. [5]
We haven't yet seen many officers and yet once again, half of his uniform is obscured by the fact he's carrying the colours. Now, carrying the colours was an important job, usually given to ensigns (the lowest officer). I suspect this is a much higher ranking officer than that, because in all the other prints, the bicorne hats appear only in those of General rank and higher, but I truly have no idea. I'm not even actually sure which regiment this one is from. It's possible, given the gold, that this isn't a member of one of the three Guards regiments we've discussed at all. In which case, I say mea culpa.
What do we know? Much like last week, there are extra high gaiters with garters, and possibly powder or a wig. It's a pity we can't see his shoulders, or the buttons on his coat, as the clustering might help differentiate what regiment he belongs to. It is interesting that this has long tails rather than the short truncated ones of last week's coats. Apparently in 1811 it was ordered that Infantry officers were to wear short tailed coatees on service, while the long-tailed coatee was kept for certain parades and levees. [7] This extant example shows off the folds and the pins securing them. [7] The bicorne is also quite interesting, with its red and white plume and what looks like a black cockade.
Sources: [1] https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1950-11-33-26 [2] https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1959-09-67-1 [3] https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/scots-guards [4] https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1977-04-54-1 [5] https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1984-01-74-4 [6] Weller, Jac. Wellington at Waterloo. London: Greenhill Books, 1992. [7] https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1964-08-66-1 [8] https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1971-02-33-461-1
If you'd like to look at the full series of weekly posts exploring Smith's Costumes of the Army of the British Empire, search the tag #CABE Project 2026
