HISTORY OF THE 29TH (WORCESTERSHIRE) REGIMENT
by H. Everard

Chapter 1

1693
On the Meeting of Parliament in November, 1693, King William III., attributing the want of success in the late campaign against Louis XIV. to the insufficiency of our forces, demanded that the army and navy should be augmented, upon which the House of Commons voted that the establishment of the former should be increased to 83,121.

1694
On Warrants being shortly after issued for the raising of 10 Regiments of Cavalry and 1 of Infantry, the command of one of the latter was, on the 16th February, 1694, given to Colonel Thomas Farrington, of the Coldstream Guards.

DECLARATION FOR THE MORE SPEEDY RAISING AND COMPLEATING THE FOOT REGIMENTS.

 
“Whereas We have directed Three Regiments of Foot to be forthwith Raised under the Command of Coll. John Gibson, Coll. Thomas Farrington, and Coll. William Northcott. We do hereby declare Our Will and Pleasure to be, That for the better and more Speedy raising and compleating thereof: the said Regiments shall be allowed as full and compleate, from the Twentyeth day of this instant March, Provided the respective companys do appear in a Condition of Service, the Cloathing excepted, on or before the Twentyeth day of May next ; and with all their Cloathing and accoutrements on or before the first day of June following. And if any Captain or other Officer shall be faulty herein, such Officer or Captain shall Incurr Our highest Displeasure, and shall be immediately Cashiered, as also an abatement of Pay made in proportion to the defective Numbers of men whereof the Pay Master General of Our Forces, the Commissary Generall of the Musters, and all Officers whom it may Concerne are to take due notice and to Govern themselves accordingly. Given at Our Court at Whitehall this 12th Day of March, 1693/4. In the sixth year of Our Reign.
 

By his Maty’s Command
WILLIAM BLATHWAYTE.”
 

OATH TO BE TAKEN BY ALL PERSONS THAT SHALL BE HEREAFTER COMMISSIONED IN THE ARMY.

“ I, A. B. Do swear That I have not made any present or Gratuity for the obtaining of the Employment of ____, neither will I, nor shall any person for me, with my knowledge at any time hereafter Directly or Indirectly make any Present or Reward for the same, to any person whatsoever. And Do further swear, that if at any time hereafter it shall come to my knowledge, That any Guift, Present or Reward has been made by any Friend either before or after my obtaining this Employment, That I will immediately discover the same to his Majesty or the Commander in Chief.”

ARMS FOR COLL. LEIGH’S REGIMENT OF DRAGOONS, AND COLL. FARRINGTON’S REGIMENT OF FOOT.

WILLIAM R.

“Whereas We have Ordered a Regiment of Dragoons to be forthwith Raised for Our Service, Commanded by Our Trusty and Welbeloved Coll. Edward Leigh, consisting of eight Troops, each Troop of sixty Private Soldiers, three Corporalls, two Serjeants and two Drummers, beside Commission Officers; Likewise a Regiment of Foot, to be forthwith raised, Commanded by our Trusty and Welbeloved Coll. Thomas Farrington, consisting of twelve Companys, and one Company of Granadiers, each company of sixty private men, three Corporalls, three Serjeants and two Drums, beside Commission Officers, Our Will and Pleasure, therefore is. That out of ye Stores remayning within ye Office of Our Ordnance under yre charge you forthwith Issue ye Necessary Arms and Appurtenances, for Arming our Said Regiments,

as ye rest of Our Regiments of Ye Same nature and number are, ye same to be delivered into ye charge of yr Respective Collonells or whom they shall appoint to receive them1 Taking ye usual! Indents, and for So doing this shall be yre Sufficient Warrant. Given att Our Court att Whitehail this 26th clay of March, 1694, in ye Sixth of our Reigne.

By his Majty Command

SHREWSBURV.”
 

“To our Rt Trusty & Wellbeloved cousin & Councellor
Henry Viscount Sydney Master Genralle of Our
Ordnance, &c., &c.”

Each Company of Infantry (the Grenadier excepted) consisted of 14 Pikemen and 46 Musketeers. “Grose” states that in 1690 Grenadiers “appear to have been armed with firelocks, and to have used cartridges, to have had slings, sword, bayonet, and pouch, with Grenades. They had also Hatchets with which, after firing and throwing their Grenades, they were, on the command ‘Fall on,’ to rush upon the Enemy.” These still appear to have been the Arms of the Grenadier in 1694.

Each foot Soldier carried a sword, and each Pikeman a pike of 16 feet long; each Musketeer a musquet, with a collar of Bancloliers; the barrels of the musquet were about 4 feet long, and carried a bail, 14 of which weighed a pound. Until the reign of William III. hats with very wide brims and feathers were worn. The inconvenience of such brims being felt, first one, and then two sides were turned up. About the reign of Queen Anne a third side was turned up, or cocked. Captains carried pikes ; Lieutenants, partizans ; Ensigns, half pikes Serjeants, halberts.

The dress of Officers at this period appears to have been as follows :—Hat, ornamented with feathers, broad brim, two sides of which were turned up; full flowing wig; square cut coat and long flapped waistcoat, with large pockets to both; breeches tied below the knee, with stocking drawn over up to the middle of the thigh ; shoes ; sword slung over the right shoulder ; sash worn round the waist and knotted on the right side.

Leaving Norwich about the middle of June, Farrington’s Regiment marched to Portsmouth, and whilst there we find that John Wright, Esq., “tooke the Oath “ and received the Commission of Captain-Lieutenant (The Senior Subaltern, who commanded the Colonel's Company). Leaving Portsmouth in October, the Regiment took up quarters in various towns in Dorsetshire, Somersetshire, and Devonshire. In December 40 men marched from Norwich to join the Regiment, which in the meanwhile had been concentrated at Exeter.

DAILY PAY OF A REGIMENT OF FOOT, 1694.

A yearly deduction of one day’s pay was made from all Ranks, and this was applied towards the purchase of Land, the Building of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, and the better maintenance of such superannuated and disabled Officers and Soldiers as should be provided for therein: thus in a sense the place belongs rather to the Soldier than to the nation. This Hospital was founded in 1682.

1695
In January, 193 Men, 6 Serjeants, 6 Corporals, and 2 Drummers were drafted into Colonel Luke Lillingston’s Regiment, then under orders for Jamaica.

Early in February the Regiment left Exeter for quarters in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire ; and 558 of its Men, with their Arms and appurtenances, having been incorporated into Regiments in Flanders. orders were sent for it to recruit forthwith.

In May a change of Quarters took place, and the Companies were stationed in Kent, Herts. Suffolk, and Surrey.

Having in July been reviewed at Blackheath by the Duke of Schomberg, the Regiment marched and took up Quarters in Norfolk and Suffolk, 6 Companies being Stationed at Norwich.

In September orders were received for the Regiment to march forthwith to the Hamlets of the Tower of London, where it was to remain and do such duties within the said Tower, as the Officer in chief Command there should direct.

In December, after being reviewed by the King in Hyde Park, it sailed for Flanders. Contrary winds, however, detained the Transports a short time, which was then thought a great misfortune, but afterwards proved to be the reverse, for early in January a great Jacobite plot was discovered for the invasion of England by the French, on behalf of King James, to be preceded by the assassination of King William. The assassination having failed, the threatened invasion did not take place.

1696
Having been ordered to disembark, on the 9th January, 1696, the Regiment proceeded to take up Quarters in Clerkenwell, Islington, Holloway, and St. John Street.

On 8th February orders were received to raise recruits for the Regiment, and cause them to rendezvous, 2 Companies at Leeds, 2 Richmond, 2 Halifax, 2 Manchester, 1 Ripon, 1 Barnard Castle, 1 Wakefield, I Lancaster, and 1 at Pontefract. Although the quarters were changed from time to time, the Regiment remained in Yorkshire till October, when it marched South, and was quartered in Herts, Essex, and Middlesex. In the “Gazette” is an advertisement for two men who deserted in their Regimental Clothes, viz., “Red Coats with Brass Buttons, lined and faced with yellow, blue Breeches, and White Stockings.”

At this period Regiments were called after their Colonel, as “Farrington’s Regiment “; when on parade they appear to have taken precedence according to the seniority of their respective Colonels; for this year the Regiment ranked 46th, and in 1698 as the 28th Regiment of Foot. It is difficult to ascertain when it first ranked as the 29th Foot; but vide Royal Warrant, 14th September, 1743.

1697
On 1st July the Regiment marched to Blackheath, and there encamped for 27 days, after which it took up quarters in Essex and Suffolk.

On 20th September the Treaty of Ryswick was signed and peace concluded between England, France, Spain, and Holland.

On 12th October the Regiment marched for Cheshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire, but two days later, it was ordered to halt till further orders. It having been decided to decrease the Establishment of the Army, the Companies were reduced, from 6o to 42 private Soldiers, 2 Serjeants, 3 Corporals, and Drummer in each (the Company of Grenadiers excepted.)

In December the Regiment was stationed as follows: 2 Companies Boston, 2 Horncastle, 2 Louth, 1 Spilsby, 1 Tattershall and Merton, 1 Spalding, 1 Market Deeping and Crowland, 1 Donington, 1 Wisbeach.

1698
On 17th February, 1698, it was intimated to Colonel Farrington that Brigadier Selwyn had been directed to repair to the Quarters of the Regiment, and disband it. With this object the several Companies were ordered to rendezvous at Stamford.

EXTRACTS FROM ORDERS AND INSTRUCTIONS SENT BRIGADIER SELWYN.

WILLIAM R.

“Before such disbanding you are to take care that each Non-Commissioned Officer and Soldier be permitted to carry away with him his Cloaths, Belt, and Knapsack, and that each private Soldier, Corporall, and Drummer be payd three shillings for his Sword, which is to be delivered with the other Arms into the office of Our Ordnance. And We being pleased to allow each Non-Commissioned Officer and private Soldier fourteen days’ subsistence from the time of their disbanding, to carry them home, ..... and give them passes under your hand to the places of their former Residence, allowing them a convenient time to Repair thither, and giving them likewise strict charge that they do not presume to Travel! with any Arms, nor more than three in Cornpany together, upon pain of the severest punishment. Given at Our Court at Kensington this 16 clay of February, 1697/8”

BRIGADIER SELWYN WRITES TO MR. SECRETARY BLATHWAIT>
“Stamford. feb. 26. 97/8

sir.

I have this day disbanded , Companies of Col. Farrington's Regimt., which are all yt are vet arrived. I expect the rest to-morrow Munday and Tuesday, as fast as they come, will loose no time, thus far am sure I have nicely observed my instructions, and find the Officers have punctually stated their acct with their quarters and the men, no complaints coming against them from either, they disband pretty quietly, without mutiny or disorder, and are in a good condition most of them, so yt I have got some extraordinary men for my Regiment. if you have any orders for me I hope to be at Grantham on wednesday, and Lincoln on thursday. next post will not fail! to give you a farther acct, who am,

Sir, yt most obedient Servant,

W. SELWYN.”

“ Sir,
His Majty having been pleased to order That a Compy be formed out of the Officers of the Regts that have lately been broke, which are to march at the head of the 1st Regt of Foot Guards, if any of the Officers are willing to enter into this Service, you will send them to Coll. Shrimpton, Major of the said Regiment, as soon as may be convenient.

GEORGE CLARKE. (Secretary at War, in absence of Mr. Blathwayte)”

To Col. Farrington. 

“Grose,” writing about Corporal Punishments in the Army, says: “There are a great variety; but of these only one could be inflicted on an Officer—this was boring the tongue with a hot iron for Blasphemy, a punishment that remained in force till the Reign of Queen Anne.”

NAMES OF THE OFFICERS OF FARRINGTON’S REGIMENT DRAWING H. PAY, 1698.

1701
In the Treasury Board Records is “an account showing to what time the several Officers borne upon His Late Matie's Establishment of Half Pay, have Received their respective Allowances, (To Wch time Paid, 24th Dec., 1701) and what Remains due to them to 8th March, 1701/2.

All the above-named Officers (with the following exceptions) are included in this account :— 
Coll. Farrington          {Whose Commissions were renewed
Lieut.-Col. Froude       {  12 Feb., 1702.

Captain Phillips
Lieut. Drake
Ensign Southwell
Chaplain Hancox.

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