Royal Écossais Infanterie

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Origin and History

Private of Royal Écossais Infanterie circa 1757 - Courtesy of The New York Public Library

This Scottish regiment was raised by John Lord Drummond of Perth on August 1 1744, assembling at Saint-Omer. It had the same organisation as an Irish regiment: 11 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company for a total of 600 soldiers.

During the War of the Austrian Succession, the regiment initially served in Flanders in 1745, taking part in the sieges of Tournai, Gand, Oudenarde, Ostend and Nieuport. At the end of November, the regiment joined a French expeditionary force who sailed for Scotland to reinforce the Scottish army of the Young Pretender. On January 17 1746, part of the regiment fought in the Battle of Falkirk. In February of the same year, a second battalion was raised in Scotland. On April 16, it was present at the Battle of Culloden, one of its battalion being taken prisoners soon after the battle. The other battalion retired from the battlefield but was forced to surrender on April 19. All prisoners were eventually exchanged and the regiment reconstituted in France with 11 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company. It then consisted of a single battalion. In 1747, it was back to Flanders where it took part in the siege of Bergen op Zoom from July to September. In August of the same year, it was increased to 13 companies with the addition of a new fusilier company. Each fusilier company consisted of:

• 1 captain
• 1 second captain
• 1 lieutenant
• 1 second lieutenant
• 2 sergeants
• 3 corporals
• 3 anspessades (lance corporals)
• 1 drummer
• 41 fusiliers

...while the grenadier company consisted of:

• 1 captain
• 1 second captain
• 1 lieutenant
• 1 second lieutenant
• 2 sergeants
• 3 corporals
• 3 anspessades (lance corporals)
• 1 drummer
• 36 grenadiers

In May 1748, the regiment was at the capture of Maastricht. In December of the same year, the regiment incorporated part of the soldiers of the disbanded Albany Infanterie but still consisted of a single battalion.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment ranked 107^th and was under the nominal command of King Louis XV, effective command being assumed by the lieutenant-colonel:

• since November 8 1747: Louis Drummond, Comte de Melfort

On December 21 1762, when the French infantry was reorganised, the regiment was disbanded and its troops incorporated into Bulkeley Infanterie.

Service during the War

In 1756, the regiment was at the camp of Calais.

By August 1 1757, the regiment was garrisoning Gravelines in Flanders.

It then served on Belle-Isle until May 1760 when it was transferred to Germany.

By May 23 1760, the regiment was part of the first line of the infantry centre of Broglie's Army. On August 21, Allied hussars captured a French outpost at Rhoden defended by 1 officer and 30 men of the regiment. By December 30, the regiment had taken its winter-quarters in Marburg.

To do: more details of the campaigns from 1761 and 1762

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1758 - Source: Kronoskaf

Uniform Details as per
Etat militaire 1758, 1760 and 1761, Etrennes Militaires 1758 and Abrégé du dictionnaire militaire 1759
completed where necessary with information from Troupes du Roi, Infanterie française et étrangère, année 1757, tome I

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced silver Grenadier probably a dark blue bonnet
Neck stock	black
Coat	blue lined white with 12 pewter buttons on the right side and 12 white buttonholes on each side Collar red Shoulder Straps red fastened with a pewter button (as per Mouillard) Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 pewter buttons and 3 white buttonholes Cuffs red slit cuffs, each with 3 pewter buttons Turnbacks white (as per Troupes du Roi, Infanterie française et étrangère, année 1757) or red (as per Mouillard and Pajol)
Waistcoat	red with 12 pewter buttons on the right side and 12 white buttonholes on each side
Breeches	white
Gaiters	white
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather Waistbelt natural leather Cartridge Box natural leather Bayonet Scabbard n/a Scabbard n/a

Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Fusiliers carried a sword (brass hilt) while the grenadiers had a sabre.

N.B.: grenadiers wore a Highlander uniform. However, we have found no description of this uniform nor of its tartan.

Officers

n/a

Musicians

n/a

Colours

Colonel colour: white field; a white cross of St. Andrew sown with golden fleurs de lys; a larger golden fleur de lys in the centre flanked by 2 thistles; in the upper canton: a white scroll edged in gold wearing the golden motto “Nemo me impune lacessit”

Ordonnance colours: blue field; a white cross of St. Andrew sown with golden fleurs de lys; a larger golden fleur de lys in the centre flanked by 2 thistles; in the upper canton: a white scroll edged in gold wearing the golden motto “Nemo me impune lacessit”

Colonel Colour - Source: PMPdeL

Ordonnance Colour - Source: PMPdeL

References

Anon.: "Troupes du Roi, Infanterie française et étrangère, année 1757, tome I", Musée de l'Armée, Paris

Bunel, Arnaud: Vexillologie militaire européenne - Régiment Royal-Ecossais (a website which has unfortunately disappeared from the web)

Funcken, Liliane and Fred: Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle

Menguy, Patrice: Les Sujets du Bien Aimé (a website which has unfortunately disappeared from the web)

Mouillard, Lucien: Les Régiments sous Louis XV, Paris, 1882

Pajol, Charles P. V.: Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. VII, Paris, 1891, p. 207

Rogge, Christian: The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006

Taylor, Rab: Scot Wars - Royal Ecossais

Service historique de l'armée de terre, Archives du génie, article 15, section 1, §5, pièce 23

Vial, J. L.: Nec Pluribus Impar

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.