Uniform
Uniform
For years the appearance of this regiment was unknown until, following an idea of Giancarlo Boeri, we started searching the archives of the Paris notaries in the Archives Nationales. Our good friend, General Michel Hanotaux, discovered this contract and kindly made it available to us.The contract describes a transaction between John Kelly, major of the regiment, and Paul Constant, a supplier of uniforms and equipment to the army on 2nd January 1708. Kelly represented the colonel and the regiment, then stationed at Thionville in Alsace. Interesting to note that the regiment did not supply a sealed pattern of the uniform desired but merely requested the same pattern as had been used for the regiments of Lee and Fitzgerald.
The following is a translation of the essentials of the contract in the Archives Nationales signed on 2nd Jan. 1708:
466 soldiers’ coats lined with blue serge, buttons of copper and cloth incarnat (a dull red)
22 sergeants’ coats of blue cloth, lined red, cuffs of cloth demy-ecarlatte (bright scarlet) and copper buttons.
12 drummers’ coats of blue cloth lined yellow and yellow cuffs.
As much lace of the livery of Mylord as is required.
476 soldiers waistcoats of red tricot (knitted ware) lined with cloth, copper buttons and gold coloured lace.
24 sergeants waistcoats lined with cloth and with copper buttons.
In addition for the captains :63 ells of scarlet lined cloth (for officers’ coats linings)Note that the sergeants had reversed colours, a style usual at that time in the English army but unusual in the French. Unfortunately the contract does not describe the livery lace of the colonel in detail. The amounts would only allow for clothing 12 companies (24 sergeants and 12 drummers and around 39 men in a company).
63 ells of scarlet Raz de St. Lo (a very fine shaven cloth for officers coats)
and for 13 Lieutenants and the Souslieutenants –
50 ells of the same cloth as for the captains and 60 ells of scarlet Raz de St. Lo
Flags of regt. 
Introduction
