Colonel Thomas Fitch’s Regiment of Foot
Active | 1651 to 1662 |
Country | England |
Allegiance | Parliamentarian |
Conflicts | |
Type | Foot |
Colonel | Thomas Fitch |
Henry Smith | |
Miles Mann | |
Area Raised | Portsmouth |
Coat Colour | Red? |
Flag Colour | |
Flag Design | |
Field Armies |
Later Colonel Henry Smith’s, then Colonel Miles Mann’s Regiment of Foot
Regiment of Foot serving in garrison at Inverness until after the Restoration
Service History
1651
- In garrison at Carlisle
- October: Added to the army establishment
- December: March into Scotland to garrison Inverness
1652
- Garrison of Inverness
- Detachments serve on The Mountaineer a four-gun pinnace patrolling Loch Ness
1653
- Skirmish at Inverness
- August: Occupation of Lewis (det)
- August: Occupation of Mull (det)
- September: Taking of Duart Castle (det)
1654
- Garrison of Inverness
1655
- Garrison of Inverness
1656
- Garrison of Inverness (7 coy)
- Also garrison Sinclair Castle (1 coy), Ruthven Castle (1 coy), Scathway Castle (1 coy) and Cromarty Castle (12 men)
1657
- Garrison of Inverness
1658
- Garrison of Inverness
- Major Hill in garrison at Inverlochy
1659
- Garrison of Inverness
- June: Fitch appointed governor of the Tower of London and replaced by Smith
- November: The regiment support Monck
- November: Monk makes Mann colonel
1660
- Garrison of Inverness
- Two companies garrison Perth
1661
- Garrison of Inverness
1662
- May: March out of Inverness
Notes
A history of the regiment is given in The Regimental History of Cromwell's Army by Sir Charles Firth and Godfrey Davies, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1940.
Colonel Thomas Fitch was governor of Carlisle from 1649 to 1651 and in command of a regiment of foot. In 1651 they were brought onto the army establishment and marched into Scotland where they garrisoned Inverness. The regiment stayed in Inverness and some smaller satellite garrisons for the rest of the decade, with a detachment serving on Cobbett’s islands expedition in 1653. Together with naval personnel, they maintained a pinnace for patrolling Loch Ness. In 1659 Fitch was replaced by Smith, but Smith had not reached Scotland by the time that Monck had replaced him with Colonel Mann. The regiment remained at Inverness after the Restoration, finally marching out in May 1662.
Coats, Flags and Equipment
Presumably they were issued with red coats.
Notable Officers
Thomas Fitch
Henry Smith
Appointed colonel but never took command
Miles Mann
Previously Lt Col of the regiment
Officer Lists
1656
Colonel Thomas Fitch's Regiment of Foot1)
- Colonel's company at Inverness Citadel
- Lt Colonel Miles Mann's company at Inverness Citadel
- Major John Hill's company at Inverness Castle, “A sergeant, a corporall and 14 men in ye friggott” at Loughness, “a sergeant, a corporal and 12 men” at Cromarty Castle
- Captain Anthony Langrish's company at Inverness Citadel
- Captain Edward Erbury's company at Inverness Citadel
- Captain Henry Clare's company at Inverness Citadel
- Captain Richard Lower's company at Inverness Citadel
- Captain George Bateman's company at Sinclair Castle
- Captain Abraham Spooner's company at Shetland Isles
- Captain Anthony Wilkes' company at Ruthin Castle