Colonel Michael Weldon’s Regiment of Horse
Active | 1643 to 1646 |
Country | Scotland |
England | |
Allegiance | Covenanter |
Conflicts | First Civil War |
Type | Horse |
Colonel | Michael Weldon |
Area Raised | Scotland & Northumberland |
Flag Colour | |
Flag Design | |
Field Armies | Leven 1643-6 |
Covenanter Regiment of partly English Horse raised for service in England, likely as a rallying point for Northumbrian Parliamentarians during Leven’s invasion
Service History
1643
- Autumn: Weldon begins to raise the regiment in Scotland
- December: 7 troops recruited and Weldon commissioned colonel
1644
- January: Quartered in Warke Barony at Preston, Leermouth, Warke and Mindrum, Northumberland, according to intelligence received by Royalist Sir Francis Anderson
- February to October: Siege of Newcastle
- March: Garrison Morpeth
- April: Sent to Durham to oppose Royalist recruiting
- May: Attempt to relieve Morpeth
- June: Quartered in Durham
1645
- October: Accused of plundering at Haltwhistle, Knardale and Kirkhaugh
- October: Berwick garrison (2 troops)
- November to May 1646: Siege of Newark
1646
- May: Taking of Newark
- Quartered in Stockley area
- June: Accused of plundering, along with Colonel Jonas Vandruske’s Regiment of Horse
1647
- February: Return to Scotland and disband
Notes
A history of the unit is shown in Edward M. Furgol’s A Regimental History of the Covenanting Armies 1639-1651 Edinburgh, 1990. ISBN 0 85976 194 0
By June 1646 the regiment were being accused of being horse thieves, murderers, robbers, old Royalists of the Newark horse and both officers and men delighting in swearing and abusing Parliament. Unlike Vandruske's they were not quickly disbanded, instead disbanding in Scotland in February 1647.
Flags
Notable Officers
A list of the regiment's officers is shown in Stuart Reid's Scots Armies of the 17th Century 1. The Army of the Covenant 1639-1651 Partizan Press 1998 ISBN 094652550
Colonel Michael Weldon
An Englishman, it would appear that his regiment was formed to absorb any volunteers from the Northern Parliamentarians in areas of England controlled by the Scots.
Strength
- 1643: 7 troops raised
- January 1644: 6 'colours of horse' reported by Anderson
- January 1646: 170 troopers
- June 1646: 182 troopers