Did you know ?

[Lachlan09]

Did you know that the very first Highland regiment of the British Army was not the Black Watch ? To refresh memories, the Black Watch was raised in 1739, based on the 6 Independent Highland Companies raised in 1725. The regiment was known simultaneously as the 43rd (Highland) Regiment of Foot (official), Crawfurd’s (after John Lindsay, Earl of Crawfurd, its first colonel), Black Watch (to English-speaking Highlanders) and Am Freiceadan Dubh (to Gaelic-speaking Highlanders). Previous lineage was as Highland militia, not Regular Army.

By contrast, the first regular Highland regiment of the British Army was the Earl of Argyll’s Regiment of Foot, raised in 1691, in the aftermath of the first Jacobite Rebellion. Raised among the men of Argyll, the regiment numbered some of the Campbell clan, however, the regimental roll shows many Highland and other surnames for officers, nco’s and men. Indeed, most of the junior officers were hard-line Covenanters, while senior nco’s were experienced Lowlanders and Englishmen brought in from other British units.

The regiment basically wore the standard long British red coat and long waistcoat of the period, with copious metal buttons all the way to the bottom hem. Red baggy knee breeches (alternatively grey ), with yellow wool stockings and standard buckled shoes. Instead of the English black “Wyatt Earp” hat with white edge binding, they wore a dark blue, flat Highland bonnet with a sewn-on yellow cloth badge of a coronet and (Campbell) boar’s head. Yellow (or correctly gold) is the heraldic colour of the Campbells. The Earl of Argyll did not lead or serve with the regiment.

They also wore a dark tartan wrap-around plaid around their torso and over the shoulder. The tartan was said to be a Campbell sett worn by Argyll’s family and retainers, a forerunner of Black Watch tartan.

The regiment was, like British infantry regiments of the time, made up of companies of pikemen and musketeers. It was stationed at Fort William, under the overall command of Colonel Hill. However, just like a US cavalry regiment of the 19th Century, its companies were usually split up to garrison various key locations in the area. When MacDonald of Glencoe’s journey to Inveraray was interrupted and he was temporarily detained at Barcaldine Castle, near Oban, it was men of Argyll’s Regt who detained him. It was the same regiment which (with King William III’s approval) was chosen by the Secretary of State, John Dalrymple, Master of Stair, to be the instrument of punishment for Jacobite clans, when an example was made of the MacDonalds of Glencoe in February 1692.

During the outrage in Scotland and England and enquiry which followed the massacre, the regiment was shipped off to the Low Countries to fight the French. The regiment was disbanded at the end of the war in 1697.

An Argyll Highland Regiment (74th) was raised in 1777 by Campbell of Barbreck for service in the American war and was disbanded in1784. In 1787, a new 74th Highland Regiment was formed by Maj-Gen Sir Archibald Campbell. It continued in service until amalgamated with the 71st Highland Light Infantry in 1881.

Meanwhile, in 1794, the 98th Argyllshire Highlanders was raised by Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell, which was later re-numbered 91st. In 1881, the regiment amalgamated with the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders to become The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.

[Sir William]

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say the Black Watch was the first KILTED Highland regiment in the British Army.

[JolyStNicholas]

Thank you for posting this wonderful read. This is one of the reasons I do love this forum. Very educational indeed. Again, Thank You!

[Dixiecat]

To refresh memories, the Black Watch

Omg! I'm not that old!

Thanks for the info, very interesting.

[Bigkahuna]

The Oldest Regiment in the British Army is a Scots Regiment. The 1st Regiment, The Royal Scots, founded in 1633 is also known as Pontius Pilates Bodyguard for its long standing history. They were amalgamated in 2006.