The First Foot Guards
We are a Revolutionary War
reenactment group based in Boston MA,
accurately portraying the royal household regiment that is now known as
The Grenadier Guards
Recruiting
Recruiting permit issued by the Royal Governor, Boston 1758
Recruits were given the King's shilling and afterwards were taken before a magistrate or justice of the peace (who must not also be an army officer) to swear the enlistment oath. This had to take place within four days of enlistment, but not within 24 hours (presumably as a safeguard against recruits being sworn while drunk and incapable). On being presented to the magistrate, the recruit could withdraw his consent to enlist provided that he returned any money he had received, and twenty shillings in addition to defray other expenses; failure to produce this sum within 24 hours meant that he was regarded as properly enlisted. The magistrate read to the recruit those articles of war relating to mutiny and desertion; the recruit declared on oath his name, occupation, age, place of birth, that he was not already a member of any regiment, militia, navy or marines, 'and that he has had no Rupture, and was not troubled with Fits, and was no ways disabled by Lameness, Deafness, or otherwise, but had the perfect Use of his Limbs and Hearing, and was not an Apprentice ...' (
Recruiting in Wellington's
time
Offsite
link
Thinking of joining the
First Foot Guards?
Experience history from the front row!
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