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
The
Redcoats are coming!
The Redcoats
are coming!
The Redcoats are coming!
His
Majesty's
First Regiment of Foot Guards
1776-1783
About
the Reenacted Regiment
Click
About the Real-Life Regiment:
The First
or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards
The regiment is the most senior in the British Army, so it has a long and illustrious history.
In 1656 King Charles II, in exile after the execution of his father, raised a regiment from his loyal exiles at Bruges, in Flanders. It was called "The Royal Regiment of Guards". On the King's return to his throne in 1660, he disbanded the old Parliamentarian Army and commissioned another Regiment of twelve companies for his personal protection. The first of these was called the King's Company. In 1664 the Royal Regiment of Guards was recalled from Flanders and merged with the King's Company to form the "King's Regiment of Foot Guards." By 1665 the Regiment had become the "First Regiment of Foot Guards,"
The Regiment has fought in
almost every major campaign of the British Army since the 1660s. During the
17th Century it served in Morocco and in the naval wars against the Dutch and
later played a distinguished role under the Duke of Marlborough, being present
at his brilliant victories of Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet.
During the American Revolution, the Regiment was part
of the forces that occupied New York after the Battle of Long Island in September,
1776. It fought on to the Battle of White Plains in October of that year. In
1777, the Regiment fought in Pennsylvania, playing an important part in the
British victory at Brandywine. The Regiment was sent to the South in 1779, and
in February of 1781 it crossed the Catawba River in the van of the British force
under heavy fire. Later that year, the Regiment fought at the Battle of Guilford
Courthouse, in which the redcoats defeated a rebel force more than three times
its size. The Guards were part of the army that was trapped and forced to surrender
at Yorktown in September of 1781.
As a result of particular bravery shown at the battle of Waterloo in 1815, the Regiment became "The First Regiment or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards", becoming the only regiment in the British Army to have earned its title as a result of the part it played in action. Today you're likely to see the 'The Grenadier Guards' in London on guard duty at Buckingham Palace, or taking part in that most amazing display of precision drill, 'the Trooping of the Colours'.
More about the regiment
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The
Re-enactors:
The First
Regiment of Foot Guards, 1776-1783
The 1st Battalion Company
of the First Foot Guards in America re-creates the battles and living conditions
of the British soldiers who served in the American
Revolution.
We're based in and
around Boston, but we travel extensively to bring living history closer to people
who may not live close to an original battle site. We travel locally in New
England, but you're also likely to see us at events in New York, New Jersey,
Virginia, Pennsylvania and Canada. We've also traveled to Britain to participate
in a full week of events sponsored by the English Heritage Association. We march
in parades, and participate regularly in Boston events such as Harborfest. We
give talks and demonstrations to local history and civic groups to give people
a broader picture of military history and life of the period. We can add color
to your event!
We take great pains to be as authentic as possible in
our uniforms and in our precision drill. Watch us closely to see how we
execute
the commands in perfect unison! It takes lots of practice.
We carry the Short Land Pattern Musket or Brown Bess, a .75 calibre smoothbore musket, accurate to at most 100 yards. While the Brown Bess is of limited use when used individually, it can deliver devastating fire when used by a trained battalion. When fixed with its 17-inch bayonet it is an unsurpassed weapon for hand to hand combat. The army of 200 years ago was trained to fire only a few shots before closing with the bayonet to finish off the enemy. One British general even went so far as to forbid his men to fire at all, as they were slowing down their bayonet charges to reload!
Imagine the thrill
of marching up a hill in double lines to storm a redoubt! Just like the paintings
or movies you've seen, only you are there. You're part of the historical action.
The crash of the company musket volley, the clouds of gunpowder smoke, the regimental
colors fluttering bravely, the roar of the cannon, the rattle of the drums
and squeal of the fifes, the row of bayonets glinting
in the sun…
it's all part of the action you'll experience first hand.
Come join the First
Regiment of Foot Guards
and experience history from the front row!
Experience
history from the front row!
Take
the King's shilling!
When you took the shilling,
you were receiving your first pay,
and you had signed on to a life in the army.
We're looking
for a few good men… and women, too!
There's a part for the ladies.
If you can dress and look like a soldier, you're welcome. Alternatively you
can dress the part of a woman, as a camp-follower. Our camp ladies help us out
with the cooking and other domestic duties when we're in camp. They're a valued
part of our regiment.
We're looking
for musicians!
Music was an essential part of the regiment. Can you play the drum or fife? Do you want to learn? We can help you! Actually, our 'music' wears some of the most flamboyant and distinctive uniforms. They perform not only tunes that raise our spirits, but they play essential commands which tell the soldiers what to do in the heat of battle.
We're looking for people of all ages.
If you don't think you could take the rigors of a re-enacted battle, there could be a place for you as a medical orderly. If you're a teenager, we might have a place for you: we will take young men (or young women) age 13 and over (although you won't get to fire a musket until you're 16 years old, and you'll need parental consent).
Whether
you've a thirst for history, or a thirst for action,
His Majesty's First Foot Guards is the place for you!
More information
for those who are thinking of joining us
Click
Take
the King's shilling!
Email us at: FirstGuards@hotmail.com
Long live His Majefty, and fuccefs to his arms!