Military Images of the 1680s

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Detail of an engraving showing the English Horse Guards in 1684.

Infantry Musketeer, 1684. French He is wearing the new waist belt, which replaced the shoulder belt in December 1683. The bullet bag and the powder horn are also visble. Both items would soon be carried on their own shoulder belt, but the sword belt was retained.	Infantry Officer and Pikeman, 1684. French The bow under the officer's cravat would probably have been red, and so would the heels of his shoes. His sword is fastened to a waist belt and he holds a spontoon. The pikeman's dress, except for the cuirass and long pike, is similar to that of the Musketeers.
Captain Francis Hawley, 1685. He commanded a company of 45 Grenadiers of the 1st Foot Guards during an attack on Monmouth's rebels at Philip's Norton in Somerset. His coat is red with light blue facings and gold decoration. Uniforms were by this time beginning to come under some regulation, although they were still provided by the officers themselves. Therefore officers still had freedom to choose the decoration and quality of cloth.	The Scottish Troop of Horse Guards, 1685. The uniform was scarlet coloured and lined with white serge. The waistcoat was blue, in the same colour as the breeches.
Encampment in 1686. English James II instituted summer camps, outlined on Hounslow Heath like is shown here.	The Battle of Sedgemoor, 1685. A playing card depicting the final phase of the Battle of Sedgemoor. Monmouth's rebels are chased off the field.

 

Musketeers of the Gardes Francaises wearing the uniforms introduced in 1685 - blue lined with red, with white buttons and lace. The engravings are from Giffart's Militaire Francais (1696) which featured drill for musketeers, fusiliers and pikemen.