Battle of Gettysburg - Painting by Paul Philippoteaux

CSA: Confederate Army Uniforms, Hats, Ranks & Badges c. 1861! (27.4.2025)

Sometimes, CSA Units proudly wore “Blue” – whilst certain Union Units proudly wore “Grey”. Both sides also possessed Units that dressed (and acted) like English Red-Coats – a designation that then sent shudders through most people due to the reputation the Red-Coats possessed – namely that of strict discipline and ruthless close-quarter-fighting (all wounded were bayoneted as an act of compassion – due to the lack of any reliable medical treatment). English Red-Coats would march indifferently into enemy-fire – safe in the belief that once the distance was closed – the enemy would pay the price. The CSA Units attempted to replicate this attitude and make the Union pay for the damage its forces inflicted upon the Southern States.

superb british army soldiers

Historical British Army “Ranks” & “Formations”! (30.8.2024)

There are a number of exceptions to this observation. In 1571, for instance, Queen Elizabeth I raised the “Holland Regiment”. Monck’s Regiment of Foot served the Parliamentary Cause during the English Civil Wars and is today better known as the “Coldstream Guards”.  The “Royal Regiment of Guards” fought for King Charles I during the English Civil Wars and is today known as the “Grenadier Guards”. It seems that early examples of the use of the “Regiment” designation might have included newly formed units with no fighting history or direct links to a British geographical location. These attributes had to be earned through blood and honour. However, eventually very well-establish military units seem to have voluntarily taken on this designation – or been given it by the British government.