6th Foot ( Warwickshire ) Officer-Grenadier Company (1812-1815)

The origins of the 6th Warwickshire was as an English regiment in the Scots Brigade, a mercenary formation in Dutch service since the 1580s. Despite the name, in addition to three Scottish regiments, this normally included three English regiments; withdrawn in 1672 at the beginning of the Franco-Dutch War, these were restored in 1674 when England left the war.

The Regiment was raised Under the command of Sir Henry Belasyse, the regiment went to England with the rest of the Brigade to help suppress the 1685 Monmouth Rebellion. It returned in August without seeing action but while there, James II re-organised it as the 5th and 6th Regiments of Foot in his Royal Army. It then formed part of the army brought by William III to England in 1688; en route, a ship carrying four of its companies was captured by HMS Swallow but the soldiers were released after James went into exile.

. in 1782, the 6th became the 6th (1st Warwickshire) Regiment, reflecting their recent connections with the county. During the French Revolutionary Wars in 1794 in the West Indies, the 6th took part in the invasions of Martinique, Guadeloupe and Saint Lucia from the French and in Casdebar, in August 1798, it gained a battle honour.The 1st Battalion went from Gibraltar to the Iberian Peninsula and was at Roliça and Vimeiro in 1808. The battalion took part in the Corunna, losing 400 men during the march. The men were then shipped to UK before taking part in the Walcheren Campaign before returning to the Peninsula in 1812. The regiment was present at Vitoria in 1813 and heavily engaged at the later action at Roncesvalles. At the Heights of Echalar, in August 1813 the regiment attacked against 6,000 French in rugged positions in the mountains. The regiment was held in reserve at the Nive and was again heavily engaged at Orthez in 1814. 

The regiment sailed for Canada in early May 1814: once there, it gained the battle honour Niagara for its repulse of an American sortie into British territory.

Description

This is one of our collection of replica uniforms for the 6th Foot ( Warwickshire ) Officer-Grenadier Company (1812-1815) . Wherever possible, all fabric, lace and braiding and buttons used in the construction of this uniform are exactly the same as use in the original manufactured uniform.