Drummer's Lace

XVIIth Regiment of Foot



In the center of each colour is to be painted, or embroidered, in gold
Roman characters, the number of the rank of the regiment, within the
wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk. The second colour of
those regiments which are faced with red or white, is to be the red cross
of St. George in a white field, and the Union in the upper canton.

The 17th was first raised in London in 1688 under Soloman Richard and
was known as Richard's Regiment of Foot. The regiment was
designated the 17th Regiment of Foot in 1751.

The 17th participated in the siege and capture of Louisburg in 1758.
In 1759 it took part in the siege of Ticonderoga and the capture of Crown
Point and was present for the French surrender of Montreal in 1760.

After Montreal, the 17th was sent to the West Indies, taking part in the
capture of Martinique and the Spanish citadel of Havana in 1762.

The 17th Regiment of Foot arrived in Boston in December of 1775.
The regiment took part in all of the battles for New York City in 1776
and the Philadelphia Campaign of 1777, distinguishing itself at
the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. The regiment was part of
the British Surrender at Yorktown in October of 1781. The 17th was
granted the county title of the Leicestershire Regiment in 1782.
The 17th Regiment of Foot left America in 1783.


"The 17th's Colours were captured on the morning of July 15, 1779,
at the storming of Stoney Point. The regiment did not recieve a
new set until they returned to England in 1787.

While the regiment was supposed to have 'greyish white' facings
according to the 1768 warrant, this does not appear to be the case.
For instance, the 1775 general inspection of the regiment states that
the facing cloth was actually white:

Regiment Inspection at Galway, Ireland, June 9, 1775
by Major-General John Gisbourne, WO 27/35,
Public Record Office, Kew Gardens, Surrey, England

'Officers Uniforms Scarlet    Small round Cuff. Collar & Lappels to the Waist white, with a Silver Laced Epaulette, Silver Buttons Number’d White lining, White Waistcoat & Breeches, Silver hilted Swords, Crimson & Gold Sword Knots, Silver Gorgets all Uniform & every other Appointment according to His Majesty’s Order.'

There is still some argument over the exact colour of the 17th's facings
during the Rev War. In the end, it will take a visit to the regimental museum
in Leicester, which holds the original colours, to find out. One of the
regimental histories states that the regiment was also granted the unbroken
laurel on its colours for its victory at Princeton on January 3, 1777."
Courtesy of Will Tatum of the re-created 17th Reg t of Foot.




The front [of the drums] to be painted with the colour of the facing
of the regiment, with the King's cypher and crown, and the
number of the regiment under it.




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Regimental Lace