Finished Campbell of Lawers' Regiment

Raised by Sir Mungo Campell of Lawer’s, in the Strathtay area, for service in Ireland in 1642.   Fought in the Bann campaign and other associated activities of the Army of Ulster throughout 1642.   No direct information on activities throughout 1643, but unit strength had declined from 1100 to 300 by the time the unit embarked for Scotland in 1644.  In early 1644, they operated in association with Lothian’s Regiment in activities against the Marquis’s of Huntly and Montrose.   Lawer’s crossed the border in June and participated in the siege of Newcastle, before being recalled to Scotland in September.  It spent the balance of the year and the following winter based in Inverness where it carried out harrowing activities on royalist lands.

 

In the spring, they, along with Buchanan’s regiment joined Hurry as he marched from Inverness to meet Montrose at Auldearn.  Lawer’s men formed the centre of the vanguard and at first successfully drove back the Irish from Garlic Hill before fighting got bogged down in Auldearn.  As the line collapsed, the regiment was the focus of little quarter, due to its history in Ireland and it’s Campbell associations.   At the close of battle, Sir Mungo, four of his captains, five of his lieutenants and 50% of the regiment lay slain, their bodies later buried in the churchyard at Cawdor.

 

Sir Mungo’s son, Sir James Campbell, took command of the regiment and through a series of levy’s in Perthshire recruited it back to some semblance of strength, before it was shipped to Ulster in 1646.  No detail of it’s activity in Ulster is known but by spring 1648 it had once more returned to Scotland.  The regiment officially became part of the kirk party following the Whiggamore Raid.  Through late 1648 and 49, companies were quartered throughout the east and northeast, where they generally made a nuisance of themselves on the local community (indeed, the regiment had a history of fornication, drunkenness and adultery – so the ministers were busy).

 

In 1650, part of the regiment marched north to join Strachan’s force, and where thus the only regular infantry engaged at Carbisdale. By the summer it was in central Scotland, were it successfully engaged Cromwell’s troops in Holyrood Park before the debacle of Dunbar.  At this battle, the regiment served on the right flank, successfully covering the retreat of the army to it’s own detriment;

 

“only Lawer’s, his regiment of highlanders, made good defense , and the chief officer, a Lieutenant Colonel being slain by one of the Generals Sergeants, the Colonel was absent of the name of the Campbell’s, they stood to push of pike and were all cut in pieces those were all the Foot that engaged”

 

However, the regiment were forced to retreat when the English horse joined the attack, but even with heavy losses, some made it safely off the field.  The balance of 1650 and early 1651 were spent recruiting, but it did not participate in the 1651 campaign.

Here's some shots of the finished regiment - should worry those papist's.

Standards painted onto foil to get the windy look. Bases from Litko, with woodfiller, local sand textures, base coat, highlights - two flocks and some bushes. If anything, some purple highlights will be placed on the bushes to give that heather look.

Goverment Troops oan the horizon

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Campbell of Lawers' Regiment

Although not finished yet (still missing two privates, the standards, a good coat of Testors and the scenic touches) these shots should give the general feel for the style of painting and shape/form of the regiments.

The regiment has been unified by having the same ribbon colour on the trews and green/ochre plaid. The later didn’t come out as well as I wanted so don’t know how far I’ll pursue this (painting tartan).

This was the lead regiment of the Government line at Auldearn so glad to have them in the bag.

Painting Covenanters

What could be more boring than a grey army? Connotations of John Major aside, it still doesn’t inspire you with a lot of passion. After all the rest of the war of the three kingdoms had some pretty colourful troops, with white, green and red all making a show.

But if you are fighting the war in Scotland you take what you get (or you’ll have your porridge and like it (and mind just salt, nae namby pamby sugar like yon Sassenachs)). So the question was how to make the painting of the governmental regiments interesting enough (upwards of 150 infantry) but allowing a show of uniformity.

With the move to Foundry paints, this wasn’t too much of a problem as they have a wide variety of dour paint types. However, to try and attain some uniformity, but with suitable raggedness, and also distinguish the individual regiments the following painting scheme was adhered to.

Jackets – Slate Grey (majority), additional Rawhide, Drab and Granite
Trews – Quagmire (majority), additional Rawhide, Drab
Socks – Raw Linen (majority), additional Moss
Webbing/Belts – Buff Leather (or rawhide if over Buff Coats)
Buff Coats – Buff Leather
Cuffs and Collars – Arctic Grey/White
Bonnets – Night Sky/Storm Blue
Shoes – Bay Brown

Guns – Spearstaff (wood), Boltgun/Chainmail (metal – GW’s), Boneyard (matches)

Bandoliers – Bay Brown
Powder Pouch – Conker Brown
Tassels – Night Sky/Storm Blue
Scabbard – Conker Brown
Sword Scabbard – Bay Brown
Sword Hilt – Boltgun Metal/Chainmail (GW)

Blankets – varied by regiment – uniform colour/plaid choice
Trews Ribbons - varied by regiment
Drums - varied by regiment

Officers/Ensigns/ Drummers – potential for some additional colour in jacket and trews selection.

Additionally, for some variety, one regiment may get some red jackets, implying they had returned from active service in Ireland where the English parliament had undertaken to clothe Scots troops in the field. However, this is not tested on the figures yet.