Lieutenant General James Wemyss’s Regiment of Foot

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Lieutenant General James Wemyss’ Regiment of Foot were firelocks serving as artillery guard to Waller’s Army of the Southern Association. Raised in 1643 they participated at the Siege of Arundel Castle, Cheriton, Cropredy Bridge, and Second Newbury before being disbanded in 1645. The Regiment is believed to have taken considerable losses at Cropredy.




The regiment wore blue coats in 1644. Like all of my firelocks/commanded shot units they do not carry an ensign.


Wemys (rhymes with teams) was a Scot who was a 'master gunner of England' and 'general of the artillery in Scotland': he was captured at Cropredy. He was held captive for many months before being exchanged in a prisoner swap.

His uncle invented a leather gun for field work, which James improved the design. The pair had an inventing workshop in London before the outbreak of war.

Re-instated as 'master gunner of England' by Charles II, a post he held until 1666, after which he returned to his home in Scotland, dying shortly after in 1667.

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