A Brief History of Col. Samuel Jones' Regiment of Foote

Civil War erupted in 1642 and many regiments of horse, foot and dragoons were raised as the conflict spread. On the 21st of April 1643 the House of Commons voted over £2189 for Samuel Jones, a merchant from Southwark in London, to raise a regiment. Colonel Jones equipped his men with white regimental standards and green woollen soldiers coates from which they became known as the 'Greencoats'.


Colonel Jones was ordered to take his newly raised regiment of 500 men immediately into Surrey to guard the gunpowder mills at Chilworth near Guildford, and to establish a magazine in the castle at Farnham. He was also responsible for the security of the roads from the City of London to the vital ports of Southampton and Portsmouth. Whilst in Surrey he was to recruit to bring his regiment to the doctrinal strength of 1200 men.


Meanwhile, everyday command was placed in the hands of Lieutenant Colonel Baines, a brewer in civilian life. Baines was an experienced officer, having served in the London Dragoons since the beginning of the war. The other officers also had some military experience, having served with the London Trained Bands, a type of militia force.


Colonel Samuel Jones' Regiment served with distinction in a number of actions, notably the battles of Cheriton, Alton, Cropredy Bridge and the Second Battle of Newbury as well as the sieges of Basing House and Arundel. In between the campaigns the white regimental standards were to be seen in the town of Farnham for over two and a half years.