A Description of the camp on Black-Heath, July 1697

A nice print found at EEBO, depicting seven regiments of foot of the English army at camp at Black-Heath in July 1697. The camp was formed to counter any possible French thread from the other side of the Channel. It was broken up by the end of July.

The accompanying text gives details on how the camp was set up: distance between soldiers' and lieutenants' tents 15 paces, between captains and lieutenants 20 paces, etc. Furthermore details on the exercise of muskets (still matchlock judging from the text) and pikes. Sutlers (derived from Dutch zoetelaars) were in the rear at 40 paces.

The regiments are neatly ordered by their relative seniority: the most senior on the flanks and the most junior in the middle. From left to right the regiments are identified as follows, with their rank in camp in square brackets:

[1] The King's Battalion ~~ formed from the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards. Its commander, lieutenant colonel Withers, was commander in chief of the camp.
[3] Tidcomb's Regiment ~~ raised in 1685, the future 14th Regiment of Foot.
[5] Coote's Regiment ~~ raised in 1689, and disbanded in 1698.
[7] Farrington's Regiment ~~ raised in 1694, and disbanded in 1698. Re-raised in 1702 and became became the future 29th Foot.
[6] Northcote's Regiment ~~ raised in 1694 and disbanded in 1698.
[4] Sir Henry Bellasis's Regiment ~~ raised in 1689 and became the future 22nd Foot.
[2] Major General's Steuart's Regiment ~~ raised in 1685 and became the future 9th Regiment of Foot. Note that this regiment is dubbed as Fusiliers.

A neat ordering by the book!