British Army

The Union Jack, the battle flag of the British Army.

The British Army, also known as His Majesty's Army,  is the principle land warfare force of theBritish Empire. British Regulars are the foot soldiers of the Army, and are known as Redcoats due to their distinctive red uniforms. 

History

Background

The British Army in the 18th century was disciplined, regimented but also harsh. Camp life was dirt and cramped, with high potential for the rapid spread of disease. Punishments could range from flogging to a death sentence. Even so, many volunteered to join the army, hoping to escape the bleak conditions of life in the cities and a chance to travel the world while earning a regular wage. 

The British Army has men stationed in various colonies of the Empire, to supplement their defenses against whatever threats they may face. However, many colonies have to maintain their own defenses with militias.

Season Three

In his effort to civilize Nassau, newly appointed governor Woodes Rogers is loaned three warships and an Independent Company of 700 British Regulars to aid him in his efforts. 120 of these Regulars are stationed on the HMS Milford. The fleet departs from London. After several weeks of traveling, they arrive in St. Kitts, where Benjamin Hornigold informs them of Captain Flint’s death. 

After brief resistance and the departure of the Pirate Fleet, Rogers is able to successfully take Nassau without much difficulty. The Regulars take control ofFort Nassau and Nassau Town. Their duties largely include garrisoning the fort, patrols and guard duties for important persons. They act as a police force as well as a garrison against any potential threats. 

Regulars arrest Jack Rackham after he returns to Nassau seeking a pardon. Lieutenant Hersey is later sent to deliver a message to Anne Bonny from Jack, seemingly telling her to give up the Urca gems. However, the message was coded and Bonny kills the Lieutenant and flees. Soldiers are sent to scour the island looking for her, with a £500 bounty put on her head. However, she manages to evade them. 

Several Redcoats close off the scene of Dufresne’s murder in the Tavern, standing guard while Rogers, Hornigold and Eleanor investigate.  Rogers parleys with Flint accompanied by a small escort of soldiers. Eight Redcoats led by Major Rollins meet with Anne Bonny, promising her Jack’s release in exchange for the cache. She gives the cache over, but she is deceived and Jack remains imprisoned, to be delivered to Havana along with the gems. After learning that the Spanish are demanding Rackham be sent to Havana along with the cache, Rogers prepares to transport the gems and Jack to a ship waiting on the southern coast on a secret route. Featherstone learns of this and convinces Idelle to find out the location from Major Andrews, a frequent guest of the Inn, so they can tell Vane and Flint the caravan's route. 

Rogers travels to a ship waiting on the southern coast in a caravan carrying Rackham and the gems accompanied by an escort of eight dragoons. However, Eleanor and Max realize that they will be attacked and try and warn Commodore Chamberlain that something is afoot. However, he refuses to divert the soldiers away from their positions in Nassau Town, out of fear that it will leave them vulnerable. They are ambushed Flint,Charles Vane and Anne Bonny. All the soldiers are killed, Rackham is freed and the pirates abscond with the gems. However, the Militia arrives and Vane is captured. 

Vane is to be transported to theHMS Shark, where he is to be shuttled to London for trial, however the street turns against the idea after Billy Bones succeeds in turning them against Eleanor Guthrie . Vane is instead executed in Nassau’s square after a trial in the middle of the  night. At the execution, many soldiers stand guard around the noose. 

Hornigold leading the Redcoats at the Maroon Island.

The majority of the soldiers under Rogers command are sent to the Maroon Island to reclaim the cache, along with the New Providence Island Militia. The force consists of seven ships under the command of Commodore Chamberlain, and the land force of Redcoats and Militia led by Major Rollins and Captain Hornigold.  At the island, their landing is covered by fire from the ships of Rogers’ fleet. They face heavy casualties once they land at the beach, but once they bring their mortars to bear on the pirates, they succeed in forcing them to retreat. Hornigold advises Rollins not to follow Flint’s men into the jungle, wary of a trap. The British set up camp on the beach, strategizing for their move inland.  As this happens, Dobbs, a pirate sent to assassinate Hornigold, instead surrenders to the British. After killing a Pirate Prisoner to prove his loyalty, Dobbs offers to lead the British forces to the Maroon Camp. At the Camp, Dobbs’ betrayal is revealed to have been a ruse, and a trap is sprung. The British Regulars and militia are ambushed by pirates and Maroons hiding in the brush, and hundreds, including Hornigold and Rollins, are killed. After the battle, the Maroon children cut off the ears of the dead soldiers as trophies. 

Interim

After the defeat at the Battle of the Maroon Island, the British forces are recalled to England after war breaks out with Spain. Led by Captain Berringer, hundreds mutiny to remain behind and swear fealty to Woodes Rogers. This begins a prolonged war over possession of New Providence Island. Rogers and his forces control Nassau and the interior estates. The rest of the island is under the control of the Pirate Resistance. 

The remaining soldiers engage in multiple skirmishes with the Resistance. The Resistance assaults the supply lines leading from the interior estates into Nassau. Under Berringer's lead, the soldiers conduct a purge of anyone suspected of loyalty to the pirates in town. 

After this, the Resistance's Black Spots cease having any effect because the street is more afraid of Berringer than the pirates. The Resistance makes a direct assault on Nassau Town, but are repelled after a bloody fight.

Season Four

The Pirate Fleet attempts to invade Nassau, using the information that Fort Nassau is barely armed and that Rogers' naval consort has abandoned him. However, three of  their ships are grounded on sunken hulks in the harbor. The Redcoats manning the fort's guns pull covers off them and begin firing on the pirates. When the Walrus manages to elevate her guns high enough to begin firing on the fort, Rogers orders them to reload with chain shot and to target the pirates' sails. He also orders that his small fleet of sloops to attack the pirates, who are escaping in longboats. One of the ships attacks them as they attempt to escape. Edward Teach decides to flee aboard the Revenge in order to draw away Rogers' ships from the escaping pirates. Rogers is worried about capturing Teach at the cost of rounding up the pirate longboats, especially because Teach will be fighting passionately. Berringer responds that his men will fight with equal fervor, as well as having the tactical advantage. Three Sloops are sent to pursue Edward Teach, who is fleeing aboard the Revenge. 

Rogers and Berringer lead a squad of men into Nassau in order to make sure it is secure. Nine pirate prisoners are brought before them, which includes De Groot, Dr. Howell and Colin. When De Groot is revealed to be Flint's Ship's Master, Rogers offers clemency in exchange for details about Flint's plans. De Groot refuses, and Berringer cuts of an ear as recompense for the mutilation of his friends. It is revealed that the prisoners number 121. 

Jack Rackham fighting a Redcoat.

Teach allows his ship to be boarded by the sloops. Despite their tactical advantage, the Redcoats are defeated. Many of them are killed and many captured. That night, Teach returns to Nassau after executing a number of captives. He then returns to Nassau and blockades the harbor. He sends one of the sloops to drift into the harbor, festooned with the corpses of the executed Redcoats. He demands Eleanor Guthrie to be delivered to him or he will maintain the blockade. 

Rogers sails towards Port Royal, exiting the harbor under the cover of the fort's guns. Teach follows him, providing the opening for Eleanor to sail to Philadelphia and ask her grandparents for financial support. Berringer is left in command of Nassau Town. 

Berringer has Lieutenant Burrell arrest Max, where she is charged with treason for not notifiying the authorities of her meeting with John Silver, even though she did try and apprehend him and lost men in the process. Berringer's man reveals that he followed Silver to the Wrecks, and a posse is sent to find and capture him.

Meanwhile, at sea, Rogers and his men continue to sail away from Teach and the Revenge, but eventually the pirates catch up to them. After firing volleys from their cannons into the Lion, Teach and Anne Bonny lead their vanguard aboard in longboats. They find no one but the dead and dying on deck, but a trap is sprung. Rogers leads his Redcoats from the cabin and belowdecks in ambushing the pirates. Soon, Teach and Bonny are cornered and all their men killed or captured. Rackham then surrenders to save their lives. 

Rogers leads his men aboard the Revenge, shackling all the prates and freeing the 60 of his men held prisoner in the hold. Rogers proceeds to keelhaul Teach three times before shooting him in the head. Rackham and the rest of the pirates are placed in the hold of the Lion. Rogers then sets sail for Nassau, towing the Lion behind the Revenge. 

The posse of soldiers and militia arrives at the Wrecks, and they begin searching for Silver. Silver and his accomplice, Israel Hands, hide in the nearby brush but are cornered by three Redcoats. However, they are rescued by Flint and his men. Before leaving, they affix a Black Spot note to the bodies. 

Berringer prevents Eleanor from leaving Nassau on the Gloucestershire, telling her that the soldiers in her escort are needed in town. The posse then returns emptyhanded. Shortly afterwards, the hanging of the pirate prisoners commences. Eleanor orders Mrs. Hudson to find Lieutenant Utley and have him gather as much food and supplies and to bring everyone on a list she has drawn up to Fort Nassau. She also requests that he muster up six men to escort the two of them to the fort.

Long John Silver, Flint and their remaining men then arrive in Nassau's square, followed by the citizens and townsfolk. A brutal battle ensues in Nassau Town, and Berringer and his men are slowly overwhelmed. Soon, the Pirate Resistance led by Billy Bones arrives, completely turning the tide in the pirates' favor. Berringer is killed on the steps of the gallows by Israel Hands after Silver gives him the go ahead. 

Chaos and rioting then engulfs Nassau. Eleanor and a small escort led by Lieutenant Burrell try and make their way to the fort on a carriage with several citizens. However, most of the soldiers are killed, and Eleanor has to kill one of the pirates that managed to climb onto the carriage. Meanwhile, any other soldiers found in town are systematically and brutally killed by the pirates. 

Eleanor eventually makes it to the fort, where Lieutenant Utley has gathered several dozen soldiers and most of Rogers' allies, however the two men he sent to retrieve her never returned. Eleanor sends an offer to Flint and Silver, requesting to exchange 20 prisoners captured in the invasion for Max, which they accept. 

En route to Nassau, Rogers learns about the fall of Nassau to the pirates, and decides to leave Lieutenant Kendrick and a small crew of men aboard the Lion, which they are to sail to Port Royal so the pirates can be tried and hanged. Kendrick is upset with the orders and being unable to take part in the fight to retake Nassau and avenge Berringer's death. He and the other Redcoats force Rackham to choose pirates to fight against Mr. Milton, a hulking soldier. Rackham refuses but when threatened with having Anne pitted against him, chooses Carver. Carver at first seems like an even match against him, but is killed after Milton is given a wooden mallet and bludgeons him to death. Rackham is then ordered to pick another. 

Eleanor later makes a deal with Flint and Silver, where she promises to vacate the fort and leave the island with all Rogers' allies and forces in exchange for the cache of gems. Flint remains in the fort as collateral. 

When Rogers arrives, Eleanor sends Mrs. Hudson to inform him of the deal. At first, he refuses to listen and continues sailing for the fort, but Eleanor has the garrison fire several warning shots, causing Rogers to depart, seemingly agreeing to the deal. Instead, he sails for Havana and recruits Governor Raja to help him in ridding Nassau of the pirates.

Eleanor departs for the southern shore with Flint and six Redcoats to complete the deal for the cache. They are met by Madi and her guards, but when they arrive at the spot, they find Jack Rackham and his crew, not Kofi and the cache. Meanwhile, the fleet of 12 Spanish ships approaches Nassau, alarming the garrison. However, Rogers signals them to stand down. The Spanish sack Nassau Town, killing everyone they find and burning the tents on the beach. Rogers is disturbed when Soames, Frasier and Lieutenant Utley inform him that Eleanor has left the safety of the fort to complete the deal.

As Eleanor, Flint, Madi and their men try and return to the fort, they find Spanish soldiers in their path. Flint leads to them to the Barlow Estate, but they are tracked by a small party of soldiers. Flint leads the Redcoats and Maroons in fighting them off, but two of the Redcoats are killed. Three more Spaniards arrive, and flee after surveying the scene. Flint leads three of the remaining Redcoats and Obi in chasing after them to prevent them from fetching reinforcements. Zaki and a Redcoat remain at the house to guard Madi and Eleanor. However, a Spanish Soldier who survived the initial attack kills the guards and breaks into the house. He mortally wounds Eleanor and knocks Madi unconscious before the house is set on fire during his and Eleanor's fight. Eleanor is unable to rouse Madi and crawls outside, where Flint, Obi and the surviving two Redcoats find her before she dies. After the invasion is over, Rogers and Utley find her dead body.

Billy Bones surrenders himself to Rogers, and offers to help him destroy the pirates. He tells him to demand the cache of gems in exchange for the release of Madi, who had been captured after the Spanish attack. Billy thinks that this will drive a wedge between Flint and Silver and ultimately doom them. A number of soldiers are sent on a sloop to deliver the message.

The Walrus returns to Nassau and a number of men are sent ashore to learn where Madi is being held. However, they are captured during the night, and Rogers sails his ship, the Eurydice, crewed by dozens of sailors and soldiers, around the Walrus during the night. Rogers reveals that he has Madi, and executes the shore party one by one until he is up to Madi, but he relents after Silver reveals that he brought the cache. At Billy's instruction, he leads the pirates to Skeleton Island to complete the deal. However, upon arrival, Flint and an accomplice abscond with the cache. Silver goes to Rogers' ship to relay the news, and is met by Rogers and glaring Redcoats. He explains the situation, and says that he sent men to kill Flint and reclaim the jewels. Rogers gives them until the next sunrise to do so.

However, Rogers and Billy are unsure over who will prevail on the island. In order to defeat the pirates, Lieutenant Utley and three men are sent to swim a cask of gunpowder over the stern of the Walrus, using the fog as cover. They then set the stern of the ship on fire and swim away. The pirates try to put it out, and they see the launches from the Eurydice approaching filled with Redcoats. However, they are forced to abandon ship as the fire spreads too quickly. The Redcoats surround the pirates struggling to swim to shore and pick them off like fish in a barrel. The Walrus' powder magazine eventually explodes, causing the ship to sink.

Flint and Silver rally to try and help the survivors make it to shore. Rogers prepares to lead his men ashore, and orders Utley to pass the order that no quarter is to be given except to Flint, whom they need to find the cache. However, the Eurydice signals that another ship is approaching, the Lion, crewed by Jack Rackham and his men. Rogers gives the order to return to the ship, and sails away.

Rogers conceals the ship behind a promontory. When the pirates exit the inlet, Rogers sails the ship straight at them, intending to ram them and break the pirates psychologically before boarding. As they approach, the Redcoats fire the swivel guns at the bow down at the pirates. The Eurydice then rams the Lion, causing the latter's foremast to collapse against the Eurydice's. The Redcoats then begin firing their muskets at the pirates, who can do nothing but try to take cover. As this goes on, Rogers orders Billy to join the muskets in the foremast.

Flint leads two men in climbing up the tangled rope ladders. Flint cuts the rope pinning their foremast down in order to bring their ship alongside the British, allowing their men to board. Meanwhile, the other two men kill the Redcoat snipers, but are in turn killed by Billy. Meanwhile, Rackham and Silver lead their men in boarding the Eurydice at the helm, firing their own swivel guns to break the British line. A brutal melee ensues between the pirates and the soldiers. Silver cuts his way belowdecks and finds Madi alive in the hold, while Flint kicks Billy off the mast into the water.

Rackham engages Rogers in a duel, and are evenly matched until Flint arrives and he and Rackham disarm Rogers. At this point, their men have killed or captured all of the Redcoats and sailors under Rogers' command. Rogers and his men are held belowdecks while the pirates plan their next moves. Eventually, Silver and Rackham lead the pirates and Maroons in accepting a treaty where they are pardoned, avoiding a larger war with the British Empire.

Uniform & Equipment

The standard uniform is a red coat that falls to above the knee, a beige waistcoat, beige breeches, shoes and gaiters, and a black tricorn hat with white trim. They typically wear a white shirt and black cravat. A belt holds their ammunition pouch, sword and bayonet. Ensigns wear almost identical uniforms, but with the addition of a white baldric worn on the right shoulder.

Officers have similar uniforms. They often have elaborate gold trim on their red coats. The cuffs are black with gold detailing. They also wear white waistcoats and high quality black leather boots. Captains wear decorative gorgets to symbolize their rank. Dragoons wear similar uniforms, but with a black waistcoat that has white detailing and the leather boots common to officers. Everything else is the same as their infantry counterparts. 

The mutinous Redcoats that remain behind to fight the pirates with Rogers keep the same basic uniform. However, many of them cut the sleeves off or shorten the hems of their signature coats to better adapt to the Caribbean heat. To that end, many of them also eschew the waistcoat. They also wear jewelry taken from the pirates as trophies. 

British Regulars have three regulation weapons. The Brown Bess flintlock musket, a French Briquet sword, and a plug bayonet. They keep the cartridges for the musket in a leather pouch attached to their belt. Brown Bess flintlock carbines are also occasionally used, as well as blunderbusses. Sergeants carry halberds with them in order to direct their troops. Dragoons use two varieties of pistol, the light and heavy flintlock dragoon pistol. Officers often have their own ornate swords and carry pistols. 

Members

• Major Andrews
• Major Rollins (deceased)
• Captain Berringer (deceased)
• Lieutenant Utley
• Lieutenant Hersey (deceased)
• Lieutenant Burrell (deceased)
• Lieutenant Kendrick (deceased)
• Lieutenant Werth (deceased)
• Mr. Cardiff (deceased)
• Mr. Pursy
• Mr. Milton (deceased)
• Mr. Chase
• "Mark" Read

Quotes

"We that remain do so in violation of our orders to return home, a breach of our duty to His Majesty's Army. Someday, if we see England again, I imagine we'll have to answer for it."- Berringer in XXIX.

Trivia

• In real life, an Independent Company (British Army units not part of a larger battalion or regiment assigned to garrisons in Britain or overseas colonies) of 100 British soldiers accompanied Rogers to Nassau.

Gallery

Note the distinct white baldric of the ensigns.