Original manuscript, in a variety of eighteenth-century hands, containing twelve army lists. Giving ranks of regiments, names of officers, dates of commission, pay, expenses, and other information.

Stitched 4to notebook, in original brown calf half-binding, with grey paper boards. 71 pp of text, with a further 19 pp blank, across 45 leaves of watermarked laid paper. Leaf dimensions roughly 19 x 15 cm. In good condition: internally clean and tight, on lightly aged paper. In worn boards. Ruled with red lines. Neatly written and entirely legible. Dating: The first two lists are undated; the third is dated 1718 (but may of course have been transcribed later); the fourth appears to date from the early 1720s; lists five to nine from the late 1720s; the greater part of the tenth appears to date from around 1730, with additions to around 1756; the eleventh is undated; and the twelfth appears to date from around 1739. Consequently a highly significant document, the greater part of which appears to predate what R. D. S. Higham ('A Guide to the Sources of British Military History', p.125) describes as the 'first comprehensive record' of British army officers, the 'Manuscript Army List for 1737', from which, Higham states, the first 'Army List was compiled and printed in 1740', with the second only appearing in 1754. The twelve lists are as follows: [ONE] 'The Irish Establishment' (ff.1a-4b). Undated. Gives general details of pay for 'Horse', 'Dragoons' and 'Foot', in each of the following sixteen groups: 'Coll: as Col: & Captain'; 'Lieut: Col: as Lt: Col: & Captain'; 'Major as Major & Captain'; 'Captain'; 'Lieutenant'; 'Cornet & Ensign'; 'Chaplain'; 'Qur. Master & Adjutant'; 'Surgeon'; 'Surgeons Mate'; 'Serjeant'; 'Corporal'; 'Drummer'; 'Trumpeter & Hautboy'; 'A private man'; and 'Regiment'. Detailing 'Full pay', as well as 'Deductions out of the full pay' (broken down into 'Subsistance', 'Poundage', 'Hospital', 'Pells', 'Agency', 'Cloathing' and 'Remains for Clearings'). [TWO] 'The Pay & Subsistance p diem of the Officers and Private men on the British Establishment.' (ff.5a-6a). Undated. Separate columns giving general details of 'Pay' and 'Subce' for officers and men, from 'Capt: & Colonel' to 'Solicitor or Agent', in each of the following: 'Horse Guards'; 'Grenadr. Guards'; 'Horse Regiment'; 'Dragoon Regimt:'; 'Foot Guards'; 'Regt. of foot'. [THREE] 'Report in Relation to the Ranks of the Regiments' (ff.7a-8b). Dated 'Horse Guards | 24 May 1718' alongside a list of seven names (the compilers?). Begins with an address to George I: 'May it please your Majesty. | In obedience to Your Majs: commands the General officers have re-examined the Ranks of all the Regiments now on Foot, & do find that according to a Regulation made by the late King William at Roosbeck Camp in the year 1694, & since confirm'd by your Majty. they will take post as they stand plac'd in the following List, of wch. those that are distinguish'd in the Margin by this Mark (#) being broke in the last year of the late Queen, have been since re-established in their former ranks by Your Majesties Special Warrant.' Starts by listing horse regiments, followed by dragoons and then foot regiments. Begins with 'Horse | Royal Regiment of Horse Guards | His Majs. own Regt. of Horse Comded. by Ld. Irwin | Colo. Pitts Regiment | [...]' and ends with '[Foot] Col: Richd: Phillipps's'. [FOUR] 'List of the Regimts: according to their Seniority with the dates of the Colonels Commissions.' (f.9a-10b). Undated. Names and dates of both brevet and commission ranging from 1693 to 1722/3. Subdivided into 'Horse Guards'; 'Horse'; 'Dragoons' and 'Foot'. [FIVE] 'Generals with the dates of their Commissions' (f.13b, top). Undated. Names and dates of commission between 1689/90 and 1728. Subdivided into five groups from 'Colonels' to 'Generals'. [SIX] 'Lieut: Generals Commissions (f.13b, bottom). Undated. Names and dates of commission between 1701/2 and 1726/7. Subdivided into four columns. [SEVEN] 'Dates of Commissions of Major Generals' (f.14a). Undated. Names and dates of commission between 1703/4 and 1726/7. [EIGHT] 'Brigadiers wth. dates of their Commisions' (f.14b). Undated. Names and dates of commission between 1704 and 1726/7. [NINE] 'Colonels wth. the dates of their Commissions' (ff.15a-15b). Undated. Names and dates of commission between 1710 and 1727. Final note: 'The Colonels who are Mark'd # have the word Eldest inserted in their Commissions.' [TEN] 'List of the Several Regiments of Horse Dragoons, and Foot in his Majs: Service the year 1730 with their Ranks Succession of the Several Colonels, and places where they are' (ff.16a-32b). Undated, but from internal evidence written between c.1730 and c.1756. Divided into 95 columns (three columns to a page, with four columns empty), beginning with 'Troop 1st. Brit.' of the 'Horse Guards', and ending with an empty column for the 50th Regiment of Foot. In a variety of hands, with regiments added as they were formed. (The last, the 50th Regiment of Foot, only existed between 1754 and 1756.) The entry on the Black Watch is of interest. It must have been written between 1747, when the regiment was ranked 43, and 1749 when it was renumbered 42, on the disbandment of the previous 42nd Foot, Oglethorpe's Regiment (also present here). The entry reads '43. Highlanders. | There are 25 Independant Companys of Invalids, & 6 Companys of Highlanders.' Beneath this, in another hand: 'The 6. Companies of Highlanders are form'd into a Regiment and Given To | E: of Crawford | Ld: Sempill.' A further two sections at the other end of the volume, are written upside-down starting on the verso of the last leaf: [ELEVEN] Three pages (ff.44a, 44b and 45b), containing a total of eight columns of numbered names (sometimes with several names bracketed to a single number). Begining under the heading 'Horse Broke', and followed by 'Dragoons Broke' and then 'Foot Broke'. The first entry reads '[Horse Broke] 1 | { | E: of Mackelsfield. | Vis: Windsor. | Br: Marsham. | Vis: Windsor.' The last entry reads '[Foot broke] 42. Sr: Jno: Whitwrong'. [TWELVE] Nine pages (ff.39a-43a) naming field marshals, generals, lieutenant generals, major generals, brigadiers, of horse and foot, with commissions dating from 1689/90 to 1739. The date of each individual's promotions is given. For example, the first entry, that of the Earl of Orkney, reads as follows: 'E: of Orkney | [Field Marshals] Jany: 1735/6 | [Generals] Jan: 31st: 1710/11 | [Lieutent. Generals] Jan: 1st: 1703/4 | [Major Generals] Mar: 9th: 1701/2 | [Brigadrs:] ...... | [Colonels] Mar: 1st: 1689/90'. The last named individual, Thomas Paget, was made a Brigadier in July 1739.