The 3rd Foot (The Buffs) was so called first in 1708. Its previous
title was "The Holland Regiment," having been in the Dutch Service from
the time of Queen Elizabeth. It was raised in 1572 to the number of
3000 men by London Guilds, when the Dutch were in revolt against Spain.
To this circumstance, the regiment owes the time-honoured privilege it
enjoys of marching through the City of London with drums beating and
colours flying without let or hindrance, the custom being derived from
the privileges of the Train Bands of Elizabethan days. It was nicknamed
the "Buff Howards" from the colour of its facings and Colonel's name,
1737 to 1749; also the "Old Buffs," to distinguish it from the 31st
Regiment, which was the "Young Buffs." Other nicknames given were
"The Nutcrackers," on account of its prowess in cracking the heads of
the enemy, and "The Resurrectionists," which was obtained at Albuhera
where the regiment was dispersed by the Polish Lancers, and reappeared
shortly after.
[Illustration]
(_Depot_, Lancaster.)
(_Record Office_, Preston.)
"Namur, 1695," "Gibraltar, 1704-5," "Guadaloupe, 1759," "St.
Lucia, 1778," "Corunna," "Badajoz," "Salamanca," "Vittoria," "St.
Sebastian," "Nive," "Peninsula," "Bladensburg," "Waterloo," "Alma,"
"Inkerman," "Sevastopol," "Abyssinia," "South Africa, 1879,"
"Relief of Ladysmith," "South Africa, 1899-1902."
_Uniform_, Scarlet.
_Facings_, Blue.
_Head-dress_, Helmet.
_Cap_, Blue with scarlet band.
_Regimental March_, "Corn rigs are bonnie."