The Regimental Colour
This is an abbreviated outline of the steps a recruit must pass through to become a full member. These apply to both soldiers and women. For a more details, see the enumerated Unit Policies listed below.
1) The recruit shall contact the unit commander and the local recruiter (listed on the Contact page of this site)
2) The recruit shall have a personal interview with the local recruiter or the unit commander. The purpose of this interview is to allow representatives of Clayton's Company and the recruit to meet face to face for mutual evaluation.
3) The recruit shall attend several events with the company to personally experience our philosophy at work.
4) Having passed the initial interview and having shown a serious interest in the company, the recruit shall begin to purchase their kit from company-approved sources. In this task, they will be aided by the unit commander or a senior member appointed by the unit commander.
5) Upon completion of their kit, the recruit shall stand for inspection by the unit commander and at least one other member of the cadre. For soldiers, this inspection shall consist of a careful check of the recruit's equipment and arms, successful demonstration of the 1764 Manual of Arms, and a written or oral test on regimental history. For women, this inspection shall consist of a careful check of the recruit's equipment, the successful demonstration of at least one historically accurate skill for a camp follower (example: washing laundry), and a written or oral test on regimental history with an emphasis on knowledge pertinent to camp followers.
6) Following the successful completion of their inspection, the recruit shall officially enter the regiment as a full member and their name will be added to the permanent company muster roll.
Unit Policies
1) Enthusiasm is welcomed and encouraged in all recruits and members. All recruits and members are encouraged to ask questions, no matter how simplistic they may seem at the time- if such questions can not be answered satisfactorily, then research will be undertaken to find an answer. There will always be positions within the company for those who wish to serve.
2) Absolutely no women in the ranks.
3) No facial hair on soldiers.
4) All members will carry an amount of equipment appropriate for a given scenario. Extraneous unnecessary or undocumented equipment will not be allowed. In general, when choosing what equipment they will take to an event, members should consider that they must be able to carry all of their belongings on their back, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
5) All uniforms and equipment will be constructed in period-correct methods using materials that closely approximate the originals. All clothing will be fitted in accordance with eighteenth-century conventions. Unit members will behave within established eighteenth-century norms wherever possible.
6) There will be no officers in the unit until the company is consistently fielding twelve or more men. With twelve men in the field, there will be one lieutenant. With fifteen men in the field, there will be one lieutenant and one captain. With thirty men in the field, there will be one ensign, one lieutenant, and one captain. As long as the company is fielding less than twelve men, the highest rank will be serjeant. When the company fields a total of seven men, there will be one corporal and one serjeant. When the company fields eight to twelve men, there will be one serjeant and two corporals.
7) The company will at no time consist of more than 45 members in good standing. Once this number is reached, a cadre will be detached to form a new company at the unit commander's discretion.
8) All recruits should be between 18 and 50 years of age and in good health and physical condition. Interested persons who exceed these ages but are still in good physical condition will be admitted on a case-by-case basis. Good physical condition is defined as the individual's ability to safely and swiftly execute the manual of arms, participate in lengthy road marches, and run for short distances in full kit. Before he is accepted into the company, a recruit must be examined by the unit commander and at least one other senior member to insure that the recruit complies to the quality expected of unit members. This examination is usually carried out over several events during which the recruit is allowed to fall out with the company using company equipment. If the recruit is judged to be acceptable, he will be allowed to pay company dues and begin kitting out. Camp follower applicants will be addressed in a similar manner on a case-by-case basis.
9) All members are required to have a complete summer kit, to enable them to participate in summer activities. Those men who wish to participate in winter events, such as Princeton, must have a complete winter kit. This requirement for winter kit, while extending the authenticity of the unit, is primarily motivated by health concerns arising from members attending events in extreme cold weather without proper clothing and cover.
10) A recruit must complete his summer kit one year after enlisting with the company. Camp follower recruits must have at least one complete set of clothing and necessaries within one year of applying for membership. Additional time will be granted to those recruits with extenuating circumstances.
11) After a recruit has assembled his required kit, he will be examined by the unit commander and at least one other senior member. This examination will include performing the manual of arms and demonstrating a general knowledge of the British Army as well as specific regimental knowledge. Following this examination, the unit commander and senior member(s) will confer and decide whether the recruit will be passed to private. For women, this inspection will consist of an examination of the recruit's kit, successful demonstration of an appropriate camp follower skill, and an oral or written test on regimental history.
12) All members must attend a minimum of two company-sanctioned events per year, which qualifies them for "good standing" status. Any member who fails to attend at least two company-sanctioned events per year will be placed on probation for six months, during which he or she will be required to attend at least one company-sanctioned event not counting towards their total quota. Failure to comply with this regulation within the probationary period will result in the member being struck from the company roster.
13) Clayton's Company does not require exclusive membership: members may also join other groups. Those individuals who wish to hold military rank within the company must put Clayton's Company before all other unit considerations. Should a non-commissioned officer of the company consistently attend events with another unit, especially company-sponsored events, he shall be considered for reduction in rank at the discretion of the unit commander.
14) Women who do not wish to portray camp followers are welcome at events but must be lodged in the civilian camp.
A complete list of unit policies is available in the unit handbook, which will be distributed to all recruits upon enlistment.
Copyright W. P. Tatum III, 2003, 2004.