IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 lli|2£ 121 Sf us, 12.0 ■IHU U 1^ ■< 3>^ \ ^ 6^ Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTIR.N.Y. MSM (716)t72-4S03 4' i CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas Technical and Bibliographic lyiotaa/Notas tachniquas at bibliographiquaa Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast originai copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagas in tha raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. □ Colourad covars/ Couvartura da coulaur I I Covars damagad/ D D Q D D D Couvartura andommagte Covars rastorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura rastaurAa at/ou palliculAa I I Covar titia missing/ La titra da couvartura manqua I I Colourad maps/ Cartas gAographiquas an coulaur Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) Colourad platas and/or illustrations/ Planchas at/ou illustrations an coulaur Bound with othar matarial/ RaliA avac d'autras documants Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along intarior margin/ La re liura sarr6e paut causar da I'ombra ou da le distortion le long da la marga intiriaure Blank leavas addad during rastoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar possibla. thasa hava baan omittad from filming/ II sa paut qua cartainas pagas blanchas ajoutias lors d'una rastauration apparaissant dans la taxta. mais, lorsqua cala Atait possibla. cas pagas n'ont pas hxh filmAas. Q' L'Institut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaire qu'il lui a hvk possibla da sa procurar. Las details da cat axamplaira qui sont paut-Atra uniquas du point da vua bibliographiqua, qui pauvant modifier una imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axiger una modification dans la mdthoda normala da f ilmage sont indiqute ci-dassous. I I Colourad pagas/ D D Pagas da coulaur Pagas damagad/ Pagas andommag6as Pagas rastorad and/oi Pagas rasta' irias at/ou palliculias Pagas discoloured, stainad or foxai Pagas ddcolor^as, tacheties ou piqudes Pagas datached/ Pages d6tach6es Showthroughy Transparence Quality of prir Quality inigala de I'impression Includes supplementary materii Comprend du material supplimentaira I — I Pagas damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ V~y Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ r~y Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponlble Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been ref limed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partieilement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 filmies d nouveau de fapon d o^tenir la meilleure image possible. Additional comments:/ Commentairas suppl6mentaires: VarkHis paginsi. This item is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ Ca document est film* au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X Z2X 26X 30X >/ 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X >'/?' . The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exempiaire film* f ut reproduit grice A la gintrositA de: BibliothAque nationaie du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END"), whichever applies. l\/laps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont AtA reproduites avec le plus grand soln, compte tenu de la condition et de la netteti de l'exempiaire f ilmi, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimte sont filmAs en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impresslon ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmto en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impresslon ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. - Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la derniAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols «► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols ▼ signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte d des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est f ilm6 A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 S 6 n wn th U'/f .ri'j;/0*jfl?M?v s» • «^- .**»?^£,^>^ •■;; '#, iiiiiiirTd'^iiti'H?^ ^.^3^^ 4- ' a V^" :v* .^•^m^V "': -vAsvxv-i > V ^-i''.'J ■V * ■ "^' ■-■ /VvHXl'S _ Jt_^ -'!'■'<■- '---■■'■■■■■. i., . '\ V A^ ' . •) ^ GENERAL ORDERS. HORSJE-GUABDS, 1st January, 1 836. His Majesty has been pleased to command that, with a view of doing the fullest justice to Regi- ments, as well as to Individuals wha have dis- tinguished themselves by their Bravery in Action with the Enemy, an Account of the Services of every Regiment in the British Army shall be pub- lished under the superintendence and direction of the Adjutant-General ; and that this Account shall contain the following particulars, viz. : — The Period and Circumstances of the Original Formation of the Regiment ; The Stations at which it has been from time to time employed ; The Battles, Sieges, and other Military Operations in which it has been engaged, particularly specifying any Achievement it may have performed, and the Colours, Trophies, &c., it may have captured from the Enemy. The Names of the Officers and the number of Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates Killed or Wounded by the Enemy, specifying the Place and Date of the Action. Mr- u GENERAL ORDERS, — — The Names of those Officers who, in con- sideration of their Gullant Services and Meritorious Conduct in Eng&f^ements with the Enemy, have been distinguished with Titles, Medals, or other Marks of His Majesty's gracious favour. The Names of tdl such Officers, Non-Com- missioned Officers, and Privates, as may have specially signalized themselves in Action. And, The Badges and Devices which the Regi- ment may. have been permitted to bear, and the Causes on account of which such Badges or Devices, or any other Marks of Distinction, have been granted. By Command of the Right Honourable GENERAL LORD HILL, Commanding'-in'Chief. John Macdonald, A^tUant- General PREFACE. The character and credit of the British Army muit chiefly depend upon the zeal and ardour by which all who enter into its service are animated, and consequently it is of the highest importance that any measure calculated to excite the spirit of emulation, by which alone great and gallant actions are achieved, should be adopted. Nothing can more fully tend to the accomplishment of this desirable object than a full display of the noble deeds with which the Military History of our country abounds. To hold forth these bright examples to the imitation of the youthful soldier, and thus to incite him to emulate the meritorious conduct of those who have preceded him in their honourable career, are among the motives that have given rise to the present publication. The operations of the British Troops are, indeed, announced in the ** London Gazette," from whence they are transferred into the public prints : the achievements of our armies are thus made known at the time of their occurrence, and receive the tribute a2 "W IV PREFACE. of praise and admiration to which they are entitled. On extraordinary occasions, the Houses of Parliament have been in the habit of conferring on the Com- manders, and the Officers and Troops acting under their orders, expressions of approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery ; and these testimonials, confirmed by the high honour of their Sovereign's approbation, constitute the reward which the soldier most highly prizes. It has not, however, until late years, been the prac- tice (which appears to have long prevailed in some of the Continental armies) for British Regiments to keep regular records of their services and achievements. Hence some difficulty has been experienced in obtain- ing, particularly from the old Regiments, an au- thentic account of their origin and subsequent services. This defect will now be remedied, in consequence of His Majesty having been pleased to command that every Regiment shall, in future, keep a full and ample record of its services at home and abroad. From the materials thus collected, the country will henceforth derive information as to the difficulties and privations which chequer the career of those who embrace the military pn fession. In Great Britain, where so large a number of persons are devoted to the active concerns of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, and where these pursuits have, for so PREFACE. • F long a period, been undisturbed by the presence of voafi which few other countrien have escaped, com- paratively little is known of the vicissitudes of active service, and of the casualties of climate, to which, even during peace, the British Troops are exposed in every part of the globe, with little or no interval of repose. In their tranquil enjoyment of the blessings which the country derives from the industry and the enter- prise of the agriculturist and the trader, its happy inhabitants may be supposed not often to reflect on the perilous duties of the soldier and the sailor, — on their sufferings,-rand on the sacrifice of valuable life, by which so many national benefits are obtained and preserved. The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endurance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying difficulties ; and their character has been established in Continental warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected debarkations va, spite of the most formidable opposition, and by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have main- tained their advantages against superior numbers. In the official Reports made by the respective Com- manders, ample justice has generally been done to the gallant exertions of the Corps employed ; but the details of their services and of acts of individual mi PREFACE. I < bravery, can only be fully given in the Annals of the various Regiments. • These Records are now preparing for publication, under His Majesty's special authurity, by Mr. Richard Gannon, Principal Clerk of the Adjutant General's Office ; and while the perusal of them can- not fail to be useful and interesting to military men of every rank, it is considered that they will also afford entertainment and information to the general reader, particularly 1o those who may have served in the Army, or who have relatives in the Service. There exists in the breasts of most of those ivho have served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit de Corps — an attachment to everything belonging to their Regiment ; to such persons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot fail to prove interesting. Authentic accounts of the actions of the great, the valiant, the loyal, have always been of paramount interest with a brave and civilized people. Great Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in moments of danger and terror, have stood " firm as the rocks of their native shore ;" and when half the World has been arrayed against them, they have fought the battles of their Country with un- shaken fortitude. It is presumed that a record of achievements in war, — ^victories so complete and sur- prising, gained by our countrymen, our brothers. PREFACE. Ttt our fellow-citizeni in arms, — a record which revives the memory of the brave, and brings their gallant deeds before us, will certainly prove acceptable to the public. Biographical memoirs of the Colonels and other distinguished Officers will be introduced in the Records of their respective Regiments, and the Honorary Distinctions which have, from time to time« been conferred upon each Regiment, as testify- ing the value and importance of its services, will be faithfully set forth. As a convenient mode of Publication, the Record of each Regiment will be printed in a distinct num- ber, so that when the whole shall be completed, the Parts may be bound up in numerical succession. V Ql^i:: MJ i^'-Aii^'' -'<^ i:<,w^>^v: ,..;":_ .>•.?-/: J:*,::;- ■■;■;•;,"■ vi' ■^. i- - .. rj " „, -^■^ni';. ■■'•?; .''■i> . ./ V -'f, - ■.^>- f • I ■ _ ■ 1 ii 1 '--' ; ."^ - ".^ ? -..-':V ' - r ■ , ' ■- M ....^^.r-, \ - » ^ : ■ , ./"-■■ ■■■ A ■ ■'■-■■-' ':' '-.; ; ■- ' '. ' ' •*• '■^ '' - , " ' ■ - INTPcODUCTlON TO THE INFANTRY. The natives of Britain have, at all periods, been celebrated for innate courage and unshaken firmness, and the national superiority or the British troops over those of other countries has been evinced in the midst of the most imminent perils. History con- tains so many proofs of extraordinary acts of bravery, that no doubts can be raised upon the facts which are recorded. It must therefore be admitted, that the distinguishing feature of the British soldier is Intrepidity. This quality was evinced by the inhabitants of England when their country was invaded by Julius Csesar with a Roman army» on which occasion the undaunted Britons rushed into the sea to attack the Roman soldiers as they de- scended from their ships ; and, although their dis- cipline and arms were inferior to those of their adversaries, yet their fierce and dauntless bearing intimidated the flower of the Roman ti'oops, in- cluding Csesar's favourite tenth legion. Their arms consisted of spears, short swords, and other weapons of rude constiiiction. They had chariots, to the INTRODUCTION TO axles of which were fastened sharp pieces of iron resembling scythe-blades, and infantry in long chariots resembling waggons, who alighted and fought on foot, and for change of ground, pursuit, or retreat, sprang into the chariot and drove off with the speed, of cavalry. These inventions were, however, unavailing against Caesar's legions : in the course of time a military system, with dis- cipline and subordination, was introduced, and British courage, being thus regulated, was exerted to the greatest advantage ; a full development of the national character followed, and it shone forth in all its native brilliancy. The military force of the Anglo-Saxons consisted principally of infantry : Thanes, and other men of property, however, fought on horseback. The infantry were of two classes, heavy and light. The former carried large shields armed with spikes, long broad swords and spears; and the latter were armed with swords or spears only. They had also men armed with clubs, others with battle-axes andjavelins. ' ; - .^.^u^ The feudal troops established by William the Conqueror consisted (as already stated in the Intro- duction to the Cavalry) almost entirely of horse; but when the warlike barons and knights, with their trains of tenants and vassals, took the field, a pro- portion of men appeared on foot^ and, although these were of inferior degree, they proved stout- hearted Britons of stanch fidelity. When stipen- diary troops were employed, infantry always con- stituted a considerable portion of the military force ; THE INFANTRY. XI and this arme bfc.i ace acquired, in every quarter bf the globe, a ^tiehnty never exceeded by the armies of any nation at any period. The weapons carried by the infantry, during the several reigns succeeding the Conquest, were bows and arrows, half-pikes, lances, halberds, various kinds of battle-axes, swords, and daggers. Armour was worn on the head and body, and in course of time the practice became general for military men to be so completely cased in steel, that it was almost impossible to slay them. The introduction of the use of gunpowder in the destructive purposes of war, in the early part of the fourteenth century, produced a change in the arms and equipment of the infantry-soldier. Bows and arrows gave place to various kinds of fire-arms, but British archers continued formidable adversaries ; and owing to the inconvenient construction and imperfect bore of the fire-arms when first introduced, a body of men, well trained in the use of the bow from their youth, was considered a valuable acqui- sition to every army, even as late as the sixteenth century. During a great part of the reign of Queen Eliza- beth each company of infantry usually consisted of men armed five different ways ; in every hundred men forty were " men-at-arms" and sixty " shot ,•" the " men-at-arms " were ten halberdiers, or battle- axe men, and thirty pikemen ; and the ** shot " were twenty archers, twenty musketeers, and twenty harquebusiers, and each man carried, besides his principal weapon, a swoid and dagger. Xll INTRODUCTION TO Companies of infantry varied at this period in numbers from 150 to 300 men ; each company had^ a colour or ensign, and the mode of formation re- commended by an English military writer (Sir John Smithe) in 1590 was : — the colour in the centre of the company guarded by the halberdiers ; the pike- men in equal proportions, on each nank of the halberdiers ; half the musketeers on each flank of the pikes ; half the archers on each flank of the mus- keteers ; and the harquebusiers (whose aims were much lighter than the muskets then in use) in equal proportions on each flank of the company for skirmish- ing.* It was customary to unite a number of com- panies into one body, called a Regiment, which frequently amounted to three thousand men; but each company continued to carry a colour. Numer- ous improvements were eventually introduced in the construction of fire-arms, and, it having been found impossible to make armour proof against the muskets then in use (which carried a very heavy ball) without its being too weighty for the soldier, armour was gradually laid aside by the infantry in the seven- teenth century : bows and arrows also fell into dis« use, and the infantry were reduced to two classes, viz. : musketeers, armed with matchlock muskets^ • A company of 200 men would appear thus : — ;^ ,. 20 2020302103020 20 20 Huquebuies.Archert.Muiketi. Pikes. Halberds. Pikei. Muskets. Archers. Harquebuses. The musket carried a ball which weighed ^ of a pound ; and the harquebus a ball which weighed jt of a pound. THE INFANTRY. xiii pund ; and the swords, and daggers ; and pikemen, armed with pikes from fourteen to eighteen feet long, and sworde. In the early part of the seventeenth century Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, reduced the strength of regiments to 1000 men ; he caused the gunpowder, which had heretofore been carried in flasks, or in small wooden bandoliers, each contain- ing a charge, to be made up into cartridges, and carried in pouches ; and he formed each regiment into two wings of musketeers^ and a centre division of pikemen. He also adopted the practice of form- ing four regiments into a brigade ; and the number of colours was afterwards reduced to three in each regiment. He formed his columns so compactly that his infantry could resist the charge of the celebrated Polish horsemen and Austrian cuirassiers; and his armies became the admiration of other nations. His mode of formation was copied by the English, French, and other European states; but so great was the prejudice in favour of ancient customs, that all his improvements were not adopted until near a century afterwards. In 1664 Kiug Charles II. raised a corps for sea- service, styled the Admiral's regiment. In 1678 each company of 100 men usually consisted of 80 pikemen, 60 musketeers, and 10 men armed with light firelocks. In tliis year the king added a com- pany of men armed with hand-grenades to each of the old British regiments, which was designated the *• grenadier company." Daggers were so contrived as to fit in the muzzles of the muskets, and bayonets I ■ ii. • xlv INTRODUCTION TO similar to those at present in use were adopted about twenty years afterwards. An Ordnance regiment was raised in 1685, by order of King James II., to guard the artillery, and was designated the Royal Fusiliers (now 7th Foot). This corps, and the companies of grenadiers^ did not carry pikes. King William III. incorporated the Admiral's regiment in the Second Foot Guards, and raised two Marine regiments for sea-service. During the war in this reign, each company of infantry (ex cepting the fusiliers and grenadiers) consisted of 14 pikemen and 46 musketeers ; the captains carried pikes ; lieutenants, partisans ; ensigns, half-pikes ; and Serjeants, halberds. After the peace in 1697 the Marine regiments were disbanded, but were again formed on the breaking out of the war in 1702.* During the reign of Queen Anne the pikes were laid aside, and every infantry soldier was armed with a musket, bayonet, and sword ; the grenadiers ceased, about the same period, to carry hand-gren- ades ; and the regiments were directed to lay aside their third colour : the corps of Royal Artilleiy was first 'added to the army in this reign. About the year 1745, the men of the battalion companies of infantry ceased to carry swords ; *The 30th, 3l8t, and 32nd Regiments were formed as Marine corps in 1702, and were employed as such during the wars in the reign of Queen Anne. The Marine corps were embarked in the Fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke, and were at the taking of Gibraltar, and in its subsequent defence in 1704; they were after- wards employed at the siege of Barcelona in 1705. THE INFANTRY. XV during the reign of George II. light companies were added to infantry regiments ; and in 1764 a Board of General Officers recommended that the grenadiers should lay aside their swords, as that weapon had never been used during the seven years* war. Since that period the arms of the infantry soldier have been limited to the musket and bayonet. The arms and equipment of the British troops have seldom differed materially, since the Conquest, from those of other European states ; and in some respects the arming has, at certain periods, been allowed to be inferior to that of the nations with whom they have had to contend ; yet, under this disadvantage, the bravery and superiority of the British infantry have been evinced on very many and most trying occasions, and splendid victories have been gained over veiy superior numbers. Great Britain has produced a race of lion-like champions who have dared to confront a host of foes, and have proved themselves valiant with any arms. At Cre^yy King Edward III., at the head of about 30,000 men, defeated, on the 26th of August, 1346, Philip King of France, whose army is said to have amounted to 100,000 men ; here British valour encountered, veterans of renown : — ^the King of Bo- hemia, the King of Majorca, and many princes and nobles were slain, and the French army was routed and cut to pieces. Ten years afterwards, Edward Prince of Wales, who was designated the Black Prince, defeated, at Foictiers, with 14,000 men, a French army of 60,000 horse, besides infan- try, and took John I., King of France, and his son ! : I II ■ ilii XVI INTRODUCTION TO Philip, prisoners. On the 25th of October, 1415, King Henry V., with an army of about 13,000 men, although greatly exhausted by marches, pri- vations, and sickness, defeated, at Agincourt, the Constable of France, at the head of the flower of the French nobility and an army said to amount to 60,000 men, and gained a complete victory. During the seventy years' war between the United Provinces of the Netherlands and the Spanish mo- narchy, which commenced in 1578 and terminated in 1648, the British infantry in the service of the States -General were celebrated for their uncon- querable spirit and firmness ;* and in the thirty years' war between the Protestant Princes and the Emperor of Germany, the British troops in the ser- vice of Sweden and other states were celebrated for deeds of heroism.^ In the wars of Queen Anne, the fame of the British army under the great Marlborough was spread throughout the world ; and if we glance at the achievements performed within the memory of persons now living, there is abundant proof that the Britons of the present age are not inferior to their ancestors in the qualities * The brave Sir Rog;er Williams, in his Discourse on War, printed in 1590, observes: — " I persuade myself ten thousand of our nation would beat thirty thousand of theirs (the Spaniards) out of the field, let them be chosen where they list." Yet at this time the Spanish infantry was allowed to be the best disciplined in Europe. For instances oi valour displayed by the British Infantry during the Seventy Years* War, see the Historical Record of the Third Foot, or Buffs. t Vide the Historical Record of the First, or Royal Regiment of Foot. THE INFANTRY. xvH which constitute good soldiers. Witness the deeds iof the brave men, of whom there are many now surviving, who fought in Egypt in 1801, under (he i brave Abercromby, and compelled the French army, which had been vainly styled Invincible, to evo- cuate that country ; also the services of the gallant Troops during the arduous campaigns in the Penin- Isula, under the immortal Wrllinoton; and the [determined stand made by the British Army at ''aterloo, where Napoleon Bonaparte, who had long been the inveterate enemy of Great Britain, land had sought and planned her destruction by [every means he could devise, was compelled to [leave his vanquished legions to their lute, and to )lace himself at the disposal of the British Govern- lent. These achievements, with others of recent lates in the distant climes of India, prove that the same valour and constancy which glowed in the )reasts of the heroes of Cre9y, Poictiers, Agincourt, |Blenheim, and Ramilies, continue to animate the tritons of the nineteenth century. The British Soldier is distinguished for a robust md muscular frame, — intrepidity which no danger ean appal, — unconquerable spirit and resolution,*— }atience in fatigue and privation, and cheerful obe- lience to his superiors. These qualities, united with b excellent system of order and discipline to regu- late and give a skilful direction to the energies and idventurous spirit of the hero, and a wise selection )f officers of superior talent to command, whose )resence inspires confidence, — have been the leading :auses of the splendid victories gained by the British b • • • XVlll INTRODUCTION TO anns.* The fame of the deedt) of the past and present generations in the various battle-fields where the robust sons of Albion have fought and conquered, surrounds the British arms with a halo of glory ; these achievements will live in the page of history to the end of time. The records of the several regiments will be found to contain a detail of facts of an interesting character, connected with the hardships, sufferings, and gallant exploits of British soldiers in the various parts of the world where the calls of their Country and the com- mands of their Sovereign have required them to proceed in the execution of their duty, whether in active continental operations, or in maintaining colo- nial territories in distant and unfavourable climes. I ( I II * "Under the blessing of Divine Providence, His Majesty ascribes the successes which have attended the exertions of his troops in Egypt to that determined bravery which is inherent in Britons ; bnt His Majesty desires it may be most solemnly and forcibly impressed on the consideration of every part of the army, that it has been a strict observance of order, dis- cipline, and military system, which has given the ftdl energy to the native valour of the troops, and has enabled them proudly to assert the superiority of the national military character, in situations uncommonly arduous, and under circumstances of peculiar difficulty." — General Orders in 1801. In the General Orders issued by Lieut.TGeneral Sir John Hope (after- wards Lord Hopetoun), congratulating the army upon the successftil result of the Battle of Coruuna, ou the 16th of January, 1809, it is stated :— " On no occasion has the undaunted valour of British troops ever been more manifest At the termination of a severe and harassing march, rendered necessary by the superiority which the enemy had acquired, and which had materially impaired the efficiency of the troops, many disadvantages were to be encountered. These have all been surmounted by the conduct of the troops themselves ; and the enemy has been taught, that whatever advan- tages of position or of numbers he may possess, there is inherent in the British officers and soldiers a bravery that knows not how to yield, — that no circumstances can appal, — and that will ensure victory, when it is to be obtained by the exertion of any human means." . ' THE INFANTRY. XIX The superiority of the British infantry has been pre-eminently set forth in the wars of six centuries, and admitted by the greatest commanders which Europe has produced. The formations and move- ments of this arme, as at present practised, while they are adapted to every species of warfare, and to all probable situations and circumstances of service, are calculated to show forth the brilliancy of military {tactics calculated upon mathematical and scientific principles. Altiiough the movements and evolutions have been copied from the continental armies, yet various improvements have from time to time been introduced, to insure that simplicity and celerity by which the superiority of the national military cha- racter is maintained. The rank and influence which Great Britain has attained among the nations of the world, have in a great measure been purchased by the valour of the Army, and to persons who have the welfare of their country at hearty the records of the several regiments cunnot fail to prove interesting. 62 HISTORICAL RECORD THE TWELFTH, OR THE EaST SUFFOLK, REGIMENT OF FOOT, OORTAIIflN* AN AgCOUNI of the FORMATION OF THE BEGDIENT IN 1685, AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES TO 1847. ooMPiLiD ay RICHARD CANNON, Esq. AI>Ji;TAtiT-OBtnEBAI.'8 OVnOI, HOUB QCARIM. ILLUSTRATED WITH "LATES. LONDON: PARKER, FURNIVALL, & PARKER, 30 CHARING CROSS. ^ DCOC XLVIII. f ! t '.'<: •;,*?;*'•' LoNDAH : Priiit«d ht M'. Ciowm A Soh», Stamford Stb»it, FOR Her Majrity's Statiomrrv Office, THE TWELFTH, OR THE EAST SUFFOLK, REGIMENT OF FOOT BEAB8 ON ITS BEQIHENTAL COLOCB THE WORD MINDENi THE WORD GIBRALTAR, With the Ca$Ue and Key and tiie Motto, Montis Intignia Calpe ; AND THE WORDS "SERINGAPT AM" AND "INDIA;" IN COMMEMORATION OP ITS DISTINGUISHED SERVICES AT THE BATTLE OF MIJVDBN ON THE ht AUGUST, 17S9 ; IN THE GLORIOUS DEFENCE OF OIBRALTAR FROM THE YEAR 1779 TO 1782 ; AT THE STORMING AND CAPTURE OF SERINOAPATAM ON THE 4th MAY, 1799; and of ita Gallant Conduct on many arduous Duties in INDIA bom the Year 1798 to 1807. !l CONTENTS. Year 1685 Formation of the Regiment 1686 Station and Establishment Arms and Uniform 1687 Names of the Officers . 1688 Assembled on Hounslow-heath . 1689 Inspected at Hull after the Hevolution Embarked for Ireland .... Engaged at the Siege of Carrickfergus Advanced to Dundalk .... Death of its Colonel, Henry Wharton, and many soldiers by disease 1690 Engaged at Cavau .... the battle of the Boyne . the siege of Waterford . the first siege of Limerick Lanesborough . of 1691 Marched to MuUingar .... Engaged with the Rapparees — at the siege of Ballymore at the storming of Athlone . at the battle of Aghrim 'at the siege of Galway . Surrender of Limerick, and termination of the war in Ireland Embarked from Kiusale for Plymouth for the coast of France 1692 Proceeded to Ostend, and took possession of Furnes and Dixmude .... Returned to England 1693 Remained in England Pa^e 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ! XXVI CONTENTS. Year 1694 Embarked for Flanders Engaged at the siege of Iluy 1695 ■-■■■ " attack on Fort Kenoq —«__—__«__. defence of Dixmude Surrender of Dixmude to the French Released from Prisoners of War and garrison at Malines ue 1696 Marched to Ostend and Bruges . Encamped and stationed in and near Bruges 1697 Marched to Brabant . Encamped before Brussels . Peace of Ryswick Returned to England . 1699 Proceeded to Ireland . 1702 War with France and Spain 1703 Embarked for the West Indies . 1704 Proceeded to Jamaica . 1705 Returned to England . 1708 Embarked as Marines . Landed at Ostend Employed to escort ammunition, &c. to the besieging Lisle .... Surrender of Lisle 1709 Returned to England . 1710 Reviewed at Portsmouth 1712 Embarked for Spain . 1713 Peace of Utrecht. Proceeded to Minorca . 1719 Returned to England from Minorca 1722 Reviewed by King George I. 1739 Remained in England twenty years 1 740 Embarked as Marines . 1742 for Flanders. 1743 Marched to Germany . Engaged at the battle of Dettingen placed in Page 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 army 20 21 22 28 CONTENTS. XXVII Year 1743 Returned to Flanders . . . 1744 Engaf^ in operations on the Scheldt 1745 Advanced to the relief of Tournay Engaged at the battle of Fontenoy Casualties at the battle of Fontenoy Returned to England . — — — Engaged in suppressing the Rebellion 1746 Proceeded to Scotland . 1747 Returned to England . 1748 Embarked for Holland. Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle . Returned to England . •( Clothing, 1749 Embarked for Minorca 1751 Royal Warrant issued for regulating Colours, &c. 1752 Returned to England ... 1755 Commencement of the Seven years' War with France 1757 Second Battalion added to establishment 1758 Second Battalion constituted the 65th Regiment Embarked for Germany Marched into quarters at Munster 1759 Battle of Minden .... Royal Authority to bear the word "Minden " on the colours and appointments — — Entered cantonments at Osnaburg 1760 Arrived at Paderborn . Encamped at Fritzlar . Ealle Marched to engage the French at Warbourg Went into quarters at Paderborn 1761 Advanced into Hesse Engaged at Kirch Denkern, «&c. . 1762 Groebenstein and Wilhelmsthal — ■ Lutterberg .... 24 25 26 27 28 29 80 81 33 84 34 35 36 ! II i I ' IlillBl! ii i in II i ill! XXVIII CONTENTS. Year 1762 1763 Engaged at Homburg . the siege of Cassel Peace of Fontainbleau . Returned to England . Proceeded to Scotland. Embarked for Gibraltar Attack of Gibraltar by the Spaniards ^Siege and Defence continued 1784 1788 1790 1791 1793 1794 1795 1796 1797 1798 Returned to England Styled the East Suffolk Regiment Reviewed at Windsor by King George III Proceeded to Jersey and Guernsey . Embarked as Marines ..... Returned to Portsmouth .... Embarked for Ireland Flank companies embarked for the West Indies engaged at Martinico St. Lucia . Guadaloupe. Battalion companies embarked for Flanders Engaged at Werwick, and on the Lys in the relief of Ypres . near Boxtel Retired beyond the river Maese . Returned from Holland .... Flank companies returned from the West Indies Embarked on an expedition for the coast of France .... Embarked for the East Indies Arrived at Madras Embarked for Manilla . Returned to Madras . Proceeded to Tanjore in the Carnatic Page 37 38 39 to 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 CONTENTS. xxix Year Pag« 1799 Engaged in operations against Tippoo Saib . 59 Advanced against Seringapatam ... 60 Action near Malleville — Storming and Capture of Seringapatam . . 65 Beceived the Royal Authority to bear the word ' Seringapatam " on the colours and ap- pointments 70 1800 Proceeded against the tribes of the Wynaad country 71 1801 Returned to Seringapatam — Proceeded to Trichinopoly . . . . — 1802 Two companies returned from Java ... 72 Three companies employed against the Polygans — 1805 Marched to Seringapatam — 1807 Proceeded to Cannanore — 1808 Embarked for the port of Coulan in the — Travancore country 73 Serjeant Tilsey and 33 men destroyed by the Natives 74 Operations in the Travancore country . . 75 Returned to Seringapatam 81 Proceeded to Trichinopoly — 1810 Flank companies proceeded against the Isle of Bourbon 81 Embarked against the Mauritius, or the Isle of France 82 Capture of the Mauritius 83 1811 Stationed at the Mauritius 85 1812 Second Battalion added to the Establishment and embarked for Ireland .... 1813 First Battalion proceeded from the Mauritius to the Isle of Bourbon 1814 Island of Bourbon restored to France . 86 1815 Proceeded to the Island of Mauritius on its being retained as a Colony of Great Britain . — H; m ! I I ill i' I XXX CONTENTS Year Page 1815 Second Battalion returned to England, and em- barked for Flanders 86 -' advanced to Paris ... — 1816 returned to England, and pro- ceeded to Ireland 87 — — First Battalion continued at the Mauritius. — 1817 returned to England ... — proceeded to Ireland ... — 1818 Second Battalion reduced, and incorporated M'ith the First Battalion 88 1820 Embarked for England — 1821 Proceeded to Portsmouth, and tlience to Jersey and Guernsey — 1823 Returned to England 89 Embarked for Gibraltar — 1825 Augmented to ten Companies, six Service, and ^ four Dep6t Companies — 1827 Presentation of new colours with the authorised Inscriptions conferred as Honourable Dis- tinctions — 1828 Casualties from an epidemic disease at Gibraltar 90 1834 Returned to England 91 1835 Embarked for Ireland ...... — 1837 Formed into six Service, and four Dep6t Com- panies, and embarked for the Mauritius . . — 1838 Depdt Companies remained in Ireland . . — 1839 Augmentation of the Establishment ... — Depot Companies embarked for Wales . . — 1840 proceeded to Scotland , . — 1841 returned to South Britain . — 1842 Augmentation to two Battalions . . ' . . 92 1843 Reserve Battalion arrived at the Mauritius . — 1847 First Battalion Embarked for England . . — 1848 The Conclusion — CONTENTS. XXXI SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. Year 1685 Henry Duke of Norfolk 1686 Edward Earl of Lichfield 1688 Robert Lord Hunsdon Henry Wharton 1689 Richard Brewer 1702 John Livesay 1712 Richard Phillips 1717 Thomas Stanwix 1725 Thomas Wlietham 1741 Scipio Duroure 1745 Henry Skelton 1757 Robert Napier 1766 Henry Clinton 1779 William Picton 1811 Charles Hastings, Bart 1823 Hon. Robert Meade PHgU 98 94 95 90 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 PLATES. Costume of the Regiment .... to face 1 Colours of the Regiment .... , , 28 Attack of Gibraltar in 1782 , 48 Storming and Capture of Seringapatam in 1799 , , 70 'm II X ™i.l:ii::'i 'U mi i' • ■■^mi r^'n'O'^'vfsf.ft^ "S.. '^ "*-^. «,y. ■■^^■"•» -^J* ><>W»W i^'r*'*^*^:; *' ;. 1848. HISTORICAL RECORD •V THE TWELFTH, OR THE EAST SUFFOLK REGIMENT OF FOOT. ■#•! '■«>■, Aftkr the Restoration in 1660, when King Charles II. 1685 had disbanded thearmy of the commonwealth, a number of non-regimented companies of foot were embodied for garrisoning the fortified towns, and one company was constantly stationed at Windsor, to furnish a guard at the castle. This company sent a detachment to Virginia in 1676. It was commanded by Henry Duke of Norfolk, Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle, and was united to several companies raised in the summer of 1685, and constituted a regiment, of which the Duke of Norfolk was appointed Colonel, by commission dated the 20th of June, 1685. This regi- ment having been retained in the service to the present time, nowbea;rs the title of the Twelfth, or the East Suffolk, regiment of foot. The formation of this regiment was occasioned by the rebellion of James Duke of Monmouth, who assembled an army in the west of England to support his pretensions to the throne; and King James II. found it necessary to make a considerable augmentation ifllij ill ill !|l 1 ll iii 'bi' 2 THE TWELFTH, OR BAST SUFFOLK 1686 to the regular army. The companies, of which the regiment was composed, were raised in Norfolk, Suffolk, and the adjoining counties, by Henry Duke of Norfolk, Captains Henry Wharton, Charles Macartney, Domi- nick Trant, Jasper Patson, Charles Howard, Francis Blathwayt, Sir Alphonso de Mottetts, and George Trapp : the general rendezvous of the regiment was at Norwich, and as the several companies were formed, they were quartered at Norwich, Yarmouth, and Lynn. The formation of the regiment was not completed when the rebel army was defeated at Sedgcmoor, and the Duke of Monmouth was captured soon afterwards, and beheaded ; but King James resolved to retain the newly raised corps in his service, and the Duke of Norfolk's regiment was ordered to march to London. It was quartered a few days, in the beginning of August, in the Tower Hamlets, and afterwards en- camped on Hounslow-heath, where it was reviewed by 1686 the King. In the beginning of September the regi- ment marched into garrison at Portsmouth. On the 1st January, 1686, the establishment was fixed at the numbers and rates of pay as shown in the next page. Leaving Portsmouth in May, 1686, the regiment pro- ceeded to Kounslow, and pitched its tents on the heath, where a numerous army was assembled ; and while at this camp the colonelcy was conferred on Edward Earl of Lichfield, by commission dated the 14th of June, 1686. At the camp on Hounslow-heath, the Earl of Lich- field's regiment was stationed in the centre of the line of infantry ; it was distinguished by its white colours bearing the red cross of St. George ; the soldiers wore broad-brimmed hats, with the brim turned up on one BEGIMBNT OF FOOT. i side, and ornamented with white ribt&nds ; scarlet coats 1686 I lined with white ; blue breeches, blue stockings, and 'high shoes with square toes; and the pikemen, of whom there were twelve in each company, wore white sashes round their waists. Ths Ddke of Nobfolk's Reoihent of Foot. Staff. The Colonel, a* Colonel . . . Lieat-Colonel, tu Lieut.-Colonel Major, aa Major Chaplain Chirurgeon 4«. and 1 Mate 2<. 6tf. Adjutant Qoarter-Master and Marshal . Total Staff The Colonel's Cohpant. The Colonel, as Captain Lieutenant • . Ensign Two Sergeants, Is. 6wf.-ai:. .*..., B 2 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1687 A grenadier company was added to the regiment when it pitched its tents on Hounslow- heath in the summer of 1687, at which period the following officers were holding commissions, viz.: — ■ >» r . , )fA\ Captains. Lieutenants, Ensigns. Edward Earl of Lich- Charles Potts I jljl I, \M\\ field (col). Thomas Salisbury (lieut.-col). George Trapp (major). Dominiek Trant. Charles Macartney. Sir A. de Mottetts. Francis Blathwayt. Henry Wharton. John Bemers. Thomas Dowcett. Thomas Lord Jermyn. William Denny, Chaplain John Ross, Chirurg&m. Charles Houston. Edward Rupert. Robert Doughty. John Cuthbert. William Fisher. James Carlisle. Henry Bows. John Beverly. Ferdinand Paris. Valentine Saunders. Isaac Foxley. Alexander Waugh. Daniel Mahony. Robert Stourson. Richard Waldegrave. James Seppens. William Timperly. John Broder. Miles Bourk. George Raleigh, i _ ,. ElricLeMountay./ Grenad'er company. John Blakes,^ .^e^Wan/. James Healy, Quart&--Master. !Ml|: 1688 The frequent assembling of a numerous army, admired for its perfect equipment, discipline, and formidable appearance, on Hounslow-heath, was calculated to im- press the English nation with a sense of the King's power, and to facilitate the overthrow of the religion and laws of the kingdom, which His Majesty had deter- mined to accomplish. His Majesty resolved to make a trial of the disposition of his soldiers, to gain them over to the support of his measures ; thinking, if one regiment could be induced to give a promise of implicit obedience, its example would be followed by the other corps. Accordingly in the summer of 1688, soon after the Earl of Lichfield's regiment had pitched its tents on the heath, it was formed on parade in presence of His Majesty ; a short speech was made to the officers and soldiers to induce them to give an unreserved REOIMENT OF FOOT. pledge, and the major was directed to call upon all who 1553 would not support the repeal of the test and penal laws, to lay down their muskets ; when the King was surprised and disappointed at seeing the whole ground their arms, excepting two officers and a very few soldiers, who were Roman Catholics. After some pause His Majesty commanded them to take up their arms, telling them that for the future he would not do them the honour of asking their opinions. The conduct of the King occasioned the nobility and gentry to solicit the Prince of Orange to come to England with a Dutch army, and when the crisis arrived. His Majesty discovered that his soldiers had as much aversion to papacy and an arbitrary government, as his other subjects. Soon after the Prince of Orange had landed, the Earl of Lichfield was removed to the first foot guards, and was succeeded in the colonelcy by Robert Lord Hunsdon, whose commission was dated the 30th of November, 1688. After the flight of King James to France, Lord Hunsdon refused to take the reqiiired oath to the Prince of Orange, and His Highness conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Henry Wharton, a gallant ofiicer and a zealous protestant, who raised one of the companies of the regiment at its formation, and pos- sessed the confidence and afiection of the officers and soldiers : at the same time Captain Richard Brewer, from the fourteenth regiment of foot, was promoted to the lieut-colonelcy. In the beginning of 1689 the regiment was stationed 1539 in Oxfordshire : it afterwards proceeded to Hull, where it was inspected, on the 28th of May, by the com- missioners for remodelling the army. ' "^^ 6 THE TWELFTH, OR BAST SUFFOLK 1689 The elevation of the IMnce and Princess of Orange to the throne, under the title of King William and Queen Mary, was resisted in Ireland; and King James arrived in that country, with a body of troops, from France. King William sent an army thither, under Marshal Duke Schomberg, to rescue that part of his dominions from the power of the Roman Catholics, and the Twelfth regiment, commanded by Colonel Henrt Wharton, was selected to take part in this service. Embarking from England in the early part of August, the regiment arrived in Ireland in the middle of that month ; it landed near Bangor, in the county of Down, without opposition, and encamped on the beach. The fortress of Carrickfergus was garrisoned by King James's troops, who were summoned, but refused to surrender; and the first service performed by the regi- ment, in the field, was the siege of that place. A practicable breach having been made in the works, the regiment was under arms at six o'clock on the morning of the 27th of August, to take part in storm- ing the town. The soldiers had arrived at the trenches, and Colonel Wharton stood with a pike in his hand ready to give the signal for the attack, when the Irish displayed a white flag on the walls, and agreed to sur- render. Story states, in his History of the Wars in Ireland, ' Colonel Wharton lay before the breach with ' his regiment, and was ready to enter, when the Duke • sent to command his men to forbear, which, with some ' diflUculty, they were induced to do, fcr they had a great ' mind to enter by force.* After the surrender of Carrickfergus, the regiment advanced with the army to Dundalk, and the Duke Schomberg, believing King James's forces were more than double his own in numbers, formed an entrenched REGIMENT OF FOOT. camp. The situation of this camp was particularly 1680 unfavourable ; the ground was low, and the weather proving wet, the infantry regiments lost many men from disease. The Twelfth sustained a very serious loss in non-commissioned officers and soldiers; and on the morning of the 28th of October their com- manding officer, the gallant Colonel Henry \7harton, died. This officer is represented by historiaris as pos- sessing a noble disposition, refined understanding, and lofty sentiments of honour, which, added to a tall grace- ful person, and a gallant bearing, occasioned him to be admired and beloved by the officers and soldiers of his regiment. Story states, — 'Colonel Wharton was a ' brisk, bold man, and had a regiment that would have ' followed him anywhere, for the officers and soldiers 'loved him, and this made him ready to push on upon ' all occasions. . . . He was of a comely handsome ' person, gifted with a rare understanding.' Colonel Sir Thomas Gower died on the preceding day, and the remains of these two officers were interred, on the 30th of October, in a vault in Dundalk church, their regiments attending and firing three volleys. King William promoted the lieutenant-colonel of the regiment, Richard Brewer, to the colonelcy, by com- mission dated the 1st of November, 1689. On the 7th of November the regiment struck its tents and marched towards Armagh; and it was employed on various services during the winter. In February, 1690, the regiment was stationed at 1690 Belturbet, with the Inniskilling horse and dragoons (now sixth), and the Queen Dowager's foot (now second) ; and information having been received that the enemy was assembling a body of troops at Cavan, Colonel Wolseley left Belturbet on the night of the 1 0th 8 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1690 o^ February, with three hundred horse and dragoons, and seven hundred foot of the second and Twelfth regiments, to surprise the enemy in his quarters. Encountering difficulties on the march, the day had dawned before the Colonel came in sight of Cavan, when he was surprised at discovering four thousand Irish soldiers, commanded by the Duke of Berwick, formed on a rising ground tc oppose him. The Colonel had only one thousand tired soldiers* to attack four thousand fresh opponents with, but trusting to the va- lour of his men, he sent the cavalry forward to commence the action. The enemy's cavalry drove back the Innis- killing dragoons ; but a volley from the English mus- keteers, brought down ten Irish horsemen, and the survivors fell back. Wolseley's infantry formed line and advanced: arriving within pistol-shot of their opponents, they opened a sharp fire with good effect, and after a few volleys, drew their swords to charge, but on the smoke clearing, they discovered that their opponents had fled. Pursuing the fugitives, they en- tered the town, and finding stores of necessaries and provisions, they halted to possess themselves of the booty ; when the Irish rallied and resumed the fight, but were repulsed by the reserve. After the action the troops returned to Belturbet. A numerous body of recruits from England replaced the losses of the regiment, and in June it brought five hundred musketeers, one hundred and sixty pikemen, and sixty grenadiers into the field, to serve under King William III., who commanded the army in Ireland in person. v. « The Twelfth regiment, commanded by Colonel * In the Duke of Benrick's memoirs, it is erroneously stated that Colonel Wolseley had 3000 foot and 300 horse with him. REGIMENT OF FOOT. sly stated that Brewer, had the honour of taking part at the forcing of 1690 the passage of the Boyne on the 1st of July : it formed part of the main body under King William III., and after fording the river, engaged King James's army, and contributed to the gaining of a decisive victory. Aflerthe loss of this battle, King James fled to France; but the Irish Roman Catholics, aided by the French troops, adhered to his interest. From the field of battle the regiment accompanied King William to Dublin ; it afterwards proceeded to Limerick, but on arriving at Carrick-on-Suir, it was detached, under Major General Kirke, to besiege Waterford: the garrison of this place surrendered without waiting for an attack. King William afterwards besieged Limerick ; but King James's soldiers made a more resolute defence than appears to have been expected, and His Majesty was induced to raise the siege, and send the troops into quarters. -.-■ ' ' ; i^ • ' i; i,"^? The Twelfth regiment was employed in various services during the winter, and detached parties of the corps had several rencounters with the bands of armed peasantry called Rapparees. Towards the end of December, the regiment was in motion against the enemy, and on the 31st of that month it approached the town of Lamsbormah, when it encountered some opposition from a body of Irish troops formed up to oppose its advance. Colonel Brewer led the regiment forward with gi'eat gallantry; some sharp fighting ensued, and the enemy was driven from the trenches cut across the road, through the town, and across the river. The Twelfth were unable to follow their opponents for want of boats or other means to cross the stream. 10 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1691 From Lanesborough the regiment marched to Mul- lingar, of which place its commanding officer, Colonel Brewer, was appointed governor. The quarters of the regiment were infested with parties of armed Roman Catholic peasantry, called rapparees, and on the 28th of April, Colonel Brewer advanced with six hundred men of the Twelfth and eighteenth regi- ments, and twenty dragoons, towards the castle of Donore, beyond which place two thousand rapparees had taken post and occupied a number of huts. At daybreak the following morning the soldiers arrived at the quarters of the rapparees, who formed for battle on the hills ; but when the musketeers of the Twelfth and eighteenth advanced to commence the action, the enemy fled ; the soldiers pursued some distance, and killed fifty of the fugitives. Parties of rapparees continued to hover round Mul- lingar, and on the 2nd of May, they intercepted a Serjeant and four soldiers of the Twelfth regiment between that place and Kinnegad; they put the ' Serjeant and three of the soldiers to death, and put out the eyes of the fourth soldier. Three of the perpe- trators of this cruelty were captured; two of them were hanged on the spot, and the third, to save his life, guided Captain Po3nies and a hundred soldiers of the regiment, to one of the lurking-places of the rap- parees, where the men of the Twelfth fell suddenly upon a large company of these marauders, killed forty, dispersed the remainder, and recovered a quantity of property, which had been taken from the Protestants. Towards the end of May, one division of the army encamped at MuUingar, where General De Ginkell arrived and assumed the command. ^ From MuUingar the army advanced to the fort of BKOIMBNT or FOOT. 11 Ballymore, which was besieged^ and surrendered on 1601 the 8th of June. After repairing the breaches o^ Jallymoro, and putting the place in a state of defence, the army ad- vanced to Athlone, and on the 20th of June, the rogi- ment was ordered to support the storming party at the attack of ithe Westmeath side of the town. Major- General Mackay commanded the troops employed on this service, and after making the necessary arrange- ments for the attack, took his post on the battery to see the issue, when he observed that the advanced party had missed its way and halted. He instantly hastened to the Twelfth regiment, and taking the first captain he came to by the hand, pointed the way to the breach. The regiment immediately rushed for- ward, stormed the breach in gallant style, and over- coming the resistance of the Irish, drove them acrosi the bridge to the Connaught side of the town. . Several batteries were raised against the works on the Connaught side of the river, and the grenadier company of the Twelfth was engaged in forcing the passage of the Shannon, and in capturing the town by storm, ou the 30th of June, which was a most desperate service, and was performed with distinguished valour and intrepidity. The Irish army, commanded by a French officer of talent and reputation. General St. Ruth, took up a position near Aghrim, where it was attacked on the 12th of July. During the action, Major-General Mackay ordered the Twelfth, and three other regi- ments, to pass a difficult bog, ford a rivulet, and drive the Irish from behind the hedges of the nearest en- . closures. The soldiers waded through the bog and rivulet, which was waist deep, and drove the Irish out # 12 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1691 of the first enclosures in gallant style. They after- wards pressed forward with too much ardour, before the troops designed to support them had arrived, and becoming insulated, they were attacked in front and on both flanks by very superior numbers, and driven back to the edge of the bog. The Irish followed, shout- ing and plpng them with musketry ; cut a support arriving under Major-General Talmash, the four regiments faced about, repulsed their pursuers, and by a spirited effort recovered their lost ground ; the cavalry passed the bog near the castle of Aghrim, and by a determined charge completed the overthrow of the Irish army : the French general, St. Ruth, was killed towards the close of the action by a cannon-ball. The Twelfth regiment had one major, one captain, one ensign, and a number of private soldiers killed/ one lieutenant, and seven rank and file wounded. The regiment afterwards marched with the army to Galway, and formed part of th„ force employed in the siege of that place, which surrendered on the 21st, and was delivered up on the 26th of July. Major-General Bellasis was appointed governor of Galway, and the Twelfth, twenty-second, and twenty-third regiments were selected to form the garrison of that fortress. . During the remainder of the campaign, the Twelfth regiment was stationed at Galway ; and in the autumn, the war in Ireland was terminated by the surrender of Limerick, which delivered that country from the power of King James the Second. The conquest of Ireland enabled King William to withdraw several regiments from thence to strengthen the allied army in the Netherlands, assembled to op- pose the progress of the French conquests in that country. The Twelfth regiment marched from Gal- RKGIMENT OF FOOT. 1$ vay on the 23rd of November, embarked at Kinsale 1691 towards the end of that month, and sailed to Plymouth, where it landed in the beginning of December. During the summer of 1692, the regiment was 1692 selected to form part of an expedition against the coast of France, under the command of the Duke of Leinster : it embarked at Southampton, and the expedition menaced the French coast at several places, occasioning much alarm ; but the French had assembled so great a number of regiments to oppose the descent, that a council of war decided against landing. The troops afterwards sailed to Ostend, where they landed, and being joined by a detachment from the confederate army under King William III., they took possession of the towns of Fumes and Dixmude, which they fortified, to be occupied as frontier posts during the winter. After these places were put in a state of defence, the regiment returned to England. "-f During the year 1693, the regiment remained in 1693 Great Britain ; but the loss of the battle of Landen, by King William, rendered it necessary for the con- federate army in Flanders to be augmented, and Colonel Brewer's was one of the regiments selected to proceed on service. The regiment embarked for Flanders in the spring 1694 of 1694 ; it was stationed at Malines a short time, and afterwards formed part of the escort which accom- panied the train of artillery to the army at Tir lemon t, where it arrived on the 6th of June; on the 10th the regiment was reviewed by the King, who expressed his approbation of its appearance and discipline. It was formed in brigade with a battalion of the Royal, the third, fourth, seventh, and nineteenth regiments^ under Brigadier- General Erie, and was engaged in 14 THE TWBLVTH, Oil BA8T SUFFOLK 1694 the toilsome operations of the campaign, which wai passed in manoeuvring, without a general engage- ment. The regiment formed part of the covering army during the siege of Huy, and after the capture of this fortress it was stationed at Bruges. The progress of the French conquests had been arrested^ and in 1694 the current of success flowed 1695 in favour of the Confederates. In 1695, King William resolved to undertake the siege of Namur. As a preparative measure, the Twelfth, and several other regiments, marched to Dixmude, in May ; in June an attack was made on the fcrt of Kenoque, — a strong post situate at the junction of the Loo and Dixmude canals, to draw the French forces to that part of their line of fortifications. The Twelfth were engaged in this attack ; and they were formed in brigade with the fourteenth, fifteenth, and seventeenth regiments, under Colonel Leslie; they had several men killed and ' wounded. The French troops having taken post behind their lines, leaving Namur exposed, the King seized the favourable moment and invested the town. The attack on fort Kenoque was then disconMnued, and the Twelfth marched into garrison at Dixmude, where three British and five Dutch regiments of foot, and the Queen's (now third) dragoons, were stationed under a Dutch officer, — Major- General EUemherg. A powerful French army, commanded by Marshal Villeroy, approached the town of Dixmude, and on the 1 5th of July the place was invested by a strong division under General de Montal. The trenches were opened on the same night, and on the following day a battery of eight guns and three mortars om- menced a heavy fire. The works beginning to crumble under fire, Major-General EUemberg called a council mOIMBNT or FOOT. 16 of war of the commanding ofRcers of rogimonU, and 1695 suggested the necessity of surrendering, using, at the same time, various arguments to induce the other officers to agree to his proposal. Colonel Brewer, of the Twelfth foot, remonstrated against this measure, and recommended a resolute defence of the town to the last extremity ; but a majority in the council of war voted for surrendering. The garrison expected to march out with the honors of war ; but the French King sent orders to make the whole prisoners of war. The soldiers in garrison were anxious to be permitted to defend the town ; many of them broke their arms sooner than deliver them up to the French, and several stands of regimental colours were destroyed by the that they might not become trophies in the men, hands of the enemy. The regiments in garrison were all made prisoners of war, and were marched into the territory subject to France, Louis XIV. refusing to deliver them up on the conditions of the cartel pre- viously agreed upon. In the mean time King William was carrying on the siege of Namur, and wh- • the citadel was sur- rendered, he permitted tho garrison to march out with the honors of war, but ordered Marshal Boufflers to be arrested, and detained, until the regiments made prisoners by the French at Dixmude, and detained contrary to the cartel, were delivered up. This produced the desired effect — the Twelfth, and other corps in prison, were liberated, and rejoined the army, and the necessary arms, equipments, and cloth- ing, were procured as speedily as possible, to enable the regiment to resume its duties ; it was afterwards placed in garrison at M alines. ,. ..t^: A general court-martial assembled for the trial of 16 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1695 the officers who delivered up Dixmude and its gar- rison to the enemy; Major- General Ellendterg was sentenced to be beheaded, and executed at Ghent on the 20th of November ; Colonels Graham, Leslie, and the Dutch Colonel Aiier were cashiered; Colonel Brewer of the Twelfth foot, and the other com- manding officers, who remonstrated against the sur- render of the town, were acquitted. 1696 The French monarch made preparations for the invasion of England in favour of King James, and in the spring of 1696, several regiments were withdrawn from Flanders, when the Twelfth marched from Malines to Ostend and Bruges ; but the enemy did not venture to put to sea, and the regiment was not required to embark for England. On the 28th of May, the regiment joined the troops encamped between Ghent and Bruges ; it was formed in brigade with the first battalion of the royals, the fifteenth, and Collingwood's (afterwards disbanded) regiments, undei Brigadier-General the Earl of Orkney, and served the campaign of this year with the army of Flanders, under the Prince of Vaudemont. The troops of that army were encamped behind the Bruges canal, nearly all the summer, to cover Ghent, Bruges, and the maritime towns of Flanders : in the autumn the regiment was ordered to occupy quarters in the town of Bruges. 1697 In th(3 spring of 1697, the English regiments were ordered to proceed to Brabant, to joJn the army com- manded by King William in person; the Twelfth foot wpie, however, detained in Flanders until the Brandenburg troops arrived, when they marched to Brabant, and served under the King during the remainder of the campaign. They were formed in REGIMENT OF FOOT. 17 brigade with a battalion of the first royals^ and the 1697 fifth. Collier's and Lauder's (afterwards disbanded) regiments, commanded by the Earl of Orkney. The regiment was encamped before Brussels, when the war was terminated by the treaty of Hyswick, and King William saw his efforts, to prevent the aggran- dizement of France by conquest, attended with com- plete success. During the winter the regiment re- turned to England. Considerable reductions were made in the establish- 1698 ment of the army in 1698 and 1699, and the Twelfth 1699 were ordered to proceed to Ireland. ' While the regiment was stationed in Ireland, the 1700 death of Charles II., King of Spain, occurred, and he was succeeded by Philip, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV., in violation of existing treaties, which 1701 rekindled the war in Europe. Various circumstances occurred to induce Great 1702 Britain to take part in the contest, and Queen Anne declared war against France and Spain, in May, 1702. The establishment of the Twelfth regiment was aug- mented, and it was held in readiness to proceed on foreign service ; but it was detained in Ireland several months, during which period Colonel Brewer was suc- ceeded in the colonelcy by Lieut.-Colonel Livesay, by commission, dated the 28th of September 1 702. As soon as hostilities were commenced. Vice- Admiral Benbow, commanding the British naval force in the West Indies, began an active warfare against the commerce of the enemy, with some success. Soon afterwards the Twelfth regiment was ordered to form part of a powrful armament, designed to be sent to the West Indies, under Charles Earl of Peterborough who was promoted to the local rank of General, and a c 18 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1702 Dutch naval and land force arrived at Spithead, to accompany the British fleet ; but this joint expedition was laid aside. 1703 The Twelfth regiment embarked for the West Indies during the winter. In the early part of March, 1703, an unsuccessful attack was made on the island of Guadaloupe, by the troops under Colonel Codrington ; two regiments landed and gained some advantages, but the expedition was not of sufficient strength to capture the island. 1704 Additional regiments were afterwards sent to the West Indies :* but nothing of importance took place, and the Twelfth were sent to the island of Jamaica, where they were stationed during the year 1704. 1705 The regiment sustained very serious losses &om the effects of the climate, and, in 1705, it transferred the non-commissioned officers and soldiers fit for service, to the twenty-second foot, and the officers and a few of the Serjeants returned to England to recruit. '^ 1706 During the years 1706 and 1707, the regiment was employed in recruiting, training, and disciplining its 1707 I't^nks, and having attained a state of efficiency, it was J ijQg reported fit for service, and in the spring of 1708, it was held in readiness to serve on board the fleet as marines. During the summer, the regiment was encamped in the Isle of Wight, where it was reviewed, on the 19th of July, by Major-General Erie, and afterwards em- barked on an expedition against the coast of France, List of regiments in the West Indies in the summer of 1703 : — Colombine's, now sixth. Livesay's, now twelfth. Erie's, now nineteenth. Handasyd's, now twenty -second. Whetham's, now twenty-seventh. Donegal's, now tbirty-fifdi. Charlemont's, now thirty -sixth. Hamilton's, afterwards disbanded. REGIMENT OF FOOT. U the fleet being under the orders of Admiral Sir George noe Byng, and the land forces under Major-General Erie.* The f.cot sailed from Spithead on the 27th of July, and menaced the coast of Picardy with a descent, creating considerable alarm and consternation ; a landing was afterwards effected a few miles from Boulogne, but nothing of importance was accomplished. In the mean time, the allied army, commanded by the great Duke of Marlborough and P*rince Eugene of Savoy, was carrying on the siege of the celebrated city of Lisle, the capital of French Flanders, which was defended by fifteen thousand men^ under Marshal Boufflers. The French and Spaniards, thinking to prevent the allied army receiving supplies from the coast, detached a body of troops, under General Count de la Mottu ' ' -r'.rds Ostend ; and the troops employed in alarming t u French coast, were suddenly ordered to proceed to that port, where they arrived on the 21st of -September. The Twelfth, and other regiments of the expedition, having landed at Ostend, the French general retired; first cutting the dykes, to lay the country between Ostend and Nieuport under water, and to prevent the troops, under Major- General Erie, com- municating with the grand army under the Duke of Marlborough. A strong detachment from the Twelfth, and two other regiments, seized on Leffinghen, con- * List of troops employed in the expedition under Majei '-General Erie. Foot embarked frtwn the Isle of Wight:— Livesay's, now twelfth. Moore's, afterwards disbanded. Farrington's, now twent}'-ninth. Caulfield's , , > > Hamilton's, afterwards disbanded. Townshend's, , , » > Johnson's, . , , , Wynne's, , , ) ■) Dragoons embarked from Dover :— Carpenter's, now third. | Essex's, now fourth. C 2 20 THE TWELFTH, OR EA&T SUFFOLK ■km I n' I 1 nosstructed some works, and established a post at that village. At this period, the ui my before lisle was deficient in ammunition for carrying on the siege, %nd the Duke of Marlb uugh, having heard of the arrival of the troops at Ostend, and of their having established a post at Leffinghen, sent seven hundred waggons thither, under a strong guard, for supplies. The soldiers of the Twelfth, and other corps at Ostend, were em- ployed in draining the inundations ; they built a bridge over the canal of Leffinghen^ opened a communication with the grand army, and assisted in loading the seven hundred waggons with ammunition and other neces- saries. : : . 4^ FOOT ■:V BEGIMENT OF FOOT. 29 within a wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk, 1751 and the union in the upper canton. Towards the end of the year 1751 the Twelfth 1752 were relieved from duty at Minorca by the fifty-first regiment, and returned to England, where they ar- rived in the beginning of 1752. The progress of colonization in North America in- 1755 volved Great Britain in disputes with the French government respecting the country near the river Ohio, which occasioned the commencement of the Seven Years' War, in 1756. The establishment of the 1756 Twelfth regiment was augmented on this occasion; 1757 and in 1757 it consisted of two battalions. General Skelton died on the 9th of April, 1757, and King George II. conferred the colonelcy of the Twelfth foot on Major-General Robert Napier, from the fifty-first regiment. In 1758 the second battalion of the Twelfth foot 1758 was constituted the sixty-fifth regiment, under the command of Colonel Armiger, from captain and lieut.- colonel of the first foot guards.* Meanwhile the war, which commenced in America, had extended to Hanover, and the electorate was over- run by the armies of France. A body of Hanoverian, * The second battaliom of the regiments undermentioned were formed into distinct corps, in April, 1758, and numbered from 6l8t to 75th regi- ments, as shown in the following list, viz. : — 2 Batt. 24th Foot, constituted 69 reg. ,, 4th ,, ,, 8th ,, \ ,, nth ,, ,, 12th „ ■< ,, 19th ,, ,. 20th ,, ,, 23rd „ The above 7l8l the Year 1 (UtUt eaeireg. 62 ,, 63 ,, 64.,, 65 ,, 66 ,, 67 ,, 68 ,, » » I > » f > > 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 36th 37th > } ft t » » * > > 70 ,, 71 ,, 72 ,, 73 ,, 74 ,, 75,, The above 7l8t, 72nd, 73rd, 74th, and 75th regiments were disbanded in the Year 1763, after the peace of Fontainblean. 90 THE TWELFTH, OR EA8T SUFFOLK Hessian, and Brunswick troops, commanded by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, opposed the forces of the enemy, and in the summer of 1758, the Twelfth regiment, after encamping a short time in the Isle of Wight, was ordered to proceed to Germany to join the allied army. The regiment arrived at Embden on the ; 1st of August, landed a few miles above the town on the 3rd, anjl on the 5th commenced its march to join the army, which it accomplished in twelve days, and was re- viewed on the 2Qth of that month by Prince Ferdin The enemy having amassed immense magazines in the country of Hesse, and on the Lower Rhine, the allied army made a sudden advance into the enemy's cantonments, in February, 1761, captured several 1761 strong towns, and seized on numerous stores of pro- vision. The Twelfth shared in this enterprise, advancing through a deep snow, and taking part in several important captures : when this service was performed, they retired to their former quarters. In June, 1761, the regiment again took the field, and was employed in several operations ; it was formed in brigade with the fifth, twenty-fourth, and thirty- seventh regiments, under the command of Brigadier- General Sandford, and wis posted in the Marquis of Granby's division, After several harassing marches, the regiment was L^tationed in front of the village of Kirch Denkem, and near to Vellinghausen, in the bishopric of Paderborn. The French, commanded by Marshals Soubise and the Duke of Broglio, attacked this post on the 15th of July; but the ground was * London Gazette. D 2 86 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1761 maintained with firmness and resolution by the British infantry, and the enemy was repulsed with loss. The fire of the skirmishers was continued during the night, and on the following day the attack was repeated with fresh troops, when the Twelfth evinced great gallantry in the defence of the position. After five hours' sharp fighting, some disorder appeared in the enemy's ranks, when the brigade charged and routed the opposing battalions with great slaughter. The loss of the regiment, on this ocasion, was limited to three private soldiers killed, and nine wounded. The TwEi-FTH were stationed near Kirch Denkem until the 27th of July r they were subsequently employed in manojuvring ar;! ,^irmishing in various parts of the bishopric of radrfo^n and on the river Weser, and in September (hey v/f .e employed in the country of Hesse. They were u.igaged in several skirmishes in the electorate of Hanover in the early part of November ; and were subsequently quartered for several months in the bishopric of Osnaburg. J 762 The regimcTit left its cantonments in Osnaburg in the spring of 1762, and was formed in brigade with the same regiments as in the preceding year. It was engaged, on the 24th of June, in the surprise of the French army encamped at Oroebenstein : on the morn- ing of that day it was in motion at an early hour, crossed the river Dymel at Liebenau at four o'clock, and advancing several miles through a woody country, arrived in front of the enemy's camp. The French were surprised and confounded ; they abandoned their camp, leaving their tents standing, and retreated towards Cassel ; one division, under General Stain- ville, throwing itself into the woods of tfillichnsthal, to cover the movement. This division was attacked, REGIMENT OF FOOT. 37 and nearly annihilated ; and after the loss of many men 170*1 killed and wounded, the remainder surrendered to the fifth foot, which was the leading regiment of the bri- gade to which the Twe lfth belonged, r } '. After the action, the regiment encamped on tho heights of Wilhelmsthal ; it was subsequently em- ployed in various operations ; and on the 23rd of July its grenadier company took part in driving the Saxons, under Prince Xavier, from their post at Lutterhery, and in the capture of thirteen pieces of cannon. On the 24th of July a hundred men of the Twelfth foot were engaged in dislodging a detachment of the enemy from the heights of Hamburg. The regiment wa» afterwards employed in operations on the rivers Ohm and Lahn, and in covering the siege of Caasel, which fortress surrendered in the beginning of November. A suspension of hostilities took place soon after tho surrender of Cassel, which was followed by a treaty of peace, coiiv'^iuded at Fontainbleau : the regiment was quartered in the bishopric of Munster abr it ten weeks. ^ ::■■:.:■:- .:ii, .' .• , - ; In the beginning of 1763, the thanks of Parliament 1763 were communicated to the army for its conduct during the war. In February, the regiment marched through Holland to Williamstadt, where it embarked for Eng- land : its effective strength, according to the embark- ation return, was twenty-seven officers, six hunc'.ed and eighty-nine non-cornmissioned officers and soldiers. On arrivingin England, from Germany, the Twelfth 1754 were ordered to proceed to Scotland, where they were 1755 stationed during the following thii." years. jngg Lieut -Geierol Napier died in November, 1766, when King George III. conferred tho command of the regiment on CoIopc. 'lenry Clinton, mni captain and lieut. -colonel in tho ii;;/ foot guard's. r ^. 8S THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK I'jg'j In 1767, the Twelfth were stationed in England; 1769 ^"'^ in 1769, they proceeded to Gibraltar, to relievo the twentieth regiment on garrison duty at that fortress. ■■ ■' > v, j "^ v/' . ; ,-' i-j o^ 1775 The American WcT cumi/ ^^nced in 1775, and the colonel of the rcgiiiicnt, Lieut.-General Sir Henry Clinton, distinguished himself in that country: in 1778 December, 1778, he was appointed colonel of the eighty-fourth regiment, or Boyal HighH."' emigrants, then first embodied for service in North Americiv, and 1779 aftcnvards disbanded. The Colonelcy of the Twelfth foot m.ained vacant until the 21st of April, 1779, when It was conferred on Colonel William Picton, from ,he seventy-fifth regiment ; a newly-raised coi-ps, which was disbanded at the peace in 1 782-3. The Twelfth regiment remained at Gibraltar. Tiie posscssioij of this fortress by the English, with a British gaiTison on the top of the rocky promontory overlooking the provinces of Spain, had been regarded by the S ds with great jealousy : every attempt to retake it had failed. Great Britain attached much importance to the possession of it; but the contest between the revolted provinces in North America and England appeared to preseiu I to the Spanish monarch a favourable opportunity for regaining possession of this valuable fortress. When the French monarch acknowledged the independence of the United States, and commenced hostilities against Britain, the time appeared particularly favourable lor another effort to recapture Gibraltar, and in the summer of 1779, that fortress was beset, by sea ar 1 land, by the Spanish fleets and armies. The garrison consisted of the '1 welfth, thirty- ninth, fifty -sixth, fifty-eighth, and (late) seventy-second REGIMENT OF FOOT. 39 British, with the ITanoverian regiments of I iardenberg, n'jg Redcn, and Do la Motte, and a proportion of artillery and engineers. The Twelfth mustered twenty-nine officers, twenty-nine serjeants, twenty-two drummers, and five hundred and nineteen rank and file, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Triggc : the garrison mustered five thousand three hundred and eighty-two men, under the orders of General Eliott, afterwards Lord Heathfield.* Being blockaded by sea and bcbloged by land, the troops at Gibraltar became cut off from communication wita all countries, and the garrison wan like a little world wi hin itself. The arrangements for the defence were devised with judgment, and executed with skill. The soldiers conformed to the strict rules which their circumstances rendered necessary, and severe exercise and short diet became habitual to them; at the same time the extensive preparations of the enemy, the great importance of the fortress, and the deter- mine*^ character of General Eliott and his garrison. • Strenfcth of the Garrison of Gibraltar at the commencement of the Blockade, 2l8t .Tune, 1 779 :— British. OfScers. Men, ,' Royal Artillery .... 25 460 Royal Engineers .... 8 114 12th Foot 29 570 39th ,, 29 557 S6th ,, 27 560 58th , 28 577 72nd ,, (Royal Manchester Volonteers,) disbanded in 1783 33 1013 4030 Hanoverian. Hardenberg's Regiment . . 29 423 Reden'8 ,, . • 27 417 De La Motte's , , . . 33 423 1352 Total . . . • 6382 40 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST Sf'FFOLK 4' "I It 1779 occasioned this ciiego to become a subject of universal interest, and the eyes of all Europe were directed towards Gibraltar, watching the result of the contest. As the enemy's works progressed, the pavement of the streets was taken up, the towers of conspicuous buildings were pulled down, the guard-houses un- roofed, the stone sentry-boxes removed, traverses raised, a covered way begun, and every measure adopted to prevent the bombardni^jnt of the place being attended with serious results. 1780 Early in 1780 provisions became short, and the soldiers cheerfully submitted to privation; i.ut soon afterwards the garrison was relieved by a fleet from England : the wants of the troops were, however, not supplied in many important articles. 1781 The Spaniards renewed the blockade by sea, and sent nine fire-ships into the harbour, but failed in the attempt to destroy the shipping. Provisions soon be- came deficient again ; vegetables were cultivated on the rock with some success ; a precarious supply of several articles was obtained from the Moors, and in April, 1781, the garrison was again relieved. The siege was continued, and a severe bombardment reduced a great part of the town to a heap of ruins. General Eliott deliberately watched the progress of the enemy, and kept his garrison close within the for- tress, until a favourable opportunity presented itself for a sally, when the following * Evening garrison order ' was issued, dated November 26, 1781: 'Countehsign, ' Steady. — All the grenadiers and light infantry in ' the garrison, and all the men of the Twelfth and ' Hardenberg's regiments, with the officers and non- * commissioned officers on duty, to be immediately re- 'lieved and join their regiments, to form a detach- REGIMENT OF FOOT. 41 and ' mont, consisting of the Twklfth and Ilardenl)crg*s \is\ ' regiments complete ; the grenadiers and light infantry ' of all the other regiments ; one captain, three licute* 'nants, ten non-commissioned officers and a hundred ' artillery ; three engineers, seven officers, ten non-com- • missioned officers, overseers, w ith a hundred and sixty ' workmen from the line, and forty workmen from the ' artificer corps; each man to have thirty -six rounds of ' ammunition, with a good flint in his piece, and another • in his jwcket ; the whole to be commanded by Briga- ' dier-General Ross, and to assemble on the red sands, ' at twelve o'clock this night, to make a sortie upon • the enemy's batteries. The thirty-ninth an J fifty - ' eighth regiments to parade at the same hour, on the ' grand parade, under the command of Brigadier-General • Picton, to sustain the «or^i0 if necessary.' The Twelfth appeared on parade at the appointed hour, and mustered twenty-six officers, twenty-eight Serjeants, two drummers, and four hundred and thirty rank and file, ready to engage in this enterprise. It was the hour of midnight ; the moon shone brightly, and all was still in the enemy's camp. The soldiers waited two hours, when the moon set, darkness overspread the sky, and they issued silently from the fortress. The Spanish regiments were asleep in the camp; their guards at the batteries were also reposing, when sud- denly the sound of a trampling multitude was heard approaching them ; their sentries called, and receiving- no answer, fired their muskets and hurried to the guards. They were followed by the British at a running pace ;. the guards were surprised, the batteries captured, and two Spanish officers, with sixteen soldiers, were made prisoners ; the Spanish guards were astounded by the suddenness of the onset in the dark ; they hurried to 42 • THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK ^'^^ their lines, communicating a panic to the troops in their rear. The British instantly commenced the work of destruction. * The batteries (constructed of wood upon ' the sands) were soon in a state for the fire-faggots to ' operate, and the flame spread with astonishing rapidity ' into every part. The column of fire and smoke which 'rolled from the works, beautifully illuminated the ' troops and neighbouring objects, foinning altogether a * coup-d'oeil not possible to be described.' * In one hour the object of the sortie was fully effected ; the Spaniards, being dismayed, did not venture to in- terrupt the work ; and trains being laid to the enemy's magazines, the Twelfth, and other troops which had made the sally, retired; as they entered the fortr(?ss tremendous explosions shook the ground like the shocKs of an earthquake, accompanied by rising volumes of smoke, flame, and burning timber, which proclaimed the destruction of the enemy's immense stores of gun- powder. Thus was completed, with success beyond the expec- tations of every one, an enterprise of the greatest mag- nitude ; and General Eliott declared in orders, ' the • bravery and conduct of the whole detachment, officers, 'soldiers, and sailors, on this glorious occasion, sur- ' passed his utmost expectation.' The loss of the Twelfth regiment was limited to Jliieutcnant Tweedie and four private soldiers wounded : the total loss of the garrison was four soldiers killed, one officer and twenty-four soldiers wounded, one man missing.t * The Siege of Gibraltar, by Captain Drinkwater, of the late seventy- second regiment, who was in garrison at the time. t It is 9 remarkable circumstance that the Twelfth foot, and the Hanoverian regiment ot Harueub<^rg, fought alongside each other at the battle of Minden, and they were the only two entire regiments employed in the sortie from Gibraltar. REGIMENT OF FOOT. 43 ^ For several days the Spaniards appeared con- i78l founded at their disgrace ; the smoke of the burning batteries continued t(i rise, and no attempt was made to extinguish the flames ; but several executions took place in their camp, probably of persons who fled so precipitately from the batteries. In the beginning of December they began to arouse themselves, and a thou- sand workmen commenced labouring to restore the bat- teries, in which they were retarded by the fire of the garrison. The Spaniards, by their heavy fire on the fortress, had already spoiled three sets of guns; but the court of Madrid appeared bent on capturing Gibraltar. * An immense quantity of ordnance of larger calibre was provided, numerous batteries were prepared, and the Duke of Crillou assumed the command of the besieging army. He was assisted by a celebrated French engi- neer. Monsieur d'Arcon, and by Admiral Moreno, and a French army arrived to take part in the siege. At the same time stupendous preparations were made on a new principle, and floating batteries were constructed with great art and labour, and were accounted the most perfect contrivance of the kind ever seen. A crisis was evidently approaching, and in the spring i782 and summer of 1782, the garrison of Gibraltar made preparations with cool determination for the hour of trial : the officers and soldiers appeared to be impressed with their peculiar situation ; an important fortress was confided to their protection ; they had defended it against the efforts oi' the Spanish army and navy up- wards of two years j and the eyes of all Europe were directed towards them. The damaged works were carefully repaired, now ones were constructed, exten- sive subterraneous works were prepared, and forges for 44 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK jll 2 »jg2 heating red-hot shot were got ready ; every serjeant, drummer, musician, and officer's servant, as well as the corporals and private soldiers, used a shovel, pickaxe, or musket, at* ording as their services were required. The effect of the red-hot shot was proved on some of the enemy's wooden batteries on the sands, which were speedily destroyed. The Duke of Crillon anticipated the most signal success frofn the extensive preparations he was making ; his camp was visited by princes of the royal blood of France, by Spanish nobility, and other dignified cha- racters of Europe, who came to be spectators of the fall of the fortress under the heavy fire of artillery which was about to be opened upon it. The new bat- teries on shore were unmasked, and fired a volley of sixty shells, which was followed by the thunder of one hundred and seventy guns of large calibre. Thus was Gibraltar assailed by a storm of iron, which threatened to reduce the fortress to a heap of ruins, and this was only a prelude to the tremendous fire which was after- wards opened upon the garrison. On the 13th of September, the ten battering ships took their station before the fortress, in the presence of the combined fleets of France and Spain : the enemy's camp and neighbouring hills were crowded with spec- tators from various parts of Europe, to witness the effect of these stupendous vessels, and such a storm of war was opened upon the garrison, as was probably never heard before since the invention of cannon. The bat- teries of the fortress answered this tremendous fire with vigour, and the deafening thunder of four hundred pieces of heavy artillery was heard for many miles. For some hours the attack and defence were so equally well supported, as scarcely to admit any appearance REGIMENT OF FOOT. 45 of superiority in the cannonade on either side. The 1182 wondeiful construction of the battering ships seemed to bid defiance to the heaviest ordnance; shells re- bounded from their tops, and a thirty- two pound shot scarcely seemed to make any impression on them. The effect of the red-hot shot was doubted; sometimes smoke came from the ships^ but the fire-engines within soon occasioned it to cease, and the result was uncertain ; the fire was, however, persevered in, and incessant showers of red-hot bullets, shells, and carcases flew through the air. In the afternoon the effects of the red- hot shot became apparent, and volumes of smoke issued from the flag-ship ; the Admiral's second ship was perceived to be in the same condition, and confu- sion prevailed. The Spaniards expected that ihe firing of red-hot bullets could not be persevered in beyond a few rounds ; but the fire was continued with the same precision and vivacity as cold shot. The effects of the hot balls occasioned the enemy's cannonade to abate, and about eight o'clock it almost totally ceased. The battering ships made signals to inform the combined fleets of their extreme danger and distress, and several boats were sent to their aid. At, thi^ period the fire of the garrison produced great carnage, and the most pitiable cries and groans were heard, as the incessant showers of shot and shells were poured into the floating batteries. Soon after midnight one ship was in flames, and by two o'clock she appeared one sheet of fire from head to stern ; a second was soon in the same state ; the flames enabled the British artillery to point their guns m ith precision, and soon after three o'clock six more ships e./iiibited the effects of the red- hot shot. The burning ships exhibited one of the grandest spectacles of destruction ever beheld ; and !iV M. W THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1782 amidst this '\ jadful scene of conflagration, the British seamen in boats were seen endeavouring to rescue the Spaniards from the blazing ships. They preserved between three and four hundred ; and while they were thus engaged, one of the ships blew up with a dreadful explosion ; four others met the same fate before seven o'clock, and another shortly afterwards, and the re- mainder burnt to the water's edge, their magazines having beta iuuT> rted; not one could be preserved as a trophy. Thus did the mighty efforts of France and Spain end in aefeat and destruction, and the gallant efforts of the brave soldiers who defended Gibraltar elicited the ad- miration of the nations in Europe. In England the most enthusiastic applause was imiversal ; illuminations and other modes of testifying the joy of the people followed the receipt of the news of the destruction of the boasted invincible battering ships, and every family which could boast a defender of Gibraltar belonging to it, was proud of the honour. The loss of the garrison, on thvT 13th and 14th of September, was limited to one officer, two Serjeants, and thirteen private soldiers killed ; five officers and sixty- three rank and file wound- ed ; that of the enemy exceeded two thousand officers and soldiers. Although the enemy gave up all hopes of reducing Gibraltar by force of arms, yet some expectation was entertained, that, if the blockade were continued, the farrison migrht be forced to surrender from the want of provisions ; the combined fleet therefore remained in the bay, the besieging army continued in the linej;, and about a thousand shots were fired every dn.y from the Spanish batteries. The garrison was encouraged to continue resolute in the defence of the fortress by REGIMENT OF FOOT. 47 assurances of their Sovereign's favour and high appro* 1782 bation. The principal Secretary of State, writing to General Eliott, stated, — ' I am honored with Hii * Majesty's commands to assure you, in the strongest * terms, that no encouragement shall be wanting to the ' brave officers and soldiers under your command ; his ' royal approbation of the past will, no doubt, be a ' powerful incentive to future exertions, and I have the ' King's authority to assure you, that every distin- ' guished act of emulation and gallantry, which shall bo * performed in the course of the siege, by any, even of * the lowest rank, will meet with ample reward from * his gracious prot(;ction and favour.* In October, the combined fleet was n^ach damaged by a storm ; and soon afterwards a British naval force imq» arrived, and the garrison was again relieved ; when two regiments, the twenty-fifth and fifty-ninth, landed to take part in the defence of the fortress. After the garrison was thus relieved and reinforced a third time, the Court of Madrid gave up all hopes of gaining possession of Gibraltar either by force or stratagem : negociations ensued, and in February, 1 7B3, the Spanish army decamped ; the preliminary articles for a treaty of peace having been signed in the pro cedingmonth. Thus ended the siege of " Giuralt\r," which is celebrated in the militcay annals of the eighteenth century, and the successful defence of that fortress, ranks among the noblest efforts of the Brilish arms : it exceeded in duration the famous siege of OsTEND, in the beginning of the seventeenth century.* The Twelfth rej^iment of foot was rewarded, with the other corps which took part in this long and ar- nde the Record of the Third Foot, or the Buffs, from page 69 to 74. 48 THE TWELFTH, OK EAST SUFFOLK {:iif 4: Ml 1 783 duous service, with the thanks of its Sovereign, and of the Houses of Parliament, and with the honour of bear- ing on its colours the word ' Gibraltar/ with the • Castle and Ke^,' and the motto * Montis Insignia Calpe,' in commemoration of its services during the siege.* The loss of the regiment during the siege of Gibral- tar was — Officers. Serjeants. Drimmen. Hank and File. Killed Died of Wounds . . . • Disabled by Wounds . . • Wounded, that recovered Died of Diseases . . . • Total . . . 1 • • 1 2 • • 3 •• • • 1 • t • • • • 13 10 10 89 32 4 10 8 154 During the period the Twelfth were engaged in the glorious defence of Gibraltar, county-titles were given to the several regiments of infantry, and the communication with England having become free, the Twelfth received directions to assume the title of the 'East Suffolk Regiment,' and to cultivate a connection with that part of the country, in order to facilitate the recruiting of the regiment. In November, the Twelfth were relieved from duty at the fortress of Gibraltar, which they had so * Calfb, in the south of Spain, and Abyla, on the opposite Coast of Africa, (about eighteen miles distant) were celebrated as the Pillars of Hercules; and according to heathen mythology, these two mountains were imited, until that hero separated them, and made a communication between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic seas. Calpe received the present designation of Gibraltar from the Arabic '^Gib-el-Tari/,'' or " Mountain of Tarif" being the spot where that Moorish Chief^in landed on his invasion of Spain in the Year 711. The device of the " Castle andKei/,"the present arms of Gibraltar, was given by Henry IV,, King of Castile, upon his capturing the place from the King of Granada in 1462, in allusion to its being the Key to the Mediterranean. 13 10 10 89 32 CO 2 •41 1/) < o z < z o < 4 -? ^ < i- < < I I- '> z u o .tei!ll£^ §«... BEOIMENT OF FOOT. 49 gallantly defended, and returned to England; they 178a landed at Portsmouth, from whence they proceeded to Hilxea barracks, and in Decen'^er, they marched to Windsor. King George III. was highly (p. a.'fied at having a 1*764 corps, which had distinguished itself during the memo- rable siege of Gibraltar, employed near hin person, and on the Ist and 8th of June, 1784, His Mi^city reviewed the Twelfth regiment in Windsor Pnr^, in the presence of the Royal Family, and many distm- g^ished personages, and expressed, in very gracious terms, his bigh approbation of its appoavt^ace and discipline, and c" its conduct during the sir.^e of Gibraltar. The regiment remained at Windsor on the King's duty until Novem'jer, when it proceeded to Chatham, During the years 1785, 1786, and 1787, the regiment 1785 was stationed successively at Newcastle, Tynemouth, 17,95 Sunderland, Musselburgh, Ayr, Edinburgh, ai.d Ply- jijgi^ mouth; on the 10th of January, 1788, it was reviewed jijgg by HisBoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, afterwards King George IV., who was then in the seventeenth vear of his age, and his person and accomplishments eAfited the admiration of all who beheld him. In a few U<.vs after the review, the regiment proceeded to the ii Jands of Jersey and Guernsey. The Twelfth were relieved from duty at Jersey .^^^ and Guemsry in March, 1790, and sailed to Ports- mouth. Two months afterwards, orders were received for the regiment to serve on board the fleet as marines, and in the middle of June it embarked on board of His Majesty's ships * Barfleur,' » Carnati«,' ' Bellona,' ' Impregnable,' 'Magnificent,' and 'Edgar' •. at the same time the staff oflicers, musicians, and so THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1*790 "• ^^^ soldiers who wcro not employed on this service, proceeded to Hilsea barracks. After six months* service as marines the companies landed and Joined the head-quarters at Hilsea barracks , towards the end of December the whole embarked for Ireland. i''-'^ ;/- 7»^;;;S";. 'w, av- ..;>■ ingj The regiment landed near Cork on the 5th of Ja- j^Q nuary, 1791, and marched to Kinsale ; in the summer of 1792, it proceeded to Dublin, from whence it was removed in March, 1793, to Drogheda. In the meantime a revolution had taken place in France; men of violent republican principles had seized on the reins of government, beheaded their Sovereign, and involved Europe in another war. The pernicious doctrines of liberty and equality had been disseminated in the French West India Islands, and the European planters had solicited the protection of the British arms against the fury of the mulattoes and negroes. War >^ as commenced to arrest the tyrannical proceedings ct fg^ression pursued by the French republifj; — n Ihitish army was sent to Flanders under His Royal Highiioss the Duke of York ; additional orces were sent to the West Indies, and in November the flank companies of the TwBLPTr! foot, commanded by Captains Tweedie and Perryn, Lieutenants Mathews, Leister, Leister junior, and O'Brien, embarked for the West Indies. 1194 rpjjg deliverance of the French West India Islands from republican domination, was undertaken in Ja* nuary, 1794; the flank companies of the Twelfth joined the expedition under General Sir Charles Grey, K. B. (afterwards Earl Grey), at Barbadocs, and were engaged in the attack of Martinico. A landing was effected at three di (Parent points in the early part REGIMENT OP FOOT. » of February, and after some sharp fighting, in which the nM companies of the Twelfth signalized themselves, particularly the grenadier company, forming part of the brigade commanded by Prince Edward (afterwards Duke of Kent), which captured Fort Royal by esca- lade on the 17th of March, and carried Momo Tar- tisson by storm, the island was captured, h ' despatch, Sir Charles Grey stated, — ' All the • and soldiers of this little army merit the g ' praise.' The loss of the Twelfth foot was i e to a few private soldiers killed and wounded. From Martinico the flank companies of the Twelfth sailed with the expedition against St. Lucia, where the troops arrived on the Ist of April, and the companies of the Twelfth took part in the reduction of that island, which was accomplished in three days without loss. The flank companies were afterwards engaged in the capture of Guadaloupe and its dependencies, in which service they lost several men. The rapid success with which the British empire was thus extended, by the addition of three valuable islands and their de- pendencies, excited great admiration ; and Sir Charles Grey stated in his despatch, that he ' could not find ' words to convey an adequate idea, or to express the * high sense he entertained, of the extraordinary merit ' evinced by the officers and soldiers in this service.' While the flank companies were engaged in the capture of the French West India Islands, the regiment was withdrawn from Ireland to reinforce the troops under the Duke of York in Flanders; it embarked from Drogheda on the 7th of March, landed at Park-. gate on the 14th, re-embarked at Greenwich on the 1st of May, and landed at Ostend on the 6th of that month. £ 2 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^.T ^^^t^ € 4k, 1.0 1.1 11.25 1^1^ |25 ■tt lii 12.2 u H4 lU u lAO 6" Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTIR,N.Y. MSM (716) 172-4503 '^'°^1^" ^ ^^v^ V 1 • -' . ■■ . ■ - . "■■'".■ : 7.- ■'.---'.■,. '':'-^^^^^^^^^ r'^ ,'': "■'V-:;^""^V ■/""■:-..■' ' :. K ■*;'■■ '■ (■ .-■ '* -^ -: ' \ o 92 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1794 On arriving at the seat of war, the regiment was ordered to join the corps under the Austrian General Count Clerfait, who commanded the troops in West Flanders, and it was attached to the division under Major-General Hammerstein, together with the thirty< eighth and fifty-fifth r^ments, and the eighth light , dragoons. The TwBLFTH regiment, commanded by Major Frederick Bowes, consfnting of eight hundred and fifteen rank and file, took part in numerous operations, and was engaged in the general attack on the French positions on the 17th and 18th of May. On the latter day, the Twelfth were engaged in driving the enemy from Werunck, and in forcing the passage of the river ^ LySf on which occasion they highly distinguished them- selves ; but the operations on the above two days were not successful, from the want of a more perfect combi- nation in the movements of the several divisions, and from the superior numbers of the enemy. ^' In division orders, dated Camp near Toumay, 20th May, 1794, Major-General Whyte stated 'he had 'great pleasure in informing the British troops, that ' General Count Clerfait has highly approved of their * spirited conduct in the field, and great exertions in ' going through such excessive fatigues, as they neces- ' sarily have had since their first movement from *Ostend. Major-General Whyte laments the loss sus- ' tained by the eighth light dragoons, whose spirited * and distinguished gallantry, led on by Lieut.-Colonel ' Hart, has gained them the highest honour ; and he 'desires his thanks may be accepted by the command - * ing oflScers, and all the oflScers and men of the thirty- ' eighth and fifty-fifth regiments ; and also by Major * BowBS and the officers and men of the Twelfth regi- REGIMENT OF FOOl'. 53 * ment, whose conduct has been highly approved of by 1794 * Major-General Hammerstein, under whose immediate 'command they served. To Lieut.-Colonel Hart, *who led on the squadron of the eighth light dra- ' goons to the attack at Rousbeck, his best and dis- ' tinguished thanks are due ; and also to Lieut.-Colonel 'M'Donald, who led on the fifty-fiilh regiment to ' support the attack on the front. He is perfectly con- * vinced the same praise would have been due to Lieut.- ' Colonel Pitcairn of the thirty-eighth, had they been 'called into action.' The TwELTFH foot continued to serve under General Count Clerfait, and when the French besieged Ypres, with thirty thousand men, with a covering army of twenty-five thousand, the regiment was engaged in the attempt to relieve that fortress. The Austrian advance-guard was repulsed at Olglede on the 7th of June ; but the French were defeated in their attempt on Rouselaer. Still entertaining hopes of being able to raise the siege. Count Clerfait attacked the French again on the 13th of June, at Hoogledge, and Major- General Hammerstein engaged a body of the enemy, of very superior numbers, at Kootmarke, and was re- pulsed. He afterwards retreated to Bruges, detach- ing the eighth light dragoons, and thirty-eighth KoA fifty-fifth foot to Ostend. The very superior numbers of the enemy gave them so great an advantage, that the allied army was forced to commence retrograde movements. The Twelfth foot remained with Major-General Hammerstein's di- vision until the 9th of July, when the following para* graph appeared in the division orders issued at the camp at Contiche, — ' As the Twelfth British regi- ' ment is going to leave Major-General Hammerstein*s 64 I s THE TWELFTH, OR BAST SUFFOLK 1794 'brigade, he takes this opportunity to assure the regi- ' ment of his best acknowledgments for the good and 'gallant behaviour it has shown during the time the ' general has had the honour to command it ; he like- * wise .thanks it for the readiness and good will with ' which it has borne so many and great fatigues.* On its removal from Major-General Hammerstein's command, the regiment was formed in brigade with the thirty-third, forty-second, and forty-fourth foot, under Major-Greneral Balfour. In August it was in ~ position near Breda, and in the beginning of Septem- ber retired to the vicinity of Bois-le-duc. In the middle of September the enemy advanced in great force, and attacked all the British posts on the right; the outpost at Boxtel, being most advanced, was forced, and the troops of Hesse D'Armstadt, who occupied it, sustained a severe loss. The post, occupied by a detachment of the Twelfth regiment, was en- vironed and assailed by very superior numbers ; it was defended with great gallantry for a short time, but the soldiers were unable to withstand so overwhelming a force as that by which they were asf \. The regi- ment had a few soldiers killed and wc s ^ed, and Lieu- tenant Eustace, three seijeants, one drummer, and forty-four rank and file taken prisoners. The British troops afterwards retired ^>eyond the river Maese. In the meantime, the flank companies had been en- gaged in the defence of the island of Chtadaloupe, where about two thousand French troops had arrived from Europe, and being joined by a multitude of mulattoes and blacks, among whom the doctrines of liberty and equality were disseminated, they gained possession of part of the island, and frightful outrages were perpe* trated. Thecompanies of the Twelfth were engaged RBOUfBNT OF FOOT. 06 in an attempt to r^ain possession of Qrand'Terre ; 1794 but the troops employed in this service were not suffi- ciently numerous. The Twelfth had Lieutenant John Leister and several soldiers killed, and others wounded. The companies of the Twelfth were employed in the defence of Guadaloupe under great disadvantages, and they were nearly annihilated. The island was given up in October, and the few remaiumg officers and soldiers proceeded to St. Domingo. Meanwhile the Twelfth regiment, serving under the Duke of York, in Holland, was exposed to much suffering and privation. The Dutch, having imbibed the revolutionary doctrines of equality, beheld the ad- vance of the French without alarm, and surrendered their fortresses without much resistance. The British troops had no chance of ultimate success, yet they held their positions with firmness, and they did not fail to impress the enemy with a just idea of British valour. The Twelfth were in position near Nimeguen in September, and afterwards attempted to defend the passage of the Waal. During the winter the river Waal became frozen, so 1795 as to admit the immense masses of the enemy to pass on the ice, and the British were obliged to retreat through Holland to Germany, llie sufferings of the soldiers during this retr(^ade movement were very great; long marches, exposed to snow-storms and tempests, along roads choked with ice and snow, and a deficiency of provisions, put to a severe test the strength of the officers and soldiers. In March, 1 795, they arrived at Bremen, where the hardships they had endured were ended. The Twelfth regiment lost so many men during the campaign and retreat through S6 THE TWELFTH, OB EAST SUFFOLK 1 795 Holland, that its numbers were reduced from eight hundred and fifteen to four hundred and twenty-five rank and file. The regiment embarked from Bremenlee on the 11th of April, landed at Gosport on the 12th of May, and marched from thence to Portchester, where it was Joined by Lieutenant O'Brien, one seijeant, and one private soldier from the West Indies ; being the only surviving individuals of the two fine flank companies which proceeded to the West Indies in 1793. Every effort was made to recruit the regiment as speedily as possible, and on the 2nd of July, it was reviewed by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, who expressed his approbation of its ap* pearance. On the 19th of October, the regiment embarked from Southampton, and sailed to Spithead, where it re- mained a few days, and afterwards put to sea. On the 5th of October, it landed on the Isle de Dieu, in con- junction with a smaU force under Major-General Needham, and a body of French emigrants, accom- panied by the Count D'Artois, brother of the King of France. No circumstances occurred to favour any further attempts connected with this enterprise, and in December the regiment left the island ; it was exposed to several violent storms at sea, but arrived safely at Southampton in ten days, and marched from thence to Iron-hill barracks. '-■'■ ^.»v.? j™^* , 1796 '^^ regiment was stationed in the neighbourhood of Southampton, and in the Isle of Wight, until the 8th of June, 1796, when it embarked in the • Rocking- ham,' ' Hawksbury,' * Airly castle,' and 'Melville- castle ' Indiamen, under the command of Lieut.- Colonel Henry Harvey Aston, in order to transfer its mBGIMBNT or FOOT. 57 aervicei to the East Indies. The regiment sailed ftom 1790 St. Helens on the 27th of June, and on the 19th of September anchored in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope; that colony having been captured from the t)utch a short time previously. The regiment re- mained on board, but small parties landed daily for the benefit of their health. While the Indiamen were in Table Bay, a dreadful hurricane threatened the de- struction of every ship, and they all sustained some injury, several losing their anchors. Serious apprehen- sions were entertained for the safety of the regriment ; but providentially it did not sustain any loss, and it sailed from the Cape of Good Hope on the 10th of No* vember. On the 10th of January, 1797, the Indiamen an- 1797 chored in Madras roads; the regiment landed on the following day at Fort St George, and mustered eight hundred and seventy rank and file, whose appearance excited admiration. The regiment was employed on garrison duty at Fort St. George until the middle of August, when it embarked for Manilla, the capital of the Spanish set- tlements in the Philippine Islands, situate on the banks of a bay, at the mouth of the river Pasig, in the island of Luconan. On the 23rd of. August six companies proceeded on the voyage; the other four 'companies wore embarked on board of men-of-war, and were about to follow, when orders were received for their disembarking, in consequence of intelligence from the Mysore country, indicating a projected irruption into the British territory by the celebrated Tippoo Saib. The six companies continued the voyage, and arrived in September at the Prince of Wales's Island, called also Penang, or Betel Nut Island, situated off the west 58 TBI TWELTTH, OR BAgT SUFFOLK 1797 ocMBt of the Malay peninsula, from which it is sepa- rated by a nari-ow strait. At this place a larg^ fleet was assembled, with a numerous body of troops, from the Presidencies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay, for the expedition against Luconan and the other Philip- pine islands; the Prince of Wales's Island having been selected for the rendezvous of the forces to be employed in this enterprise. The prospect of the services of the troops being speedily required in more important military operations on the continent of India, occasioned orders to be issued for their immediate re- turn. Towards the end of September, the ' Express* sloop arrived with despatches from Madras, and in a few days afterwards the six companies of the Twelfth sailed from the Prince of Wales's Island. They en- countered contrary winds, and it being found impossible for the transports to contend against the north-west monsoon, the Twelfth returned to the island in Oc- tober. They again sailed for Madras on the 15th of November, and landed at Fort George on the 12th of December ; during their absence the other four com- panies of the regiment had exchanged a few shots with a French squadron, which had appeared in Madras- roads, and succeeded in driving an Indiaman on shore under the works of the fort. 1798 Among the various schemes of aggrandizement en- tertained by the republican government of France, was the wild and extravagant idea of being able to gain possession of the British territory in the East Indies. To strike an effectual blow at the naval, commercial,^ and colonial greatness of the British nation, was an object of primary consideration with the French direct- ory, and to excite the jealousy of the native princes of India, and induce them to take up arms against the ff REOIiaNT OF FOOT. flO Englbh, was one of the meaiu used to aeoorapliih this 1798 object. In the ruler of the fruitful province of Myiore, the celebrated Tippoo Sultan^ the French found a chief- tain eager to seize on the first opportunity for being revenged on the British, who had punished hii former aggpressions by depriving him of a considerable portion of territory, and inflicting a fine equal to three and a half millions sterling. This chief entered zealously into the design to drive the English out of India, and endea- voured to induce other princes to join in the enterprise. After the discovery of the designs of the enemy, hostili- ties were delayed some time, and the Twelfth regi- ment marched for Tanjore, the capital of a well-culti- vated province in the Carnatic, where it arrived on the Ist of March, 1798. The regiment was reviewed at Tanjore, by Mi^or- Oeneral Floyd, who expressed in orders to Colonel Aston, the officers, and soldiers, 'the satisfaction he ' received on inspecting the eight companies of the ' Twelfth regiment of infantry at the station ;' and added — ' In the masterly hands of their commanding ' officer, there is every reason to expect that His ' Majesty's Twelfth regiment of infantry will, when- ' ever called upon, be ready and disposed to renew >n ' the east the glories of Minden and Gibraltar.* Preparatory to the grand enterprise of driving tho» English out of India, General Bonaparte was sent with a French army to Egypt ; many French officers and men were introduced into the army of Tippoo Sultan, and other measures were adopted calculated to forward the design. Under these circumstances the Governor- General of India, Lord Momington, deemed it necessary to assemble a body of troops on the coast of Coromandel, and to engage the Nizam of the Deccan to furnish an 60 TBI TWBLrrUi OB BAST SUFFOLK 1798 ftuxiluury force. The Twblfth regiment marched from the fortresB of Tenjore, on the 22nd of July, to Join the ftrmy aoembling under the orders of Lieut.-General Harris. On the 1st of January, 1799, the regiment Joined the eamp of the army advancing towards Mysore, and nvgoeiations having failed, the troops penetrated the territory of Tippoo Sultan in the beginning of March. The Twelfth, seventy-fourth, and Scots brigade, formed the first brigade of infantry under Major- Oeneral Haird. During the night of the 7th of March, the regiment was employed, under Major-Oeneral Baird, in an attempt to surprise the camp of a body of the enemy's cavalry, but the Mysoreans obtained information of the design and made a precipitate retreat. On the folbwing day, the light company, of the Twelfth, commanded by Captain Woodhall, took pos- session of Neldroog without opposition. ' * ' ' 1799 The Brituh advanced direct upon the capital of the Mysorecountry, Seringapatam,* andTippooendeavoured to harass the march by skirmishes, and impede the pro- gpress of the troops by burning villages and laying waste the country. The regiment having entered upon active warfare, the Commanding Officer issued the following order : — ' As the Twelfth regiment, from having the ' honour to be the eldest King s regiment with the ' army, is more liable to be called on for immediate ' service than oth'.r corps, the Commanding Officer ' exjiects the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and ' Private Men, will be ready, night or day, to turn out ' at the shortest notice, and to parade under arms ' without noise or confusion. On all sudden alarms * Tlui proper naaM of Uwt city it Siri Eunga Patau. REGIMENT OF FOOT. ei ' the light infantry ia instantly to accoutre without 1799 ' waiting for orders, and to be in readiness to march ' whenever their services may be required.* On the 27th of March, as the Lascars were pitching the tents of the army on a fine plain beyond the fort of IdalhviUe, they were suddenly assailed by a heavy cannonade from an eminence in front ; at the same time the advance-piquet, under Captain McPherson of the Twelfth regiment, was attacked by a force of very superior numbers, but repulsed its assailants with distinguished bravery. The army arriving on the plain, advanced in close column of regiments towards the eminence, upon which large bodies of Mysorean cavalry and infantry were formed, who withdrew their heavy guns, but annoyed the advancing columns with rockets. As the British columns approached the height, they formed line, and ascended to the summit, which was abandoned by the enemy, but a short distance beyond the eminence appeared the army of Mysore in order of battle. As the Twelfth moved forward, a large body of Mysorean cavalry formed in the shape of a wedge, having an elephant with ahowdah on his back in front, appeared advancing to charge the regiment, and the British line halted to receive the attack. Im- mediately afterwards two other very large bodies of the enemy were discovered in two topes, or woods, preparing to support the first charge. Lieut.-Oeneral Harris, seeing the danger which menaced the regiment, placed himself in its rear, frequently repeating the words, ' Steady, Twelfth V ' Steady, old Twelfth ! ' and when the wedge approached within a hundred yards of the line, the Mysoreans discharged their carbines and 02 THB TWILTTU, OR BAST fUrrOLK 1109 piitoli, but without doing execution. The Twelfth re- mained steady, with their muaketa at the recover, until the enemy arrived within about thirty yarda, when a well-directed voUey, followed by a rapid file firing, carried destruction into the enemy's ranks ; a rampart of killed and wounded men and horses lying along the ftront of the regiment. The rear of the wedge was em- barrassed by the killed and wounded in front, and could not continue their charge. The elephant was severely wounded, his conductor killed, the chiefs on his back had fallen, and he turned round and directed all his fury upon the Mysoreans, overturning everything in his retrogprade movement, and producing great havoc with a prodigious chain, which he swayed. A few Mysorean horsemen broke through the regiment, but they were instantly shot in its rear,, and the British artillery arriving, and opening its fire, the enemy's cavalry fell back ; at the same time the British line advanced, and decided the fate of the day at that part of the field ; a distant cannonade, however, indicated that the battle was raging elsewhere. The left of the right wing was opposed to Tippoo's infantry, and gained a complete victory; between seven and eight thousand Mysoreans being put hort de combat: the loss of the British did not amount to so many hundreds. ^ * ' '► -^ '** In general orders issued on the same evening, it was stated, ' The Commander-in-Chief congratulates the ' army on the happy result of this day's action, during ' which he had various opportunities of witnessing its ' gallantry, coolness, and attention to orders :' and in brigade orders, 'Major-General Baird, with the ' most heartfelt satisfaction, congratulates the brigade KBOIMSNT or FOOT. 63 ' on the Tiotory obtained this (Uy over the enemy ; it ilM ' is lufficient for him to uy, that the valour of the corps ' fully answered his expectation.' On the following morning, the army continued its advance upon the capital of Mysore, and the enemy used various stratagems to retard the movement until the approach of the rainy season should render the sieg^ of Seringapatam impracticable. The water was found impregnated with poison ; many men were taken seriously ill, and several horses fell down dead while in the act of drinking ; the smoking ruins of villages, and other scenes of devastation presented themselves; at the same time large bodies of hostile cavalry hovered round the army, and the camp was often annoyed by rockets ; but the British forces moved steadily forward, and on the 3rd of April they arrived within four miles oi Seringapatam^ — a city and fortress, which had attained vc isiderable strength and splendour under Hyder Ali and his son Tippoo Sultan : it is situate at the upper end of an island, four miles long, and a mile and a half broad, in the river Cavery. About six o'clock on the evening of the 3rd of April, the Twelfth regiment, with the flank companies of the seventy-fourth and Scots brigade, assembled under Major-General Baird, to beat up the enemy's cavalry encampments : they were out all night without effecting the surprise of any of the enemy's detachments ; but about three o'clock on the following morning they came suddenly upon a numerous body of Mysorean cavalry, when they rushed forward and bayoneted nearly every man before the Mysoreans could mount their horses, which were led into the British camp at six o'clock, at the moment the army was about to commence its march. On the 4th of April, the army arrived in sight of 64 THE TWELFTH, OR BAST SUFFOLK 1799 Seringapatam ; the soldiers had skirmished with the enemy's cavalry and rocket men, during the march, and in the evening a general order was issued, in which it was stated, — ' The Commander-in-Chi?f takes this ' opportunity of noticing the high sense he has of the 'general exertion of the troops throughout the long ' and tedious march, with the largest encampment ever 'known to move with any army in India; and in con- ' gratulating them on a sight of Seringapatam, he has 'every confidence that a continuance of the same 'exertions will very shortly put an end to their ' labours, and place the British colours on its walls !' The army took up a new position on the 5th of April, and in the evening the Twelfth regiment was ordered to advance, supported by two battalions of Sepoys, and take possession of a nullah, or bed of a river or aqueduct, about a mile and a half in front of the camp. The night was very dark, but the regiment had scarcely cleared the outposts, when the air was illuminated by hundreds of fire-balls thrown up by the enemy, who thus detected the advance of the British troops, and immediately commenced a heavy fire of musketry and rockets, under which the Twelfth continued to advance in open column of companies. Suddenly, regular platoon firing was heard in front, and showers of bullets assailed the regiment on both flanks and in front, when it formed line. The tramp- ling Lound of approaching troops occasioned the regi- ment to prepare to charge with the bayonet, which was about to be executed, when it was discovered that the approaching troops were one of the battalions of Sepoys which had been ordered to support the Twelfth. This battalion had lost its road, moved to the front, and become exposed to the attack of very superior REGIMENT OF FOOT. 65 numbers of the enemy, ,whom it had engaged upwards 1799 of an hour, which accounted for the platoon firing heard in front; it was retreating, bringing off its killed and wounded, under Major Colin Campbell, and being pursued, formed in the rear of the Twelfth regiment. When the pursuing Mysoreans discovered, by their fire-balls, the line of Europeans before them, they fell back to a greater distance, but without any relaxation in their fire, and so many spent balls struck the officers and soldiers of the Twelfth, that they were ordered to sit down to await the approach of day for the completion of the enterprise ; the nullah was at some distance, and it could only be approached by a road of difficult access. The reuriment did not fire a shot, but large quantities of ammunition were sent from the camp ; the incessant firing having given rise to the expectation that the soldiers must have expended their cartridges. About two o'clock on the following morning the enemy's firing ceased, and at four the Twelfth ad- vanced. When the morning light appeared, the regiment fbund itself in the rear of a long mud wall and frag- ments of a ruined village, three hundred yards from the nullah, which was occupied by thousands of Mysoreans and French, with large masses of infantry on both flanks. Under these circumstances, the regiment halted, and the pioneers threw up an embankment on both flanks, to preserve it from enfilade. This work was scarcely completed, when day-light enabled the Mysoreans to discover the position and insignificant numbers of the regiment, compared with their host, and they endeavoured to destroy it by a storm of bullets, but the soldiers were sheltered by the mud F 66 THE TWELFTH, OR EAgT SUFFOLK 1799 walls, and very few cannon-balls from the fort took effect, on account of the distance. Lieut.-General Harris, observing the unequal contest, ordered the artillery to fire on the enemy's ranks, the balls passing over the heads of the Twelfth, and the British line advanced. The commanding officer of the detachment, Lieut.-Colonel Shaw, saw the line moving steadily forward to his support, and having entire confidence in the valour of the Twelfth, he resolved to attack the opposing legions with the bayonet ; he cautioned the soldiers to prepare, and giving the word ' Charge, Twelfth,' they sprang from behind the mud wall, raised a loud shout, and rushed forward towards the nullah. The Mysoreans were confounded by the suddenness of the attack ; they saw the sparkling steel bayonets of the Twelfth approach, and aban- doned their post in a panic. As the Twelfth rusdied forward, several lines of Mysoreans fired violleys at them, but the balls struck the sand many yards from the regiment, and in five minutes the nullah was cap- tured. The enemy rallied behind a high bank, and made a show of a design to retake the post, but the Twelfth and Sepoys ascended the bank, and kept up a well-directed file firing, which occasioned the Mysoreans to retreat : a party of French were also driven from a post on the left of the regiment. The nullah being thus carried, the artillery of Seringa- patam opened a heavy fire, which obliged the soldiers to take shelter in the bed of the river. The post thus captured, was designated ' Shaw's Post,' in honour of the commanding pfficer of the detachment, lieut.- Colonel Shaw of the seventy-fourth foot. When the Twelfth rushed forward to storm the REGIMENT OF fOOT. 67 kept poit, the an i.y suspended its advance, awaiting the 11^ result, and a brigade afterwards drove a body of the enemy frdm a wood on the right of Shaw's Post. A breast-work was subsequently made to cover the troops from the guns of Seringapatam, and the Twelfth had the honour to break ground before that important fortress. About seven o'clock in the evening, the regiment was relieved by the seventy-fourth foot : its loss was Lieutenants George Nixon and T. Falla, and ten rank and file killed ; Captain Whitler, Lieu- tenants R. Nixon, Percival, King, and Neville, and a considerable number of non-commissioned officers and soldiers, wounded. The siege of Seringapatam was prosecuted with vigour ; and in the early part of May, a practicable breach was ready, when the Twelfth were selected to take part in storming this important fortress. For this service, the flank companies of the European corps left in the camp, the Twelfth, thirty-third, seventy- third, and seventy-fourth regiments, three corps of grenadier Sepoys, two hundred of the Nizam's troops, a hundred of the artillery, and the corps of pioneers, the whole under the orders of Major-General Baird, took post in the trenches, to make the attack during the heat of the day on the 4th of May, when the My- soreans were likely to be surprised. At one o'clock the signal was given, when the forlorn hope sprang forward ; six flank companies, and the Twelfth regi- ment, also issued from the trenches at a running pace, and were followed by the remainder of the storming party ; they passed the rocky bed of the Cavery river under a heavy fire, crossed the glacis and ditch, as- cended the breaches in the faitsse hraye and rampart in f2 68 THE TWELFTH, OR BAST SUFFOLK 1199 gallant style, and overcame all resistance, with a reso- lution and valour which proved the innate bravery of the officers and soldiers. The Mysoreans were unable to withstand the prowess of the British troops, and they were overpowered at all points. During the heat of the conflict, Captain Woodhall was detached with the light company of the Twelfth, and a few men of the battalion companies, to reinforce the troops fighting upon the inner rampart; this party proceeded by a narrow path, passed a deep ditch to the inward wall, and flanked and took in reverse the enemy's traverses, which were defended by the Sultan in person, who was forced to retire. As Tippoo and his suite were passing the small gate on the northern face, into the body of. the town, the light in- fantry of the Twelfth arrived at the inner side of the gate, and fired upon him and his followers with such effect, that the gateway was choked with killed and wounded, and the body of the Sultan was afterwards found among the slain. After the firing had ceased at all other points, resistance continued to be made at the palace ; but upon assurance of safety to the sons of Tippoo, the enemy surrendered, and the capture of this important city and fortress was achieved. . The regiment had seventeen men killed, and forty- nine wounded during the siege, and Lieutenant Shawe was shot through the leg in the assault ; the following officers died during the siege from extraordinary fatigue and the effects of the climate ; Major Allen, Captain Buckeridge, Lieutenants Percival and Oahan, and Assistant Surgeon Baoot. On the following day it was stated in orders : — ' The 'Commander-in-Chief congratulates the gallant army ;/ RBOIMBNT OF FOOT. 69 ' he has the honor to command on the conquest of yes- 1199 'terday; the effects arising from the attainment of ' such an acquisition as far exceed the present limits 'of detail, as the unremitting zeal, labour, and unpa- 'ralleled valour of the troops surpass the power of Upraise for services so incalculable in their conse- ' quences : he must consider the troops well entitled ' to the gratitude of their country.' The Governor-General stated in a letter to Lieut.- General Harris, ' With the warmest sensation of admi- ' ration, affection, and attachment, I offer my cordial ' thanks, and zealous congratulations to you and all the 'officers and privates composing the gallant army, ' which has achieved this glorious and decisive victory, ' with a degree of energy, rapidity, and of skill, unpa- 'ralleled in this quarter of the globe, and seldom ' equalled in any part of the world.' In general orders by Government, it was stated — *The Right Honorable the Governor-General in 'Council, having this day received from the Com- ' mander-in-Chief of the allied army in the field, the 'official detail of the glorious and decisive victory ' obtained at Seringapatam, on the 4th May, offers his 'cordial thanks and sincere congratulations to the Com- ' mander-in-Chief and all the officers and men composing ' the gallant army which achieved the capture of the ' capital of Mysore on that memorable day. ' His Lordship views with admiration, the consum- ' mate judgment with which the assault was planned, 'the unequalled rapidity, animation, and skill, with ' which it was executed, and the humanity which dis- ' tinguished its success. * Under the favour of Providence and the j ustice of 70 THE TWELFTH, OB BAST SUFFOLK 1700 'our cause, the established character of the army had ' inspired an early ooniidence that the war, in which ' •: ^Mjdi^s^^ ' *% '■ • ' ' p$ u .5 !..% >iHp n "^ y ■ E^ c* i f^-'F' •*,^, W ;■ '"" \ M i- "■ •** • t- ' ^^ ^3 m v\ ^ ■ ■■'■M 1 . 1= . M ^■ftXiK^v' '^^'M^mH ' « iPl^ A i'-- ^ .Mtn^^ ^'W 'i''-■r;'■^''-»'J"»B i. ,f.i """*■ ' /• A.«^ > -'s'^ ; M»k ' » lerved to the last, and as he witnessed his com- panit >nB in arms successively hurled headlong into the deep, he struggled to release himself, and tore pieces of flesh from his shoulders with his teeth, exclaiming ' Let me die like a soldier !* but the barbarians derided him, and eventually put an end to his torments in the fame manner as the others. A negro youth, who ac- companied this portion of the regiment as cook, wit- nessed this tragic scene, and was menaced with the same fate, but was spared, and he afterwards made known the fate of the party. Another potamar, having nearly a company on board, under Lieutenant George Blanchard Gray and Adjutant Hayes, approached the coast a few miles from Coulan, and were, in consequence of the shattered state of the vessel, deciding on the pro- priety of landing, wher. a volley of musketry from the shore announced the hostile intentions of the natives. The vessel was bound together with some large tents, to prevent its splitting, audit arrived safely at Cochin, but went to pieces in the harbour. All the potamars being damaged, other vessels were procured to con- tinue the voyage. The officers and men of the regiment, who arrived at Coulan un the 29th of December, joined the Sepoys en- camped near the town. On the evening of the same 76 THE TWELFTH, OR BAST SUFFOLK 1808 <^B,y, the Travancoreans attacked the piquet under Captain Clapham of the Sepoys ; the fire of musketry and artillery indicating a sharp conflict, Lieut.-Colonel Chalmers, commanding the troops at that station, de- tached Ensign James Keappock, and forty men of the Twelfth, to support the Sepoys, and the enemy was forced to retire, leaving about eighty men dead on the scene of conflict. r The Travancoreans were excited to rage and fury against the British, who had thus gained a footing in the heart of their country ; they assembled in immense multitudes before the camp, kept up an incessant fire on the piquets, and heavy columns menaced the en- campment; the soldiers were thus kept constantly ready for action, and they lay on their arms night and day. 1809 On the 8th of January, 1809, the remainder of the regiment arrived at Coulan, excepting one company, commanded by Lieutenant Thomas Thompson, left with six hundred Sepoys and several guns for the defence of Cochin. The men of the Twelfth, with the Sepoys and guns which had arrived, were landed as expedi- tiously as possible ; but the force was obliged to remain encamped on a sandy plain near the sea, enclosed by an almost impenetrable forest of cocoa-nut trees, from the want of means for carrying on active operations. The Resident prohibited the felling of the trees to conciliate the natives ; but this produced no advantage* and the wood afforded shelter to the Travancorean marksmen, who annoyed the camp with their fire, keep- ing the troops in a constant state of alarm ; the outiKMts were also frequently attacked by parties of the enemy. Before daylight, on the 15th of January, a tumul- BBOIMEKT OF FOOT. 77 tuous noise in the wood proclaimed the approach of an i809 immense number of men, and at break of day the Travancoreans commenced an attack along the whole front of the British line, at the same time heavy columns were seen among the trees threatening both flanks. Thinking the attack was a surprise, the enemy fired his artillery at the tents ; but when sufficient light enabled the Travancoreans to see the British ranks, they immediately directed their guns on the Twelfth regiment, as if desirous of annihilating the Europeans first. Thus perilously exposed to the enemy's nume- rous artillery, the British instantly advanced the right wing of the Twelfth and two battalions of Sepoys against the enemy's left, and the left wing of the Twelfth, with one battalion of Sepoys, against the right of the enemy's line. The whole force was in- stautly brought into close action ; but the British had only five small field>pieces to answer the fire of the forty guns brought into action by the enemy: the British musketry was, however, well directed, and the incessant peals which echoed in the woods announced a vigorous contest, which was continued for several hours, during which clouds of barbed arrows, from the enemy's local troops, inflicted painful wounds on the British soldiers. About mid-day, the Twelfth were ordered to charge with bayonets, and capture the enemy's artillery ; they rushed forward with distinguished bravery, the soldiers shouting " Remember our murdered comrades at AUeppi ! " as they precipitated themselves upon their opponents. The Travancoreans made a resolute defence, many of them being bayoneted at their guns ; and a discharge of grape-shot, Irom one field-piece, killed eleven grenadiers of the Twelfth regiment. During 78 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1809 this contest many distinguished acts of gallantry were displayed by the officers and men, and Ensign Keappock, being attacked by two opponents, slew them. Finally both wings of the regiment were triumphant ; heaps of Travancoreans fell beneath the bayonets of the Twelfth, who captured eighteen brass field-pieces- The loss of these guns intimidated the enemy, who . retired about three o'clock in the afternoon, leaving five thousand killed and wounded on the field of battle. The British were unable to follow up the advantage, from the want of stores, which prevented their quitting the coast. The enemy appears to have been very confident of success on this occasion, and to have been intent on the annihilation of the Europeans; several Travancoreans of their Carnatic brigade were taken prisoners, and ropes being found in their possession, they were questioned on the subject, when they confessed that the cords were brought for the purpose of hanging the British soldiers, and that the British officers were to have been tram- pled to death by elephants. ,! The regiment had fifty men killed and wounded ; no officers were killed, but the following were wounded — Captain Richard Bayley, Lieutenant M. J. Molloy, and Surgeon Robert Erskine. On the succeeding day, the following statement was published in' orders, — ' It is with the greatest satisfac- tion that Lieut .-Colonel Chalmers congratulates the troops he has the honour to command, on the glorious success obtained yesterday, against the attack of an enemy whose force did not amount to less than thirty thousand men. He begs leave to offer his most parti cularthanks to Lieut. -Colonel Picton, who commanded REGIMENT OF FOOT. 79 * the right wing of this little force, with a wing of the 1809 * Twelfth regiment, and to the oificers, non-commis- * sioned officers, and privates, whose gallantry and high ' discipline have, on all occasions, appeared conspicuous. ' Lieut. -Colonel Chalmers has to offer his thanks to ' Major Hamilton, who commanded on the left, with a 'wing of His Majesty's Twelfth regiment, and to the •officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, whose ' gallant conduct needs no further comment, than that ' they belonged to His Majesty's Twelfth.' The Poli- tical Resident, Colonel C. Macauly, stated in a letter to Lieut. -Colonel Chalmers, * I have received the details ' of the victory over the united force of the Divan — an ' achievement that reflects signal honour on the dis- < cipline and animated valour of the troops under your •command, and sheds fresh lustre on the British •arms.' A numerous army of opponents continued to hover near the British force at Coulan, and it was deemed advisable to cut down many of the trees, to throw up a breast-work in front of the encampment, and to con- struct a redoubt, which was armed with the guns taken from the enemy. In the mean time, the company of the Twelfth under Lieutenant Thompson, with the battalion of Sepoys, commanded by Major Hewett, left for the defence of the port of Cochin, had been attacked by the troops of the Rajah of the province of Cochin. During the action, the Sepoys gave way, and the company of the IVelfth had to maintain a desperate struggle with very superior numbers. The enemy was repulsed, and the inhabitants of Cochin were preserved from a general massacre, with which they had been menaced for being 80 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1809 favourable to the British interests ; they openly attri- buted their preservation to the distinguished heroism of the company of the Twelfth, which had half its non- commissioned officers and private soldiers killed and wounded; Lieutenant Thompson was severely wounded, and died a short time afterwards. The Twelfth regiment and Sepoys continued to resist the armed population of Travancore and the numerous forces of the Hajah; but being constantly harassed by the approach of bodies of the enemy, the physical powers of the soldiers became diminished, and their numbers decreased by disease; but the innate valour of the troops remained unabated. Before day- light on the 31st of January, the Travancoreans made another effort to surprise the camp ; but a rocket an- nounced their approach, and the British were under arms, as they usually were, at three o'clock in the morning : many of the cocoa-nut trees had been cut down to enlarge the plain, and as the enemy's heavy columns emerged from the wood, a sharp cannonade was opened upon them ; but they formed line under fire and advanced, when the guns of the redoubt rent chasms in their ranks. Undismayed by the storm of grape and bullets which smote their ranks, the Travan- coreans pressed forward, and endeavoured to establish several guns on a rising ground ; but the artillery of the redoubt dismounted their ordnance. After keep- ing up an irregular fire of musketry for some time, they withdrew from the front, and concentrating on the right, renewed the attack with greater vigour, when the left wing of the Twelfth regiment was detached under Captain William Henry Forssteen, to aid the Sepoys on that flank. On the arrival of the Twelfth on the right. REGIMENT OF FOOT. 81 a charge with bayonets was executed with ^rcat vigour 1809 and the Travancoreans fled from the field, leaving o:ie brass six -pounder behind them ; several other guns were preserved by the swiftness of the elephants. On the following day the troops were thanked in orders ' for the steady and cool manner in which they 'met and repulsed th.' attack of the enemy.' * After this defeat, in which they lost an immense number of men, the Travancoreans did not hazard another general attack ; but they frequently endea- voured to surprise the piquets in the night, in which they were always defeated. On the 13th of February, the nineteenth regiment arrived from Columbo ; and the troops were only prevented advancing up the cmn- try from the want of stores and the means of conveyance. A small sup])ly having arrived, they advanced in two columns, the first composed of the Twelfth and a battalion of Sepo} s, commanded by Lieut -Colonel Picton; and the second, of the ninete.nth and a battalion of Sepoys, under Lieut. Colonel Stewart, and by a combined attack they captured the enemy's stockade and extensive breast works, in gallant style, on the 2 1 St of February. t< -; In the meantime another British force had pene- trated the Travancore country under Colonel St. Leger, and this army arrived at Travandapatam, the capital, without meeting with serious opposition The refractory Rajah made overtures for peace, and the Twelfth regiment returned to Coulan, detaching the ilank companies to the capital. The regiment commenced its march for Seringa - patam, on the 23rd of May; but was forced to halt several days in consequence of the heavy rains of the .f 82 THE TWELFTH, OjR EAST SUFFOLK 1809 Malabar monsoon, which rendered the rivers impas- sable, swept away part of the regimental baggage, and drowned several men in the rapid currents which rushed along the low grounds. On the 24th of July the regiment arrived at Trichinopoly. , 1810 In Europe, the war with- France was being prose- • cuted with vigour, and in the month of March, ISIO, the flank companies of the regiment were completed to one hundred rank and file each, and marched under Captain Forsstecn, for Madras, to take part in an ex- pedition against the French island of Bourbon, situate in the Indian ocean, about four hundred miles east of Madagascar. In June the expedition arrived at Rod- riguez, and in July came in sight of the island of Bourbon, when the surf was so high as to render a landing dangerous ; an attempt was, however, made ; the light infantry of the Twelfth in a small schooner, and about three hundred men of the thirty-third and sixty-ninth regiments in boats, approached the shore and effected a landing with the loss of a few men drowned ; but the schooner and boats were dashed to pieces, the soldiers* ammunition damaged, and many of the* arms lost. As no more men could be landed. Lieutenant Foulkstone of the sixty-ninth regiment volunteered to swim through the surf and convey orders to Lieut. -Colonel Macleod, to take possession of St. Marie. This order was instantly obeyed, and the light infantry of the Twelfth distinguished themselves in storming the batteries, in which service they had two piivate soldiers killed ; Lieutenants John Spinks, and John B. Whannell, with five rank and file wounded. The gi'enadier company of the Twelfth, and other corps afterwards landed at Grand Chaloupe, and by # REGIMENT 07 FOOT. 83 their spirited conduct, particularly the gallant beha- 1810 viour of the eighty-sixth regiment, the reduction of the island was speedily accomplished. While the flank companies were engaged in this service, the regiment was stationed at Wallajahbad, i'om whence it marched, in August, to St. Thomas's Mount, and in September to Madras, where it embarked on board the " Russell," of seventy-four guns, and the " Cornwallis," "Hesper," "Cornelia,*' * Bucephalus," and " Clorinde" frigates, to take part in the expedition against the Mauritius, or Isle of France, another island in the Indian sea, belonging to France ; the grenadiers and light infantry of the regiment also embarked from St. PauVs in the island of Bourbon, to share in the enterprise. On the 28th of November the armament approached the Isle of- France, and the troops etfected a landing in the bay of Mapon. when one brigade was ordered into a lari^e wood, through which it was necessary to pass. The light company of the T w e lft h under Captain Forssteen, preceded Ly a section under lieutenant Ashe, penetrated among the trees, and skirmished with a French piquet, in which service two me.i were killed, and Lieutenant Ashe and three pri- vate soldiers wounded. After a march of nine miles, the light infantry of the Twklfth halted on some low f /round surrounded by jungle. The weather was very not, water could not be procured, and the sufferings of the soldiers, in consequence, were very severe ; but on the following day some alleviation of suffering was obtained by sucking the dew from the herbage, and advancing to the powder mills, within five miles of Port Louis, the capital, clear streams of water were discovered. While halting at this place, the piquets g2 84 THE TWELFTH. OR BAST SUFFOLK 1810 were attacked by the enemy, whea the rifle company of the Twelfth, and the light infantry of the fifty -ninth, dashed forward, and drove back the French skirmishers, woundin^j; General de Caen. On the following morning the army advanced, the grenadiers of the Twelfth being in front, and the light infantry on the flanks, under Captains Firth and Fors- steen. Lieutenant Keappock commanding the leading section of grenadiers. While advancing along a narrow road, through a country covered with underwood, the army was suddenly assailed with grape shot, from an eminence; but a charge with bayonets forced the French to withdraw. Arriving at some open grounds, the British formed line, when the French abandoned their guns and retreated towards the town, leaving a body of troops on a mountain on the British left. The Twelfth were ordered to storm the height, and they raised a loud shout, and soon gained the summit, when the French fled, leaving a gun behind them. The oflicers and soldiers of the regiment evinced great heroism in these, services; Lieutenant Keappock was wounded in the side, but continued at his post until a shot in the head forced him to retire ;< his honourable, though dangerous post, was taken by Lieu- tenant Jenkins, who received a severe contusion on the breast by a ball, but continued at the head of I >e leading section. In this short but brilliant and decisive service, the regiment had Major Jeremiah O'Keefe, one drummer, and sixteen rank and file killed ; Lieutenants Keap* pock and Ashe, three seijeants, and twenty-eight rank and file wounded ; five men missing. The French Governor, General de Caen, seeing no REGIMENT OF FOOT. m prospect of being able to make effectual resiittanok, i81i> surrendered the island. This enterprise was thus successfully accomplished, and the conduct of the Twelfth regiment was commended in orders, also in the public despatch of Major-Ger.eral Aborcromby. After the surrender of the Isle of France, the flank companies proceeded to Purt Louis, and the battalion companies descended the Long Mountain, and em- barked from Tortue bay, in tlie " Psyche" frigate, for Grand Port, where they were joined by the flank com- panies, after being separated eleven mont'is. General Picton died on the 14th of October, 1811, in 1811 his eighty-fourth year, and was succeeded in the Colonelcy of the Twelfth foot, by Lieut. -General Sir Charles Hastings, Baronet, from the seventy-seventh regiment of foot. The regiment was stationed in the Isle of Franco during the years 1811 and 1812. In the meantime the war with France was ap- 1812 proaching to a crisis ; Napoleon Bonaparte had attained the summit of power, and the efforts of Great Britain Were commensurate with the importance of the contest ; the army was augmented, and in the autumn of 1811 a second battalion was added to the Twelfth regiment of four hundred and fifty-one officers and soldiers, into which the recruiting companies of the regiment were incorporated. In the autumn of 1812, the second battalion pro- ceeded to Ireland. In April, 1813, the first battalion embarked from 1813 Port Louis, for the island of Bourbon, where it was stationed nearly two years. During this period the tyrannical power of Bonaparte 1814 80 TlIK TWKLFTIl, on EAST SUFFOLK 1814 had boon overthrown, and the Bourbon dynasty restored to the throne of France. On the re establishment of ])eace in Europe, the island of Bourbon was restored to the French monarchy, and in consequence of this arrangement the regiment embarked from St. Denis 1816 on the 3rd of April, \S\5; the French soldiers, who arrived from Europe to taVe possession of the island, landing as the British wont on board the ships pre- pared to receive them. The Mauritius, or Isle of France, was retained by the British government, and the Twelfth foot having been selected to form part of the garrison of that valu- able island, immediately proceeded thither. Soon afterwards, Bonaparte quitted the island of Elba, in violation of his engagements, and regained the throne of France, when the powers of Europe took arms against the usurper, and his veteran legions were overpowered in the field of Watorloo by the allied army under Field Marshal His Gruce the Duke of Wellington, on the 1 8th of June, 1815. To replace the losses of the British army at Waterloo, additional forces were sent to the continent, and the second bat- talion of the TwKLFTH regiment, which had returned to England a few months previously from Ireland, embarked for Flanders on the 27th of June, under the command of Colonel Julius Stirke ; it landed at Ostend and advanced to Paris, where the campaign was terminated by the restoration of the Bourbon dynasty to the throne of France. Peace being again established in Europe, the battalion returned to England in December. In June, 1815, the rifle company of the first bat- talion proceeded to Bengal, and formed part of a field il II REOIMENT OF FOOT. H7 to brigailo assembled for service ; it, however, returned 1815 to the Mauritius in November. In January. 1816, the second battalion again pro- 1816 ceeded to Ireland. The first battalion continued to form part of the garrison of the Mauritius during the year 1816, and the first six months of 1817; on the 1st of July of 1811 the latter year, a serious fire broke out at Port Louis, when the exertions of the garrison to extinguish the flames, called forth the admiration and thanks of the inhabitants, which were communicated to the troops by the governor. Transports having arrived to convey the regiment to Europe, a general order was published, in which it was stated, 'Major-General Sir Edward Butler, in ' taking leave of the Twelfth regiment, feels himseli' ' highly gratified in stating, that its conduct, during its ' services in this island, has, in every particular, been ' such as to meet with Lis highest approbation, and he ' begs to assure Lieut.-Colonel Forssteen, the officers, ' non-commissioned oflQcers, and men of the Twelfth 'regiment, that they carry with them his warmest * wishes for their prosperity and welfare.' The regiment sailed from Fort Louis on the '25th of July, arrived at Portsmouth on the 10th of November, and afterwards proceeded to Cork, where it landed on the 26th of December, after an absence from Europe of nearly twenty- two years. A representation of the distinguished services of the regiment in the Travancore country, and other parts of India, with its gallantry at the capture of the islands of Bourbon and Mauritius, procured for it the royal authority to bear the word "India" on its colours. I 88 THE TWRLPTH. OR EABT HUPKOI K 1818 From Cork tho regiment marched to Athlono, where it arrived on the 9th of January, 1818; and joined tho second battalion, which wai stationed at that place. On the ir>th of January the second battalion waa disbanded at Athlono, transferring six hundred and sixty men to the first battalion. The regiment per- formed duty in tho counties of Cork, Limerick, and 1820 Clare, until June. 1820, when it marched to Dublin. In tho autumn of the same year, the regiment em- barked for England ; it landed at Liverpool, and was afterwards stationed at Manchester and Macclesfield. On the regiment quitting these quarters, in Feb- 1821 ruary, 18'21, Major-Gencral Sir James Lyon stated, in a letter to Lieut. -Colonel Forssteen, ' Although the ' Twelfth foot have been stationed but a short time ' in this place, I cannot refrain from expressing to you, ' that no military change could have given me more 'concern than their departure. I have had every * oj)portunity of observing their uniform good conduct ' and strict attention to every branch of discipline, and ' nothing but satisfaction has ever been manifested to ' me by the civil authorities, and the inhabitants in * general, on the very exemplary behaviour of the men. * I bejy of you to make known to the corps, the value I 'attach to the honor of having had a regiment of such ' high character placed under my orders, and that I ' must ever take an interest in its welfare and success.' From Lancashire, the regiment marched to Ports- mouth, where it embarked for Jersey and Guernsey. While stationed at these islands, the appearance of the regiment, the conduct of the men, and the excel- lent system of interior economy which existed in the 'r> REGIMENT OF FOOT. 89 corjw, elicited the commondations of ^fajor- General 1821 Sir Colin Hallcett, at the inspections inOetobrr, 1821, May antl October, 18'2'.; ; and when tlic Twkifth were 1828 about to retrrn to England, in May, l>^23, the Major- 1823 General repeated his expressiona of approbation, with his warm interest in the welfare of the orps. The conduct of the four companies at Guernsey, under Major Baylcy, was also specially commended by the Lieut .-Governor, Colonel i^^ir John Colborne. On arriving in England the regiment was stationed at Chatham and Sheerness until October, when it pro- ceeded to Fort Cumberland. On the decease of General Sir Charles Hastings. Baronet, the Colonelcy was conferred on Lieut- General the Honorable Robert Meade, from the ninetict regiment, by commission dated the 9th of October, 1823. The regiment having received orders to transfer its services to Gibraltar, the scene of its former triumphs, it embarked on board of His Majesty's Ships 'Ganges" and " Superb," on the 8th of November, and arrived at that celebrated fortress on the 25th of the same month. In 1^25, the establishment of the regiment was I825 augmented from eight to ten companies, six to be con- sidered service companies and remain at Gibraltar, and four depot companies to be stationed in the United Kingdom ; in consequence of this arrangement the officers and non-commissioned officers of two companies were sent to England. ; » .\ new pair of Colours having been provided for the 1827 regiment, and bearing the following honorary distinc- tions, the words '• Minden," " Gibraltar" with the Castle and Key and the motto Montis Insignia Calj)4, ' Seringap.vtam " and " India," they were presented to ■^ ;■'. j^ 90 THE TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK 1827 the corps, on the 28th of June, 1827, by General Sir George Don, who addressed the commanding officer (Major-Turberville), the officers, and soldiers, to the following effect : — ' It appears by the record of the Twelfth Regiment, ' to which I have the honor of presenting these colours, * that among the many valiant deeds of the corps, it ' achieved distinguished glory at the battle of Minden. ' In 1797 I attended the renowned Duke of Brunswick ' on the spot where this battle was fought ; after His ' Serene Highness bad shown me the position occupied ' by the British, he said. It was here tJie conflict was most ' obstinate arid it was here that the British Infantry gained ' immortal glory. This Rock, and Seringapatam, were 'afterwards among the scenes where the Twelfth ' Regiment distinguished itself, and which are immor- ' talized in the history of our country. Being myself a * soldier of fifty-seven years' standing, I am alive to every 'instance of meritorious conduct in my brother soldiers, ' and it is extremely gratifying to me to reflect, that the ' Twelfth Regiment, which so early established its ' fame, has continued to augment it on every occasion. ' and I am confident that whenever these Colours shall ' be displayed before an enemy, the regiment will, by ' its valiant conduct, add to the number of glorious ' records with which they are graced.' 1828 In 1828 the garrison of Gibraltar was afflicted with a severe epidemic fever, which occasioned the death of upwards of five hundred soldiers; the inhabitants suffered much more severely than the troops. During the prevalence of the disease, the Twelfth were encamped for four months on the neutral ground, where they were reviewed on the 27th of December REGIMENT OF FOOT. 91 by the Lieut. -Governor Sir George Don, who expressed 1828 to Lieut.-Colonel Bayley, his entire approbation of the appearance of the corps, of its disidpline, and interior economy. Eight officers, and two hundred and eighteen noncommissioned officers and soldiers, had been af- flicted with the fever, of which number, two officers (Lieutenant Forssteen and Ensign Werge) and fifty- three soldiers had died. The regiment remained at Gibraltar until the 1934 spring of 1834, when it embarked for England, and landed at Portsmouth, from whence it marched to Winchester, and during the winter into Lancashire. In November 1835, the regiment embarked at 1835 Liverpool for Ireland; it landed at Dublin, and was quartered in that city until October 1836, when it jgsg proceeded to Athlone. The regiment was again divided into six service 1337 and four depdt companies in the summer of 1837; and in August, the service companies embarked at Cork for the Mauritius, where they arrived in December, and landed at Port Louis. During the year 1838 the depdt companies were 1838 stationed at Kinsale and Tralee. On the augmentation of the army in August, 1839, 1333 the establishment of the Twelfth was increased to forty-seven Serjeants, fourteen drummers, and eight hundred rank and file. In May, 1839, the depdt companies embarked at Cork for Wales, and continued to be stationed at Newtown, Builth, and Brecon, until May, 1840, when 1340 they proceeded to Scotland and occupied the barracks at Paisley until May, 1841, when they returned to 1341 South Britain and were stationed at Sunderland. 92 THr TWELFTH HEGIMKNT OK FOOT. 1842 In April, 1842, the Twelfth Regiment having been augmented to an establishment of one lieut.- colonel, twelve captains, fourteen lieutenants, ten en- signs, six staff officers, sixty seven Serjeants, tWcnty- five (frummers, and twelve hundred rank and file, was ordered to be separated into two battalions ; the six service companies abroad being termed the First battalion, and the depot, augmented to six companies, being styled the Reserve battalion. . >:. The dep6t was consequently removed from Sunder- land to VVeedon in May, 1842, and receiving 255 volunteers from other corps, was there organised for foreign service. The reserve battalion embarked from Portsmouth in the " Java " transport for the Mau- ritius in November, 1842, under the command of Major Sir Robert Douglas, Bart., but was disembarked at, the Cape of Good Hope, and remained there until 1843 May, 1 843, when it proceeded to its original destinatioA^^ 1847 On the 2nd of November 1847, Her Majesty's Troo]^- ship " Resistance " arrived with the first battalion of the Fifth Fusiliers for the purpose of relieving the first battalion of the Twelfth Regiment, which embarked from the Mauritius on the 16th of December, under the command of Lieut. nant-Colonel Patton. 1848 The first battalion arrived at Spithead on the 1st of March, 1*^48, and disembarked on the 3rd of March at Portsmouth, where it was joined by the depot company from the Isle of Wight. The reserve battalion, after being completed by the transfer of effective men from the first battalion, continued at the Mauritius. . . , . ^„. #■ [ 93 ] ■."# SUCCESSION OP COLONELS Of THB TWELFTH, OR EAST SUFFOLK REGIMENT OF FOOT. Henuy Duke op Nobfolk, K. G. Appointed 20th of June, 16Sb. Henry Howard, son of Heiiry sixth Duke of Norfolk, sat in the House of Lords by the title of Lord Mowbray, in the lifetime of his father, and on the death of Prince Rupert, in 1682, he was nominated Got^ernor and Constable uf Windsor Castle and Warden of the forest at Windsor, also Lord-lieu- tenant of the counties of Berks and Surrey. On the decease of his father, in 1684, he succeeded to the dignity of Ddke OF NoRFOiiK, and of Earl Marshal of England, and he was also constituted Lord-lieutenant of Norfolk. On the acces- sion of King James II., he was one of the peers who signed the order for His Majesty's proclamation, and he was shortly afterwards elected a Knight Companion of the most noble Order of the Garter. He took an active part in favour of the King, on the breaking out of the rebellion of James Duke of Monmouth, and interested himself in the raising of a corps of pikemen and musketeers, now Twelfth foot, of which he was appointed colonel, and of which his garrison company at Windsor Castle formed a part. In a few months after tranquillity was restored, he relinquished the command of the regiment, but continued to attend at court, and witnessed, with painful emotions, the predilection of the King in favour of papacy and arbitrary government. On one occasion His Majesty gave the Duke of Norfolk the sword of state to carry before him to the Roman Catholic chapel ; but on arriving • ^W' SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. at the door, Hia Grace stopped, not being willing to enter the chapel, when the King said, '' My Lord, your father would have gone further ;" to which the Duke replied, <' Yuur Majesty's £ither was the better man, and he would not have gone so far."* The DcKE OF NoBFOLK continued faithful to the interests of the Protestant religion, and was one of the peers who invited the Prince of Orange to come to England with an army to oppose the proceedings of the court. When the Prince landed, His Grace was in London, and signed the petition to the King for a free Parliament ; His Majesty replied, " They " should have a Parliament, and such a one as they asked for, " when the Prince of Orange had quitted the realm :" and commenced his journey, on the same day, to place himself at the head of his army. His Grace set out for his seat in Norfolk, declared for the Prince of Orange, and brought over that, and some of the neighbouring counties, to the Prince's interest. On the accession of the Prince and Princess of Orange to the throne. His Grace was sworn a member of the privy council, and he took an active part in raising a regi- ment for the King's service, now the Twenty-second foot, of which he was appointed Colonel, by commission dated the 16th of March, 1689. He died on the 2nd of April, 1701. Edward Eabl of Lichfield. Appointed I4th June, 1686. Sib Eowabd Henbt Lee, of Ditchley, Baronet, was ad- vanced to the peerage by King Charles IL, in 1674, by the titles of Baron of Spelsbury, in the county of Bucks, and Eabl of Lichfield. He was appointed one of the Lords of the bedchamber to King James II., also Custos Rotulorum for the county of Oxford, high steward of the borough of Woodstock, and lord-lieutenant of Woodstock park. In 1686 he succeeded the Duke of Norfolk in the colonelcy of the regi- ment, now Twelfth foot, which he continued to command * Bisiiop Buraet. -* '.' SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 95 « until November, 1688, when, being a stanch supporter of the measures of the court, he was removed to the colonelcy of the first regiment of foot guards, which he only held a few weeks, the Prince of Oranw nnnferriijg tnat appointment on the Duke of Grafton. The Earl of Lichfield was not after- wards employed in a military capacity. He died on the 14th of July, 1716. ROBKRT LOBD HuNSDON. Appointed 30th November ^ 1688. Sir Robert Carey, Knight, served in a military capacity in the reign of King Charles II., iuid succeeded, on the decease of John Earl of Dover without issue, to the dignity of Lord HaNSDON. He was one of the supporters of the measures of King James II., who appointed him Lieut-colonel of the old Holland regiment (now Tliird foot) in 1685, and in November, 1688, promoted him to the colonelcy of the Twelfth foot, ' from which he was removed, at the Revolution, by the Prince He died in 1692. of Orange. Henry Wharton. Appointed Blst December ^ 1688. Henby Wharton served in the foot guards in the reign of King Charles II., and in the summer of 1685, when the Duke of Monmouth raised the standard of rebellion in the west of England, he raised a company of foot for the service of King James II., which was incorporated in the Duke of Norfolk's regiment. He proved a very zealous and determined supporter of the interests of the Protestant religion, and on the 31st of December, 1688, the Prince of Orange promoted him to the Colonelcy of the regiment. He served in Ireland under Marshal Duke Schomberg, signalized himself at the siege of Carrickfergus, and evinced, on all occasions, so much personal bravery and spirit of enterprise, united with a gene- rous disposition and a kind regard for the interests of his sol- diers, that he was beloved by his regiment. He died at Dundalk in October, 1689, much regretted by the officers and men of his regiment. ^ .,.,..„ , 96 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. Richard Brewer. Appointed 1st November , 168'J. Richard Brewer raised a company of pikemen and mus- keteers for Sir Edward Hales's regiment, now Fourteenth foot, in the summer of 1685, and served in that corps until the Revolution. He prized the established religion and con- stitution of his country too highly to permit himself to aid in their destruction, and he espoused the principles of the Revo- lution with great warmth. On the 31st of December, 1688, he was promoted to the Lieut.-Colodelcyofthe Twelfth foot, with which corps he served in Ireland, and evinced signal bmvery on several occasions, for which he was rewarded with the Colonelcy of the regiment on the 1st of November, 1689. He commanded the Twelfth regiment, at the battle of the Boyne in 1690, also in the action at Lanesborough, and was appointed commandant at Mullingar, near which place the troops, under his immediate command, had several rencounters with detachments of the enemy. He continued to serve in Ireland until the deliverance of that country from the power of King James was accor^.plished, and in 1692 he commanded his regiment in the expedition under the Duke of Leinster. He also served at the head of his regiment in the Netherlands, during the campaign of 1694 ; in the attack on Fort Kenoque, and the defence of Dixmude in 1695 (on which last-mentioned occasion Le opposed the Governor, in the resolution to sur- render), and in the protection of the maritime towns of Flanders in 1696. After the peace of Ryswick, he proceeded with his regiment to Ireland ; and on the breaking out of the war, in the reign of Queen Anne, he retired from the service- John LivESAY. Appointed 28th September, 1 702. This officer was appointed Lieutenant in the royal fusiliers in 1685 ; he served in the army during the wars of King William III., and was distinguished for gallantry and a strict attention to duty on all occasions, and these qualities were rewarded by \. SUCCESSION or COLONELS. Vf Queen Anne, in September, 1702, with the colonelcy of the Twelfth r^ment, which he commanded in the West Indies in 1703, 1704, and 1705. On the 1st of January, 1707, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, and on the 1st of January, 1 7 10, to that of Major-General. Political events, connected with the removal of the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough from the command of the army, and the mea- sures pursued by the new ministry of Queen Anne, occasioned Major-General Livesay to retire from the command of the raiment in 1712. He died on the 22nd of February, 1718. Richard Fhillifs. Appointed \6tk March, 1712. RicBABD Phillips entered the army in September, 1669, and at the augmentation of the army, on the declaration of war against France and Spain, in 1702, he was promoted to the command of a company in one of the corps raised on that occasion. He proceeded with his regiment (Brettons, after- wards disbanded) to the relief of Barcelona in 1706; served in Spain under the Earl of Galway, in 1 707, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Almanza. He subsequently served with his company on board the fleet as marines, and was promoted to the Lieut.-Colonelcy of the r^;iment. Queen Anne rewarded his services, in 1712, with the colonelcy of the Twelfth foot, from which he was removed, in 1717, to the fortieth raiment, then newly formed of independent com- panies, at Placentia, Annapolis, and other parts of America. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General in 1735, to that of Major-General in 1739, and to that of Lieut.- General in 17 ^2. In 1750, he was removed to the thirty- eighth foot. He died in January, 1751. Thomas Stanwix. Appointed 26th August, 1717. Thomas Stanwix served in the Netherlands, with reputa- tion, under King William III., and afterwards in Holland and Germany under the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough. 98 0UCCE8SION OF COLONELS. In April, 1706, he was commissioned to raise, form, and dis- cipline a regiment of foot, in Ireland, with which corps he embarked from Cork, in May, 1707, for Portugal, where he served under the Marquis de Montandre, the Marquis de Fron- terira, and the Earl of Gal way. In 1709 he was at the battle of the Caya, where his regiment highly distinguished itself, and in 1710 he commanded the storming party at the capture of Xeres de los Cavaleras : at the peace of Utrecht his regiment was disbanded. In 1715, when the partisans of the Pretender sought to elevate him to the throne, Colonel Stanwix was commissioned to raise a regiment of foot, for the service of King George I., and in July, 1717, he was removed to the thirtieth regiment, which he only com- manded five weeks, when he was appointed to the Twelfth foot. He died i4th of March, 1725. Thomas Whetham. Appointed 22nd Marchy 1725. This officer obtained a commission in Sir William Clifton's regiment, now fifteenth foot, on the breaking out of the rebel- lion of James Duke of Monmouth, in June, 1685 ; and he served under King William in Ireland and Flanders, where he acquired a reputation for gallantry and attention to all his duties. On the 29th of August, 1702, Queen Anne rewarded him with the colonelcy of the Twenty-seventh regiment of foot, with which corps he served in the West Indies in 1703 and 1704, and was engaged in the unsuccessful attack on the island of Guadaloupe. In 1707 he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, and in 1710 to that of Major- General ; he served in Spain during the latter part of the war of succession, commanded the garrison of the island of Mi- norca for a short period; and in 1715, and 1716, he commanded a brigade of in&ntry in Scotland, under the Duke of Argyle, during the rebellion of the Earl of Mar. In 1725, he was removed to the Twelfth foot, and in 1727 he obtained the rank of Lieut.-General ; he was promoted to the rank of general in 1739, and was governor of Berwick and Holy Island for several years. He died on the 28th of April, 1741. if SUCCESSION OP COLONHLS. 99 SciPio Ddkod«b. Appointed 12th August, 1741i SciPio DcROUBB obtained a commiMlon la the anny in December, 1705, and he had the advantage of lerving three campaigns under the celebrated John Dulte of Marlborough. He served many years in the Twulvth foot, of whioh corps he was appointed Lieut.-Colonel on the 25th of August, 1784 ; he was also appointed captain and keeper of the castle of St. Maws (or Moss), and promoted to the colonelcy of the Twelfth regiment in 1741. He distinguished himself at the battle of Dettingen in 1743, and behaved with great gallantry, at the head of his regiment, at the battle of Fontenoy, in 1745, where he was mortally wounded. Henby Skelton . Appointed 28th Matf, n45. Henrt Skelton entered the army in December, 1708, and served two campaigns in the Netherlands. He was many years an officer in the third foot guards, was promoted Major of the regiment with the rank of Colonel in the army, in 1789, and in April, 1743, he was advanced to Lieut.-Colonel in the same corps. In August following. King George II. rewarded him with the colonelcy of the thirty •second regiment ; His Miyesty also promoted him to the ranir of Mtyor-General, and removed him to the Twelfth foot in 1745, and advanced him to the ranlc of Lieut. -General in 1747. He died on the Qth of April, 1757. ,.•4 - '-- vi;-' ■ Robert Nafieb. '.'vr,.. Appointed 22nd April, 1751, ' " ''^ Bobebt Nafieb was appointed ensign in the second foot, on the 9th of May, 1722, and after performing regimental duty a few years, he was placed on the staff, and employed in the Quarter-Master-General's Department. In 1745, he was pro- h2 100 •ITCCKMION or COLONELI. moted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel, and appointed Deputy Quarter-Maiter-Oeueral ; in 1746, he was advanced to the nnli of Colonel, and lie was afterwards appointed Adjutant- General of the forces. In 1755, King George II. appointed him colonel of a newly-raiaed regiment, now fifty-first foot ; in 1756 he was promoted to the ranl^ of Mtgor-General, and in 1757, he was removed to the Twelfth foot. In 1759, he was promoted to the ronli of Lieut.-General. He died in Noveml>er, 1766. _,.,,,. ,<,,(,,.;-.. h, .v HcNSY Clinton. Appointed 2Ut November f 1766. Hbnbt CuMToir, grandson of Francis, sixth Earl of Lincoln, served in an independent company of foot at New York, and in 1151 he w^as appointed Lieutenant and Captain in the second foot guards, from which he was promoted, in 1758, to Captain and Lieut.-Colonel in the first foot guards. He served in Germany during the seven years' war, was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1762, and in 1766 he obtained the colonelcy of the Twelfth foot. He was promoted, in 1772, to the rank of Major-General. On the commencement of the American war, in 1775, he was sent with reinforcements to Boston, with the local rank of Lieut.-General, and at the battle of Bunker's Hill he joined the troops engaged with additional forces flrom Boston during the conflict, and con- tributed materially to the gaining of the victory. He after- wards proceeded to North Carolina, with the local rank of Greneral ; assumed the command of the troops which arrived from Great Britain, and in 1776 he undertook the reduction of Charleston, but was not able to accomplish his object from the want of a sufficient force. He then joined General Sir William Howe, was engaged in the reduction of Long Island, and commanded the leading column of the army at the battle of Brooklyn. General Clinton also commanded the division which took possession of New York Island, was at White Plains and other engagements, also commanded the troops which took Rhode Island, and was rewarded with the dignity of Knight of the Bath. In 1777 he commanded 'I tUCCEfiSION OF COLONELS. 101 at New York, and, in order to create a diversion in fkvour of General Burgoyne's army, lie proceeded up the river and captured Forts Clinton and Montgomery. In the following spring he was nominated Commander-in-Chief in North America, and assuming the command of the army at Phila> delphia, marched from thence to New Yoric, repulsing the attaclcs of the enemy during the movement. In the winter of 1778, he was removed from the Twelvth foot to the com- mand of a corps of Royal Highland Emigrants, and in 1779 be was appointed Colonel of the seventh, or Queen's Own Light Dragoons. The departure of the French Fleet from North America enabled General Sir Henry Clinton to fit out an expedition against Charleston, which he captured in 1780, for which he received the thanks of Parliament, and this success was followed by important results in North and South Carolina ; but the tide of success did not long flow in fkvour of the British cause, and some reverses taking place, he was succeeded as Commander-in-Chief in North America by General Carleton. He arrived in England in June, 1782, and after* wards published a vindication of his conduct. The appoint- ment of Governor of Limerick was conferred upon General Sir Henry Clinton ; he was also groom of the bedchamber to the Duke of Gloucester, and was many years a member of Parliament ; in 1795, he was appointed Governor of Gib- raltar. He died in December of the same year. , ; , ^ \ William Picton. Aj^ointed 21st April, 1719. . ' The first services of this officer were in the marines, in which corps he was promoted to the rank of Captain, in March, 1755, and in August, 1756, he was appointed Captain of the grenadier company in the Twelfth foot. He served at the head of his company, in Germany, during the seven years' war, and evinced great gallantry on numerous occasions. In 1762, he was promoted Major, and in 1765, Lieut.-Colonel of his regiment. He performed all the duties of commanding officer 102 8UCCIMI0N or COLONIL8. of the Twelfth regiment, in the United Kingdon> and after- wards at Gibraltar, with reputation to hinuelf and advantage to the Mrvice, for thirteen yean, and in 17*78 he was ap- pointed Colonel of the seventy-fifth foot, then newly raised^ and afterwards disbanded: in the following year he was removed to the Twelfth regiment. King George III. frequently selected individuals of merit on whom he conferred distinguished marlis of his Royal approbation, and the promotion of Colonel Ficton fUmishea an instance of His Miyesty's attention to meritorious services, which had not the advantage of Ministerial or Parliamentary patronage. When appointed to the colonelcy of the Twelfth, Colonel Ficton went to Court, and after liissing His Majesty's hand at the levee, he was admitted to an audience in the King's closet, when he acltnowledged, in grateful terms, the honor conferred upon him ; and His Majesty replied, " You '* are entirely obliged to Captain Ficton, who commanded the " grenadier company of the Twelfth regiment, in the late " war in Germany ;" at the same time alluding particularly to his gallantry at Zierenberg, for which he was thanked in general orders.* After this interview, he joined his regiment at Gibraltar, and distinguished himself in the defence of that fortress, under General Eliott. In 1782, he was promoted to the ranlc of Major-General, in 1793 to that of Lieut.-General, and in 1798 to that of General. He died in 1811. Sib Chables Hastings, Babonet. Appointed \5th October^ 1811. Chables Hastikos, natural son of Francis, tenth Earl of Huntingdon, was appointed Ensign in the Twelfth foot in July 1770, and joined the regiment at Gibraltar. In 1776 he was promoted Lieutenant, and he was permitted to serve with the twenty-third regiment in America, wb re he was * On the decease of General Picton, a manuscript ai junt of this interview with King George III. was found among his papers. SUCCBSglON or COLONBUI. 103 appointed Aide-de-Camp to Earl Percy, and aflerwanli to Sir Henry Clinton. He was at the actions at Pelham Manor and White Plains, and at the capture of Fort Washington ; also in the successful expedition against the American magazines at Danbury. He accompanied Sir William Howe to Pennsylvania, was engaged at Brandywine and German- town, and was twice wounded. In 1780 he was promoted Captain in the Twelfth foot, and joined his regiment at Gibraltar, where he had several opportunities of distinguish- ing himself during the siege of that fortress, and he evinced great gallantry at the sortie in November, 1781. In 1782, he was appointed Miyor in the seventy-sixth ; in 1783 he was promoted to Lieut.-Colonel in the seventy-second, which regiment was disbanded in the same year. He obtained the Lieut.-Colonelcy of the thirty-fourth regiment in 1786, and was afterwards removed to the sixty-first, and cabsequently to the sixty-fifth. He was promoted to the rank of Major-General in 1796, and to that of Lieut.-General in 1803. In February, 1806, he was created a Baronkt, of Willesley Hall, in the county of Derby ; and in November following he was ap- pointed Colonel of the fourth garrison battalion, from which he was removed to the seventy-seventh r^ment in July, 1811 ; and in October following, to the Twelfth foot. In 1813 he was promoted to the rank of General. He died in 1823. H«t, roR Hhr Maibiti'i STATioMBBf OrrMB. i: -^; I'-