'^ ▼T.o. ^m I III iiii . •II GENERAL ORDERS. HORSE GUARDS, \st January , 1836. His Majesty has been pleased to com- mand, that, with a view of doing the fullest justice to Regiments^ as well as to Individuals who have distinguished themselves by their Bravery in Action with the Enemy, an Account of the Ser- vices of every Regiment in the British Army shall be published 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 Sta- tions at which it has been from time to time em- ployed ; The Battles, Sieges, and other Military Operations, in which it has been engaged, par- ticularly specifying any Achievement it may have performed, and the Colours, Trophies, &c., it may have captured from the Enemy. a it 0£NERAL ORDERS. The Names of the Officers, and the number of Non-Commissioned Officers and Pri- vates, Killed or Wounded by the Enemy, spe- cifying the Place and Date of the Action. The Names of those Officers, who, in con- sideration of their Gallant Services and Meri- torious Conduct in Engagements with the Enemy, have been distinguished with Titles, Medals, or other Marks of His Majesty's gracious favour. The Names of all such Officers, Non-Com- missioned Officers and Privates as may have specially signalized themselves in Action. And, • The Badges and Devices which the Re- giment may have been permitted to bear, and the Causes on account of which such Badges or De- vices, or any other Marks of Distinction, have been granted. By Command of the Right Honourable GENERAL LORD HILL, . Commanding-in- Chief, John Macdonald, Adjutant- General. PREFACE. The character and credit of the British Army must 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 en; liate 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, a 2 IV PREFACE. 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 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- iug, 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. PREFACE. V 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 profession. 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 long a period, been undisturbed by the presence of war, which few other countries 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, — and 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 ^«^ XIV INTRODUCTION. was found to accrue from having Cavalry Regi- ments formed almost exclusively for engaging the enemy on foot; and, the Horse having laid aside their armour, the arms and equipment of Horse and Dragoons were so nearly assimilated, that there remained little distinction besides the name and rate of pay. The introduction of improve- ments into the mounting, arming, and equipment of Dragoons rendered them competent to the performance of every description of service re- quired of Cavalry ; and, while the long musket and bayonet were retained, to enable them to act as Infantry, if necessary, they were found to be equally efficient, and of equal value to the nation, as Cavalry, with the Regiments of Horse. In the several augmentations made to the regular Army after the early part of the reign of Queen Anne, no new Regiments of Horse were raised for permanent service ; and in 1746 King George II. reduced three of the old Regiments of Horse to the quality and pay of Dragoons ; at the same time, His Majesty gave them the title of First, Second, and Third Regiments of Dragoon Gxmrds : and in 1788 the same alteration was made in the remaining four Regiments of Horse, which then became the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Regiments of Dragoon Guards. INTRODUCTION. XV At present there are only three Regiments which are styled Horse in the British Army, namely, the two Regiments of Life Guards, and the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, to whom cuirasses have recently been restored. The other Cavalry Regiments consist of Dragoon Guards Heavy and Light Dragoons, Hussars, and Lan- cers ; and although the long musket and bayonet have been laid aside by the whole of the Cavalry, and the Regiments are armed and equipped on the principle of the old Horse (excepting the cuirass), they continue to be styled Dragoons. The old Regiments of Horse formed a highly respectable and efficient portion of the Army, and it is found, on perusing the histories of the various campaigns in which they have been en- gaged, that they have, on all occasions, maintain- ed a high character for steadiness and discipline as well as for bravery in action. They were formerly mounted on horses of superior weight and phy- sical power, and few troops could withstand a well-directed charge of the celebrated British Horse. The records of these corps embrace a period of 150 years— a period eventful in history, and abounding in instances of heroism displayed by the British troops when danger has threatened the nation, — a period in which these Regiments XVI INTRODUCTION. have numbered in their ranks men of loyalty, valour, and good conduct, worthy of imitation. Since the Regiments of Horse were formed into Dragoon Guards, additional improvements have been introduced into the constitution of the several corps; and the superior description of horses now bred in the United Kingdom, enables the commanding officers to remount their regi- ments with such excellent horses, that, whilst sufficient weight has been retained for a powerful charge in line,alightness has been acquired, which renders them available for every description of service incident to modern warfare. The orderly conduct of these Regiments in quarters has gained the confidence and esteem of the respectable inhabitants of the various parts of the United Kingdom in which they have been stationed ; their promptitude and alacrity in at- tending to the requisitions of the magistrates in periods of excitement, and the temper, patience, and forbearance which they have evinced when subjected to great provocation, insult, and violence from the misguided populace, prove the value of these troops to the Crown, and to the Government of the country, and justify the reliance which is reposed in them. ON THE INSTITUTION OF LIGHT CAVALRY IN THE BRITISH ARMY. The records of the military events of the remote ages speak of heavy-armed horsemen being accom- panied by others mounted and equipped for light services. The Barons and Knights, who rode the powerful horses celebrated by historians, and took the field completely cased in steel, had a few light-armed attendants; the feudal horsemen were variously armed ; and the practice of employing Light, as well as Heavy Cavalry, was adopted, to a limited extent, by several commanders of anti- quity. Armour, proof against arrow, lance, and sword, and men and horses of colossal appearance, in whom the greatest amount of weight and phy- sical power, consistent with a moderate share of activity, could be combined, were however held in the highest estimation ; but eventually the great advantage of having a portion of Cavalry in which lightness, activity, and celerity of movement, might form the principal characteristics, was dis- covered. The introduction of fire-arms occasioned xvm ON THE INSTITUTION OP armour to be gradually laid aside, or limited to a few heavy horsemen ; superiority of weight was no longer thought so necessary; and in the seven- teenth and eighteenth centuries the use of Light Cavalry became more general than formerly. During the seventy years* war between Spain and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, Prince Maurice of Nassau (afterwards Prince of Orange) selected a few English and Dutch heavy- armed Lancers, and constituted them Carabineers, for skirmishing, and other services of a similar character. The Emperor of Germany formed regiments of Hungarian Htissars, who were light men on small horses. The Carabineers were of an intermediate class, being much heavier than the Hussars, and lighter than the English Lancers and Cuirassiers, who rode powerful horses, and wore armour on the head, body, and limbs. The French monarchs adopted the prac- tice of having a few Carabineers in each troop of Horse; and, in 1690, Louis XIV. added a troop of Carabineers to each Regiment of Cavalry. During the campaign of 1691, these troops formed a Carabineer brigade ; but their motley appear- ance, and the defects of the plan, occasioned them to be constituted a regiment of Carabineers, and clothed in blue. In 1693 the French King added a regiment of Hussars to the Cavalry of his army.* In England the same principle was partially * Hiatoire 1^ LIGHT CAVALRY. XIX carried out ; the heavy horse laid aside their armour, excepting cuirasses ; they were mounted on horses of less weight than formerly, and they were supplied with carbines by King Charles II. In 1685, King James II. raised several indepen- dent troops of Light Horse, and one of them (Sir Thomas Burton's) was retained in his service until the Revolution in 1688, when it was disbanded In 1691-2 King William III. constituted the Seventh Regiment of Horse, now Sixth Dragoon Guards, a corps of Carabineers, as an honorary distinction, and for the performance of services for which the other regiments of Horse, being Cuiras- siers, were not well adapted. The object was to combine with strength and power a greater degree of activity and speed than was to be found in the Cavalry at that period ; and His Majesty appears to have contemplated having several corps of this description in his service, as he designated this the First Regiment of Carabineers ; but no second regiment was formed.* In 1694 a troop of foreign Hussars formed part of the Army com- manded by King William in Flanders. f During the wars of Queen Anne the Regi- ment of Carabineers was again supplied with cui- rasses, and was mounted on the same description of horses as the other regiments ; retaining, how- ever, the title of Carabineers. The activity, size. * National Records. t The equipment of Hussars at this period is described by D'AuvEBONK, in his History of the Campaign o^ 1694, pp. 22, 23. b2 XX ON THE INSTITUTION OF weight, and strength of the horses ridden by the British Cuirassiers and Heavy Dragoons, with the bravery and muscular powers of the men, esta- blished their superiority in continental warfare over the Cavalry of other nations ; they acquired great celebrity in the valley of the Dan ibe and on the plains of the Netherlands, in the early part of the eighteenth century, under the renowned John Duke of Marlborough ; and after the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, the reputation of the British Horse and Dragoons was so high that no altera- tion was thought necessary, and many years elapsed without any attempt being made to re- vive the practice of having either Carabineers, or Light Horse, in the British Army. The great utility of the Light Cavalry of the continental armies had, in the mean time, become apparent. Improvements in military tactics, and in the arming and equipment of corps, were taking place in various countries ; and a spirit of ,^mulation extending itself to Great Britain, on he breaking out of the rebellion in 1745, his Grace the Duke of Montague evinced his loyalty and public spirit by raising a Regiment of Cava- bineers for the service of King George H. ; at the same time, his Grace the Duke of Kingston, with equal zeal and generosity, raised, at his own ex- pense, a Regiment of Light Horse, The latter regi- ment approximated, in the lightness of the men, horses, and equipment, to the Hussars of the con- tinental armies ; the Duke of Montague's Cara- bineers were of a heavier description of Cavalry. LIGHT CAVALRY. XXI At this period the old Cavalry Regiments rode black horses (excepting the Scots Greys) with docked tails ; but the Duke of Kingston's Regi- ment was mounted on light horses of various colours, with swish or nag tails. The accoutre- ments were as light as possible : the men carried short carbines slung to their sides by a moveable swivel, pistols, and light swords inclined to a curve. The usefulness of the Duke of Kingston's Regiment of Light Horse was proved in Scotland, where it served under His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, and was found qualified for every description of service ; the light horses traversing hilly grounds with facility. It distin- guished itself on several occasions, particularly at the battle of CuUoden, on the 16th of April, 1746, when it charged the clans with signal gal- lantry, and evinced great spirit and activity in the pursuit of the rebel army upwards of three miles from the field of battle. The Duke of Cumber- land was highly pleased with its behaviour during the period it was under his command; and the conduct of the Light Horse throughout the con- test reflected credit on the noble peer who had raised them. The rebellion being suppressed, the regiment was, in consequence of the conditions on which the men had enlisted, directed to be disbanded ; but the Duke of Cumberland so highly approved of its conduct that he obtained permission to em- body as many of the men as would re-enlist, as his own Regiment of Light Dragoons. XXll ON THE INSTITUTION OF 'S :f His Majesty's thanks and particular satisfac- tion were communicated to His Grace the Duke of Kingston, for his zeal and affection for His Majesty's person and Government ; and His Grace was desired to convey to the officers and soldiers His Majesty's high sense of their loyalty, activity, and gallant behaviour, at a period of national danger. The regiment was afterwards disbanded at Nottingham, and nearly every man engaged in the Regiment of Light Dragoons, of which, as a signal mark of honour and distinc- tion, His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumber- land was appointed Colonel. The Duke of Cumberland's Light Dragoons were mounted on active nag-tailed horses, from fourteen and a-half to fifteen hands high. The men were from five feet eight to five feet nine inches in height ; and their equipment was upon a new and light plan, but retaining the cocked hat of the Heavy Dragoon i)attern. This regi- ment served in the Netherlands, with the Army commanded by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland: its general usefulness was fully established, and it distinguished itself at the battle of Val, in 1747. The treaty of Aix-la- Chapelle having put an end to the war, it re- turned to England, and was disbanded in 1741). From this |)eriod the value of ligiit horsemen was more aj)preeiat('d in England than formerly ; the general utility of this arm, on home and Foreign service, had bern fully proved ; and at the comnieneement of hostilities with France, in LIGHT CAVALRY. XXlll 1755, King George II. resolved to possess the advantage of a body of Light Cavalry in the approaching contest. His Majesty accordingly commanded a troop of Light Dragoons to be added to the First, Second, and Third Regiments of Dragoon Guards, and First, Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Tenth, and Eleventh Regiments of Dragoons. The First, Second, Third, and Fourth Irish Horse (now Fourth, Fiftli, Sixth, and Seventh Dragoon Guards), and the Fifth, Eighth. Ninth, Twelfth, Thir- teenth, and Fourteenth Dragoons, being on the Irish establishment, did not receive the same addition. These troops of Light Dragoons were mounted, armed, equipped, and trained, according to specific instructions, calculated to render them available for the services for which they were designed. Several of them were reviewed in Hyde Park by His Majesty ; and their neat appearance, celerity of movement, and the spirited and exact manner in whicli tliey performed their evolutions, were much admired. Nine of these troops were formed into a bri- gade in 1708, under the command of one of the King's aides-de-camp. Colonel George Augustus Rliott, of tlio Horse Grenadier Guards ; and they were employed in the cxj)editions to the coast of France under Ciiarles Duke of Marlborough and Lieut.-General Bligh. They landed in France tvvice; skirmished with the French Cavalry; and throiinjiout these enterprises they evinced activity XXIV ON THE INSTITUTION OF spirit, and general usefulness. After their return to England, they were augmented to 125 men per troop. At this period, the war on the Continent had involved most of the European states; and the extended and active operations which were taking place in Germany rendered it necessary for a British force to join the Allied Army under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. This gave rise to a further augmentation of the Army ; and the increased estimation in which Light Cavalry was held induced the King to give directions for the raising of entire Regiments of Light Dragoons, in addition to the five Regiments of Horse, three of Dragoon Guards, and fourteen of Dra- goons, already on the British and Irish establish- ments. The following corps were accordingly embodied : — Light Dragoons. Incorporated in 1759. Fifteenth, in England, by Colonel George A. Eliott; — now the Fifteenth, or the King's Uussars. Sixteenth, in England, by Lieut.-Colonel John Burgoyne ; — now the Sixteenth, or the Queen's Lancers. Seventeenth, in Scotland, by Captain Lord Aberdour; — disbanded in 17(>3. Eighteenth, in England, by Lieut.-Colontl •John Hale ; — now the Stventt'ontli Lancers. LIGHT CAVALRY. XXV Nineteenth, in Ireland, by Lieut.-Colonel Lord Drogheda ;— numbered the Eighteenth in 1763; constituted Hussars in 1807; and after performing much valuable service at home and abroad, it was disbanded at Newbridge, in Ire- land, in 1821. Incorporated in 1760. Twentieth, in Ireland, by Captain Sir James Caldwell; — disbanded in 1763. Twenty-first, or Royal Foresters, in Eng- land by Lieut.-General the Marquis of Granby, and Colonel Lord Robert Sutton ; — disbanded in 1763. After the peace of Fontainebleau, three of these corps were disbanded, and the other four con- tinued in the service. The light troops attached to the heavy regiments were also disbanded, but a few men of each troop were afterwards equipped as Light Dragoons. A more perfect knowledge of the efficiency and capabilities of Light Cavalry, acquired during the campaigns in Germany and Portugal, had advanced the estimation in which that arm was held; and, in 1768, the Twelfth Dragoons (one of the heavy regiments raised by King George L in 1715), underwent a change of equipment and clothing, and was constituted a corps of Light Dragoons^ by General Carpenter, in Ireland. This alteration served as a precedent for sub- se(|ueut changes ; and further experience, during XXVI ON THE INSTITUTION OF the American war, from 1775 to 1783, con- firming the value of Light Cavalry, the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Regiments of Dragoons were changed from heavy to light. The Light Dra- goons attached to the heavy regiments were in- corporated into newly-raised corps, and the fol- lowing regiments of Light Dragoons Were embodied in 1779. Nineteenth, — by Major-General Russell Man- ners; — disbanded in 1783. Twentieth, — by Major-General Richard Bur- ton Phillipson; — disbanded in 1783. Twenty-first, — by Major-General John Dou- glas ; — disbanded in 1783. Twenty-second,^ — by Lieut.-Colonel John Lord Sheffield ;— disbanded in 1783. Embodied in 1781. Twenty-third, — by Licut.-Gcncral Sir John Burgoyne, Baronet, for service in India, and was numbered the Nineteenth after the peace in 1783. This regiment signalized itself on numerous occa- sions in India, and was rewarded with the honour of bearing on its guidons and appointments the FAi'phdnt, with the words Af^myt' and S('rin(/ » - > » * \i. -v vf I* • ; ^ ( i 'i K ■;. I ./-f^c FOURTEENTU, OH TUB KINO'S OWN LlUHl' UllAaoONS. [to faeiipag« I. HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE FOURTEENTH (THE KING'S) REGIMENT OF LIGHT DRAGOONS. The accession of the house of Hanover to the 1715 throne of Great Britain and Ireland, was the commencement of a dynasty under which this kingdom has attained a splendid elevation of naval, military, commercial, and political import- ance ; has extended its possessions in remote countries ; — and its armies have fought and conquered in every quarter of the globe. The first year of His Majesty's reign had, however, not expired, when it was found necessary to augment the regular army, and the Fourteenth, (the Kino's) Regiment of Light Dragoons, is one of the corps incorporated on that occasion. It was raised in South Britain, by Brigadier- General James Dormek, who had acquired a int HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE 171.5 reputation in the war of the Spanish succession ; and the following officers were appointed to the regiment, by commissions dated the 22nd July, 1715. Captains. Lieutenants. Cornets. James Dormer (col). Jas. Stevens (cap.-lt.) Edward Stroude. H. Killegrew (It. col.) Henry Lasale. Thomas Ellis. Sol. Rapin. (major) Peter Davenport. Thomas Delahaye. Henry Pelham. Jonathan Pirke. William Hamilton. William Boyle. Cuthbert Smith. Rigley Molyneux. Beverly Newcommin. James Flemming. Andrew Forrester. His Majesty's protestant subjects arrayed them- selves under the royal standard with great cheer- fulness, but before the regiment was complete in men and horses, the arrangements of the Jacobites were in such a state of forwardness, that the Pretender's standard was raised in Scotland by the Earl of Mar, who was soon at the head of ten thousand men. A body of rebels having penetrated into Lancashire, Dormer's dragoons were among the corps directed to advance, under Major- Gcneral Wills, and fight the insurgent bands : the regiment was formed in brigade with Pitt's horse, now second dragoon guards, under its Colonel, Brigadier-General Dormer. Arriving at Preston^ about three o'clock in the afternoon of the 12tli of November, the rebels were found in force in the town, with the avenues barricaded and defended by cannon. The Fourteenth dragoons were directed to dismount and form as infantry, to take ■II llgl I ■! II I FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. part in storming the avenue leading to Lancaster, 1715 in which they were assisted by Wynne's (ninth), and a squadron of Stanhope's dragoons (afterwards disbanded) under Brigadier- Generals Dormer and Munden ; Pitt's horse, Munden's (thirteenth), and a squadron of Stanhope's dragoons forming in support. The first barrier was carried with great gallantry ; but the inner barricade could not be forced for want of cannon. The houses were afterwards set on fire, and measures adopted to prevent the escape of the rebels, who were eventually forced to surrender at discretion. The regiment had three men and sixteen horses killed on this occasion, Brigadier-General Dormer, and four private soldiers wounded. The regiment escorted a number of the captured insurgents to Lancaster gaol, and was afterwards quartered in that town, and in the early part of 1716 the rebellion was suppressed by the troops under tho Duke of Argyle. In May 1716, the regiment inarched x'om 1715 Lancaster, into cantonments at Lincoln and the neighbouring towns. , . A reduction of the army took place in the spring of 1717, and in May, Dormer's dragoons 1717 marched to Bristol and embarked for Ireland, to replace a regiment ordered to be disbanded in that country. ' The regiment remained in Ireland during the B 2 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE U u 1720 succeeding twenty-five years. In 1720, Brigadier- General Dormer was removed to the sixth regi- ment of foot, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Fourteenth dragoons, by Colonel Clement Neville, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the thirteenth dragoons. ■ " • ' ' 1721 Colonel Neville commanded the regiment 1737 seventeen years, and was removed in 1737, to the eighth dragoons, and the colonelcy of the Four- teenth was conferred on Colonel Archibald Hamilton from the 27th foot. 1740 Charles VI. Emperor of Germany, died in 1740; the succession of the Archduchess Maria- Theresa, as Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, was Yj^Y disputed by the Elector of Bavaria, who was 1742 supported by a French army; and, in 1742, King George II. sent a British force to Flanders to aid the house of Austria ; at the same time the Fourteenth dragoons were withdrawn from Ireland, to replace the cavalry regiments which had proceeded on foreign service from England. The regiment was stationed in Great Britain }^^^ during the years 1743 and 1744; and in 1745, 1745 when Charles Edward, eldest son of the Pretender, raised his father's standard in Scotland, it was ordered to Stirling. After Lieut.-General Sir John Cope had marched from Stirling with the infantry and some artillery, the Fourteenth dragoons proceeded to Leith, where they were stationed FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. when the rebel army advanced towards Edin- 1745 burgh. They were suddenly ordered to join Colonel Gardiner, who was retiring before the rebel army, with the thirteenth dragoons ; they rode through Edinburgh at a brisk pace during public worship on Sunday, the 15th of September, when the congregations rushed out of the churches and chapels and filled the streets, and four hundred volunteers, with a thousand men of the trained bands, appeared in arms. The Fourteenth dragoons joined Colonel Gardiner at Carstorphin, from whence they fell back to Coltsbridge, where they were joined by the city guard and Edinburgh regiment. On a report of the approach of the rebel bands, the Edinburgh regiment and city guard withdrew within the walls, and the dragoons moved towards Haddington, the citizens refusing to admit them into the place ; and while a tumultuary council was being held to decide about the mode of dc fending the city, the insurgents gained possession of one of the gates : thus Edinburgh fell into the hands of the young Pretender. The Fourteenth dragoons were afterwards ordered to join Lieut.-General Sir John Cope, who had arrived at Dunbar with a small body of infantry, and he advanced towards Edinburgh, when the rebel army was put in motion to meet him. On the 20th of September the King's HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE I i 1745 troops confronted the insurgents near Preston- pans and the night was passed in the field : the Fourteenth dragoons, commanded by Lieut.- Colonel William Wright, furnished videttes and patrols on the flanks of the army. Before day- break, on the following morning, a chosen band of Highlanders advanced through the thick atmosphere, and attacked the right of the King's troops; their sudden advance in the dark, their superior numbers, and peculiar mode of fighting, struck with consternation the few men who guarded the artillery, and who faced about and fled. The dragoons advanced to charge the Highlanders ; but seeing the very superior num- bers of their opponents, and being discouraged by the loss of their artillery, they made only a feeble effort to stem the torrent of battle, and afterwards retired from the field. Several officers, and a few private soldiers, however, behaved with great gallantry, and among others. Major Richard Bowles, of the Fourteenth dragoons, particu- larly distinguished himself; the few troopers, who rallied round him, had been cut down, and his own horse killed ; but he continued to fight on foot; he was surrounded, and had received eleven wounds, when a rebel leader interposed and saved his life. When once troops are put into confusion, and are afterwards closely pressed by the enemy, no reserves being at hand for FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. them to rally upon, the difficulty of restoring 1745 order becomes particularly great, and, in this instance, the loss of the battle was the result. The Fourteenth dragoons withdrew from the field, and afterwards marched to Berwick. The regiment subsequently joined the army assembled under Field-Marshal Wade at New- castle ; when the rebels penetrated into Derby- shire, it was employed in covering Yorkshire ; and when the young Pretender made a precipitate retreat to Scotland, the Fourteenth dragoons marched to Edinburgh, where a few regiments were assembled under Lieut.-General Hawley. On their return to Scotland, the rebels be- 1746 sieged Stirling Castle ; and Lieut.-General Haw- ley put the King's troops in motion to raise the siege. The Fourteenth dragoons left Edin- burgh on the 13th of January, 1746 ; they took part in driving a body of rebels out of Linlithgow, and were subsequently encamped near Falkirk. On the 17th of January, as the soldiers were at dinner in the camp, the approach of the rebel army was descried, and the troops moved towards some high grounds on Falkirk-moor, where the insurgent bands were formed. The action was commenced by a charge of the cavalry ; the enemy's first line was broken, and some execution done ; but the second line of insurgents repulsed the dragoons. The infantry was, soon afterwards, HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE r 1746 brought into the fight; but a heavy storm of wind and rain beat so violently in the soldiers* faces, as nearly to blind them, and the wet pre- vented their muskets giving fire. Several regi- ments retired in some disorder; others main- tained their ground and repulsed the Highlanders, and after dark the whole withdrew to Linlithgow and afterwards to Edinburgh. The Duke of Cumberland subsequently took the command of the troops in Scotland, and ad- vanced towards Stirling ; when the rebels made a precipitate retreat. His Royal Highness pursued ; but the Fourteenth dragoons were left behind, • and were directed to patrol along the roads lead- ing westward from Edinburgh, to pjevent the rebels obtaining intelligence. At length the High- landers were overpowered in the field of Culloden, and the rebellion was suppressed. 1747 In 1747 the regiment returned to Ireland, and was stationed in that country during the succeed- ing forty-eight years. 1749 Lieut.-General Hamilton died on the 8th of July, 1749, and King George II. conferred the colonelcy of the Fourteenth dragoons on Lieut- General James, Lord Tyrawley, from the tenth regiment of Foot. 1751 The following description of the clothing and guidons of the regiment is taken from iim Royal Warrant, dated the 1st of July, 1751. FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. t Coats, — scarlet; double-breasted, without lap- 1751 pels ; lined with lemon colour ; slit sleeves turned up with lemon colour ; the button-holes worked with narrow white lace; the buttons of white metal, set on three and three ; a long slash pocket in each skirt ; and a white worsted aiguillette on the right shoulder. Waistcoats and Breeches, — lemon colour. Hats, — ^bound with silver lace, and ornamented with a white loop and a black cockade. Red forage cap turned up with lemon colour, and XIV. D. on the flap. Boots, — of jacked leather, reaching to the knee. Cloaks, — Scarlet, with a lemon-coloured cape ; the buttons set on three and three, upon white frogs or loops, with a red and green stripe down the centre. Horse Furniture, — of lemon-coloured cloth ; the holster caps and housings having a border of white lace, with a red and green stripe down the centre ; XIV. D. embroidered upon a red ground, within a wreath of roses and thistles, on the housing ; and upon the holster caps G.R., with the crown over it, and XIV. D. underneath. Officers, — distinguished by silver lace and embroidery ; and a crimson silk sash worn across the left shoulder. Quarter Masters, — to wear a crimson sash round their waists. I R ii m HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE 1751 Serjeants, — to have narrow silver lace on the cuffs, pockets, and shoulder-straps ; silver aiguil- lettes ; and green, red, and white worsted sashes tied round their waists. Drummers and Hautboys, — clothed in lemon- coloured coats, lined and faced with scarlet, and ornamented with white lace, having a red and green stripe down the centre : red waistcoats and breeches. Guidons, — the first, or King's guidon, to be of crimson silk, with a silver and red fringe ; in the centre, the rose and thistle conjoined, and crown over them, with the motto Dieu et man droit underneath ; the white horse in a compart- ment in the first and fourth corners ; and XIV. D., in silver characters, on a lemon ground, in a compartment in the second and third corners : the second and third guidons to be of lemon- coloured silk ; in the centre XIV. D. on a red ground within a wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk ; the white horse, on a red ground, in the first and fourth compartments; and the rose and thistle conjoined, on a red ground, in the second and third compartments; the third colour to have a figure 3, on a circular red ground, under the wreath. 1762 Lieut.-General Lord Tyrawley commanded the regiment two years, and was removed, in July, 1752, to the third dragoons, and was succeeded by FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. 11 Colonel Lewis Dejean, whose regiment of foot 1752 had been disbanded at the peace of Aix-la-Cha- pelle, in 1748-9. Colonel Dejean was promoted to the rank of 1756 major-general in 1756, and in 1757 he was re- 1757 moved to the third Irish Horse, now sixth dragoon guards ; and His Majesty conferred the colonelcy of the Fourteenth dragoons on Colonel John Campbell, from the fifty-fourth regiment. The rank of major-general was conferred on 1751 Colonel Campbell in 1759; in 1761 his uncle, 1769 Archibald, third Duke of Argyle, died, when his father, General John Campbell of the Scots Greys, succeeded to that title, and Major-General Camp- bell of the Fourteenth Dragoons obtained the designation of Marquis of Lorne : he was re- moved to the first, the royal regiment of foot, in 1765, and was succeeded in the command of the 1765 Fourteenth dragoons, by Colonel Charles Fitz- roy, (afterwards Lord Southampton) whose regi- ment of foot had been disbanded at the peace of Fontainbleau in 1763. On the 19th December, 1768, a warrant was 1768 issued, by authority of King George III., for regulating the standards, guidons, clothing, &c., of the regiments of cavalry, in which it was directed, that the uniform of tlie Fourteenth dragoons should be red, with lemon-coloured facings, without lappels, with silver lace ; the \ I \\ . 7 12 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE 1 768 uniform, &c., being the same as prescribed by the Royal Warrant of the 1st July, 1751. 1772 Colonel Fitzroy was promoted to the rank of major-general and removed to the third dragoons, in 1772, when King George III. conferred the colonelcy of the Fourteenth dragoons on Lieut.- General Daniel Webb, from the eighth foot. 1773 Lieut.-Generdl Webb died in 1773, and was succeeded by Colonel George Warde, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the fourth dragoons. 1775 Hostilities between Great Britain and her North American Colonies commenced in 1775, and the rugged valleys and trackless forests which became the theatre of this war, were not adapted for the operations of heavy dragoons. The ne- cessity of having a greater proportion of light 1776 cavalry had become apparent, and in 1776, the Fourteenth, which were then in Ireland, were constituted a corps of Light Dragoons. The standard height for men and horses was reduced ; the cocked hats were replaced by helmets ; arms and appointments of a lighter description were 1777 adopted, and in the annual army list for 1777, the regiment was designated, " The Fourteenth Light Dragoons." 1778 In 1778, Major-General Warde was removed to the first Irish horse, now fourth dragoon guards, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Fourteenth liglit dragoons, by Major-Guneral Robert Slopec FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. 13 In 1784 the clothing of the light dragoon 1784 regiments was changed from scarlet to dark blue ; and the following orders were issued on this sub- ject, dated — Adjutant GeneraVs Office^ Dublin^ \B>th May, 1784. * His Majesty's pleasure having been signified * to the Lord Lieutenant, that the clothing of the * light dragoon regiments shall hereafter be ' made in conformity to the following regulations, * it is the Commander-in-Chiefs order that the * said regulations be observed accordingly.' Regulations for the Cloihing of the Light Dragoons. The clothing of a private light dragoon is to consist of a jacket, shell, under- waistcoat, and leather breeches. The jacket and shell to be of blue cloth ; the collars and cuffs of the royal regiments to be red, and those of the other regiments to be of the colour of the facing of the regiment ,* looped upon the breast, edged with white cord, and to be lined with white , the llth and 13th regiments ex- cepted, which are to be lined with huff. The under waistcoat to be of flannel with sleeves, and made so as to be buttoned within the waistband of the breeches. The breeches to be of buckskin. N.B. Tlie make of t^^e dress and method of t I' 14 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE 1784 placing the cord upon the breast of the jacket, to be exactly conformable to the pattern approved by His Majesty. Officers and Quarter Mobsters. — The dress-uni- form of the officers and quarter-masters of the light dragoons to be made according to the King's regulations of the 19th December, 1768, except- ing that the coats are to be him and faced with the same colour as the private men, and that the Royal regiments are to be faced with scarlet. Field Uniform of the Officers and Quarter Masters. — The jacket and shell to be made up in the same manner as those of the men, excepting that the shell is to have sleeves, and that the looping is to be made oi silver, the 13th regiment excepted, which is to be oi gold. Serjeants. — The Serjeants of the light dragoons to be distinguished by gold or silver looping. Corporals. — The corporals of the light dra- goons to be distinguished by a gold or silver cord, round the collar and cuffs. Trumpeters.— The trumpeters to have a jacket and shell, the colour and facing of the regiment, with lace, instead of looping, in front and down the seams. N.B. A pattern suit may be seen at the Com- mander-in-Chiefs office at the Royal Hospital. (Signed) H. Pigot, Adjutant General. FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. 15 The foregoing orders were sent to the officers 1784 commanding the 8th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th, and 18th light dragoons ; to the Earl of Drogheda ; to the major of brigade for the general officers ; and to the agents, Messrs. Montgomery, Wybrants, and Cane. -a The regiment remained in Ireland performing 1791 the usual duties of a cavalry corps on home ser- vice, until the events attendant on the French revolution occasioned it to be employed in con- tinental and colonial warfare. When this revo- lution assumed its wild and violent character, the spirit of republicanism soon extended to the French West India Islands. The resolution to grant the immediate freedom of the slaves, for which they were unprepared, was followed, in 1791, by acts of outrage and spoliation committed by the blacks against the properties of their owners. In 1793 the planters of St. Domingo obtained 1793 British aid ; and the revolutionists afterwards received assistance from France. In the same year, a British army appeared in Flanders under the Duke of York, to arrest the progress of the French aggressions on the conti- nent ; and in 1794, two troops of the Fourteenth 1794 light dragoons were withdrawn from Ireland to engage in the contest. On their arrival in Flan- ders, the two troops of the rejjlment were attached to the eighth light dragoons ; and they formed part of the van of the forces under Lieut.-General 16 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE I '. 3 I II i! n ,■ j' "1^ ^794 the Earl of Moira, on the march from Ostend to join the army under His Royal Highness the Duke of York. The squadron of the Fourteenth also shared in the toils and hardships of the win- ter campaign in Holland ; it took part in several skirmishes with the enemy, and after enduring great privation and suffering from an unusually severe season, which occasioned the loss of several men and horses, it arrived in the early part of 1795 1795, in Germany, where it was incorporated in the eighth regiment of light dragoons. The contest in the West Indies had, in the meantime, been carried on with varied success, and the seven troops of the Fourteenth light dragoons in Ireland were ordered to give up their horses to the twenty-fourth light dragoons at Clonmel, and to embark for the West Indies dis- mounted. This transfer took place under the direction of Major-General Egerton, who bore testimony to the alacrity with which the officers and men prepared for embarkation . The regiment embarked on the 25th of Febru- ary, 1795, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Arthur Carter; on arriving at St. Domingo^ it was furnished with such horses as could be pro- cured, and it was soon engaged in active operations against the bands of armed negroes and mulattoes who had enrolled themselves under the banners of the French republic. 1796 During the years 1796 and 1797, numerous FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. 17 actions occurred ; but against a hundred thousand 1797 trained blacks who had been instructed in Eu- ropean discipline, the few British troops on the island were unable to do more than exhibit many brilliant examples of discipline and valour. In an enterprise against the post of Mirebalais in the beginning of June, 1797, a detachment of the Fourteenth, Eighteenth, and Twenty-first light dragoons, commanded by Lieut. -Colonel Carter of the Fourteenth, distinguished them- selves. They drove twelve hundred of the enemy with three pieces of cannon from a strong position, captured two guns, and chased a number of op- ponents into the river Artibonite, capturing their ammunition, mules, &c. The conduct of Lieut.-Colonel Carter, and of the dragoons under his orders, was commended in the public des- patches. The climate of St. Domingo was, however, so very injurious to the health of Eu- ropean soldiers, that the regiment was soon reduced to a skeleton. The few surviving men who were fit for service, were permitted to volun- teer into other corps, and the remainder, twenty- five in number, embarked for England, where they arrived in the month of October, and were stationed at Chelmsford. On the 1st of June, 1797, General Sir Robert Sloper, K.B., was removed to the fourth dragoons, and the colonelcy of the Fouuteenth was con- I ^ & HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE if : I ... |, 1797ferred on Major-General John William Egerton, afterwards Earl of Bridgewater, from first lieut.- colonel of the seventh light dragoons. This officer being on the staff when the few men of the regiment arrived from St. Domingo, he was em- ployed in superintending the recruiting and re- mounting of his corps, and in a short time he had the satisfaction of seeing it a fine body of light cavalry mustering six hundred mounted men, who were divided into eight troops. 1798 In August, 1798, King George III. was graciously pleased to approve of the regiment being styled "the Fourteenth, or the Duchess OF York's own Regiment of Light Dragoons,*' in honour of Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherina, Princess Royal of Prussia, who was married to His Royal Highness the Duke of York in 1791 ; at the same time the Royal authoritywas given for the Fourteenth to assume the " Prussian Eagle" as a regimental badge, and the colour of the facing of the regiment was changed from lemon- yellow to orange. 1800 The establishment was augmented to ten troops, of ninety rank and file each, in 1800; 1802 but at the peace of Amiens, in 1802, a reduction of two troops took place. 1803 Hostilities were resumed in 1803, and in 1804 1804 the regiment was again augmented to ten troops of ninety rank and file each, for which a supply anmON OF THF, TOnnTKF.NTn, OR TFTF DnCHE39 OF TOIIK'S OWN LIOHT DRAGOONS, M DCC XCVIIt. [ T\j fnet pagt 18 of I froi 1 ha\ to s ceei stri ver Sir the reg bar to I por De< Ha 1 ser^ wh( bail fon wei Foi ear] arir van bra in I dra FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS. 19 of new carbines and pistols was received in 1807, 1S07 from the ordnance stores. The French Emperor, Napoleon Buonaparte, jgQg having attempted to reduce Spain and Portugal to subjection to his power, a British army pro- ceeded to Portugal to aid the inhabitants in their struggles for freedom. Portugal had been deli- vered, and the army under Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore was advancing into Spain, when the Fourteenth (the Duchess of York's Own) regiment of light dragoons, was ordered to em- bark for the Peninsula. The regiment marched to Falmouth, where it was put on board of trans- ports, and arrived at Lisbon on the 23rd of December under the command of Colonel Samuel Hawker. The return to England of the troops which had .g^^ served under Lieut.-General Sir John Moore, whose career of honour was terminated at the battle of Corunna, left only a small British force in the Peninsula, and these troops were quartered near Lisbon, from whence the Fourteenth light dragoons advanced in the early part of 1809, to Bucellas, an out-post of the army. In April the regiment formed the ad- vance-guard on the march of the army to Coim- bra, and in the beginning of May it was united in brigade with the sixteenth and twentieth light dragoons under Major- General Cotton, and was c 2