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L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lul « 6t ^^^, A. ^ ZiSp^lt -fiSJEivLOMtjP'^t «/' //Aft- 3 's HISTORICAL RECORDS I OF TIIK BRITISH ARMY. % PREPARED FOR PUBLICATiON UNDER THE DIRECTION OF TUB ADJUTANT-GENERAL. THE SECOND OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS, COMMONI.y CAM.ED THE SCOTS GREYS. LONDON Printed by Wii.i.lAM Ci.owk* niiil Sons, 14, (;hatiDK Cross. GENERAL ORDERS. HORSE GUARDS, Ut January, 1836. His Majesty has been pleased to command, that, with a view of doing the fullest justice to Regi- ments, as well as to Individuals who have distin- guished themselves by their Bravery in Action with the Enemy, an Account of the Services of every Regi- ment 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 Ori- ginal Formation of the Regiment; The Stations at which it has been from time to time employed; The Battles, Sieges, and othe- 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. a 2 GENERAL ORDERS. The Names of those Officers, who, in con- sideration of their Gallant Services and Meritorious 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 Regiment 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, 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 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. Ihe 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 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 Commanders, and the PREFACE. Officers and Troops acting under their orders, expressions of approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery, and these testimonials, confirnned 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 practice (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 obtaining, particularly from the old Regiments, an authentic 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 hence- forth 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, comparatively 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 PREFACE. country derives from the industry and the enterprise of the agri- culturist 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 valu- able life, by which so many national benefits are obtained and preserved. The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endur- ance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying diffi- culties ; and their character has been established in Continental warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected debarkations in spite of the most formidable opposition, and by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have main tallied their advantages against superior numbers. In the official Reports made by the respective Commanders, 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 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 authority, by Mr. Richard Cannon, Principal Clerk of the Adjutant-General's Office ; and while the perusal of them cannot 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 to those who may have served in the Army, or who have relatives in the Service. There exists in the breasts of most of those who have served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit de Corps—an attach- PREFACE. i ment to every thing belonging to their Regiment ; to such i>ersons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot ''. iil 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 civilised people. Great Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in raou.snts 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 unshaken fortitude. It is presumed that a record of achievements in war, — victories so complete and surprising, gained by our countrymen, — our brothers^ — our fellow-citizens 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. Biogra()hical 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 testifying 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 number, so that when the whole shall be completed, the Parts mny be bound up in numerical succession. INTRODUCTION. i The ancient Armies of England were composed of Horse and Foot ; but the feudal troops esta- blished by William the Conqueror in 1086, con- sisted almost entirely of Horse. Under the feudal system, every holder of land amounting to what was t«»rined a " knight's fee," was required to provide a charger, a coat of mail, a helmet, a shield, and a lance, and to serve the Crown a period of forty days in each year at his own expense ; and the great landholders had to pro- vide armed men in proportion to the exlont of their estates ; consequently the ranks of the feudal Cavalry were completed with men of property, and the vassals and tenants of ♦he great barons, who led their dependents to the field in person. In the succeeding reigns the Cavaliy of the Army was composed of Knights (or men at arms) and Hobiliers (or horsemen of inferior degree) ; and the Infantry of spear and battle-axe men, cross-bowmen, and archers. The Knights wore armour on every part of the body, and their weapons were a lance, a sword, and a small dagger. The Hobiliers were accoutred and armed ii INTRODUCTION. for the light and less important services of war, and were not considered qualified for a charge in line. Mounted Archers * were also introduced, and the English nation eventually became pre- eminent in the use of the bow. About the time of Queen Mary the appellation of " Men at Arms" was changed to that of" Spears and Launces." The introduction of fire-arms ulti- mately occasioned the lance to fall into disuse, and the title of the Horsemen of the first degree was changed to " Cuirassiers." The Cuirassiers were armed cap-d-pie, and their weapons were a sword with a straight narrow blade and sharp point, and a pair of large pistols, called petrenels ; and the Hobiliers carried carbines. The Infantry carried pikes, matchlocks, and swords. The introduction of fire-arms occasioned the forma- tion of regiments armed and equipped as infantry, but mounted on small horses for the sake of expedition of movement, and these were styled "Dragoons;" a small portion of the military force of the kingdom, however, consisted of this description of troops. The formation of the present Army commenced • In the 14th year of the reign of Edward IV. a small lorce was established in Ireland by Parliiiment, consiHting of 120 Archers on horseback, 40 Hortemen, and 40 Pages. INTRODUCTION. m after the Restoration in 1660, with the establish- ment of regular corps of Horse and Foot ; the Horsemen were cuirassiers, but only wore armour on the head and body ; and the Foot were pike- men and musketeers. The arms which each description of force carried, are described in the following extract from the " Regulations of King Charles II.," dated 5th May, 1663:— *' Each Horseman to have for his defensive ' armes, back, breast, and pot ; and for his offen- * sive armes, a sword, and a case of pistolls, the * barrels whereof are not to be und'. foorteen * inches in length ; and each Trooper of Our * Guards to have a carbine, besides the aforesaid * armes. And the Foote to have each souldier a ' sword, and each pikeman a pike of 16 foote * long and not und'. ; and each musqueteer a ' musquet, with a collar of bandaliers, the barrels * of which musquet to be about foor foote long, * and to conteine a bullet, foorteen of which shall ' weigh a pound weight *.*' The ranks of the Troops of Horse were at this period composed of men of some property — gene- rally the sons of substantial yeomen : the young men received as recruits provided their own horses, • Military Papers, State I'aper Office. b2 w INTRODUCTION. I and they were placed on a rate of pay sufficient to give them a respectable station in society. On the breaking out of the war with Holland, in the spring of 1672, a Regiment of Dragoons was raised*; the Dragoons were placed on a lower rate of pay than the Horse; and the Regiment was armed similar to the Infantry, excepting that a limited number of the men carried halberds instead of pikes, and the others muskets and bay- onets ; and a few men in each Troop had pistols ; as appears by a warrant dated the 2nd of April, 1672, of which the following is an extract : — " Charles R. '^ " Our will and pleasure is, that a Regi- *' ment of Dragoones which we have established " and ordered to be raised, in twelve Troopes of " fourscore in each beside officers, who are to bo " under the command of Our most deare and most " intirely beloved Cousin Prince Rupert, shall be armed out of Our stoares remaining within Our office of the Ordinance, as followeth ; that is to say, three corporalls, two Serjeants, the gentlemen at armes, and twelve souldiers of each of the said twelve Troopes, are to have and carry etich of them one halbard, and one case • This Regiment was disbanded after the Peace in 1674, 1764 1769 1770 1775 1776 1783 1784 1791 1792 1793 1794 1795 1807 1808 1810 1815 1816 1817 1818 1821 1822 1823 Description of the Uniform, Guidons, &c. A Light Troop added to the Regiment . The Light Troop employed against the French coast .... The Regiment embarks for Germany Battle of Bergen Minden Warbourg . Skirmish near Zierenberg . Surprise of Zierenberg Battle of Kirch-Denkern . Skirmishes at Eschershausen, Eimbeck, and Foorwohle Battle of Groebenstien Embarks for England — Light Troop disbanded and 1768 Alterations in the equipment Proceeds to Scotland Returns to England . Proceeds to Scotland Returns to England . Proceeds to Scotland Returns to England . Proceeds to Scotland Returns to England . Embarks for the Netherlands Sieges of Valenciennes and Dunkirk Landrt^cies . Battle of Tournay Retreats through Holland to Germany Embarks for England Proceeds to Scotland . Embarks for Ireland . Return>5 to England . Embarks for Flanders Battle of Waterloo Returns to England . Proceeds to Scotland Embarks for Ireland Returns to England Proceeds to Scotland Returns to England . 76 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 8 87 88 89 90 91 97 93 94 95 96 97 100 101 103 104 108 109 111 vni CONTENTS. Anno 1826 Embarks for Ireland 1830 Returns to England 1834 Proceeds to Scotland 1835 Returns to England 1836 Embarks for Ireland 1839 The conclusion 112 112 113 114 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 1681 Thomas Dalziel 1685 Lord Charles Murray 1688 Sir Thomas Livingstone 1704 Lord John Hay 1 706 Lord John Dalrymple 1714 David Earl of Portraore 1717 James Campbell 1745 John Earl of Stair . 1747 John Earl of Crawford 1750 John Earl of Rothes 1752 John Campbell 1770 William Earl of Panmure 1782 George Preston 1785 James Johnston 1795 Archibald Earl of Eglintoun 1796 Sir Ralph Abercromby, K.B 1801 Sir David Dundas, K.C.B. 1813 William John Marquis of Lothian, K.T 1815 Sir James Steuart, Bart., G.C.H. 1839 Sir William Kier Grant, K.C.B., G.C.H 111 119 120 ;i 121 123 'v' t 4 124 'M 125 126 127 128 129 132 135 136 137 LIST OF PLATKS. The RcgimentHl Guidon?, and the Eagle and Colour of the 4r)th French ReginKMit, captured at Waterloo, to follow the Regimental Title Page. The Scots Greys at the Batlle of Waterloo, to face page 106. HISTORICAL RECORD OK THB ROYAL REGIMENT OF SCOTS DRAGOONS, NOW THE SECOND, OK ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. COMMON!,* CALLED THE SCOTS GREYS. The Royal North British Dragoons derive 1660 their origin as a corps of cavalry from circum- stances of a most painful character, which occurred in Scotland during the religious contentions in the reign of King Charles II. ; when men, losing sight of the peaceful and heneficent character of Christianity, and the moral obligations which it imposes, became embroiled in vengeful strife on a question of church polity, and imbrued their hands in each other's blood. The Restoration, which was the means of allay- ing nmch dissension, and of producing compara- tive tranquillity in Kngland, was ii')t, unfortu- natelv, followed bv the same rvt time escaped 1079 justice. This event was followed by still greater seve- rities upon the presbyterians. " The meetings for " hearing the gospel in houses and in the fields, " were attacked, and frequently the soldiers dis- " cliarged their pieces upon the poor unarmed coun- " try people."* Armed assemblies occurred in the west ; and Captain Robert Graham of Claver- HOUSE, who commanded one of the independent troops of horse, was directed to proceed with his own troop and a troop of dragoons, in quest of these conventicles. Having ascertained that a meeting was to take place on Loudon-hill, on Sunday the 1st of June, he directed his march for that place ; and on the road took a preacher, named King, and several other men prisoners. Early in the forenoon of that day an immense number of persons met at the place appointed, and public worship was commenced by Mr. Tliomas Douglas ; when suddenly Captain Gra- ham appeared with the horse and dragoons. All persons at the meeting who had fire arms, im- mediately separated themselves and advanced, under the direction of Robert Hamilton and Wil- liam Clelland, to meet the military. The countrymen had great advantage in the ground they occupied, and also in numbers ; to attack them appeared extremely rash ; but Captain Graham's orders were peremptory, and he accord- * Wodrow. 8 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1679 ingly advanced, and his dragoons commenced a straggling fire. Tiie conflict took place on a nmir, near a place called Drwnclog. Tlie military evinced bravery, and continued the action for some time, but were eventually overpowered by num- bers. Cornet Robert Graham, two brigadiers,* and eight men of the troop of horse, and twenty dragoons, were killed. Captain Graham, whose horse had been shot, mounted a troop horse and retired with the surviving men towards Glasgow. In the retreat the soldiers had to force their pas- sage through the townsmen of Strevin, who as- sembled to oppose them.f Meanwhile the pri- soners taken before the actio/i escaped. The presbyterians, having thus committed them- selves, resolved to keep together in arms, and to seek from their valour, that redress, which they could not otherwise obtain. They, accordingly, proceeded to Hamilton that night, and on the following day atUicked Glasgow. They were how- ever repulsed by the dragoons and a battalion of foot guards, who had barricaded the streets, and after a sharp conflict, the rebels retired with loss, and witli depression of spirits ; but their numbers soon increased so fast that they forgot this disas- ter ; and the dragoons and foot guards were ordered to retire towards Edinburgh. ^^^llen information of this rebellion reached London, the Duke of Monmouth was sent to ('orporals of horse v/ere, at this period, styled tuigadiers. + London Gazette. THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCUTS DRA«. >ONS. encetl a •e on a military or some )y num- ;adiers,* twenty », whose rse and rlasgow. eir pas- tvho as- the pri- d them- and to ch they rdingly, on the re how- ;alion of ets, and ith loss, mnibers 5 disas- Is were reached sent to adiers. take command of the army in Scotland, and sr - ral English regiments were ordered to the north * His grace, taking with him some dragoons which were quartered near the border, proceeded to Scot- land, and, having united them to the Scots army, advanced against the rebels. f In the mean time the insurgents had taken post behind the Clyde, which was not fordable, and they had barricaded Bothwell-bridge. This post was chosen with judgment, but the leaders in the rebellion having employed their time in praying, preaching, debating about a general fast, and other matters, had neglected the organising, training, and disciplining of their forces ; they were divided among themselves, and, when the royal army appeared, they were no better than a confused rabble of about * The following corps were ordered to proceed to Scotland on this occasion ; — The horse grenadier guards belonging to the three Eng- lish troops of life guards. The Duke of Monmouth's regiment of horse. The Duke of Albemarle's ditto. Lord Gerard's ditto. The royal regiment of dragoons. Sir John Talbot's regiment of dragoons. The rebellion was, however, suppressed before they arrived, excepting a troop of horse and some of vhe dragoons which liap- pened to be in summer quarters near the border; and, peace having been concluded with France, these corps were shortly afterwards disbanded. t The regular troops under the Duke of Monmouth consisted of the ibllowing corps: — The Scots troop of life guards. Three (roops of Scots horse. Three troops of Scots dragoons, — now the Royal North British dragoons, or Scots Greys. A troop of English horse. Four troops of the English royal dragoons. The Scots foot guards. Tlie Earl of Mar's rijgiment, now twenty-first fusiliers. Some militia corps had also been called out, and were in anus at the time. iOT'J 10 HISTORICAL RECORD OF ii 1079 four thousand men.* A deputation was, however, sent to the Duke of Monmouth, to lay before him the grievances which they required to be redressed. He heard them very patiently, but replied he would not come to any terms with them until they laid down their arms and surrendered at discretion ; and in the event of their so doing, he would use his interest with the King in their behalf, and he or- dered them to give an answer in half an hour. The deputation returned, a fruitless debate ensued, and, the time having passed away without their coming to any conclusion, they were surprised by an attack upon the bridge made by Captain Stuart's troop of Scots dragoons, a party of foot guards, and some artillery. This post was defended by about three hundred Kippen and Galloway men, commanded by Hackston of Rathillet. The attack was gallantly made, and the post defended with equal bravery until Hackston's men had expended their ammuni- tion, when they were ordered by Robert Hamil- ton, their commander-in-chief, to retire, and the key of the position was thus abandoned. The bridge was then cleared of the obstructions by the foot guards. The army passed, and, having formed opposite the insurgents, connnenced a sharp cannonade ; at the same time a sword fight oc- curred between a few royal troopers and insurgent horsemen on the flank. In a few moments a panic seized the rebel host : — their horsemen fled in dis- may in every direction ; — twelve hundred foot laid down their arms and surrendered prisoners without * Bishop Burnet. !| THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS. 1 I striking a blow; and the remainder ran away. The 1670 royal forces moved forward, and killed about four hundred men in the pursuit. Several detachments of Scots dragoons were afterwards sent out, and a party of Captain Stu- art's troop under Lieut. Creichton took the preacher King, who escaped from Captain Graham's cus- tody at Drumclog. Many of the prisoners were permitted, after sub- scribing to a bond never to appear in arms again without the King's authority, to return to their homes. Two preachers and five others were exe- cuted ; and near three hundred were shipped for transportation ; but the vessel was wrecked, and the greater part of them perished. After the suppression of the rebellion, the Duke of Monmouth returned to England. By his repre- sentations to the King, he occasioned a less severe mode of proceeding to be adopts ' towards the non- conformists, a'lid His Majesty coinmanded a com- mission to be prepared appointing him captain- general of the Scots army. His grace was, however, shortly afterwards removed from his command. Lieut.-General Dalziel was appointed commander- in-chief in Scotland : and the Duke of York ar- riving at that period at Edinburgh, encouraged the violent party in their proceedings against all who ^vould not conform to episcopacy. During the winter the Scots dragoons occupied 1680 extensive cantonments, and frequently sent out de- tachments to apprehend persons accused of having been in the late rebellion. Many of the outlawed presbyterians kept together in arms, and they sometimes had encounters with tiie niilitarv- f^"' 12 HISTORICAL RECORD OF •'; f I M] 16S0 Lieut.-General Dalziel detached thirty horse under Captain Bruce of Earls-hill and fifty dra- goons under Lieut.-Creichton, in quest of a party of violent presbyterians who kept together in arms in Galloway. On the afternoon of the 20th of July 1680, as the soldiers approached Ay re-moss, in the shire of Ayr, they espied the insurgents, and quickening their pace, encountered them near a bog. After exchanging a few musket shots at a distance, both parties charged sword in hand, and a severe contest ensued, which lasted about a quar- ter of an hour, when the insurgents fled, and took refuge in the bog, leaving twenty of their number weltering on the field. Among the slain was a violent field preacher named Cameron ; among the wounded was Hackston of Rathillet (one of the murderers of Archbishop Sharp), who, with four others, suffered the extreme penalty of the law at Edinburgh, The King's troops lost several men and horses, and Lieut.-Creichton was severely wounded.* The three troops of dragoons were actively employed against the non-conformists during the remainder of this, and the following year. 1681 In 1681 a test was introduced by act of parlia- ment, and upon some scruples being made by the Earl of Argyle, who was one of the privy council, he was desired by the Duke of York to nuike a statement in writing, which he did, and gave it * This may be quoted as an instance of the difiiculty of procur- ing correct statements of the numbers engaged on all occasions. The London Gazette states the insurgents at Ayre-mosswere 40 horse and 100 foot : Creiphton states in his memoirs, they were 30 lioise and I do foot : and Hackston of liathillct states, m a letter published by Woilrow, they were i'i horse and '10 foot. THE SKCOND, OR ROYAL FCOTS DRAGOONS. 13 to the council ; this paper was construed into 1681 an offence against the King and parliament ; a process of treason was exhibited against him ; and he was sentenced to death, and to forfei- ture of titles and estate ;* but he escaped to Holland. In the mean time the King had determined to place the regular forces in Scotland upon a more efficient establishment. Three additional troops of dragoons had been raised, and the six troops were incorporated into a regiment which was styled " The Royal Regiment of Scots Dra- goons;" and Lieut.-General Dalziel, the Commander-in-Chief in Scotland, was appointed its colonel, by connnission dated the 25th of r^ovember, 1681. The troops oF horse were also formed into a regiment, which was styled the " Ruyal regi- ment of Scots Hone," and Colonel Graham of Claverhouae, was appointed its commanding offi- cer, a statement of whose services will be found at page 2;S. The prosecution of non-conformists continuing, IG82 the Royal Scots Dragoons were employed in that and other difficult and painful duties.f When ♦ At the Rfvolution in 1688 this sentence was ordered to be erased out of the records ; and the Eatl's son was allowed to brinu: an action of damage against the Jndees. t The iollowing order shows the summary mode of proceeding adopted at that period : " Serjkant Persik. " In obeiiience to my Lord Livingstone's commands to me, " you are ht-reby orderi'd to ko with your fifteen dragoons at " present under your command, and quarter tliem proportionally '■ Hs you think convenient upon the heritors of Macartney nnd ("T" 14 HISTORICAL RECORD OF I I! 1682 countrymen were apprehended for alleged offences, a rescue was sometimes attempted ; search was 1683 then made for offenders : in 1683, much blood appears to have been spilt in frays of this descrip- tion, and the lives of the dragoons were in con- stant jeopardy. 1G84 In 1684 some of the society people published a declaration, in which they cast off authority, and used threats of violence against the King and government. This declaration was met by a summary order : viz. — " The Lords of His Ma- " jesty's Privy Council do hereby ordain any per- " son who owns, or will not disown, the late " treasonable declaration upon oath, whether " they have arms or not, to be immediately put " to death." * Military men were unfortunately called upon to tender the oath to persons of all ages, and in some cases to the entire population of towns and villages, and to execute the above order to the letter. Many persons, who refused the oath, were instantly shot, and the Royal Scots Dragoons had to perform their share of this painful duty : instances are, indeed, recorded, in wliich the military shrunk from the execution of these dreadful orders. 1685 The death of King Charles II. took place in ii'i ** tenants thereof, aye and while thi-y come ititu Kirkcudbright " to me, to take tacks of the Imill fbrementioned hinds, &c. Ymi " are to exact free quarter during your ahode, and to take what " you stand in need of. Yon are to dispossess and remove Lady " Hi'lm tlie Younger f'ortli of the lands of Macartney, and cause " your party to possess tlie same till further order, &c. — S\d)scribed " at Kirkcudhrigiit tlie '23rd of October, 1()H2. "Thomas LinDHKnAi.R." ♦ Council He^riHter». THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS. 15 the early part of 1685 ; when James the seventh of 1685 Scotland and second of England, a professed Papist, ascended the throne. In May of the same year the Earl of Argyle arrived from Holland with three ships and about three hundred men, and landed in Argyleshire, with the view of rais- ing a rebellion and of dethroning the King ; but he found his party so harassed and reduced by persecution, and so intimidated, that few joined him. After some time his force was augmented to about two thousand foot and a few horse. The Royal Scots Dragoons were innnediately ordered, with other forces, to march against the rebels, and the whole of the royal troops were placed under the command of the Earl of Dum- barton. The Earl of Argyle, meeting with some opposi- tion from the highland clans which the govern- ment had called out, embarked part of his forces and sailed towards the west ; but the army moving along the coast, kept in sight of his ship- ping and prevented his landing. He then returned to Argyleshire, and marched towards the lowlands ; but when he had crossed the water of Leven, a little above Dumbarton, he found the King's forces ready to oppose him. On the night of the 1 9th of June, the two armies encamped in sight of each other. The royal forces were posted on an eminence, and cahnly awaited tlio arrival of morning to com- mence tln' attack. Some low grounds sej)arated tlie hostile troops, and the fires of the rebels burni bright and clear on the opposite heights. Many !f . f 1 :&i ' 16 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1085 breasts were big with expectation, but when day- light arrived, it was discovered that the enemy had fled. The Earl of Argyle had ordered a number of fires to be kindled, and he marched off in silence in the night, with the view of penetrating southward ; but his guides led him into a bog in the dark ; alarm, confusion, and disorder followed, and the rebels, proceeding some one way and some another, left the Earl without an army. Information having been received, that one divi- sion of the rebels, commanded by Sir John Cochran, and consisting principally of the men who had come from Holland, had halted at a place called Stone-dyke Park, about ten miles distant from the camp, a troop of the Royal Scots Dra- goons commanded by Captain Clelland, and a troop of horse under Lord Ross, were despatched against them. The rebels had taken post in a small enclosure, the defences of which formed a breast-work for their protection. The King's troops, however, commenced the attack, and the enemy defended themselves with resolution. The Royal Scots Dragoons were eventually ordered to dismount and, being formed as infantry, ad- vanced under a sharp fire to scale the defences. The rebels did not wait the assault, but quitted the enclosure and took post in a wood in its rear ; the wood was surrounded, but they escaped in the night. In this rencounter Captain Clelland and several men of the Royal Scots Dragoons were killed ; Lord Ross was wounded. — Sir Ad:im Blair, wlio succeeded to Captain Clelland's commission, was shot through the neck, and Sir THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS. 17 William Wallace of Cragie, was shot in the side.* 1685 The Earl of Argyle was captured on the same day by a party of militia, and he was beheaded a Edinburgh in pursuance of his former sentence. In the mean time a rebellion, headed by the Duke of Monmouth, had broken out in England, and the Royal Scots Dragoons were ordered to march to the south ; but a few days after they had crossed the border, the rebellion was sup- pressed by the decisive battle of Sedgemoor, and this regiment was ordered to return to its former quarters. Lieut.-General Dalziel died in October, and was honoured by a public funeral, and a great attend- ance of military, noblemen, and gentlemen : on the 6th of November, 1685, His Majesty conferred the Colonelcy of the Royai. Scots Dragoons on the Lieut.-Colonel Lord Charles Murray, who was created Earl of Dunmore in the succeeding year. During tlie remahider of this and the following ICSH year detachments of the Royal Scots Dragoons were sent to various parts of the country to appre- hend persons charged with joining the late rebel- lion, and many countrymen, who refused to answer the questions put to them, were, in obedience to the orders of the government, shot in the fields. In 1687, the King, with the view to the intro- 1GH7 duction of Papacy, removed many oi" the restric- tions from the non-conformists, who now had liberty to attend public worshij) in houses and London Gazette. c :z^'Z':iK^l^llii:z"'- ^ I I ' ; 18 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1688 chapels. The Royal Scots Dragoons were no longer called upon to traverse the country in quest of illegal assemblies of tlie people ; but in the summer of 1688, p^rt of the regiment was employed in a service of a painful nature, which is related as follows by Captain Creichton of the regiment: — *• Macdonald, Laird of Keppoch in the high- *' lands, within eight miles of Inverlochy, had " gained possession of an estate which in right " belonged to the Laird of Mackintosh. Both " these gentlemen were well affected to the King. " The Laird of Keppoch, after sowing time Avas " over, had gone, as it was his custom, to make * merry with his clan in the mountains, until the ' time of harvest should call him home. But in " his absence Mackintosh and his clan, assisted " with a party of soldiers, by order of the govern- " ment, possessed himself of the estate. Where- " upon, Macdonald and his clan, returning from " the mountains, set upon the enemy, killed seve- ** ral gentlemen, and took Mackintosh himself " prisoner. Macdonald had given strict orders to " his men not to kill any of the military ; but " Captain IMackenzie who commanded, making a " shot at one of Macdonald's men who was pur- " suing his adversary, the man discharged his pis- *' tol at the captain, shot him in the knee, and, " after having been carried fifty miles to a surgeon, " he died of his wound. " Soon after the government ordered me, with a " detachment of (sixty men of the Royal Scots " Dhagoons with a lieutenant, a cornet, and staii- B -'I THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS. 19 " dard ; and Captain Streighton with two hundred 1G88 " of the foot guards, to march against the Macdon- •* aids, to destroy man, woman, and child, pertaining " to the Laird of Keppoch, and to burn his houses " and corn. Upon the approach of our party, " Macdonald dismissing his prisoners, retired far- *-' ther into the mountains. Whereupon, we, who ** were sent against him, continued to destroy all his '* houses and corn from Lammas to the 10th of " September : and then we advanced towards the " borders, to join the Scots army, which at that " time was marching towards England against the " Prince of Orange, who then intended an invasion. " We arrived at the border on the 1st of October, *' after a march of two hundred miles." On the same day on which this detachment rejoined the regiment (viz. 1st of October) the Scots forces crossed the Tweed and marched to Carlisle, from whence the infantry, commanded by Lieutenant-General Douglas, proceeded by Ches- ter for London ; and the cavalry, under the direc- tion of Major-General Graham, marched for the same destination by York. The regiments arrived in the vicinity of the metropolis towards the end of October ; and in a few days afterwards Major- General Graham was created Viscount of Dun- dee, and Lord Graham of Claverhouse.* * Establishment of the Scots Forces which came to England at the Revohition in 1688. Corps. Commandeis. Numbers. Troop of Life Guards Lord Livingstone 13'>. Royal Regiment of Horse . . . Major General Gi aham . 352 Royal Regiment of Dragoons, Earl of Dunmore 357 Regiment c2 r rrfir'T'TTl 20 HISTORICAL RECORD OF H f ;| !S I' H I ■i I 1688 In tlie early part of November the Scots and some English regiments were ordered to occupy quarters in London.* On the 5th of that month the Prince of Orange landed with the Dutch army at Torbay ; and King James ordered his forces to assemble at Salisbury. The Royal Scots Dragoons left London on the 10th of November, and, on arriving at Salisbury, were ordered to occupy a post three miles below the city. King James discovered that his conduct had alienated the affections of his subjects, both civil Corps. Commanders. Numbers. Regiment of Foot Guards ... Lieut.-General Douglas 1251 Heijiment of Foot Colonel Buchan 744 Ditto ColonelJohn Wachop . 927 Total. 3,763 fVar Office Records. * JAMES R. Our Will and Pleasurk is that Our Forces here- after mentioned, he quartered as followeth : — The Earl of Peterborough's Regiment of Horsetin the precincts The Scots Feins to have been entertained of the loyalty of this corps after the removal of the ns m 167H. He had inbibed strong prejudices against the presbyterians, whieh Hre easily piMceived in his memoirs, by the harsh lanu:uagc of whuh he makes use. 'ii 28 HISTORICAL RECORD OF >ti : '■■ I 1 689 closely upon the rear of the highlanders until they took refuge in the wilds of Lochuber, when tiu) Royal Scots Dragoons were ordered to take post at Inverness, where they remained several weeks. During the time the regiment was at Inverness, Major-General Mackay returned to Edinburgh, where he made some arrangements relative to his supplies. He then proceeded to Stirling, and from thence to Dunkeld, where he learnt that Vis- count Dundee had bef "• joined l)y five hundred men from Ireland commanded by Brigadier-Gen- eral Cannon, and that part of the rebel force was at Blair. The IMajor-General immediately ad- vanced with six battalions of foot and two troops of horse ; the hostile forces engaged in the pass of Killiecrankifi on the 27th June, and the King's troops were defeated with considerable loss. The rebel leader, Viscount Dundee,* was. however, ' { i :!l^:i * John Graham of Claverhouse commenced his military ca- reer as a volunteer in the French service; he aflerwards entered the army of the States General of Holland, and held the com- mission of cornet in the Dutch life guards. In August, l()74, he liighly distinsruished himself at the battle of Seneife, and was im- mediately promoted to the captaincy of a troop of horse. The lieiit. -colonelcy of one of the Scots regiments m the service of the States havins; become vacant. Captain Graham aspired to thai command ; but the Prince of Orange conferred the appoint- ment on (yaptain Hugh Mackay. Captain Graham, stuns; with resentment, immediately (juitted the Dutch service, and was never afterwards reconciled to the Prince. On his arrival in Scotland he was appointed captain of an independent troop of horse, and afteiwards colonel of the riival regiment of Scois horse, as stated in the records ofihe Scots Greys (p. 13). Tie appearsto have been an active and intelligent officer, but of a fiery spirit, and being em- ployed by a persecuting governiueiit, he is stated to have com- mitted the most dreadful cruelties on the presbyterians, not spar- ing old men, women, or children, which procured him the appel- lation of " Hloody Clavers.' His zeal in the cause of despotiNin THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS. 29 killed in the action, and the command of the high- 1G89 landers devolved on Brigadier-General Cannon, who, after sustaining a repulse near St. Johns- town, marched along the hills of Aberdeenshire. The Royal Scots Dragoons were ordered to march from Inverness to Strathbogie. After the arrival of the regiment at its post, dispositions were made for attacking the highlanders, but they retreated over the mountains to the shires of Mearns and Angus, by paths inaccessible to cavalry, and many of them separated and proceeded to their homes. The Royal Scots Dragoons were placed in quarters in Aberdeenshire, from whence they afterwards marched to Inverness, and during the winter they do not appear to have been en- gaged with the rebels. In the spring of 1690 King James sent Briga- 1090 dier-General Bachan from Ireland, with some officers and men, to join the highlanders ; who attempted, in the early part of April, to make a descent near Inverness. Sir Thomas Livingstone marched out with the Royal Scots Dragoons and some other forces, an*! found the mountaineers one thousand strong, advantageously posted on the sunmiit of a hill, with their flanks covered by im- passable bogs and woods. He detached two squadrons of horse and dragoons to turn the enemy's flank and gain their rear ; but the high- landers innnediately fled and esca])ed the pursuing s<(Uudrons. was lewaidecl with the title of Lord Graham of Claverhoiise and Viscount of Diindkk, l)y pati'iit dated thp 12th of November, lf>88. His death occurred on the 27th of June, IfibO, (as above statt'd,) at the battle of KilliecranKiu. '^: ' ■. i -^ui M 1 1:! J I a iiii' 30 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1690 Shortly afterwards a general rendezvous of the disaffected clans was appointed to take place at Strathspey; horn whence they purposed descend- ing in a body into the lowlands ; and Sir Thomas Livingstone, having ascertained that Major-Gen- erals Buchan and Cannon would arrive «t Crom- dale on the 30th of April with about two thousand men, and that they expected in a few days to be above four thousand strong, marched from Inver- ness vAth the Royal Scots Dragoons, Sir James Leslie's foot, and some other forces, amount- ing to about twelve hundred men. At dusk, on the evening of the 30th of April, the King's troops arrived within two miles of Balloch Castle ; the men and horses were weary, and between them and the castle lay a narrow and difficult pass, which it was dangerous to enter in the dark, without a precise knowledge of tlie position of the enemy. No ground was, however, to be found convenient for passing the night, and one of the olHcers, who knew that part of the country well, having undertaken to be guide, the troops entered the defile, and about two on the following morning they gained the opposite side ; when Captain Grant, who commanded the garrison in Balloch Castle, pointed out the camp lights of the higii- landers on a pla beyond the river Spey. There were two fords by which the river migiit bo passed ; one near the camj), which was guarded by a party of the rebels, stationed in Cromdale church; the other ford was lower 703 venient quarters in Dutch Brabant. Towards the end of April 1703 the Greys took the field, and encamped, with other forces, under Lieut.- Generals Lumley and Churchill, near the small town of Hamont, in the province of Limburg; from whence they marched and encamped on Ladner Heath ; they afterwards proceeded to the Chateau D'Horn, near Riiremonde, and on the 7th of May (N.S.) to the vicinity of Tcngres. Mean- while a party of Englisli horse, es 'orting a quan- tity of specie towards the army, -. as atta ked and defeated by a detachment of French tr vps, who captured the treasure. When information of tlus disaster reached the army, the Fc(/rs Greys w .le instantly ordered out, and, ducshing across the country by a bye-road, they intercepted and de- feated the French detachment, and retook the specie, with which they returned in triumph to the vember, for the Hague, and, with the Dutch deputies, descended the Maese in a boat, accompanied by a guard of twenty-five men. A squadron of the Greys, sent forward for that purpose, met his lordship at Ruremonde, where he was also joined by General Co- horn in a larger boat with sixty men. The Greys marched along the banks of the river ; bu :^vving the night some obstructions occasioned them to lose : brought on tlie decisive battle of Blenheim on the \tiih of August in the valley (»f the Danube. On this occasion the Koyal Scots Dragoons were detached with several other corps under Lieut.-(i^'- neral Churchill, to attack the French troops posted * Annals of Quoon Aiinc. t Ptiiker's iMi'tiiuirti. 44 Historical record of 1704 in the village oi Blenheim, which covered the riglit of the enemy's line. This post was attacked with spirit, and a sharp conflict was maintained with varied success for some time. Meanwhile, the engagement became general aiong the whole line, and was continued for several hours. At length the French and Bavarians were driven from their ground with immense loss, and their commander, Marshal Tallard, was taken prisoner. The French troops posted in Blenheim attempted to effect their escape by the rear of the village, but were re- pulsed, ; they then rushed towards the road lead- ing to Sonderheim, when Lieut-General Lumley led forward the Royal Scots Dragoons,* who drove back the battalions into the village, where they were surrounded ; and no hope of relief or escape remaining, twenty-four battalions of French infantry and twelve squadrons of cavalrv surren- dered themselves prisoners of war. Thus ter- minated a battle which reflected the highest lustre on the British arms, and raised on the banks of the Danube a trophy which time cannot destroy : the Duive of Marlborough was rewarded with the dignity of a Prince of the Ucmian Empire. In this action the Royal Scots Dragoons had several men and horses wounded, but not a single orticer or m.m killed. f I \k * " They (the Frtrich) first attempted to cscapo by the rear of " the village, and, boiiifj repulsed, rushed towards the road lead- " in^ to Sonderheim. Here they were a^ain checked by Ihe " Scots Gkkvs, who were led tbrward to (he crest ol'lhe acclivity " by General Lumley." — ('oje'a Lift' <\f Marlborough. t Annals of Queen Anne. THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS. 45 The most splendid results followed this victory. |70t Bavaria was subdued ; and the Royal Scots Dra- goons formed part of the covering army during the siege of Landau. In September the King of the Romans visited the British camp, when the Duke of Marlborough placed himself at the head of the Royal Scots Dragoons to receive his majesty. In November the regiment marched back to Holland for the v inter. Having passed several months in quarters of 1705 refreshment in Guelderland, where they were joined by another remount froni Sr-^^land, the Greys again appeared in fine fconaition for the field. They were withdrawn from their cantonments in the darly part of INIay, 1705, and, after tra- versing the verdant plains of Limburg, encamped near the banks of the river JMaese ; where die Duke of Marlborough assembled the army about the middle of that month for the purpose of pro- ceeding on the expedition up the Moselle. After a halt of Uvo days, the cavalry crossed the JMaese, and marched through a delightful country to Coblentz, and from thence to Juliers. After leaving this place, the regiments traversed a barren and mountainous tract, wh/M-e the Scots soldiers doclared there was less accommodation for an army tliuii in the highlands,* until they arrived at Triers^reiler, where the troops ewcaniped on the 26th of May. The army afterwards crossed the Moselle and the Saar, and was prepared for offen- sive warfare ; but the object of the exptduion was * Dr. Hare's Journal. 'm«im 3; I ^ M [1 ) 46 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1 705 frustrated by the tardiness of the Austrians, and the jealousy of the G'Tiiiau coTiimanders ; the Duke, therefore, resolved t<- i?tuni. Accordingly, at midnight on the 17' h or June, th'^ croops de- camped, in the midst *>f a i.eav- rai;;, and the Royal Scots Drago ns, with several other corps, formed up to cover the retreat through a long and narrow defile. No enemy, 'lowever, appeared to inter r;pt tLe army, and, retracing their former steps by forced marches, ' e Gpeys arrived in the vicinity of Maestriclit on the 30th of .June ; when the French forces in the Netherlands in- stantly ceased to act on the offensive and took refuge behind their lifies. After several chaii:L,'es of position, the Greys, and other corps, were ordered to be ready to march, immediately after dark, on the evening of the 17th of July ; and the regiment was formed on this occasion, as usual, in brigade with the Royal Irish Dragoons, under the conmiand of Brigadier-Ge- neral Lord John Hay. The troops continued their march throughout the night, which was par- ticularly dark, and at four o'clock on the follow- ing morning Ibund themselves opposite the barrier*' of the enemy's fortified lines, at Neer- Hcspen and Helijcem. The guards at the b.urijrs, being surprised, fled in a panic, and in a short time the posts were forced, and a passage made for the army to cross these stuj)endou8 works. Scarcely had the R:/j it.. Scots and Irish dra- goons, with a few sot idr* <» of horse, passed the lines, when the Mm;.jij» I'Allegre appeared with twenty battalions M >.J Milry and fifty squadrons of 1 . ; ;i> 1:1 '^w7^ I THE SECOND, OR ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS. 47 cavalry. The Duke of Marlborough led his horse 1705 and dragoons forward, and by an impetuous charge broke the enemy's ranks. A short but fiery con- flict ensued, with varied success, and the Greys displayed their usual spirit. Finally, the enemy's squadrons were dispersed ; their standards and kettle-drums were captured ; and many officers and men were taken prisoners. The enemy's infantry also suffered severely ; a few battalions, however, retired in a square in admirable order. This brilliant affair was not followed by any other action of importance ; and when the cam- paign was closed, the Scots Greys marched to Dutch Brabant, where they passed the winter. In the spring of 1706 means were used to 170G bring an otficient army into the field, and the Royal Scots Dragoons appeared, as usual, in excellent order. They left their winter quarters early in May, and, after traversing the plains of Limburg and the rich valleys of Liege, joined the army encamped at Bilsen on the 20th of that month, and afterwards marched to Borchloen. At one o'clock on the morning of Whitsunday, the 23rd of May, a detachment of the Royal Scots Dragoons, and several squadrons of horse, were ordered to march in the direction of Mont St. Andre, and at three o'clock the army followed in eight columns. Notwithstanding a thick fog rendered distant objects imperceptible, the leading squadrons went sweeping through the undulating grounds, until tliey caine to the heights near Mier- (lorp, when, through tl;e misty dawn, they espieil a few French horsemen traversing tlic phiins of St. 48 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1706 Andre; and shortly afterwards, the fog clearing away, the French army was discovered in position at Ramilies. The allies, advancing into the plains of Jandrinoeuil, prepared for action ; and the Queen's horse, Royal Scots, and Irish dragoons, and the infantry regiments of Churchill and Mordaunt, were posted on the heights of Foulz, on the right of the line. Ahout half past-one a sudden burst of artil- lery opened upon the French, and the action soon became general. The troops on the heights of FonIz were for some time spectiitors of the scene : a. !'?ij>v,!' a critical moment arrived and they were cr«ki'*5d io( ward, Churchill's and Mordaunt's re- ghuCD^s ncscended first, and, encountering three French battalions, drove them into a morass where tJie greater part of them were either destroyed or taken prisoners. At the same time the three cavalry regiments galloped through the morass, crossed the high ground beyond it, and, attacking the enemy's left, routed the French cavalry, and cut several battalions to pieces. The Greys charged into the village of Autreglize^ and over- threw and sabred the infantry in tlie streets. Emerging from the village, they encountered the French regiment du roi, which immediately sur- rendered, and delivered up its colours and arms to the victorious Scots Dragoons.* * " The horse of their left wing seemed to m^ke a standto " fdin time for tlieir foot to retire; but were charged so fniickly. "and With «o much bravery, by the Ensflish, that they entirely " abandoned the foot; and ourdrai^oons, pushins; into the village of " Autresriize, made a terrible slautrhter : the French king's own " regiment of fool, calie ..*ertd the army, she put on men's clothes and went in quest of hirr. ; but not meeting with him, she enlisted in a reai- mr it c IJJi, and in 17l)2 ,n the Scots Greys; served the oani- E ii^-r c: I 50 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1706 summon Bruges, and upon their approach the J^rench battahon in the town retired ; the enemy (Iso vacated Damme, and a troop of the dragoons was sent to take possession of that town. The Greys were afterwards employed in covering the sieges of .several fortified towns in Flanders, the wliole of » : "'-h were rescued from the power of the French • and lu the autumn the British troops went into quarters in Flanders, excepting the Royal Scots and Irish dragoons, who proceeded to Holland. About two months after the battle of Ramilies, Brigadier-General Lord John Hay was taken ill of a fever, of which he died at Courtray on the 1 5th of August, 1706: and he was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Royal Scots Dragoons by Brigadier-General Lord Jclm Dalrymple (after- wards Earl of Stair) from the twenl -sixth foot. pai^n of that and the following year, and in 1704 was woundtvl in the leg at Schellenberg> After the battle of Blnnheim, when es corting French prisoners towards Holland, she met witii her husband, who was then a private soldier in the 1st royal foot ; slie made herself known to him, and from this time passed as his brother, until after the battle of Ramilies, when her sex was dis- covered. " I escaped'" (she observes in her narrative) unhurt, though, in the hottest of the battle, till the French were entirely defeated, when an unlucky shell from a steeple on which they had plp."ted !,ome mortars struck the back part of my head and fractured my sk jU. I was carried to Meklre ; but I did not re- cover in le;*s than ten weeks ; ana the surgeons, in fixing my dressing, saw my breasts. No sooner had thpy made this dis- co' ^ry, but they acquainted Brigadier Preston that his pretty dr T>« < for so I was always called) was a woman. The news 8p -td fa' and near, and reaching my Lord .lohn Hay's ear, he cam- (o SI me, as did my former comrades ; and my Lord called U)( my husband. He gave him a full and satisfactory account of our first acquaintance, marriage, and situation, with the man- ner of his having entered the service, and my resolution to go in search o( him. My Lord seemed very well entertained with my OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 51 Leaving Holland early in the spring of 1707, 1707 the Greys proceeded to Spanish Brabant and encamoed near the banks of the little river Sienne. In this year the Acts of Parliament were passed for the Union of the crowns of England and Scotland, and from that period this corps was designated "The Royal Regiment op North British Dragoons." The army was assembled at Brussels, and sub- sequently encamped near Meldert. On the 21st of June, a detachment of twenty-five men of the Royal North British Dragoons commanded by Quarter Master Macqueen, was ordered to accompany a number of men who were going out to cut green forage ; and on their return they met with a party of thirty French musketeers. The enemy prepared for action with much bravery and apparent confidence ; at the same time the Scots dragoons drew their swords and advanced at a steady pace ; — but the instant the foot had fired a volley, the dragoons galloped up to them, cut down fourteen, and took the remainder, with history, and ordered that my pay should be continued while un- der cure. When his Lordship heard that I was well enous^h re- covered to t^o abroad, he generou«W sent me a parcel of linen. Brigadier Pres'on made me a present of a handsome silk pown ; evf ry one of our officers contributed to rhe furnishing me with what was requisite for the dress oi my sex, and dismissed me the service with a handsome complimeut." Mrs. Davies continued with the array, and, having purchased a pack-horse, travelled with brandy, wine, &c., which she sold to the troops. She was occasionally useful in giving informalion of thH movemputs of the enemy, and on one occasion both herself and pack-horse were made prisoners. After the peace of Utrecht she returned to England, and Queen Anne allowed her a pension of a shilling a-day. This British Amazon died on the 7th of July, 1 739, and was buried with military honours in the ground be- longmg to Chelsea Hospital, E 2 52 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, \i. 1 i If 1707 their commander, prisoners. This gallant little affair appears to be the only instance in which the Greys were brought in contact with the enemy (luring the summer of 1707. 1708 They had, however, the honour of being at the battle of Oudenarde, fought in the enclosures near the banks of the Scheldt on the 11th of July, 1708, when the French army commanded by the Duke of Burgundy and Marshal Duke of Vendome was defeated with considerable loss. The Greys passed the niglit on the field of battle, and at day- break on the following morning were despatched in pursuit of the enemy on the road leading to Ghent. This victory was succeeded by the siege of Lisle, the capital of French Flanders ; the regi- ment formed part of the covering army, and was frequently employed in escorting the supplies of provisions and ammunition to the besieging troops. The enemy used every means to raise the siege of this important city ; but it was captured in the early part of December, and the Scots Greys were afterwards sent into quarters in Flanders. 1709 After passing in inferior cantonments a winter which was so severe that many men and horses are reported to have been frozen to death, the Greys advanced in June, 1709, to the pleasant plains of Lisle, and encamped near the banks of the Upper Dyle. They subsequently formed part of the covering army during the siege of the strong fortress of Tournay, and after the capture of this place, marched with the army towards Mons. OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 53 of Advancing through the fruitful valleys of 1709 Hainault, the allies came in contact with the French army posted in a fortified camp near Malplaquet, and a sanguinary conflict ensued. The Greys were formed on this occasion in brigade with the royal Irish dragoons, and were commanded by Brigadier-General Sybourg. They were posted near the centre of the allied army to sustain the attacks of the infantry and protect the artillery, and for some time were only spectators of the fierce storm of battle which raged on every side ; at length, however, they were ordered to file through a wood in their front, and charge. Scarcely had the brigade emerged from among the trees, before it encountered a line of French cavalry; these squadrons were, hovi^ever, soon dispersed ; but they were instantly succeeded by a new line of champions, consisting of a number of squadrons of the French household cavalry, clad in armour, and advancing in firm array. The Royal North British and Irish dragoons met these foaming squadrons with signal bravery, but were driven from their ground by superior num- bers. The two regiments soon rallied, and being joined by several corps of horse, returned to the charge ; yet such Avas the resolution displayed by the French troopers on this occasion, that it was not until the third charge, that they were driven from the field. Finally, British valour prevailed, and the enemy retired in disorder. The Greys and royal Irish (afterwards fifth) drjigoons, highly distinguished themselves on this occasion, and were honoured with the thanks of the Duke of 54 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1709 Marlborough. The Greys lost about thirty offi- cers and men killed and wounded : the officers were Adjutant Scotte, Cornets Auclienleek, Skeene, and Dunbar. The regiment was subsequently employed in covering the siege of Mons, the capital of the province of Hainault ; and after the surrender of this fortress, marched into winter quarters at the little town of Tiel. 1710 Early in the following spring a remount of a hundred men and horses joined from Scotland : and in the beginning of April, 1710, the regiment marched from its cantonments and encamped on some elevated ground near Tournay. On the afternoon of the 20th of April, it was again on the march, and formed part of the tirst divi^sion of the allied army which forced the enemy's fortified lines at Pont-d-l^endhi on the 21st, and en- camped at night in the plain of Lens. It was afterwards employed in covering the siege of Diniuy, a strong town on the river Scarpe, and was stationed for this service near Pont-u-Rache. During the time it was before this place, its colonel, the Karl of Stair, \va8 invested, by the Duke of Marlborough, with the order of the Thistle, in pursuance of a special connnissiuu from Queen Anne. On the 10th t>f May the French garrison at Fort Scarpe made; a sudden and unexpectetl sally with the view (»f intercepting the bread waggons going to the tr(K)ps employed in the siege ; but when the French ivached the vicinity of Punt~A- itav/w, tiieir c^ireer was suddenly arrested by a t\'\ OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. O J squadron of the Greys, and two squadrons of tlu,' 1710 royal Irish dragoons, who came sweeping up the plain at full gallop, and routing the enemy in an instant, chased them with dreadful slaughter under the cannon of the fort. Lieut.-Colonel Caldwell of the royal Irish dragoons, who commanded the three squadrons, was wounded in the pursuit. After the surrender of Douay, the Greys tra- versed the country of Artois to the banks of the river Bietres, and encamped before Bethune, which (own was immediately besieged. They were subsequently employed in escorting military stores and provisions up the country ; and after tiie cap- ture of Bethune, they were engaged in operations connected witii the sieges of Aire and St. Vc' mint, and were for a short time encanqied on the banks of the Lys. The surrender of Aire termi- nated the campaign, and the regiment was dis- posed in (quarters in the concpiered territory. From these quarters the Greys were withdrawn I7i I in the early part of May, 1711, to engage in the operations of another campaign. The regiments assembled in French Flanders, and cncaujped a short time at V^arde, from whence they advanced to the plain of Lens. After some skilful ma- noeuvring, the Duke of Marlborough succeeded in forcing the enemy's lines by the causeway at Arleu.v, crossed the Scheldt, and besieged Bnuchain. The Greys took part in these bril- liant achicvenuMits, and during the prog''ess of the ^iege they were fully enq>loyeil, — at one time es- corting anMuunition and |>rovision to the caan . — -at another scouring the adjacent country to drive in i i M 56 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 'I 1711 the French detachments: several skirmishes occurred, and the British sustained on every occa- sion their high character. After the surrender of Bouchain, the works of the town were repaired, and the troops separated into winter quarters. 1712 France was now in a reduced state ; her armies were overawed by the superior skill and valour of the allies ; her revenue decreased ; the strong towns on her frontiers captured ; and an hostile army in her provinces. Moved by these considerations, the French monarch sued for peace ; and in 1712, a short time after the Greys had taken the field, a cessation of hostilities was published, and the regi- ment marched from the frontiers of Picardy to Flanders ; where it passed the succeeding twelve months. 1713 While the negociations for peace were in pro- gress, a change was made in the rank of the regi- ment. In 1694, when many English, Irish, and Scots regiments were serving in the 1 etherlands. King William commanded a board of general otficers to assemble and decide upon the rank of the several corps. This board gave precedence to the English n^giaients, and the Scots and Irish were only allowed to take rank in the English army from tlie date of tlieir first arrival in England ; or ficm the 'late when they were first placed on the English establishment. There being three regi- ments of English dragoons raised previous to 1688, when the IIoyal Scots Dragoons were first placed upon the English establishment, this regi- ment, n>nse(iiu'ntly, <»)>taiued rank as Foinnii DwAuooNs oidy. IJutin I71ti, when Queen Anne I fit OR ROYAL NOkTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 37 had ordered another board of general officers to as- 1713 semble to decide upon the rank of several newly- raised regiments, proof was adduced that the Royal Scots Dragoons crossed the border and entered England in June, 1685, when there was only One regiment of dragoons on the English establishment. This was taken into consideration, and after some delay the Scots Greys obtained the rank of Second Dragoons. Regiments were not, how- ever, d'stinguished by nimierical titles previous to the reig of George 11. At length the treaty of Utrecht gave peace to the nations of Enrope, and towards the end of 1713 the Scots Greys quitted the shores of Bel- gium and returned to England. The termination of the war was followed by a 1714 reduction of the strength of the army ; six regi- ments of dragoons, only, were retained ; and the others were disbanded : * at the same time the Greys were augmented to nine troop-*, and in April, 1714, Queen A -ae conferred the colonelcy on the Earl of Portmore, who had recently com- manded the second foot. Tiie decease of Her Majesty and the accession of King George I. occurring shortly afterwards, the ])artisans of the house of Stuart manifested a disposition to disturb the trampiillity of the king- tnd prevonttd tliem, by entering the town, sword m hai. , and ' puttm^ them to fli^rht. and takintr two of the chief leaders of then! : viz., the Li>rd DurleiKh (who is under sentent ' of death, ' but made his ekcti|>e by changing clothes with his sister) and the Laird uf Kmellur."— Ji'rrkly Purki't I ! OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 39 the report of pistols, and the clashing of swords, 1715 were heard in the streets of the town and the fields in its vicinity. The noise of conflict, however, soon subsided ; and the rebels fled in every direc- tion, leaving behind tliem many killed,* and seven- teen captured by the dragoons, eleven of whom were men of property. After this exploit the dragoons returned with their prisoners to the camp, where they arrived on the same evening. Their only casualties were one man wounded by a sabre in the cheek, and one horse by a pistol-shot. Although the loyalty of the Gueys was fully established, yet the Earl of Mar appears to have entertained a hope of being able to seduce some of ihe officers and men ; — he employed a huly on this mission, who obtained an interview with captjiin Robinson ; but she failed, and the reputation of the corps v as preserved untarnished.')' After several '.veeks piusscd in preparing for action, the rebel forces — ten thousand strong — .'ulviuiced with the view of crossing the F^orth, and penetrating towards Eu/jjland ; and the Duke of Argyle, with the King's troops — not four thou- sand men— prej)are(l to give them battle. On • Some of the accounts, pul)lished at the time, state the number »»r the rk'lu'ls killed to have bein se.enty, Krrong whom were Mnjor Graham, Cuptain Forbes, and five other rebel officers, who were buned in Diimfermline churoU. It is also s'ated that tw ) hundred Kuineas were ftmnd upon the slain, whirh Lieuf.-Colonel Cathcart divided lonj? his men. The names of th« eleven gen- tlemen taken pudoners were pu')lisht'd in the London Gazette. I *' The irenllcw 'mini who carried the letter from the Earl of " Mar to (Captain li«)bin!ion of the Grey DraRoons. in ortiei' Jo " eorrupt lum.is aunt to Su- Hugh l'i»tcrson ot Hannockburn," — F/i/ifif! Post, 60 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, i 1715 Saturday evening, the 12th of November, the two armies drew near ; — the rebels encamped on the moor of Kinbuk ; — the King's troops formed line, their right at Sheriffmuir and the" ^ ^'^'^ at Dum- blain, and passed a cold and boist ^^ht in the open air. On Sunday morning ...le troops, — eager for the combat, looked with anxious glance for the enemy. At length the rebel aniiy was seen advancing in order of battle ; — the royal forces prepared to receive them, and t'le Greys, commanded by Lieut. -Colonel Cathcart, took post on the right of the line. The rebels attempted tt turn the right flank of the royal army ; and the Duke of Argyle ordered the Greys, EvansV, and a squadron of the Innis- killing dragoons to charge. The Greys led the attack in gallant style; the rebels faced them boldly, and a sharp conflict ensued. Hand to hand the combatants fought, but the King's troops proved victorious ; — in a few moments the clash of swords ceased, and the rebels fled, pursued by the dra- goons, who sabred numbers of the fugitives on the muir.f The runaways, however, so far outnum- bered their pursuers > that they appeared ashamed, and a few rallied, and attemjited to make a stand ; these were instantly routed ; but in a few moment • •* Letters from Edinburgh state that the Earl of Mar. before " the battle, sent out some men on gr»'y horses, and ordered them " to join 80 as to come in together, upon which he gave out, to " encourage his men, that it was a party of the Scots Greys who "had deserted to him." — Flying Post. t " Portmoie's (the Greys) and Evans's (the fourth) dragoons " drove the rebels before Ihern with great slaughter for two miles." — Londun Gazette. Ill OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 61 finother party was discovered arranging themselves 171 j in line ; a third charge, however, overwhelmed them in an instant, and they were chared, witii dreadful carnage, across the river Alian, where many were drowned. Here the dragoons halted. The Greys formed up on the hrink of the stream ; and it was then ascertained that the left wing of the royal army had been defeated by the rebels. The victorious dragoons, retracing their steps with a number of standards and colours which they had captured, saw a column of four thousand rebels on a rising ground on their right. One troop of the Greys was immediately sent forward to re- connoitre, but it was tliought too hazardous to at- tack the enemy with such a disparity of numbers, and the regiments returned to the ground they oc- cupied in the morning. After dark the rebels marched from the field ; and the King's troops also retired on the following morning. Thus ter- minated a battle in which both commanders claimed the victory. The gallant conduct of the Greys excited admiration, and they obtained merited ap- . plause. Their loss was two men and three horses killed ; Captain Robinson wounded in the left hand, a quarter-master wounded in the breast, — and four men and eight horses wounded.* The Pretender afterwards arrived in Scotland, 1710 but his presence produced little effect. The King's troops, having been reinforced, advanced in January, 1716, through a deep snow, to attack the rebels ; but the insurgents instantly fled, and the 'ill X ;: I * Rtitiirii of killed and wounded at the battle of Diiinblain, on the K'ith November, 1716. Killed 62 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1717 ^i;: 1716 Pretender and some of the leaders in the rebellion escaped to France. The Greys were sent in pur- suit among the mountains, and succeeded in cap- turing many prisoners. The rebellion being sup- pressed, and comparative tranquillity restored to the kingdom, the regiment was sent into quarters of rf ii 'shment at Glasgow and Stirling. On the 15th of February, 1717, His Majesty conferred the colonelcy on James Campbell from the ninth regiment of foot, in succession to the Earl of Portmore. Scotland was not permitted long to enjoy tran- quillity. Scarcely was the rebellion of the Earl of Mar suppressed, when the King of Sweden made preparations for a descent in favour of the Pretender ; and, when this project was frustrated, the King of Spain fitted out a fleet and embarked troojis for the purpose of placing the Pretender on tlie throne. The Spanish fleet was dispersed by 1718 Portmore's — now 2nd Dra<>:oons. Car|)c'nters . . 3rd do. Evans's . . 4th Stair's . fith Kerr's ..7th Forfar's now 3rd Foot Morrison's , . 8th Montajiues ..11th Clayton's .. I 4th Wightman's . . 1 7th Orrery's ..21st Sl)ann(»n's . . 25th Enertoh'B .. 3f)lh KlIXKU. j WoUNDKD. 1 en t m o s (U a 7 19 7 ii 101 b7 6 7 88 5 20 3G6 S S o V o a c o 1 1 10 « 1 * 3 1 . 3 12 13 12 2 • I I 1 i I 4 9 29 6 1 13 19 14 5 25 5 14 8 4 44 15 4 Total o.l Vl in 144 75 :!easure of seeing the " WHiTB STANDARD of the French Kinu's household troops in " Westminster or Guildhall. This was never taken before, and " gives new honour to the Scots Obeys who took it." — Extract nfa letter from un officer, f,ublished in 1743. "The f2 i i H 1^" 1 jrii, H j;f? R fa' 1 1' '/ ■\ ' * i 1- 1 1 68 HISTORICAL RECORD OP THE SECOND, ■' ^ 'fl h ^ f 1743 After this victory the Greys were encamped, with the army, for a short time on the banks of the Kinzig, near Hanau ; from whence they ad- vanced in the early part of August, and, having crossed the Rhine, were employed in military operations in West Germany; but no general engagement occurred, and in the autumn they returned to the Austrian Netherlands. 1744 In the spring of 1744 the Greys encamped with the army commanded by Field Marshal Wade, in Brabant, where they were joined by a remount from Scotland. The summer passed without any general engagement. A few slight skirmishes, however, occurred, and the Greys were employed in operations on the enemy's fron- tiers, and in collecting contributions in French Flanders ; in October they returned to Ghent, where they passed the winter. 1745 In April 1745 the Greys again marched into Brabant, and were encamped a few days in the strong woody country near the forest of Soignies. The French having assembled an immense p' and besieged Tournay, the Duke of Cumbei marched with the allied army to endeavour to re- lieve the place. At daybreak on the morning of the 11th of May the troops were seen issuing frtmi the wood- lands, and traversing the verdant plain in front of Fontenoyy and the Scots Greys were moving " The Scots Grrys began, and all the English showed the " allies the part of men. " Lieut. -General Campbell purMued with the Grbys and " about three thousand horse, and made great havock. — Gentle- man's Mugaxincfor June 1 743. OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 69 forward in column to cover the formation of the 1745 infantry on the right ; while the enemy, occupy- ing the rising ground and villages beyond the plain, opened a sharp fire from their batteries, and Lieut.-General Campbell (colonel of the Greys) had his leg shot off. : , .; •. , ; The formation being completed, the infantry advanced; — at the same time the Greys sup- ported the columns of attack on the right, and were exposed to a sharp cannonade. Never did British troops display greater bravery; but the failure of the Dutch, and the superior numbers of the enemy, countervailed the advantages won by British valour. At length the cavalry was brought forward, and the Greys had an opportunity of charging the enemy ; but a retreat was afterwards ordered, and the army retired to Aeth. The loss of the regiment in this action was fifteen men and and twenty-five horses killed ; and Cornet Glasgo, with eleven men and thir'y-three horses, wounded. Lieut.-General Sir James Campbell, K.B., died of his wounds; and His Majesty conferred the colonelcy upon Field Marshal the Earl of Stair, from the Inniskilling dragoons. . The Greys were afterwards encamped on the plains of Lessines ; from whence they marched to East Flanders, and encamped near the banks of the Dender ; and subsequently were stationed upon the banks of the canal between Brussels and Ghent. In the mean time the eldest son of the Pre- tender arrived in Scotland, and, being joined by several highland ftlans, he raised the standard of N 70 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, i! i 1745 rebellion; when the greater part of the British troops were ordered to return to England. The Greys marched to Williamstadt in North Brabant, where they embarked towards the end of February, 1646 1746 ; but the shipping, encountering severe weather at sea, returned to the harbour on the 8th of March, and the troops were disembsu*ked. The rebellion was shortly afterwards suppressed ; the order for the return of the regiment was coun- termanded, and it went into quarters on the Dutch frontiers. At this time the British troops on the conti- nent consisted only of three regiments of cavah-y and seven of infantry,* commanded by General Sir John Ligonier. These troops, serving with the allied army, were encamped a short time be- hind the little river Dyle; from whence they retreated towards Antwerp, and subsequently to Breda; at the same time the French had great success in capturing fortified towns. At length Prince Charles of Lorraine arrived, and took command of the allied army ; and the Grevs were employed in manoeuvring and skirmishing in the plains of Numur and the valleys of Liege. On the 1 1th of October the army was formed on the beautiful plain near the city of Liege, and the Scots Greys were in line on some open ground with their right behind the little village of RoucoUiV. About noon the French army, com- • The Greys, Inniskilline, and Queen's (seventh) dragoons ; with Wolfe's (eighth), Graham's (eleventh), Pulteney's (thir- teenth), Howard's (nineteenth), Lord Sem^ihill's (twenty-fifth), Douglas's (thirty-second) and Johnson's (thirty-third) fool. OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 71 manded by Marshal Saxe, was seen advancing and 1746 displaying an immense superiority of numbers. About three the enemy opened a tremendous cannonade, and about fifty battalions came rushing like a tempest against the left of the allied army, and attacked three villages which were occupied by eight battalions (English, Dutch, and Hessians) . These eight battalions stood their ground with great gallantry, and repulsed the leading brigades of the enemy ; a new line of combatants instantly came forward, but the eight battalions again proved victorious ; they were, however, eventually driven from the villages, and a retreat was ordered. The Greys, Inniskilling, and Queen's dragoons, being formed in line on the plain, were spectators of the action in the villages, and Avhen the French infantry entered the open ground, the three regi- ments dashed forward, overthrew the ranks of the enemy, and chased them to the hedges and thickets in gallant style.* The retreat was after- wards made with great regularity, and after cross- ing the Maese, the army encamped near Maes- tricht. The Greys lost in this skirmish two men and one horse killed, and five men and six horses wounded. The regiment was encamped a short time in the province of Limburg, and afterwards " Our cavalry showed the greatest desire to fall upon that of " the enemv, but the French horse kept constantly under the pro- " tection of their foot and cannon. When the French infantry " came out upon the plain, our dragoons galloped up with great " spirit to charge them (Lord Rothes being at the head of the iirst " hne and Lord Crawford the second), and drove them back, sword " in hand, into the hedges much fastertban they came un."—Zon- don Oazette. i 1 : 1 72 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, I 1 746 went into quarters in the country along the Lower Maese. , ' ■ '- ■ ;;>-;,_.,. ^?.:_.- 1747 On the 28th May 1747 the colonelcy, being vacant by the decease of the Earl of Stair, was conferred on John Earl of Crawford from the twenty-fifth regiment of fool. After assembling from their winter quarters in the spring of 1747, the Greys were encamped a short period near the banks of the Scheldt, and were subsequently employed in operations on the Great Nethe and the Demer. On the morning of the 1st of July the regi- ment was formed up, and ready to commence its march through one of the pleasant valleys in the province of Liege, when, by the first rays of morn- ing light, two columns of the enemy were disco- vered on some elevated ground which commanded the line of march, ^fhe Greys, and other cavalry of the left wing, were immediately ordered for- ward to gain the heights of Hereerden ; but before they arrived, the French had gained that post, and the Greys formed on the plain below. The allied army, commanded by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, was formed to receive the enemy, and the villages in the plain were occupied by the infantry. The day was, however, passed in skirmishing and cannonading, and the troops lay all night on their arms. On the following morning the French infantry were seen descending from the hills and forming in column in front of the little village of F'ai, which was occupied by Pulteney's (thirteenth), the late Crawford's (twenty-fifth), and Dcjean's (thirty OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 73 the seventh) regiments, with a battalion of Hano- 1747 verians ; and the Greys were formed in the rear of the village. At ten o'clock the French commenced a tremen- dous cannonade, under cover of which their leading brigades made a furious attack on the troops stationed in Pal. The enemy's first line was soon repulsed and dispersed; — a second, third, and fourth division met the same fate : at length, overpowered by this constant supply of fresh troops, the battalions in the village gave way ; but, being reinforced by the regiments of Wolf, Howard, Conway, and Hans (a foreign corps), they returned to the charge and recovered their post. The French, however, continued to send forward fresh troops, and the village was lost and won several times. At length the enemy gained considerable advantage, and the cavalry of the left wing was ordered forward. The Greys, with General Sir John Ligonier at their head, led the attack with distinguished gallantry, and, having overthrown the enemy's first line, continued the charge, and routed a second line with equal vigour : then mixing fiercely with the French cavalry, the dragoons used their broad swords with terrible effect, and captured several standards. Animated by this tide of success, the Greys continued the pursuit too far, and received a volley from some French infantry posted in a hollow and behind the hedges, which brought down many men and horses, and Sir John Ligo- nier's horse was shot, and himself afterwards taken prisoner. The Greys, and other dragoons. I I ill ■f I ^11 7^. HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1747 turned from pursuing the French cavalry and iell sword in hand upon the infantry, whom they chased from behind the hedges and hollow grounds ; but the next moment a new line of combatants appeared : these were however attacked and dis- persed by the gallant dragoons. While this suc- cess attended the charge of the dragoons on the left, the French having broken the centre of the allied army maintained their ground in that quarter, and the Duke of Cumberland gave orders for the victorious squadrons to retire. The Greys retraced their steps with reluctance; the enemy poured down upon the rear ; and one squadron of the regiment, having been put into disorder by a party of Dutch dragoons who were flying before the French, lost its standard. Four French standards were, however, captured in the first charge, which tlie Greys led with such admirable bravery.* The army was ordered to retreat to Maestricht, where it arrived on the same evening. The loss of the Scots Greys in this action was — Cornet Hunt, Quarter-Master Carlisle, three Serjeants, two drummers, three corporals, and ninety-one private soldiers killed ; also Lieut.- Colonel Mac- * " The ScotsGrkys, the Duke's, Rothe's, and Sir Robert Rich's " dragoons, with a body of hussars, gave the French cavalry a " prodigious stroke and took several standards ; but the enemy, " by superiority of numbers, obliiied them to retire. This day's " action is looked upon as most glorious on the part of the allies " that were engaged, who consisted o? no more than thirty-six " battalions and the above squadrons." — Account qf the battle of Val by an artillery officer. " The horse were not behindhand with the foot in spirit and " resolution, particularly the Scots Greys and the Duke's regi- '* ment of dragoons." — Relation by a gentleman who saw the action. : ... .... iln I OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 75 dougall. Captains Preston and Blair, Lieutenant 1747 Heron, Cornets Ogilvy, Harrington, Ballantyne, and Brown, four Serjeants, two drummers, one cor- poral, and thirty-nine private soldiers wounded ; ■ A also Lieutenants Wauchop and Douglas taken prisoners : the loss in horses was one hundred and thirty-one killed and twenty-one wounded. '* The Royal North British Dragoons were afterwards stationed for some time in the province of Limburg, and were encamped at Richel near the Maese, from whence they marched in Oc-> tober to North Brabant and encamped behind the lines at Terheyden, and subsequently went into cantonments. In the following spring, having been joined by 1748 a remount of forty-eight men and one hundred horses, the Greys again proceeded into the pro- vince of Limburg, and were encamped on the plains near Hellinrouch, in the neighbourhood of Ruremonde. In the mean time preliminary ar- ticles for a treaty of peace had been agreed upon, and a suspension of hostilities took place. The Greys returned to North Brabant, and, after encamping a short time at Nistleroode, went into quarters at Vugt, near Bois le Due. A definitive treaty of peace was afterwards concluded at Aix-la-Chapeile : and in November of the same year the regiment returned to Eng- land, and was stationed at Leicester, Coventry, and Warwick. Immediately after its return the establishment was reduced to two hundred and eighty-five officers and men ; and in March, 1749, 1740 it proceeded to Nottingham and Derby ; from 1750 hi^ n I ■ 1751 'I 1 11 76 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1749 whence it proceeded in December of the same year, into quarters in Kent, and was employed on revenue duty on the coast. After the decease of the Earl of Crawford His Majesty conferred the colonelcy on John Earl of Rothes, from the Inniskilling dragoons, by commission dated the 18th of January 1750. • In the same year the regiment marched into Sussex and Devonshire; and in 1751 into Dor- setshire. I On the 1st of July, 1751, King George II. issued a regulation relative to the clothing, stand- ards, and colours of the several regiments, from which the following particulars have been ex- tracted respecting the Royal North British Dragoons. Coats — scarlet, double-breasted, without lap- pels, lined with blue ; slit sleeves turned up with blue; the button-holes ornamented with narrow white lace ; the buttons flat, of white metal, set on two and two ; a long slash pocket in each skirt ; and a white worsted aiguillette on the right shoul- der. Waistcoats and Breeches — blue. Caps — blue cloth grenadier caps* having on the * At what period the regiment commenced wearing grenadier- caps has not been ascertained ; in a series of prints published in 1 742 the Greys appear in grenadier caps similar to those worn by the second, or Scots, troop of horse grenadier guards. Grenadiers were introduced into the British army in 1678, when the English troops of life guards had each a division of horse grenadiers added to them. The Scots Life Guards did not receive the same addition until more than twenty years afterwards. It is therefore probable the Rotal Scots Dragoons were equipped as horse grenadiers from the time of ttieir formation : and that part of the regiment was armed with hand-grenades, tlie same as the horse grenadier guards. OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 77 IS front the thistle within the circle of St. Andrew, 1751 and motto, Nemo me impune lacessit ; the flap red, with the white horse, and motto, Nee aapera ter- rent, over it ; the back 'part red, and the turn-up blue, with a thistle embroidered between the letters II. D ; the forage-cap red, turned up with blue, and the rank of the regiment on the little flap. Boots — of jacked leather. Cloaks— of scarlet cloth, with a blue collar, and lined with blue shalloon ; the buttons set on two and two on white frogs or loops, with a blue stripe down the centre. Horse Furniture — of blue cloth ; the holster- caps and housing having a border of royal lace, with a blue stripe down the middle ; the thistle, within the circle of St. Andrew, embroidered on the housing ; and on the holster-caps the King's cipher and crown with II. D. underneath. Officers — distinguished by silver lace ; their coats and waistcoats bound with silver embroi- dery, the button-holes worked with silver ; and a crimson silk sash worn across the left shoulder. Quarter masters — to wear a crimson silk sash round their waists. Serjeants — to have narrow silver lace on the cufis, pockets, and shoulder-straps ; silver aiguil- lettes, and blue and yellow worsted sashes tied round their waists. Corporals — narrow silver lace on the cuff's and shoulder-straps ; and a white silk aiguillette. DRURiMFRS AND Hautboys — scarlct coats lined with b\ue, and ornamented with royal lace, with blue v/aistcoats and breeches. n: 78 HISTORICAL RECORD OP THE SECOND, 1751 Guidons — ^The first, or king's guidon, to be of crimson silk, embroiderer^ and fringed with gold and silver ; in the centre :he rose and thistle con^ joined, and crown over them, with the motto, Dieu et mon Droit, underneath ; the while horse in a compartment in the first and fourth corners, and II. D., in gold characters on a blue ground, in the second and third corners ; the second and third guidons to be of blue silk ; in the centre, the thistle vrithin the circle of St. Andrew, and motto. Nemo me impune lacessit ; tlie white horse on a scarlet ground in the first and fourth compartments ; and II. D., on a red ground, within a small wreath of roses and thistles, in the second and third corners. 1752 In April, 1752, the Earl of Rothes was removed to the third foot guards, and King George II. conferred the colonelcy of the Greys on Lieut.- General John Campbell from the twenty-first foot. 1753 The regiment marched into Lancashire in the 1754 spring of 1753 ; with detached troops in Somerset- shire, where it was stationed during the following 1755 year; and in the spring of 1755 proceeded to Northampton, and other towns in that part of the kingdom. In the mean time, a misunderstanding between the courts of London and Paris respecting the ex- tent of the British ard French |K)ssession8 in North America had given indication of an ap- proaching war. The army was augmented, and the establishment of the Greys was increased to three hundred and fifty-seven officers and men. Shortly afterwards a light troop was added to the regiment on the same principle as the light com- panies to regiments of infantry. I HA OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 79 During the summer of 1755 the regiment occu- 1755 pied quarters in Herefordshire, and in the winter months it was stationeu in dispersed cantonments in Kent. In the following spring it marched into 1756 Surrey, afterwards into Dorsetshire, and in June encamped with several other corps near Blaudford. In October it marched into quarters in Blandford town and adjacents ; from whence it proceeded, in April 1757, into cantonments in Essex, where it 1757 remained four months, and afterwards marched into Suffolk, and in October four troops proceeded to Newmarket. War having been declared asrainst France, an 1758 expedition was prepared for a desc.^iit on the French coast, and the light troop of the Scots Greys, commanded by Captain Francis Lindsay, was or- dered for this service. This troop, having been instructed in the Prussian exercise,* marched to Southsea common, where it was encamped and brigaded with the light troops of eight other regi- ments. The brigade having embarked, the ex- pedition, commanded by Charges Duke of Marl- borough, set sail in the beginning of June, 1758, and on the 5th of that month a landing was ef- fected on the French coast about nine miles from *i * '* The nine troops of hussars (liifht dragoons) belonirini; to the nine regiments of cavalry are now preparinfj fo jjo upon this expedition. The flower of these hussars is the troop cora- mamled by Captain Lindsay, quartered at Maidenhead, where ' they have been practising the Prussian exercise, and for some ' days have been digging large trenches and leaping over them, ' also leaping high hedges with broad ditches on the other side. Their Captain, on Saturday iHst, swam with his horse over the Thames and back again; and \he whole troop were yesterday to swim the river.'"- Weeklij Jnurnal, 'l^rd May, 1 7C)H. m * ■ ■ ■"< i- HISTORICAL RECORD OP THE SECOND, 1 758 St. Maloes. On the 7th the forces advanced through a thick woody country, and after sunset, on the same evening, the light dragoons, with the piquets from the infantry regiments, proceeded to the harbour of St. Maloes, and set fire to the shipping, naval stores, and magazines : — the conflagration spread, and a magnificent and dreadful spectacle, which was seen for many miles, was exhibited to the gar- rison of St. Maloes and the neighbouring towns. After this success the troops re-embarked and re- turned to England ; but in August the light troop of the Scots Greys formed part of the force which made a descent in the Bay des Marees and captured Cherbourg^ where they remained several days ; and, having destroyed the fortifications and vessels in the harbour, with one hundred and seventy-three iron cannon and three mortars, and sent twenty- two pieces of fine brass cannon and two brass mortars to England as trophies of their success, the troops re-embarked. They, however, made a second descent in the bay of St. Lunar ; but no advantage accrued, and some loss was sustained on re-embarking. After its return to England the light troop of the Scots Greys was quartered in towns on the Sussex coast. In the mean ame Hanover was subject to the power of France, and, while the light troop of the Greys was employed in these expeditions, the remainder of the regiment embarked lor Germany, forming part of the force sent to assist in delivering the electorate from the power of the enemy. . After experiencing much severe weather at OR ROYAL N0P7 ;}RITiSH DRAGOONS. 81 sea, the six troops ot the Greys arrived in Ger- 1758 many about the middle of August, and disem- barked a few miles above the town of Embden. After a march of about ten days in rainy weather, through much low and marshy ground covered with water, they joined the army, commanded by Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, at Coesveldt, on the 31st of August. Tiie Greys were afterwards employed in ma- noeuvring and skirmishing in various parts of Westphalia, and in November went into winter quarters at Wever and Aplien, — small towns on the banks of the little river Alme in the bishopric of Paderborn. Scarcely had the chilling blasts and snow-storms I759 of a severe winter ceased, when the Greys again took the field. Called suddenly from their quarters by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, they marched directly to the country of Hesse " through " roads no army had ever passed before," and encamped at Rotenberg. In the early part of April tliey proceeded to Fulde, — where a division of the allied army was assembled. Leaving Fulde on the 10th of April, the Greys, with the rerkiainder of this division, advanced towards the French troops commanded by the Duke of Broglio, who took post at Bergen, — a town in the electorate of Hesse, where he was attacked on the 13th of April. Early on the morning of the day of action the regiment took post in the line of buttle. At ten o'clock the columns of attack moved across the I I 82 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, I HRIn 1759 plains in front of tlie French position; the gre- nadiers advanced under a sharp fire, and commenced the assault, while the Greys, and several other cavalry regiments, moved forward in support. The infantry were, however, repulsed and driven back : they rallied and renewed the attack, but failed in every instance ; and the French having thrown up fortifications which could not be at- tacked by cavalry, the remainder of the day was passed in manoeuvring and cannonading, and at night the allies retreated. The loss of the Greys was only one horse killed. The enemy having assembled his forces, advanced with such a superiority of numbers, that the allies were unable to maintain their ground. A series of manoeuvres and retreats were at length followed by a general engagement fought on the plains of Minderiy near the banks of the Weser, on the 1st of August. On this occasion the Greys sup- ported the infantry on the right, but were not engaged in close combat with the enemy. A complete victory was, however, gained ; and the French were compelled to quit the territory, of which they had recently gained possession. The Greys advanced after the rear of the French army a distance of nearly two hundred miles ; several skirmishes occurred, — many pri- soners were taken, and both armies contiimed operations during the winter. In November, the weather being very severe, the (fUEYS were permitted to leave the camp, and go into cantonments in the villages near the river OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 83 Lahn ; from whence they marched, in January, 1760 1760, to bsnaburg, and were quartered at Schled- hausen iintil the early part of May. i^.^^! jj^j* >^ Having taken the field, the Greys were en- camped a short time near Fritzlar in Hesse Cassel, and were afterwards fomied in brigade with the eleventh dragoons, commanded by Majof-General Eliott. After much manoeuvring and some skirmishing, the Greys were encamped, with other forces, near Kalle : at the same time thirty thousand French troops, commanded by the Chevalier de Muy, oc- cupied a strong position near TVarhourg. On the night of the 30th of June, about eleven o'clock, the regiment proceeded from the camp at Kalle in the direction of the Dymel, and, having passed that river near Liebeuau, took post, about five o'clock on the following morning, on the heights of Corbeke, from whence it removed to a large wood, about five miles from the enemy's position. In the mean time one division of the allied army attacked the left fiank of the French army, and gained considerable advantage. The cavalry posted behind the wood was then ordered to advance and attack the enemy in front. The Greys, with nine other cavalry regiments, tra- versed five miles of rugged and difficult ground in a surprisingly short space of time, and attacking the enemy with distinguished gallantry, drove their cavalry from the field, put their infantry into disorder, and chased them through JVarhourg and across the river Dymel. The conduct of the British cavalry on this occa- o9 111 I mmy, I -1 > 84 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1760sioii excited great admiration. The speed and regularity of their advance, and their quick and correct formation in presence of the enemy, evinced a high state of discipline ; at the same time, in the gallantry of tlie attack they displayed true British valour. The commander-in-chief declared in orders on the following day, that the British cavalry had performed ** prodigies of valour." The Greys only lost one man and one horse in this action. :,;..' .. • . . After the retreat of the French, the regiment was encamped near Warhourg, and on the 22nd of August it formed part of a detachment under the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, which crossed the Dymel and encountered the rear- guard of the French army near Zierenberg, a fortified town near the river Warme. A sharp skirmish immediately took place between the light troops with varied success. At length the Prince brought forward the Greys and Inniskilling dragoons, and a brilliant charge made by the two regiments decided the contest, and compelled the enemy to take refuge in the town. On this occasion two squadrons of the Greys charged and defeated lour squadrons of French dragoons, and continued the pursuit to the gates of Zierenberg. The regi- ment had five men and nine horses killed ; also Lieutenant-Colonel Preston, six men, and twenty horses, wounded. The Greys returned to the camp at Warhourg, and on the evening of the 5tli of September they were ordered to be ready to march inmiediately after dark. The party, which, besides the Greys, OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 85 consisted of two regiments of infantry, the Innis- 1760 killing and Bock's dragoons, and one hundred and hfty highlanders, crossed the Dyrnel, and traversing the country for several miles in the night, in small detachments, arrived about two on the following morning before the town of Zieren- berfr. The noise of the troops crossing the hedges and gardens alarmed the enemy's guard. The gate was, however, forced, — the guard was de- feated, and the detachment entered the town. Some sharp fighting took place in the streets ; many of the enemy were killed : about forty French officers and three hundred men were cap- tured ; also two pieces of cannon ; and at three o'clock the allies retired with their prisoners to the camp at Warbourg. The Greys continued to be employed in opera- tions on the Dymel until December, when they marched into cantonments at Barentrup. The regiment was, however, called from its 1761 quarters in the early part of February, 17GI, to take part in an advance into the enemy's canton- ments ; and having crossed the Dymel, marched through snow and ice into the country of Hesse, where the army had great success. Several fortified towns and some extensive magazines were captured. No general engagement took place. And in March the regiment returned across the Dymel. The towns and villages, at which the British troops were quartered, had been plundered by the enemy in the preceding cam- paign, and all the corn and cattle had been taken away : much inconvenience was consequently ex- 86 HISTORICAL RECORD OP THE SECOND, m N H* - - r- . ■m 1761 perienced in procuring forage and provisions, and the soldiers were exposed to great hardships ; they also suffered much in their health from the bad quality of the water in the district; yet in the midst of their own sufferings they displayed the generous feelings inherent in Britons by a sub- scription for the relief of the distressed inhabitants. In the beginning of May the army again com- menced operations, and the Greys were employed in manoeuvring and skirmishing for several weeks, during which time they performed some long marches through low marshy grounds, and were frequently whole days and nights in the open fields exposed to heavy rains. In July they were encamped on the heights of Denkernberg, between the rivers Asse and Lippe, and formed part of the Marquis of Granby's corps which had its right in front of the village of Kirch- Denkern. This post was attacked by the French on the 15th and again on the 16th of July. On this occasion the Greys were formed in column to support the in- fantry. The enemy was defeated, but the nature of the ground did not permit the cavalry to engage. Notwithstanding this repulse, the enemy, having great superiority of numbers, sent out large de- tachments which overran the country in almost every direction. The Greys Avere employed in defensive operations which frequently brought on slight skir- mishes. In August they were employed on the Dy- mel. On the 5th of November tliey formed part of a division of the army engaged in dislodging a French corps from a strong camp near JEs- chershausen in the duchy of Brunswick ; and OR i OTAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 87 they afterwards marched to Eimheck^ where an- 1761 other skirmish occurred. On the 6th and 7th of Novembei they were at Wentzen ; from whence they marched, with several other corps, during the niglit of the 7th through u heavy snow, and along roads almost impassable, to Foorwohle, where they erected their tents : here another skirmish oc- curred, and the British dragoons were victorious. The Greys were encamped in the snow at Foor- wohle until the following morning, when they had an encounter with a French piquet, but did not sustain any loss. After this affair they marched to the heights between Mackensen and Lithorst. . Shortly afterwards the army went into winter quarters and the regiment marched to East Fries- land and was cantoned at Hollshausen. In this year Archibald fourth Duke of Argyle died, and Lieut.-General John Campbell, the colonel of the Greys, succeeded to the title of Duke of Argyle. About the middle of May 1762 the Greys 1762 again took the field, and were encamped a short time at Brackel in the principality of Paderborn, and afterwards on the heights of Tissel. On the morning of the 24th of June they were on the march before day-break, and, having passed the Dymel at Liebenau, and marched a distance of several miles over a rugged country, they arrived in front of the French camp at Groebenstien about midday. The several divisions arrived in the vicinity of the enemy's position at the same time, and ad- vanced to attack them in front, flank, and rear. The French commanders. Marshals D'Etr6es and Soubise, made a precipitate retreat; but one di- vision of their army was surrounded and made i 1 11 i So HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, ::t^- »; ■ ? 1' ', 'i "5 ■f r 1762 prisoners in the woods of Wilhelmsthal. The Greys pursued the enemy through the towns of Wilhelmsthal and Munchoff to the vicinity of Cassel, and captured a quantity of camp equipage and several French dragoons ; but did not sustain any loss. After this engagement the regiment was em- ployed in a series of manoeuvres and skirmishes, in which the Biitish had great success ; detach- ments of the French army were dislodged from several important posts and fortified towns, and the campaign concluded with the capture of Cassel. 1763 Tliese successes were followed by a treaty of peace ; and the Greys, with the other regiments of the army, received the thanks of parliament for their excellent conduct during the several conti- nental campaigns. In the beginning of February 1763 the regi- ment left Germany, and having marched through Holland, embarked at William stadt in north Bra- bant ; after a quick passage it landed at Gravesend and proceeded from thence to Hertford, Sliortly afterwards the light troop which had not been on service with the other troops of the regiment, was disbanded, and the establishment was reduced to two hundred and twenty-five officers and men and one hundred and ninety-eight troop horses ; in June of the same year a further reduc- tion of twelve men and twelve horses was ordered ; — eight men per troop were equipped as light dragoons. In November the six troops marched to Scotland, uirI were stationed at Dalkieth and Mussel- burgh ; but returned to England in the spring OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 89 of 1764, and were quartered at Manchester and 1764 Warrington. This year (1764) the regiment was ordered to be remounted with long-tailed horses. The officers and men were also directed to wear epaulettes on the left shoulder, instead of aiguillettes. The colour of the waistcoats and breeches was changed from blue to white, and the button-holes were ordered to be plain. At the same time the jacked leather boots were replaced by others of a lighter descrip- tion, and the silver binding on the officers, coats was ordered to, be discontinued. In April 1765 the regiment marched to Wor- 1765 cester and Pershore: in January following its 1766 cantonments were extended to Hereford and Leo- minster: in May it proceeded into Sussex, and shortly afterwards the Drummers which had been on the establishment since the formation of the corps, were ordered to be replaced by Trum- peters. In May 1767 the regiment marched to Canter- 1767 bury, where it remained about a year ; and after a variety of changes of quarters which took place during the summer of 1768, it occupied winter cantonments at Lincoln and Boston. On the 19th December 1768 another royal war- 1768 rant was issued for regulating the clothing, &c., of the several regiments, in which the Royal North British Dragoons were directed to wear black bearskin caps, with the thistle within the circle of St. Andrew, and the motto "Nemo me impune lacessit^' on the front of the cap, instead of the cloth grenadier caps formerly worn. The Greys left Lincolnshire in the spring of :il II' •sAfl 90 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1769 1769, and proceeded to Scotland : they were first stationed at Haddington and Dunbar, and in May marched to Musselburgh and Dalkeith ; but in October two troops returned to Haddington. 1770 Having left Scotland in the spring of 1770, the regiment passed the summer of that year at Warwick, Litcliiield, and Stratford upon Avon. In the autumn Warwick was vacated, and two troops proceeded to Coventry. In November the colonelcy, vacant by the death of the Duke of Argyle, was conferred on William Earl of Paii- mure from the twenty-first regiment of foot. 1771 The regiment passed the greater part of the year 1771 in extensive cantonments in Dorset- 1772 shire and Somersetshire : in 1772 it was stationed at Canterbury, with detachments on coast duty 1773 in Kent ; in May 1773 it marched into quarters at Greenwich and the adjacent villages ; and on the 22nd of that month was reviewed on Black- heath by King George III., v/ho was pleased to express his high approbation of its appearance and discipline. From the journals of this period it appears, that the day, on which the regiment was reviewed, was particularly fine ; — an immense con- course of people was assembled to witness the spec- tad ; — and the martial appearance and correct manceuvring of this " gallant old corps" excited admiration. After the review the regiment ^n arched to Ipswiru and Bury St. Edmunds, where it passed the remt ri- der of the summer, and in autumn extended its quar- 1774 tersto Norwich. In the following year it marched to York, iViid again furnished detachments on coast duty. OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 91 The regiment left York in the spring of 1775, 1775 and marched to Scotland ; from whence it returned in April 1776, and after passing eleven montlis in 1776 Lancashire, proceeded to Worcester, ^rl^ich was 1777 occupied as a summer station, and in the autumn the quarters were extented to Gloucester, Tewks- bury, Pershore, and Ludlow. . ^ , •. /: * The British North American colonies, having 1773 comn:piAiM,d hostilities against their parent country, were y.iUcw lii their rebellion by Louis XVI., and in 1778 war was in consequence declared against France. The regular army was augmented, and one hundred and two men and horses were added to the establishment of the Royal North British Dragoons. The scene of conflict was, however, so remote^ and the trackless wilds and rugged woodlands of North America so little adapted for cavalry operations, that the Greys and other heavy dragoon regiments were not called upon to cross the Atlantic. During the greater part of the year 1778 the regiment occupied extensive quarters in Kent and Sussex, with detachments along the coast. At the same time an augmentation of forty-eight men, — who were to be mounted on small horses and equipped as light dragoons, — was added to the es- tablishment ; the light part of the regiment con- sisted of six Serjeants, six corporals, and eighty- foui private men; but in April 1779 they were 1779 incorporated with detachments from the third, seventh, fifteenth, and sixteenth dragoons into a regiment, which was numbered the twenty-first dragoons. 92 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1779 During the summer of 1779 the Greys were encamped on Salisbury Plain, together with the first and second dragoon guards, and the sixth, eleventh, and nineteenth dragoons ; and in Novem- ber the regiment went into quarters at Marl- borough, Chippenham, Calne, and Malmsbury. 1780 After passing the summer of 1780 in Wiltshire, the regiment marched in the autumn to Wor- 1781 cestershire. In January following two troops marched, in consequence of the requisition of the magistrates, to Ludlow : in June the six troops marched into Dorsetshire. 1782 After the decease of the Earl of Panmure in 1782, His Majesty conferred the colonelcy on Lieut.-General George Preston from the seven- teenth light dragoons. At the same time the regiment marched to the north of England, and was stationed in the county of Durham ; from 1783 whence it proceeded to Scotland in 1783. Peace having been concluded between Great Britain and the United States of America, the establishment was reduced to two hundred and thirty-two officers and men. 1784 The Greys left Scotland in April 1784, and were stationed eleven months at Manchester ; during which period Lieut.-General Preston died, and was succeeded in the colonelcy in February 1785 1785, by Lieut.-General James Johnston from the elevehtli dragoons : in April 1785 the regiment proceeded to Worcester. 17(SG During the summer of I78()the nMnment occu- l»ied extensive canloinncnl^ in Dorsetshire; and in the early part of 1787 lour troops were employed OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 9 in aiding the civil authorities in Wiltshire: in 1787 June the six troops marched into quarters in Hampshire. In the beginning of 1788 an order was received 1788 for tlie Greys and other heavy dragoon regiments to wear their sword-belts suspended across the right shoulder, instead of being fastened round the waist ; also to wear an epaulette, or strap, on the right shoulder uniform with that on the left. Towards the end of April the regiment marched into quarters near Hounslow ; it subse- quently proceeded to Ipswich ard adjacent towns, and in the following sunnner removed to Notting- 1789 hamshire and Lincolnshire. In the spring of 1790 the regiment marched '790 into Yorkshire; — shortly afterwards three troops proceeded to Newcastle on Tyne ; — and in Sep- tember the other three marched to Durham. The regiruent was again on the march in the 1701 spring of 1791, and proceeded to Scotland; from whence it returned in the spring of 1792 and was 1792 quartered in Lancashire : in December an aug- mentation of sixty men was ordered to the estab- lishment. In the mean time a revolution had taken place 1793 in France. A violent repul)lican faction had seized the reigns of government, beheaded tlieir king, ajul endeavoured to conununicate the flame of rebellion to the other nations of Europe. These indications of an approaching war occa- sioned the regiment to be augm<>nte(l, in the be- ginning of 1793, to nine troops of tifty-four noii- conunissioned oflicers and private men each ; and, 1^ I Ii ij r 94 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1 793 shortly afterwards, four troops were ordered to be iield in constant readiness to proceed on foreign service. The French having attacked Holland, a British and Hanoverian force, commanded by the Duke of York, proceeded to the assistance of the Dutch, and on the 9th of July four troops of the Scots Greys enibarkedat Black wall, and sailed for Flanders, to reinforce the army commanded by His Royal Highness. — ^The remainder of the regiment was stationed at Worcester, Tewkesbury, and adjacent towns. Having landed at Ostend on the 16th of July, the four troops of the Greys marched to the fron- tiers of France, and joined the army engaged in the siege of F'aieticiennes. After the capture of this city the Greys marched towards the coast, and were employed in covering the siege of Dunkirk. This undertaking was, however, abandoned ; and returning to the interior of the country, they were employed in operations in the vicinity of Lisle, and made a successful charge on some French cavalry on the heights of Cateau Cambresis. In November the four troops marched to Ghent; and the five troops in England were, shortly after- wards, augmented to eighty men each. 1794 The Greys left Glient and were stationed in F'ebruary 1794 at Bevt'ien ; in March they took the field to engage in active operations, and on the 1st of April a remount of seventeen men and forty- two horses joined from England. The four troops were assembled with the army on the plains of ('ateaii, in t!u' middle of April, and on the 1 7th OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 95 supported the attack of the infantry on the villages 1794 of Vaujc and Fremont. After the siege of Landrecies was commenced, the Greys, forming pail; of the covering army, were encamped near Cateau. On the morning of the 26th of April the French, advancing under the cover of a thick fog, attacked the British posi- tion, but were defeated with considerable loss: the brilliant charge made by the British cavalry contributed materially to this victory. When the capture of Landrecies was effected, the Greys proceeded by forced marches to the vicinity of Imrnai/, and were encamped in front of the town. At daybreak on the morning of the 10th of May the army was in position on the heights in front of Toumay, and the Scots Greys were formed in colunm of troops behind the left wing. At the same time several columns of the enemy were seen advancing in order of battle, and, having thrown forward a cloud of skirmishers, and manoeuvred a short time, they made an attempt to turn the Bri- tish left. But failing in this, they opened a heavy cannonade, under cover of which their columns at- tacked the centre. The assault was, however, sus- tained by the British and Hanoverian infantry with great firmness, and several cavalry regiments were detaclied against tlie enemy's right flank. — The Bays, Greys, and Inniskilling dragoons, form- ing one brigade, advanced in open column of half scjuadrons, with the Duke of York at their head : on approaching the enemy they formed line under a heavy cannonade and chargeMW/rt/A, May \Oth, 1819. " Disfrict 110 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1821 After landing at Bristol, on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of May, the regiment marched to Birmingham f- !■ el ki I ii " District Order, May \Oth, 1819. " Major General, Sir Sydney Beckwith having inspected the six troops of the second (or Royal North British) dragoons, at their respective stations, in the northern district, has now great pleasure in making known to liieut.-Colonel Hankin, the officers and men, that they have invariably met his approval. Their soldier-like appearance, and high condition of their horses, is only equalled by their general good conduct in quar- ters ; and he is happy to remark that the same observance of regularity and discipline, was equally attended to at the out- quarters, as at Belturbet, where the Major-General had a full opportunity of noticing them. " It being officially notified to the Major-General, that the Grevs are on the eve of departing from his district for Dublin, he begs to make known to them the high estimation in which he held them, while under his command, and the regret he feels in parting with them." •• Dublin, October, I4th, 1820. " The half-yearly inspection of the second (or Royal North British) dragoons, was accompanied with the most satis- factory proofs of an undeviating good system prevailing in the corps ; His Majesty's regulations are carried into effect most correctly and zealously : great merit is due to the commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel Clarke, to whom it must be most satis- factory to find his exertions rendered easy, by the extremely good conduct of the regiment at large, which is conspicuous by re- ference to the court-martial book, not one having been held since the last inspection. Major General BuUer cannot forego the opportunity of expressing the satisfaction at the excellent manner in which the school is conducted by a system well worthy of imitation.'' " Dublin, May Wth, 1820. " In making the half-yearly inspection of the Royal North British Dragoons, Major General Sir Colquhoun Grant was prepared to find the interior economy happily regulated, and the regiment well instructed in its field movements. He expected much, and he has not been disappointed. " The Major General has great pleasure in expressing to Lieut.-Colonel Clarke his entire approbation of all that he has seen, and he will not fail, in his report to his superiors, to do that justice to the Royal North British Dragoons, which they 80 eminently merit." " October \9th,\S20. " No. 1 —The inspection of the Royal North British Dragoons " affords ' • Pl OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. HI and Coventry. In July, it proceeded to London, 1821 on the occasion of tlie coronation of King George IV., and afterwards returned to its former stations. In August, the establishment was reduced to six troops — of tvventy-eight oflBcers, twenty-three Ser- jeants, eighteen corporals, six trumpeters, six far- riers, and two-hundred and eighty-two private men, and two-hundred and fifty-three troop horses. During the summer of 1822, the regiment 1822 marched to Scotland. On the 15th of August, King George IV. landed at Leith, where His Majesty was received by the Royal North Bri- tish Dragoons, and the regiment had the honour of attending His Majesty during his stay in Scot- land. The regiment left Scotland in July, 1823, and 1823 after crossing the border, was stationed at New- castle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle. In the summer of 1824, it marched to Manchester and Notting- 1824 ham ; and, in May 1825, to Coventry, Birming- 1825 ham and Northampton. In the early part of June, aifords Major General Sir John EUey, the satisfaction of re- porting most favourably on the general appearance of the regi- ment. " No. 2. — The dispersed state of its cantonments, prevented the commanding officer from assembling more than one strong squadron for field exercise. The Msjor General had, neverthe- less, anopportunityof judging of the good discipline estabhshed by the commanding officer. " No. 3. — The celerity with which the ssveral changes of posi- tion were executed, evinced a combination of good horseman- ship, and well-broke horses. " No. 4. — The commanding officer, officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, may depend on a faithful representation being made by the Major General, of the highly exemplary con- duct of this distinguished corps." If. - pi I •! !■ li '•5!\, 112 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1825 it proceeded to the vicinity of London, and was quartered at Hammersmith and Turnham green. On the 28th of June the two regiments of life guards, royal regiment of horse guards, first and second dragoon guards, Scots Greys, seventh hussars, twelfth lancers, and a brigade of royal horse artillery, were reviewed by Field Marshal His Royal Highness the Duke of York, on Hounslow Heath. 1826 After the review the Greys marched to Norwich and Ips'vieh. In the spring of 1826 they embarked at Liverpool, and, having landed at Dublin, were stationed a short time at Porto- bello barracks, and in May marched to Cahir, Limerick, New Ross, and Clogheen. 1827 I'he regiment returned to Dublin in May, 1827 ; 1829 and in May, 1829, it marched to Ballincollig and Cork. 1 830 Towards the end of April and in the early part of May, 1830, the regiment embarked at Cork, and having landed at Bristol, marched into quarters at Dorchester, Weymouth, and Trowljridge; from whence it proceeded in the early part of November to Windsor, and on the 8th of that month marched to the immediate vicinity of London. On the 9th of November two squadrons of the regiment were inspected by Her Majesty Queen Adelaide, in the riding house at Pimlico, and the officers had the honour of kissing Her Majesty's hand. The Queen afterwards gave her comniands to Lord Howe on this subject in the following gracious terms: — OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 113 " My Lord, 1830 " I BEG you will have the kindness to signify to " the commanding officer of the Scots Greys the '• pleasure it gave me to find the regiment in such *• excellent order, and to beg of him to let the '* men know how gratified I was to see them in " such order." In the middle of November the regiment marched to Maidstone, detaching one troop to Sittingbourn. Great excitement prevailed at this period among the agricultural labourers in the southern counties of England ; much grain and farming property were destroyed by incendiarism, and many marches were performed by the several troops of the regiment, in consequence of the requisitions of the magistrates. Several changes of quarters also took place in the 1831 early part of 1831 ; and on the 5th of March the regiment was stationed at Brighton, Chichester, and Warley. In the spring of 1832 the head-quarters were 1832 removed to Birmingham ; in 1833, to York ; and 1833 during the summer of 1834, the regiment marched 1834 to Scotland, and vv'as stationed at Edinburgh. Leaving North Britain in the summer of 1835, 1835 the Greys marched ..ito Yorkshire, and their head- quarters were established at Leeds. The regiment embarked at Liverpool in May, 1836 1836, and after its arrival in Ireland, the head- quarters were stationed at Dundalk; they were removed to Dublin in the summer of 1837: to 1837 Newbridge in the autumn of 1838 ; and during 1838 the summer of 1839, to Ballincollig. 1 H n- 114 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SECOND, 1839 In August, 1839, General Sir James Steuart died, and was succeeded in the colonelcy by Lieut,- General Sir William Keir Grant, K.C.B., and G.C.H., from the eighth Hussars. The regiment has remained at BallincoUig until the end of the year 1839, when this memoir was concluded. The services of the Royal North British Dragoons have been of a character calculated to call forth the admiration of every reader of their regimental record. Deriving their origin as a corps of cavalry from the commotions in Scotland, during the reign of King Charles II., their first duties were of a painful and perilous nature. Habituated to fatigue, privation, danger, and the observance of strict discipline, they became a valuable body of men to the government. After the revolution in 1688, their services against the Jacobites in Scotland were of an important cha- racter ; and while serving under King William III. in Belgium, they were admired for their warlike appearance and gallant bearing in the field, and for their orderly demeanour in canton- ments. During the war in the reign of Queen Anne, their splendid career under the renowned Marlborough exalted the reputation of the corps, and procured it a celebrity, which has since been preserved untarnished. In Scotland during the rebellion in 1715 and 1716 ; — in various parts of the continent from 1742 to 1748 ; — in Germany, under the Marquis of Granby, during the seven years' war; — in Flanders, under his Royal High- ness the Duke of York, at the commencement of OR ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. 115 the French revolutionary war, — and on all other 1839 occasions, the Greys have bepii distinguished as a hardy, patient, obedient, and valiant body of men, inferior to no troops in Europe in the qualities which constitute good soldiers, and thereby verify- ing their motto second to none. Their gallantry at the glorious battle of Waterloo, on the 18th of June, 1815, rivalled the deeds of the renowned warriors whose achievements have been recorded by Ossian, and other ancient bards of Caledonia. The Scots Greys had the proud distinction of capturing the colours of the French regiment du roiat Ramilies, — the white standard of the French household troops at Dettingen, — and the colour and Eagle of a French infantry corps at JJ^ater- loo. Their patience and forbearance when em- ployed in supporting the laws, and in preserving trfinquillity at home, form a striking contrast to their valour when opposed to a foreign enemy in the field. Their reputation having become esta- blished, their title has long been associated with ideas of valour, loyalty, good conduct, and useful- ness to the crown and kingdom. ii 1839. I 2 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OK THK HOYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS; NOW THE SECOND, OK ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS. Thomas Dalziel, Ap^mnted 25tk November, 1681. Thomas Dalziel, of Binns, was an officer in the Scots forces in the reign of Charles I. He was with the Scots army at the unfortunate battle of Worcester in 1651, where he was taken prisoner, and was afterwards con- fined in the tower of London. He, however, effected his escape in disguise ; and proceeding to Moscow, ob- tained a commission in the Russian army, and served against the Tartars. After the restoration of Charles II., Dalziel quitted the Russian service, and returning to Scotland, was appointed captain of an independent troop of horse,— colonel of a regiment of foot, and had a com- mission of lieut.-general. He appears to have been naturally of a relendess disposition, which had increased by his service among the Cossacks and Tartars : after his return he had imbibed strong prejudices against the presbyterians ; and being appointed to the chief com- mand of the troops employed in suppressing the appeal to arms in 1666, he enacted many cruel tragedies, " such 118 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. as had never been heard of before in Scotland." lie commanded the royal forces at the battle of Pentland Hills. On the reduction of the army in 1667, his troop of horse and regiment of foot were disbanded ; and his commission of lieut.-general was rescinded ; and he after- wards obtained a patent of discharge and exoneration for the cruelties he had committed beyond what were authorised by law. A few years afterwards he obtained the command of an independent troop of dragoons, and when the presbyterians made another appeal to arms in 1679, he was appointed second in command to the Duke of Monmouth ; but the commission for that appointment did not arrive until after the victory at Bothwell bridge. Lieut.-General Dalziel was afterwards appointed com- mander-in-chief in Scotland ; and his conduct, while it rendered him odious to the presbyterians, caused him, at the same time, to be held in high estimation at court ; and in 1681 he obtained the colonelcy of the Royal Scots Dragoons. He appears, by the following extract from Creichton's memoirs, to have been of a very eccentric character, " General Dalziel was bred up vei'y hardy from his " youth, both in diet and clothing. He never wore boots, " nor above one coat, which was close to his body, and with close sleeves, like what we call jockey-coats. He " never wore a peruke ; nor did he shave his beard " after the murder of King Charles the First. In my " time his head was bald, which he covered only with *' a beaver hat, the brim of which was not above three " inches broad. His beard was white and bushy, and " yet reached down almost to his girdle. He usually " went to London once or twice a year, and then only " to kiss the King's hand, who had a great esteem for " his worth and valour. His unusual dress and fionire " when he was in London, never failed to draw or " him a great crowd of boys and other young pc* .»le, " who constantly attended at his lodgings and followed SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 119 " him with liuzzas as he went to court, or returned from "it. When the King walked in the park, with some ** of his courtiers and Dalziel in his company, the same " crowds would always be after him, showing their ad- " miration of the general's beard and dress, so that the " King could hardly pass for the crowd ; upon which " His Majesty bid the devil take Dalziel for bring- *' ing such a rabble together to have their guts squeezed " out whilst they gaped at his long beard and antic " habit ; requesting him at the same time (as Dalziel " used to express it) to shave and dress like other •' Christians to keep the poor bairns out of danger. All " this could not prevail on him to part with his beard ; but " yet, in compliance to His Majesty, he went once to " court dressed in the very height of the fashion ; but as " soon as the King and those about him had laughed suffi- " ciently at the strange figure he made, he re-assumed " his usual habit, to the great joy of the boys, who had " not discovered him in his fashionable dress." " When the Duke of York succeeded to the throne, " General Dalziel resolved still to retain his loyalty, " although, at the same time, he often told his friends " that all things were going wrong at court ; but death "came very seasonably ^' rescue him from the diffi- " culties he was likely to be under, between the notions " he had of duty to hl^ prince on the one side, and zeal " for his religion on the other." He died in October, 1685, and was honoured with a public funeral, which was conducted with great state and solemnity, and was attended by a strong detachment of the army. Lord Charles Murray, Appointed 6th November, 1685. Lord Charles Murray, second son of John, first Marquis of Athole, commanded an independent troop of dragoons in 1678, which troop was incorporated - * f; j 120 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. in the Royal Scots Dragoons in the autumn of 1G81, and he was appointed lieut. -colonel of the regi- ment. After the decease of General Dalziel, King James II. conferred the colonelcy of the corps on his lordship ; and in August, 1686, created him Earl of DuNMORE, Viscount of Fincastle, and Lord Murray of Blair. At the revolution in 1688 he adhered to the in- terest of King James, and was removed from his com- mand by the Prince of Orange. In 1692 the Earl of Dunmore was sent to prison on a charge of being concerned in a conspiracy in favour of King James ; but he was afterwards released. On the accession of Queen Anne, he was sworn a privy-coun- cillor. He supported the treaty of union in 1706; — was appointed governor of Blackness Castle, in 1707: and died in 1710. \l Sir Thomas Livingstone, Appointed 3lst December, 1688. E? » This Officer was r.iany years in the service of the States General of Holland. He commanded a regiment of foot under the Prince of Orange, in the expedition to England in 1688; and in December the prince gave him the colonelcy of the Royal Scots Dragoons. His services in Scotland after the revolution, are inserted in the regimental record of the Scots Greys. He was promoted to the rank of major-general in 1G9G, and was created Viscount of Teviot in the same year. During the campaign of 1697, he commanded a brigade in the Netherlands, under King William III. He was ad- vanced to the rank of lieut. -general in 1703, and in the following year disposed of his regiment to Lord John Hay. Viscount Teviot died in London in January, 1711, and was interred in WeatminHfer Abbey, wliere a monu- ment was erected to his memory. SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 121 Lord John Hay, Appointed 7th April, 1704. Lord Jopn Hay, son of John, second Marquis of Tweedale, was many years an officer in the Royal Scots Dragoons, in which corps he rose to the rank of lieut- colonel, and he commanded the regiment on foreign ser- vice in 1702 and 1703. In 1704 he was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment by purchase ; and was also advanced to the rank of brigadier-general. He acquired great honour by his gallantry on several occasions, parti- cularly at the battle of Schellenberg in 1704, and at Ramilies in 1706. He died of a fever at Courtray on the 15th of August, 1706. Lord John Dalkymple, Appointed 24M August, 1706. This nobleman served as a volunteer under King William III., in Flanders, and was with the Camcionian regiment (twenty-sixth foot ) at the battle of Steinkirk in 16'.)2. Immediately before the decease of his Majesty, Lord John Dalrymple was nominated lieut. -colonel of the Scots foot guards, and his commission was one of the first signed by Queen Anne after her accession. He served as aide-de-camp (o the Earl of Marlborough during the campaign of 1702, and in the following year he obtained the colonelcy of a Dutch regiment, which he exchanged, on the 1st of January, 1706, with Colonel James iiorthwick, of the Cameronian regiment. In the same year he obtained the rank of brigadier-general ; served in that capacity at the battle of Humiliea ; and in August he was promoted to the colonelcy of the Scots Greys. On the decease of his father, in January, 1707, he succeeded to the title of Earl of Stair. lie com- manded a '^rigade at the battle of Oudenarde in 1/08; iind was sent to F'ngland with the news of that victory. Having been .ippointed rtiajor-general on the Ist of 122 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 'i lii ! '•* r I- January, 1709, he served in that capacity at the battle of Malplaquet ; and was advanced to the rank of lieut. -ge- neral on the 1st of January, 1710. He passed the winter of 1709-10 in Poland, as envoy extraordinary to that court ; but returning to the army in the spring, he served at the siege of Douay, and was honoured in the same year with the order of the Thistle. He was promoted to the rank of general on the 5th of April, 1712, and afterwards served in Flanders under the Duke of Ormond : but having subsequently opposed the ministry, he was ordered to sell the colonelcy of his regiment to the Earl of Port- more. Shortly after his accession to the throne King George I. appointed the Earl of Stair commander-in-chief in Scot- land in the absence of the Duke of Argyle ; and in the following spring conferred upon his Lordship the colo- nelcy of the Inniskilling dragoons. In the same year he was sent to France in a diplomatic character, and after- wards displayed great abilities as ambassador extraordi- nary at that coi.rt, from which he was recalled in 1720. In 1729 he had the appointment of vice-admiral of Scot- land ; but having joined the opposition against Sir Robert Walpole, his loiucliip was removed in 1733 from that post, and in the following year from the colonelcy of the Inniskilling dragoons. On the dissolution of the Walpole administration in 1742, the Earl of Stair was appointed governor of Minorca, field-marshal of the forces, and commander-in-ciiief of the troops sent to Flanders, also ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the States General of Holland. In April, 1743, he was restored to the colonelcy of the Inniskilling dragoons ; and ho commanded the British troops on the continent during the early part of the cam- paign of that year. He also commanilcd, under King George 11., at the battle of Dettingen ; biit observing, that His Majesty gave preference to the advice of the Ha- noverian generals, he shortly afterwards obtained per- mission to resign. SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 123 In 1744 the Earl of Stair was appointed comman- d«''-in-chief in Great Britain. After the death of his gallant brother-in-law. Sir James Campbell, who fell at Fontenoy, the colonelcy of the Scots Greys was again conferred upon his Lordship, and he was appointed general of the marine forces in 1746. He died in 1747- David Earl of Portmore, K.T., Appointed 21** April, 1714. Sir David Colyear proceeded as a volunteer to Hol- land, in 1674, and having distinguished himself in the service of the States, obtained the command of one of the Scots regiments, with which he accompanied the Prince of Orange to England at the revolution in 1688. During the two following years he ser .'ed in Ireland ; and after- wards v> Flanders, where he gained great reputation :* and w )moted to the rank of major-general. He was c - a peer of Scotland in 1699, by the title of Lord Portmore and Blacknkss. He proceeded with the Duke of Ormond in the expedition to Cadiz in 1 702 ; and on the 11th of February, 1703, he was promoted to the rank of lieut.-general. A few days after this promo- tion, he obtained the colonelcy of the Queen Dowager's regiment of foot, was advanced on the 13th of April in the same year, to the dignity of Earl of Portmore ; and was subsequently commander of the forces in Scot- land. The Earl of Portmore commanded the Britisli troops in Portugal during the campaigns of 1710 and 1711, and discovered a secret treaty between the Portiiguese and French, in which the former had agreed to sacrifice their l*]nglish auxiliaries in a general engagement. He had ini * Macky speaks of liitn as follows. " He is one of the bfst "toot officers in thu world ; is voiy biave ami bold ; hath a tjreat "deal of wit ; is very nnitili a man of lionour, and nn;e that way : " yet tiuuried the Countess of iJorclicsler, and luid by her a ^jood "estalo; he is pretty well shaped; dresses vluan ; has but one "eye; and is towitrds fifty years old." 124 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 11 [! f'! in ii previously disposed of the colonelcy of the second foot ; and in 1711 he was promoted to the rank of general. In 1712 he was sworn a privy-cc uncilior and invested with the order of the Thistle ; ana in the foUowii ^ year his lordship was ?- i>ointed governor of Gibraltar. In 1714 he purchased ■ -e colonelcy of the Scots Greys, which he retained until 1717. In 1727, when the Spaniards be- sieged Gibraltar, the Earl of Portmore embarked for that fortress to take the command of the troops, and the enemy's designs were frustrated. He died on the 2nd of January, 1730. James Campbell., Appointed 15th February, 1717. James Campbell was a cavalry offi.^er in the reign of King William III. ; and being appointed to the com- mand of a troop in the Scots Greys on the 25th of February, 1702, he served with that regiment on the Continent in the reign of Queen Anne, and having dis- tinguished himself on several occasions, was promoted to the lieut.-colonelcy of the corps. He obtained the rank of colonel by brevet, on the 15th of November, 1711, and, in July, 1715, the colonelcy of the ninth regiment of foot. Two years afterwards, King George II., conferred tile colonelcy of the Greys on this gallant officer ; who was further promoted to the rank of brigadier-general in 1735, major-general in 1739, and liout.-general on the 1 8th of February 1742. He highly distinguished him- self at the battle of Dettinger. in 1743, and was immedi- ately afterwards created a Knight of the Bath. He continued to serve on the Continent, and was ki"cd at the battle of Fontenoy in 1745. John, Earl of Stair, Re-appointed "I'Stk May, 1745. Died ill 1747. SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 125 John, Earl of Crawford, Apiointed 28M May, 1747. Lord John Lindsay succeeded to the title of Earl OF Crawford in 1713. He was appointed Captain of one of the augmentation troops of the Scots Greys, raised in the winter of 1726, which was reduced in 1729. His lordship afterwards commanded a troop in the seventh dragoons ; but transferred his services to the foot guards in 1734. In order to obtain a practical knowledge of his profession, he forsook the court and me- tropolis ; served as a volunteer with the Imperial army on the Rhine ; and was at the battle of Claussen, on the 1 7th of October, 1735. In 1738, he served as a volun- teer against the Turks, first with the Russian, and after- wards with the Austrian army ; in 1739, he again served with the Austriaus, and was dangerously wounded at the battle of Krotzka. In the same year, he obtained the colonelcy of the forty-third, now forty-second foot ; from which he was removed to the Scots horse grenadier guards in 1740, and to the Scots troop of life guards in 1743. He commanded the brigade of life guards and horse grenadier guards at the battles of Dettingen and Fontenoy, and distinguished himself on both occasions. In 174G, when the third and fourth troops of life guards were ordered to be embo'lied in the first and s<>cond troops, his lordship was removed to the twenty- fifth foot, and a few months afterwards to the Scots Greys. He commanded a biigade of cavalry at the battle of Roucoux in 174G, also during the campaign of 1748. He died at London on the 25th of December, 1749. John, Earl of Rothes, Appointed IHth January, 1750. Lord John Leslf.y, was appointed to the caplaincy of a troop of dragoons in 1715, antl in 1717, lie obt.iined the command of a company in the foot guards. Two 126 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. t *' f'i- P ' p 1 years afterwards, he was appointed to the lieut.-colonelcy of the royal North British fusiliers. On the decease of his father, in 1722, he succeeded to the title of Eaul of RoTHKS, and was appointed governor of Stirling castle. He obtained the colonelcy of the twenty-fifth regiment in May, 1732: and the rank of brigadier-general in 17:^9. In 1742, he proceeded with the forces, under the Earl of Stair, to Flanders ; was appointed major-gene- ral on the 1st of January, 1743, and served in that capa- city at the battle of Dettingen. In April, 1745, he was removed to the colonelcy of the Scots horse grenadier guards, and in the following month to the Inniskilling dragoons. His lordship commanded a brigade of cavalry at the battle of Roucoux in 1 746 ; was advanced to the rank of lieut.-geiieral in 1747 ; and, in 1750, obtained the colonelcy of the Scots Greys. In the succeeding year, he was appointed governor of Duncannon fort, and lieut. -general on the staft' of Ireland; and, in April 1752, he was removed to the colonelcy of the third or Scots foot guards. He was constituted a Knight of the Thistle : and obtained the rank of General in 1765. He died on the 10th of December, 1767. John Campbell, Ajjpointed 2dth Jpril, 1752. John Campbell, of Mamore, was an officer in the army in the reign of Queen Anne, and attained the rank of lieut. -colonel. During the rebellion in 1715 and 1716, he was aid-de-camp to the Duke of Argyle: and in June, 1737, he obtained the colonelcy of the thirty- ninth regiment, from which lie was removed in the fol- lowing year to the royal North British fusiliers. He commanded a brigade at the battle of Dettingen, in 1743; — was appointed major-general in the following year; and during the rebellion in 1745 and 1746, he held a command in Scotland. He was advanced to the rank of lieut. -general in 1747; was removed from the SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 127 fusiliers to the Scots Greys in 1752 ; and, in 1761, ho was appointed governor of Limerick ; and also succeedetl to the title of Duke of Argyle. The order of the Thistle was conferred upon his grace in 1765; and he died in 1770. William, Earl of Panmure, . - Appointed lOM November, 1770. William Maule, who had been several years an offi- cer in the Scots foot guards, and a member of parliament, was created a peer of Ireland on the 6th of April, 1743, by the title of Earl of Panmure. He served at the battle of Dettingen in the same year ; also at the battle of Fontenoy in 1745 ; and on the 1st of December, 1747, was promoted to the colonelcy of the twenty-fifth foot ; from which he was removed in 1752, to the royal North British fusiliers. The rank of major-general was con- ferred upon his lordship, in 1755. In the following year he was second in comvnand at Gibraltar ; and, in 1758, he was promoted to the rank of lieut. -general. He was further advanced to the rank of general, in 1770 ; and obtained the colonelcy of the Scots Greys in No- vember of the same year. He died on the 4th of January, 1782. George Preston, Appointed 18M April, 1782. This Officer served many years in the Scots Greys, and obtained the lieut.-colonelcy of the regiment on the 25th of February, 1757. He commanded the Greys on foreign service during the seven years' war ; was appointed colonel by brevet in 1762, and obtained the colonelcy of the seventeenth light dragoons on the 2nd of November, 1770. The rank of major-general was conferred upon this brave officer in 1772 ; and that of lieut.-genernl in 1777. In 1782, he obtained the colonelcy of the Gkkvs, whom he had often led to battle and to victory. He died at Bath in 1785. 128 IS P 1 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. Jambs Johnston, Appointed 4th February, 1785. This Officer commenced his military service in the royal regiment of horse guards, — was at the battles of Dettingen and Fontenoy, and was promoted major of the regiment on the 29th of November, 1750. He obtained the lieut. -colonelcy on the 17th of December, 1754; — commanded the blues in Germany during the seven years' war ; and, on the 3rd of August, 1762, he was appointed colonel of the first Irish horse (now fourth dragoon guards). He was promoted to the rank of major-gene- ral on the 30th of April, 1770; — was removed to the eleventh dragoons in 1775; and advanced to the rank of lieut.-general in 1777. Lieut. -General Johnston was re- moved from the colonelcy of the eleventh dragoons to the Scots Greys, in 1785; and died on the 24th of November, 1795. Archibald, Earl of Eglintoun, Appointed 2nd December, 1795. The Honourable Archibald Montgomery, attained the rank of major in the thirty-sixth regiment of foot in 1751; and afterwards raised the seventy-seventh high- land regiment (subsequently disbanded), of which he was appointed lieut. -colonel commandant on the 4th of Janu- ary, 1757. Accompanying his regiment to America, he served under general Sir Jeffrey Amherst, by whom he was detached with 1200 men against the Cherokees- He captured and destroyed Estatoe, and several other towns and villages ; and defeated the Indians in a pitched battle near Etchliey, 1760 ; and, in another engagement near War-woman's-creek, in 1761, he gained a decisive victory.* The successes of the British arms in North America were followed by a treaty of peace in 1763. In • An account of these actions has been inserted in the record of the first royal foot, paj^es 136 to 144. ^' I ! » SUCCESSION OF COLONKLS; 12Q 1764, Colonel Montgomery was appointed governor of Dumbarton castle; — in 1767, he was rewarded with the colonelcy of the fifty-firstfoot; and two years afterwards he succeeded, on the decease of his brother, to the title of Earl of Eglintoun. He obtained the rank of major- general in 1772; — that of lieut.-general, in 1777; and, in 1782, he was appointed governor of Edinburgh caistle. On the breaking nut of the war in 1793, his lordship raised a regiment ol fencibles ; he was promoted to the rank of general in October of the same year, and ob- tained the colonelcy of the Scots Greys in 1795. He died on the 30th of October, 1796. of the Sir Ralph Abercromby, K. B., Appointed 2nd November, 1796. This distinguished officer was born in Stirlingshire, in 1 738 ; he commenced his military career as cornet in the third dragoon guards in 1 756, and served with his regiment in Germany during the seven years* war. In 1762 he was appointed captain in the third horse (now sixth dra- goon guards), and was promoted to the lieut.-colonelcy of the regiment in 1773. Under his vigilant care and attention (o all the duties of commanding officer, his regiment became distinguished as an efficient cavalry corps ; and he was rewarded wiih the rank of colonel in the army in 1780 : in the following year he was ap- pointed colonel of the 103rd regiment, or King's Irish infantry, which corps was disbanded at the peace in 1783. In 1787 he was promoted to the rank of major- general; and in September, 1790, he was appointed colonel of the sixty-ninth regiment, from which he was removed in 1792 to the Sixth foot. On the breaking out of the war with France in 1793, he was promoted to the local rank of lieut.-general on the continent, and he held a command under the Duke of York in Flanders. In this service he highly signalised himself, and his conduct was spoken of in the warmest 180 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. }'" r - III t ;..-,•<■ i; terms of commendation in his Royal Highness's de- spatches; particularly his gallantry at the battle of Cateau on the 26th of April, 1794, and in the general attack made on the French posts on the 17th of May following. He also took an active and distinguished part in conducting the retreat through Holland, and was wounded before Nimeguen on the 27th of October 1794. Shortly after his return to England he was sent with an expedition to complete the deliverance of the French West India islands from the power of the republican government, and to reduce to obedience the insurgents in the islands of St. Vincent and Granada. In this service he had distinguished success; he took Grenada, — obtained possession of the settlements of Demarara and Essequibo, — completed the capture of St. Lucia and St. Vincent, — and afterwards reduced the Spanish colony in the island of Trinidad, and placed it under the dominion of the British crown. In the mean time he had been appointed to the colonelcy of the Princess Royal's dragoon guards, and created a Knight of the Bath ; and in November, 1 796, he was removed to the command of the Scots Greys. His distinguished merit was also rewarded with the appointment of lieut.- governor of the Isle of Wight ; and the government of Forts George and Augustus; also the appointment of com- mander-in-chief in Ireland, and afterwards in Scotland. In 1799 he was selected to command the first division of the Anglo-Russian army destined to attempt the deliverance of Holland from the power of France ; and in effecting a landing on the 27th of August, — in repuls- ing the troops assembled to oppose him, — and in gaining possession of the forts of the Holder, which was followed by the surrender of the Dutch fleet, he evinced the abilities of a consummate general, and the valour of an hero. He was also successful in the action of the Zyp on the 10th of September. After the arrival of the Duke of York, he commanded a division under His Royal SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 131 Vision the and puls- ining owed 1 the of an Zyp Duke loyal Highness with reputation ; and in the accounts of the engagements which followed, his conduct was mentioned in terms of the highest praise. After his return from Holland he wa appointed to the command of an expedition sent into the Mediterranean. He captured Malta, and appeared before Cadiz ; but an epidemic disease raging in the city at the time, the attempt on the fortress was desisted in for fear of infec- tion. He subsequently directed his course towards Egypt, with the view of driving the French army from that country ; and while the fleet anchored in the bay of Marmorice, in Asiatic Turkey, he arranged a plan of co-operation with the Turks. In February, 1801, he again put to sea, and on the 8th of March, effected a landing in the bay of Aboukir, and defeated a body of French troops. On the 13th he drove the French from their position beyond Mandora Tower, on which occasion he had a horse shot under him; and on the 19th, Fort Aboukir capitulated. On the 21st of the same month he repulsed a furious attack of the enemy on the position which he occupied near Alexandria, and during the action he received a mortal wound which deprived his king and country of his most valuable services. He appears to have been wounded in the early part of the clay, but continued in the field giving orders with that coolness and perspicuity which had ever marked his character till after the action was over, when he fainted through weakness and loss of blood, and died on the 28th of March, 1801. Thus fell one of the most honourable military men whose lives have been commemorated ii^ history. His character was held up to the admiration of the army in general orders, in which it was observed, — "The illus- " trious example of their commander cannot fail to have " made an indelible impression on the gallant troops, at «* whose head, crowned with victory and glory, he termi- " nated his honourable career ; and His Majesty trusts " that a due contemplation of the talents and virtues, k2 132 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS, m " which he uniformly diaplayed in the course of his " valuable life, will for ever endear the memory of Sir " Ralph Abercromby to the British army. His steady " observance of discipline, — his ever-watchful attention " to the health and wants of his troops, — the persevering " and unconquerable spirit which marked his military " career, — the splendour of his actions in the field, — " aud the heroism of his death, — are worthy the imita- " tion of all who desire, like him, a life of honour and a " death of glory." His remains having been moved to Malta, were con- veyed, on the 29th April, 1801, from the chapel of the palace, and deposited, with military honours, in a vault prepared for them in the bastion of St. John, at Fort St. Elmo. On this occasion the first and second battalions of the 35th, the first and second battalions of the 40th, and the 48th regiment, assisted at the ceremonial, under the command of Colonel M'Alister, of the 35th regiment : part of the troops lined the streets, and part moved in the procession; minute-guns were fired while the body was being conveyed to the fort, and when it had been de- posited in the vault, three rounds from the Royal Artil- lery announced that the hero's interment had been completed. Sir David Dundas, K. C. B. i" Appointed \&th May, 1801. This officer commenced his military education at the age of thirteen, in the academy at Woolwich, and afterwards became eminent for his knowledge of the principles of military tactics. At the age of fifteen he assisted in a survey of Scotland; and in 1756 obtained a commission in the fifty-sixth regiment. In 1758 he proceeded with the expedition to the coast of France as an assistant quarter-master- general; and in the following year ob- tained the command of a troop in a newly-raised regiment SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 133 of light dragoons (Eliott's light horse), now the fifteenth, or King's hussars. He served with his regiment in Germany in 1760 and 1761 ; in the following summer he accompanied an expedition to Cuba, as aide-de-camp to Major-General Eliott, and was actively employed in the reduction of the Havannah. After the peace he resumed his post in his regiment, in which he rose to the rank of major; and, urged by an ardent desire to acquire a perfect knowledge of every branch of his profession, he obtained permission to proceed to the continent to observe the practice of the French and Austrian armies. In 1775 he procured the lieutenant-colonelcy of the tw< Ifth light dragoons, joined the regiment in Ireland shortly afterwards, and in 1778 obtained the appointment of quarter-master-general in that country. In 1782 he wa.^ removed to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the second Irish horse, now the fifth dragoon guards. In 1 785 he again proceeded to the Continent, attended the exercises of the Prussian troops during three summers, and after his re- turn he presented his Majesty with a detailed account of their evolutions. Colonel Dundas having become a proficient tactician, produced, in 1788, a highly useful work on the prin- ciples of military movements, which became the basis of our army regulations for field exercises. His abilities obtained for him the favour and attention of King George III., who appointed him adjutant-general in Ireland, for the purpose of introducing his system of tactics into the army of that country. In 1790 Colonel DumI c was promoted to the rank of major-general. In 1791 hs ob- tained the colonelcy of the twenty-second foot, and in the same year was placed on the Irish staff, but he resigned that appointment in 1793 to engage in services of actual warfare. After the commencement of hostili. ties with the French republic, Major-General Dundas was employed on a military mission to the island of Jersey, and was afterwards sent to the Continent to con- fer with the Duke of York respecting the siege of Dun- 134 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. kirk. From Flanders he proceeded to Toulon, which had recently been taken by a British armament ; and his services there, although he was ultimately obliged to evacuate the place, called forth the approbation of his sovereign and of the British nation. After abandoning Toulon he made a descent on Corsica, which island was reduced and annexed to the British dominions; but shortly afterwards he received directions to proceed to Flanders, where he arrived in the spring of 1794, and commandei a brigade of cavalry at the battle of Tournay on the twenty-second of May, 1794. Major- General Dundas was actively employed in the retreat tlirough Holland, and the corps under his immediate command gained considerable advantage over the enemy in two successive actions near Gelder-Malsen; he highly distinguished himself also in an attack upon the French post at Thuyl, in December of the same year. He con- tinued with the British troops in Germany during the summer of 1795, and in December was appointed colonel of the seventh dragoons. After his return to England he was appointed quarter- master- general to the army; and he composed the celebrated regulations for tlie field exercises and movements for the cavalry, which were approved by his Royal Highness the Duke of York, and by King George IH., and ordered to be exclusively adopted tliroughout the cavalry. In 1799 Lieutenant-General Dundas commanded a division of the allied army under the Duke of Vork, in the expediti»,n to Holland; he distinguished himself in several actions witli the enemy, and was highly com- mended by His Royal Highness in his public despatches. In 1801 he was appointed colonel of the Second, or Royal North British Dragoons, and was consti- tuted governor of Fort George. In 1802 he was pro motetl to the rank of general ; and in the following year, when the Fr'nich were j)repaiing to invade England, he was placed in command of the troops in the southern district, which coniprisetl the counties of Kent and Sus- SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 135 sex. Ill 1804 he was appointed governor of the royal liospital at Chelsea, and created a Knight of the Bath. On the 18th of March, 1809, His Majesty was pleased to confer on this distinguished veteran the appointment of commander-in-chief of the army, on the resignation of Field-Marshal his Royal Highness the Duke of York, which appointment he held until the 25th of May, 1811, when His Royal Highness was re-appointed. He was also appointed colonel-in-chief of the rifle brigade on the 31st of August, 1809. He was promoted to the colonelcy of the King's dragoon guards on the 27th of January, 1813. He died in 1820, ailer a distinguished service of upwards of sixty years. William John, Marquis of Lothian, K.T. Appointed 17th Janvary, 1813. This nobleman entered the army in June, 1754, as cornet of the eleventh dragoons. In 1760 he obtained the lieut .-colonelcy of the twelfth dragoons, and after- wards held the same appointment in the Scots troop of horse grenadier guards. In 1775 he succeeded to the title of Marquis of Lothian; — was invested with the order of the Thistle in the following year; and, on the death of Earl de la Warr in 1777, he obtained the colo- nelcy of the first troop of life guards — which was formed into the first regiment of life guards in 1788. His lord- ship's vote and protest on the regency question, during the illness of George 111., occasioned him, on His Ma- jesty's recovery, in 1789, to leave the life guards. He was, however, appointed to the colonelcy of the eleventh light dragoons in 179H, and was removed to the Scots (Jreysin 1813. He died in 181.5. IM^ ■li' : i 1 ' f* -'} ' ^M ^ ni ^vli h B l-l {I 1 ili'iiM 136 succession op colonels, Sir James Steuart, Bart., G.C.H. Appointed I2th January, 1815. James Steuart received a military education in Ger- many, and at sixteen years of age King George III. presented him with a cornetcy in the royal dragoons, his commission bearing date the 17th of March, 1761. He served the campaign of that and the following year with his regiment in Germany ; v/as at the battles of Kirch Denkern and Groebenstien, and took part in several skir- mishes. In 1763 he purchased a company in the Queen s royal highlanders, and that corps being disbanded soon afterwards, he improved his knowledge of the military profession by travelling in France and Germany. In 1766 he purchased a troop in the second Irish horse, now fifth dragoon guar's; in 1769 he was appointed aide-de- camp to the lord-lieutenant of Ireland (Lord Towns- hend) ; and in 1772 he obtained the majority of the thirteenth dragoons, from which he was removed, in 1775, to the first Irish horse, now fourth dragoon guards. In 1776, when the thirteenth dragoons were constituted light cavalry, he was nominated to the lieutenan' ^.I1- nelcy of that regiment, and having brought it inio n excellent state of discipline and efficiency, he was re- warded with the rank of colonel in 1782. In 1788 de- tachments from the cavalry regiments in Ireland were assembled at Dublin, and placed under his command, for the purpose of forming an improved system of in- terior economy, discipline, and field movements for the cavalry ; his labours were honoured with the approbation of his sovereign, anl his systems, particularly his field movements, having been more completely defined and arranged by Sir David Dundas, wen? adopted for the cavalry. His services were rewarded in 1791 with the colonelcy of the twelfth light dragoons j and having been promoted to the rank of major-general in 1793, ho was pla?ed on the statT of Scotland, and appointed to super- SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 137 In intend the formation and discipliao of the fencible cavalry in that country, which was encamped under his orders in the summers of 1795, 1796, and 1797. In the autumn of 1797 he was promoted to the local rank of lieut.- general in Ireland, and appointed to the command of the southern district of that kingdom, which district was, by his excellent arrangements, preserved during the rebellion of 1798, in a state of tranquillity not known in any other part of Ireland. He wfs rewarded with the rank of lieut. -general, in June 1798 ; and after the suppression of the rebellion, he resigned his appointment on the Irish staff. In 1803 he was promoted to the rank of general ; and in 1815 he obtained the colonelcy of the Scots Greys. His rank and age prevented him from parti- cipating in the active measures which led to the won- derful military successes from the re-commencen\ent of the war in 1803 to r.^ termination in 1815. He repre- sented in parliament his native county (Lanark) for many years; his mansion at Coltness was proverbial as the seat of kindness and hospitality ; and his time, his talents, and his property, were dedicated > the improve- ment of the district around him. For sevjral years he bore the sirnanie of Denham ; but afterwards discon- tinued it. He lived to be the oldest general and the oldest soldier in the British army ; and died at Chelten- ham, on the 5th of August, 1839, at the advanced age of ninety-five. Sir William Kf.ir Grant, K.C.B., G.C.H. Appoint pil 25th August, 1839. Lonihin : Printed liy Wim.iau Ui.hwks uiul Hons Stiinifonl Stiei'l.