Part 2
[5] "Under the blessing of Divine Providence, His Majesty ascribes the successes which have attended the exertions of his troops in Egypt, to that determined bravery which is inherent in Britons; but His Majesty desires it may be most solemnly and forcibly impressed on the consideration of every part of the army, that it has been a strict observance of order, discipline, and military system, which has given the full energy to the native valour of the troops, and has enabled them proudly to assert the superiority of the national military character, in situations uncommonly arduous, and under circumstances of peculiar difficulty."--_General Orders in 1801._
In the General Orders issued by Lieut.-General Sir John Hope (afterwards Lord Hopetoun), congratulating the army upon the successful result of the Battle of Corunna, on the 16th of January, 1809, it is stated:--"On no occasion has the undaunted valour of British troops ever been more manifest. At the termination of a severe and harassing march, rendered necessary by the superiority which the enemy had acquired, and which had materially impaired the efficiency of the troops, many disadvantages were to be encountered. These have all been surmounted by the conduct of the troops themselves; and the enemy has been taught, that whatever advantages of position or of numbers he may possess, there is inherent in the British officers and soldiers a bravery that knows not how to yield--that no circumstances can appal--and that will ensure victory when it is to be obtained by the exertion of any human means."
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF
THE SIXTH,
OR
ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT.
CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT IN THE YEAR 1674,
AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES TO 1838.
_ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES._
LONDON: PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, ORME, AND CO., PATERNOSTER ROW;
AND BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, 14, CHARING CROSS;
AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1839.
LONDON: Printed by WILLIAM CLOWES and SONS, Stamford Street.
THE
SIXTH,
OR
ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE
REGIMENT OF FOOT,
BEARS ON ITS COLOURS, AS A REGIMENTAL BADGE,
"THE ANTELOPE;"
ON THE THREE CORNERS OF THE SECOND COLOUR,
"THE ROSE AND CROWN;"
ON THE GRENADIER CAPS,
"THE KING'S CREST;"
ON THE DRUMMERS' COATS,
"THE ANTELOPE;"
ALSO THE FOLLOWING INSCRIPTIONS ON THE COLOURS:
"ROLEIA," "VIMIERA," "CORUNNA," "VITTORIA," "PYRENEES," "NIVELLE," "ORTHES," "PENINSULA," "NIAGARA."
CONTENTS.
Anno Page
1673-4 Formation of the Regiment in Holland 1
1674 Siege of Grave 3
1676 Siege of Maestricht 4
1677 Battle of Mont-Cassel 7
1678 ---- ---- St. Denis 8
1685 The Regiment proceeds to England 11
---- Returns to Holland 14
1688 The Revolution.--The Regiment accompanies the Prince of Orange to England 15
---- Four companies captured by the Swallow 19
1689 Encamps on Hounslow Heath 20
1690 Proceeds to Ireland 21
---- Siege of Charlemont --
---- Battle of the Boyne 22
---- Detached against Athlone --
1691 Capture of Ballymore and Athlone 23
---- Battle of Aghrim 24
---- Capture of Galway and Castleconnell 25
---- ---- ---- Limerick --
---- Returns to England --
1692 Embarks for the Netherlands --
---- Battle of Steenkirk 26
---- Returns to England 27
1693 Embarks for the Netherlands --
1695 Siege of Namur --
1696 Proceeds to England 30
1697 Embarks for the Netherlands, but returns to England after the Peace of Ryswick --
1698 Proceeds to Ireland --
1702 Expedition to Cadiz --
---- Storming the Forts at Vigo 32
---- Returns to England --
1703 Proceeds to the West Indies, but returns to England in the same year 33
1705 Capture of Barcelona --
---- Services in Catalonia and Valencia 38
1706 Defence of Barcelona 39
---- Capture of Requena and Cuenza 41
1707 Battle of Almanza 42
---- Action at Tortosa 46
1708 Capture of Minorca 48
1710 Battle of Almanara 50
---- ---- ---- Saragossa 51
---- Advances to Madrid 53
---- Disaster at Brihuega 54
1713 Proceeds to Ireland 55
1719 Capture of Vigo, Rondondella, and Pont-a-Vedra 57
---- Returns to Ireland --
1739 Embarks for England 58
1740 Proceeds to the West Indies --
1741 Attack on Carthagena --
---- Descent on Cuba 61
1742 Returns to England, and proceeds to Scotland --
1745 The Rebellion in Scotland --
---- Defence of Ruthven Redoubt 63
---- Battle of Preston-pans 65
1746 Defence of Forts Augustus and William 67
1747 Proceeds to England 68
1751 Description of the Colours --
1753 Embarks for Gibraltar --
1763 Returns to England 69
1765 Proceeds to Scotland --
1769 Returns to England --
1772 Embarks for the West Indies --
---- Serves against the Charibbees of St. Vincent --
1776 Proceeds to New York 71
1777 Embarks for England --
1782 Obtains the title of Sixth, or First Warwickshire Regiment of Foot --
1783 Embarks for Ireland --
1786 ---- ---- Nova Scotia --
1793 Embarks for the West Indies 71
1794 Capture of Martinico 72
---- ---- ---- St. Lucia --
---- ---- ---- Guadaloupe --
1795 Returns to England 73
1796 Embarks for Ireland 74
1798 Services during the Rebellion in Ireland --
1799 Embarks for Canada 75
1804 A Second Battalion added to the Regiment --
1806 First Battalion returns to England --
1807 ---- ---- ---- embarks for Gibraltar 76
1808 ---- ---- ---- proceeds to Portugal --
---- ---- ---- ---- Battle of Roleia --
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Vimiera 77
---- ---- ---- ---- advances into Spain 78
1809 ---- ---- ---- Battle of Corunna 79
---- ---- ---- ---- returns to England 80
---- ---- ---- ---- expedition to Walcheren --
1810 ---- ---- ---- proceeds to Ireland --
1812 ---- ---- ---- embarks for the Peninsula --
1813 ---- ---- ---- Battle of Vittoria 81
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- the Pyrenees 82
---- ---- ---- ---- distinguished conduct at Echalar 84
---- ---- ---- ---- Battle of the Bidassoa 86
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Nivelle --
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Nive --
1814 ---- ---- ---- actions at Hastingues and Oyergave 87
---- ---- ---- ---- battle of Orthes --
---- ---- ---- ---- advances to Bordeaux 88
---- ---- ---- ---- embarks for Canada 89
---- ---- ---- ---- siege of Fort Erie --
1815 ---- ---- ---- proceeds from Canada to the Netherlands 91
1815 The Second Battalion disbanded --
1816 The Regiment forms part of the Army of Occupation in France --
1818 Returns to England 93
1819 Proceeds to Scotland --
---- Returns to England --
1821 Embarks for the Cape of Good Hope 93
1825 Proceeds to the East Indies 95
1832 Obtains the title of _Royal_ 98
1838 The Conclusion 99
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.
1673 Sir Walter Vane 101
1674 Luke Lillingston 103
1675 Thomas Ashley --
1678 Sir Henry Bellasis --
1689 William Babington 105
1691 George Prince of Hesse d'Armstadt --
1694 Henry Marquis de Rada 107
1695 Ventris Columbine --
1703 James Rivers --
1706 William Southwell 108
1708 Thomas Harrison --
1716 Robert Dormer --
1720 James Dormer 109
1738 John Guise --
1765 William Rufane --
1773 John Gore 110
1773 Sir William Boothby, Baronet --
1787 Lancelot Baugh 111
1792 Sir Ralph Abercromby --
1795 Prince William Frederick of Gloucester 114
1806 Sir George Nugent, Baronet 115
LIST OF PLATES.
The Regimental Colours to follow the Regimental Title Page.
The present Costume of the Regiment to follow Page 100.
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF THE
SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
The spirit of enterprise, intrepidity, firmness, endurance, physical strength, and innate love of fame exhibited by the British troops, have not only contributed to elevate this Kingdom to its present exalted station among the nations of Europe, but in the numerous wars which have taken place in Christendom, other States have evinced strong desires to obtain British aid. In the Dutch war of independence, from 1572 to 1648, British valour was eminently displayed in procuring the advantages of civil and religious liberty for the inhabitants of the United Provinces: British courage gave important aid to Henry IV. of France in his struggles for the throne: in the splendid achievements of the great Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, the British had an important share: many of the conquests of Louis XIV., surnamed "The Great," were achieved by the aid of British troops; and the regiment which forms the subject of this memoir is one of the English corps raised for the service of a foreign state under the following circumstances.
[Sidenote: 1673]
The only remaining corps[6] of the numerous bands of English lancers, cuirassiers, carabineers, archers, musketeers, harquebusiers, pikemen, and battle-axemen, who fought in the Dutch war of independence from 1572 to 1648, was recalled from Holland on the breaking out of hostilities between the English and Dutch in 1665: during the negociations for the peace of London in the winter of 1673-4, the States General pressed King Charles II. to recall his troops from the service of France[7], and solicited permission again to employ in their army a British division. The king refused to recall his regiments from France; but his majesty engaged not to permit any additional British corps to be levied for the service of Louis XIV., and to prevent the others being recruited: at the same time permission was given to the States to raise for their service a body of troops in England and Scotland, to be commanded by the colonel of the old HOLLAND REGIMENT, SIR WALTER VANE, who was promoted to the rank of major-general in the Dutch army, and appointed colonel of one of the regiments to be raised for this service, now the SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, his commission bearing date the 12th of December, 1673.
[Sidenote: 1674]
The interests of the United Provinces and those of the reformed religion being intimately connected, their cause was popular in England; and when the king disbanded a great part of his army on the settlement of the peace in 1674, many officers and men voluntarily entered the Dutch service, particularly from the old HOLLAND REGIMENT, which was reduced on that occasion from eighteen to ten companies. Among the most zealous in this service were Captains Sir Henry Bellasis, Thomas Monk, John Morgan, Philip Savage, Roger M'Eligott, Alexander Cannon, and four others, who arrived at the Briel during the summer of 1674 with a number of men, who were formed into ten companies. The Prince of Orange had in the meantime taken the field with the army, and Sir Walter Vane proceeding to the camp to complete some arrangements with his Highness, served as a volunteer at the battle of Seneffe on the 1st of August, 1674 (O. S.), and was killed.
Sir William Ballandyne was next appointed to command the British division, and the ten companies marched from the Briel to Bois-le-duc; from whence they were suddenly called to join the army and take part in the siege of _Grave_. They were commanded, while on this service, by Captain Hugh Mackay (afterwards lieutenant-general and commandant of the Scots brigade), who had transferred his services a few weeks previously from the French to the Dutch army; and was appointed major-commandant of the ten companies _pro tempore_. On the second day after their arrival before Grave, the ten companies were on duty in the trenches; and such was the fervour and eagerness of some of the officers and soldiers to signalize themselves, that Captain Savage and a few men stormed the counterscarp in the night without orders: they evinced great bravery, and gained some advantage, but were eventually repulsed, and Captain Savage was put in arrest, and reprimanded for his over-heated valour.
After the surrender of Grave on the 28th of October, the ten companies returned to Bois-le-duc, where four British regiments were formed during the winter;--two English, commanded by Colonels Lillingston and Disney;--one Scots, commanded by Colonel Graham;--and one Irish, of which the Viscount of Clare was colonel. Two old Scots regiments in the Dutch service were purged of foreigners and added to the above four: the six regiments formed as fine a body of troops as any in Europe, and they soon had opportunities of proving that they possessed the same heroic spirit and contempt of danger as their predecessors in the war of independence, and as the valiant English and Scots who so highly distinguished themselves under the great Gustavus Adolphus. Such was the origin of the SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. Its commanding officer was Colonel LUKE LILLINGSTON, whose appointment was dated in August, 1674.
[Sidenote: 1675]
The campaign of 1675 was passed in marching, manœuvring, and watching the operations of the enemy. During the winter the regiment was in garrison in Holland, and the colonelcy was conferred on Lieut.-Colonel THOMAS ASHLEY; the command of the second English regiment was conferred on Colonel Ralph Widdrington; and the Irish regiment having previously been given to Colonel John Fenwick, it lost its designation of Irish, and the three were accounted English regiments.
[Sidenote: 1676]
In the summer of 1676 the regiment marched to Bois-le-duc, where, in the early part of July it was suddenly aroused about midnight by the drums beating to arms; and assembling on its parade ground, it immediately proceeded towards the province of Limburg. After several days' march it arrived in the vicinity of _Maestricht_, and, the Prince of Orange having joined the army, the siege of this celebrated city was commenced.
The three English regiments were commanded by Brigadier-General John Fenwick. Being proud of their national character, and jealous of their fame, they obtained permission to act separately, and to have a particular point of attack allotted them; "and they made it appear, by their fierce attacks, that they deserved this distinction[8]." They signalized themselves by the spirit with which they beat back the sallies of the garrison; and on the 30th of July they furnished two hundred men, in equal proportions from each regiment, to storm the Dauphin Bastion. A lodgment was effected; but the troops afterwards lost their ground, and they had one hundred and fifty men killed and wounded out of the two hundred. Colonel Widdrington was killed, and the command of his regiment was given to Lieut.-Colonel Dolman. The brigade was again on duty in the trenches on the 2nd of August, when Brigadier-General Fenwick was wounded.
At three o'clock on the morning of the 4th of August, a storming party of one hundred and eighty-three officers and men, with a support of sixty men, furnished in equal proportions from each of the three regiments, paraded at the head of the brigade; a similar detachment of the blue Dutch foot-guards was also in readiness, and at five this little band rushed forward in the face of a storm of fire, and made a second attack on the Dauphin Bastion with signal gallantry. The English, being emulous of fame, gained the lead of the Dutch, and throwing forward a shower of hand-grenades, assaulted the breach sword in hand, and effected a lodgment. Suddenly the ground under the soldiers' feet was agitated, a tremendous explosion blew a number of men into the air, and the bursting of the mine being succeeded by a fierce attack of the enemy, the storming party was driven back. Instantly rallying, and being exasperated by this repulse, the English and Dutch returned to the charge breathing vengeance and slaughter, by a powerful effort drove back their antagonists, and re-established themselves on the bastion, but with the loss of more than half their numbers killed and wounded. English valour shone conspicuously on this occasion, and the Dutch authorities acknowledged the superior gallantry of the brigade. In the Hague Gazette it was stated "_the English gained very great honour_;" and in the Brussels Gazette it was stated, "the Prince of Orange having resolved to retake the Dauphin Bastion, appointed two hundred English, and as many of his guards, to make the attack, which they did with great courage and resolution, and _with very great honour to the English, who first entered the breach_." Sir William Temple, Harris, Boyer, Carleton, Bernardi, and other authors, bore ample testimony to the native valour of the English soldiers. A Scots regiment, commanded by Sir Alexander Colyear, also distinguished itself at this siege.
A desperate sally was made from the town, on the morning of the 6th of August, by three hundred Swiss infantry, who, owing to the neglect of a sentry, surprised and made prisoners the English guard on the bastion; but a reinforcement coming forward, the Swiss were overpowered and destroyed, except about twenty men, who escaped into the town. The Prince of Orange complimented the English on their bravery: and being desirous of conferring on merit a special mark of his approbation, and of inciting other corps to emulate the English brigade, he made each of the three regiments a present of a fat ox and six sheep, which, however, occasioned some murmuring among the Dutch.
A strong horn-work was afterwards captured by the Dutch, and preparations were made for a general storm of the main breach; but Marshal de Schomberg advancing at the head of a powerful French army to relieve the town, the siege was raised, and the three English regiments, having sustained a severe loss, were sent into quarters in Holland.
[Sidenote: 1677]
The French monarch commenced the campaign of 1677 with great vigour; and the advantage derived from an army being under the sole direction of, and conducted by immediate orders from one head, over a confederate force, which meets with delays and obstructions from different interests, councils, negligences, and tempers, was very conspicuous,--the feeble preparations of the Dutch, and the apathy of the Spaniards, having left the Prince of Orange without a force capable of contending with the immense army of the enemy. Colonel ASHLEY'S regiment, after replacing its losses with recruits from England, quitted Holland, and advanced with the remainder of the brigade to West Flanders. It formed part of the army, under the Prince of Orange, employed in the attempt to relieve the town of St. Omer; and was engaged on the 11th of April at the battle of _Mont-Cassel_, which was fought under great disadvantages in numbers and the nature of the ground. Two newly-raised regiments of Dutch marines, posted between the Prince's foot-guards and the English brigade, gave way at the first onset, and, confusion ensuing, the Prince retreated with the loss of his baggage and artillery.
[Sidenote: 1678]
At the close of the campaign, the ministers of the confederate states pressed King Charles II. to recall his troops from the service of France, attributing many of the French monarch's successes to the bravery of the British regiments; and in 1678 the king acceded. At the same time the gallant Earl of Ossory, eldest son of the Duke of Ormond, was appointed to the command of the British brigade; and SIR HENRY BELLASIS succeeded Colonel Ashley in the command of the regiment which is now the SIXTH FOOT. Ten thousand English troops were also embarked for Flanders, to take part in the war.
During the early part of the campaign of 1678, the British brigade, under the Earl of Ossory, was employed on detached services in Brabant and Flanders; and on the morning of Sunday, the 14th of August, it moved from its camp near the little river Senne, to attack the French army, commanded by Marshal Luxemburg, before Mons.