(y QompT^Ttgt/jeTZ Sy ^llc^O'Tcl Can./io/iJi^Sff'f A^-c.'^yfhKj r c/i^^a l6t^ . ¦^nn-iei^ bv (L 4tt/:/jor/'^ r. HISTORICAL RECORDS op THE BRITISH ARMY. GENERAL ORDERS HORSE-GUARDS, \st 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 Regiment in the British Army shall be published under the superintendence and direction of the Adjutant-General ; and that this Account shall con tain 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 other Military Operations, in which it has been engaged, particularly specifying any Achievement it may have performed, and the Colours, Trophies, &c., it may have captured from the Enemy. The Names of the Officers and the number of Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates, Killed or Wounded by the Enemy, specifying the Place and Date of the Action. IV 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, A djutant- 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. The operations of the British Troops are, indeed, an nounced 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 Commander.?, and the Officers and Troops acting under VI PREFACE. their orders, expressions of approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery, and these testimonials, confirmed by the high honour of their Sovereign's Approbation, constitute the reward which the soldier most highly prizes. It has not, however, until late years, been the practice (which appears to have long prevailed in some of the Con tinental 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 Regi ment shall in future keep a full and ample record of its services at home and abroad. From the materials thus collected, the country will henceforth derive information as to the difficulties and privations which chequer the career of those who embrace the military 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. VU country derives from the industry and the enterprise of the agriculturist and the trader, its happy inhabitants may be supposed not often to reflect on the perilous duties of the soldier and the sailor, — on their sufferings, — and on the sacrifice of valuable life, by which so many national benefits are obtained and preserved. The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endurance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying difficulties ; and their character has been established in Con tinental 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 maintained their advantages against superior numbers. In the official Reports made by the respective Com manders, ample justice has generally been done to the gallant exertions of the Corps employed; but the details of their services, and of acts of individual 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 Adj utant- General's Office ; and while the perusal of them cannot fail to be useful and interesting to mihtary 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 Vlll PREFACE. served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit de Corps — ¦ an attachment to every thing belonging to their Regiment ; to such persons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot fail to prove interesting. Authentic accounts of the actions of the great, — the valiant, — the loyal, have always been of paramount interest with a brave and civilized people. Great Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in mo ments 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. Biographical memoirs of the Colonels and other distin guished 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 Regi ment, 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 may be bound up in numerical succession. 0 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE FOURTEENTH, OR, THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT: CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT IN 1685, AND O^ ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES TO 1845. ILLUSTRA TED WITH PLA TBS. LONDON: PARKER, FURNIVALL, AND PARKER, MILITARY LIBRARY, WHITEHALL. M.DCX3C.XLV. London; Habrison and Co., Printehb, St. Martjn'8 Lanb, THE FOURTEENTH, OR THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT, BEARS ON ITS REGIMENTAL COLOUR, "TOURNAY"—" CORUNNA"—" WATERLOO"— " JAVA"— " BHURTPORE," AND THE ROYAL TIGER superscribed "INDIA," IN COMMEMORATION OF ITS DISTINGUISHED SERVICES ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE, AND IK THE EAST INDIES. The Regiment also bears on the Caps of the Grenadiers and Drum mers, The White Horse, with the motto Nee aspera terrent. CONTENTS. Year 1685 16891692 16931694 1695 1696 1698 17151719 1727 1742 1745 1746 Formation of the Regiment .... Names of the OflScers ..... Proceeds to Scotland Embarks for Flanders .... Returns to England . . . . . Forms part of an expedition against the coast of France ...... Proceeds to Ostend ..... Battle of Landen ..... Forms part of the covering army during the siege of Huy Operations against the Fortress of Kenoque Siege of the Fortress of Namur Returns to England Embarks for Ireland Proceeds to Scotland . Battle of Sheriffmuir Action at Glenshiel Returns to England Defence of Gibraltar Returns to England Embarks for Flanders Returns to England Marches to Scotland Battle of Falkirk — Culloden 1751 Uniform and Colours of the Regiment Page 9 1013 14 1617 20222324 25 2627 28 29 31 VI contents. Year 175217591765 17661771 1773 1775 1777 1782 17911793 1794 1795 1796 1797 1803180418051806 Returns to England ..... Embarks for Gibraltar ..... Returns to England ..... Alterations in the Clothing .... Embarks for North America Proceeds to the West Indies .... Employed against the Caribbees Returns to North America .... Detachment employed against the entrenchments at Great Bridge ..... Returns to England .... Embarks for Jamaica .... Styled the Bedfordshire Regiment . Returns to England Embarks for Holland Engaged at Famars Siege of Valenciennes .... Siege of Dunkirk ..... Attack on the village of Premont Siege of Landrecies ..... Battle of Tournay .... Forms part of the garrison of Nimeguen Action at Gueldermalsen Returns to England ..... Embarks for the West Indies, but returns to port Resumes the voyage to the West Indies Capture of the Islands of St. Lucia and St. Vincent 55 Capture of Trinidad ..... Forms part of the Force destined to act against Porto Rico ...... Returns to England ..... A Second Battalion added .... The First Battalion embarks for Hanover Returns to England ..... Page 31323334 3536 37 3839 404243 4447 50 51 5354 & 57 60 61 CONTENTS. Vll Year Page 1806 Proceeds to Ireland ..... 62 1807 The First Battalion embarks for India . . — 1 808 Expedition against Tranquebar ... — The Second Battalion embarks for Spain . 63 1809 Battle of Corunna 64 The Second Battalion returns to England . 65 County Title changed from "Bedfordshire" to "Buckinghamshire" .... — The Second Battalion proceeds to Walcheren . — Siege of Flushing ..... — Battalion returns to England . . . 66 1810 The Second Battalion embarks for Malta . — Capture of the Isle of France . . . 67 1811 Capture of Java 70 1813 Attack on the piratical state of Sambas on the western coast of Borneo .... 72 A Third Battalion added .... — 1814 The Second Battalion forms part of an expedition against the north-west coast of Italy . . 73 ¦ The Second Battalion stationed at Genoa . — 1815 The Third Battalion embarks for Flanders . 74 Battle of Waterloo ..... — — — Attack on the Citadel of Cambray . . . 77 The Second Battalion leaves Genoa and proceeds to France ...... — The, Second Battalion proceeds to Malta . 78 The Third Battalion returns to England . — 1816 The Third Battalion disbanded . . . _ The Second Battalion embarks from Malta for the Ionian Islands .... — 1817 Capture of the fortified town of Hatrass . 79 The Second Battalion proceeds to Malta . 80 returns to England . — disbanded . . — Employed against the Pindarees ... — CONTENTS. Year 1825 Capture of Bhurtpore 1830 Returns to England 1832 Proceeds to Ireland 1 836 Embarks for the West Indies 1841 Proceeds to Canada 1845 The Conclusion 838788 8990 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 1 685 Sir Edward Hales, Bart. 91 1688 William Beveridge 93 1692 JohnTidcomb — 1713 Jasper Clayton — 1743 Joseph Price 95 1747 The Honorable William Herbert — 1753 Edward Braddock 96 1755 Thomas Fowke — 1756 Charles Jeiferies ..... 97 1765 The Honorable William Keppel . 98 1775 Robert Cunninghame .... — 1787 John Douglas 99 1789 George Earl Waldegrave — George Hotham ..... 100 1806 Sir Harry Calvert, Bart., G.C.B. . — 1826 Thomas Lord Lynedoch .... 105 1834 The Honorable Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B. — . 1835 The Honorable Sir Alexander Hope, G.C.B. 1837 Sir James Watson, K.C.B. . 106 PLATES. Colours of the Regiment Uniform of the Regiment to face 9 „ 90 Nth Regiment HISTORICAL RECORD THE FOURTEENTH, OR THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT. In the summer of 1685 England was in a state of tran- 1685 quillity; the minds of men were not, however, at ease respecting the religion of their king, James II., but they put the best construction on his conduct, and manufac tures and commerce were flourishing; when suddenly James Duke of Monmouth invaded the western shores with a few followers, and asserted his claim to the sove reignty of the realm. The din of hostile preparation instantly resounded throughout the kingdom, and thou sands of His Majesty's subjects laid aside the pursuits of industry, and arrayed themselves under the royal standard, to oppose the invader and his adherents. At this juncture Sir Edward Hales, Baronet, of Wood- jchurch, in the county of Kent, stood forward in the support of the Crown, and raised a company of one hundred musketeers and pikemen, for the king's service, at Canterbury and in its vicinity. Companies were also raised by the following loyal gentlemen ; — • Boyn- ton, Esq., Robert Middleton, Henry Vaughan, llichard 14. B 10 HISTORICAL. RECORD OF 1685 Brewer*, William Broom, John Gilford, Thomas Gif- ford, Mark Talbot, John Chappell, and Rowland Wat son, and these companies were constituted a regiment, of which Sir Edward Hales was appointed colonel, Boynton lieutenant-colonel, and Robert Middle- ton major, by commissions dated the 22nd of June, 1685; and the corps thus formed now bears the title of the Fourteenth Regiment op Foot. The general rendezvous of the regiment was at Canterbury; two companies had their rendezvous at Rochester and Chat ham, and others at Sittingbourne and Fevershara. While the formation of the regiment was in progress, the rebel army was defeated at Sedgemoor, and the Duke of Monmouth was captured and beheaded. Sir Edward Hales's regiment was, however, one of the corps which the King resolved to retain in his service; the establishment was fixed at ten companies of sixty men each, and in the middle of August the regiment was encamped on Hounslow-heath, where it was re viewed by His Majesty; it afterwards marched to Gravesend and Tilbury, detaching two companies to Jersey, one to Guernsey, and two to Windsor. 1686 On the 1st of January, 1686, the establishment was estimated at the following numbers and rates of pay, viz. : — Sir Edward Hales's Regiment. Staff. The Colonel, as Colonel ... Lieut.-Colonel, as Lieut.-Colonel Major, as Major - - . . Chaplain .... Chirurgeon, iv'., one mate ii». vi*. Adjutant - - . . Quarter Master and Marshal * Afterwards Colonel of the Twelfth Foot. Pay per Day. £ s d. - 0 12 0 0 7 0 - -050 0 6 8 - - 0 6 6 0 4 0 - -040 2 5 2 THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 11 The Colonel's Company." 1686 The Colonel, as Captain - Lieutenant - - Pay per Day. £ s, d. -080 0 4 0 Ensign - - - 2 Serjeants, xviii''. each 3 Corporals, xii'^. each 1 Drummer - - -030 0 3 0 -030 0 10 50 Soldiers, at viii'*. each - - 1 13 4 Total for 1 Company- same rate - day n ^£10,922 12s. 6d. 2 15 4 Nine Companies more at the - 24 18 0 Total per 29 18 6 Per annul The regiment was again encamped on Hounslow- 1687 heath in the summer of 1687, and a grenadier company was added to its establishment. At this period the fol lowing officers were holding commissions in the regi ment, viz. : — Captains. Sir Edw. Hales, {Col.) G. Barclay, {Lt.-Col.) John Gifford, {Major) John Chappell Rowland Watson Thomas Weld George Latton Bichard Brewer Thomas Gifford George Aylmer Peter Shackerly Lieutenants. Thomas Butler Robert Seaton Richard Boucher Gaven Talbot James Nicholnson Bryoe Blair William Carew Nicholas Morgan Edward Gifford Augustin Gifford (WiUiam Fielding 1 Francis Sanderson Ensigns. Dudley "Van Burgh Austin Belson Thomas Heyward Philip Overton Dudley Van Colster Clifford Brexton George Blathwayt Edward Hales Edward Pope Csesar Gage [Grenadier Company Chaplain, Nicholas Trapps. — Adjutant, James Nicholson. Chirurgeon, John Ridley. — Quarter-Master, Edward Syng. After passing in review before the King and Queen, and other members of the royal family, the regiment B 2 12 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1687 struck its tents and marched to Plymouth, where it was stationed during the winter. 1688 From Plymouth the regiment marched to London in June, 1688, and took the duty at the Tower until the middle of August, when it was relieved by the Royal Fusiliers, and marched to Canterbury, and in Septem ber to Salisbury. In the mean time the measures adopted by King Janjes II. to establish Papacy and arbitrary government had filled the country with alarm. Among other pro ceedings the King claimed the power of dispensing with the oaths, required by law, on appointment to office; the colonel of the Fourteenth Regiment, Sir Ed ward Hai^es, had espoused the Roman Cathohc reli gion ; he, therefore, could not take the oaths, and was not eligible for his commission ; he was prosecuted and convicted at Rochester assizes; but he moved the case into the Court of the King's Bench, and had judgment in his behalf; eleven of the twelve judges taking part with the King against the law. Many of the nobility solicited the Prince of Orange to aid them in opposing the measures of the court, and when the Prince arrived with a Dutch army, the King assembled bis forces at Salisbury. The result may be told in a few words :— the English army refused to fight in the cause of Papacy and arbitrary government ; the King, accompanied by Colonel Sir Edward Hales, and Quarter- Master Edward Syng, of this regiment, attempted to escape to France in disguise ; but they were apprehended on board of a Custom-house vessel at Feversham, and Sir Edward Hales was afterwards confined in the Tower of Lon don. The King made a second attempt, and arrived in France in safety. The Prince of Orange issued orders for the regiment to occupy quarters at Waltham, in Hampshire, and conferred the colonelcy on WiUiam Beveridge, an officer of the English brigade in the the fourteenth foot. 13 Dutch service, by commission dated the 31st of Decern- 1688 ber, 1688. The accession of William Prince of Orange and his 1689 consort to the throne was opposed in Scotland, and in the spring of 1689 the regiment was ordered to march towards the north ; it was stationed a short time at Ber wick, where it was inspected on the 14th of June by the commissioners for re-modelling the army: in August it received orders to march to Edinburgh. The regiment was employed in various services in 1690 Scotland and the north of England until the insurgent clans had lost all hope of success, and in 1691 they ten- 1691 dered their submission to the government of King William III. In the spring of 1692, the regiment embarked for 1692 Flanders, to take part in the war in which the British monarch was engaged, to preserve the liberties of Europe against the ambitious projects of the court of France. Scarcely had it arrived at the seat of war, and taken post in one of the fortified towns of West Flan ders, when the French monarch assembled his army near La Hogue, and prepared a fleet to convey the troops to England, for the purpose of replacing King James on the throne. The regiment was immediately ordered to return, and having landed at Greenwich in the early part of May, it was held in readiness to repel the invaders, should they venture to land on the British shores ; but while the menace of invasion was producing considerable alarm in England, the French fleet sus tained a decisive defeat off La Hogue, and the danger instantly vanished: the hopes of the Jacobites were frustrated, and the ascendancy of Protestant principles insured. The regiment was afterwards encamped near Portsmouth, and it formed part of an expedition under the Duke of Leinster, afterwards Duke Schomberg, against the coast of France; but the French naval force 14 historical record op 1692 having been nearly annihilated at the sea-fight off La Hogue, Louis XIV. expected a descent, and had drawnr so many troops from the interior to the coast, that the Duke of Leinster did not venture to land. After menac ing the French shores at several points, to produce a diversion in favour of the confederate army in the Netherlands, the fleet sailed to the Downs, from whence it proceeded to Ostend, where the troops landed: they, took possession of and fortified the towns of Furnes and Dixmude, and several regiments afterwards returned to England. On the 14th of November Colonel William Beve ridge was killed in a duel with one of the captains; and King William afterwards conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Lieutenant-Colonel John Tidcomb, from the Thirteenth Foot. 1693 The Fourteenth was one of the regiments which remained in Flanders, and it took the field in May, 1693, to serve the campaign of that year with the con federate army, commanded by King William in person, who took possession of the camp at Parck, near Lou- vain, to prevent the designs of Louis XIV. on Bra bant. After taking part in several movements, the regi ment was in position at Landen, on the morning of the 19th of July, when the French army, of very superior numbers, commanded by Marshal Luxembourg, ad vanced to attack the forces under King William. On this occasion the Fourteenth Regiment had its first opportunity of proving its prowess in action with the enemy, and it gave presage of that gallantry for which it afterwards became distinguished. The French com menced the action with great spirit, but were repulsed several times ; their superior numbers enabled them to bring forward fresh troops, and they eventually carried the village of Neer-Winden. The King ordered a re- THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 15 treat, which was executed with difficulty, and was at- 1693 tended with serious loss. The Fourteenth Regiment had Captains Van Burgh, Cassin, and Henriosa, and Lieutenant Worley, killed ; Lieutenant Nicholson died of his wounds ; Captains Devaux and Stanwix, Lieutenants Campbell, Forbes, and Pettitpiere, Ensigns Revison and Perrott, wounded; Lieutenant-Colonel Graham taken prisoner: the number of non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the regiment, killed and wounded, has not been ascertained. In the autumn, when the army separated for winter quarters, the regiment marched into garrison at Bruges; at the same time parties were sent to England to pro cure recruits, to replace the losses sustained during this campaign. When the army took the field in the spring of 1694 1694, the regiment was left, with several other corps, under Brigadier-General Sir David Collier, encamped near Ghent, to form a guard for the artillery, which was conveyed by water to Malines. The regiment joined the army at the camp near Louvain, on the 4th of June, and on the 6th it was reviewed by His Ma jesty, who was pleased to express to Colonel Tidcomb his high approbation of its appearance. The regiment was afterwards employed in several movements, and it formed part of the splendid body of troops encamped at Mont St. Andre, near the village of Ramilies, where the forces of the confederate states were assembled under King William III., and presented a magnificent spectacle of war. The Fourteenth was one of the corps which attempted, by a forced march, to pass the enemy's fortified lines, and penetrate French Flanders ; but by extraordinary exertions the French gained the pass first, and thus preserved their country from an in- 16 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1694vasion. The regiment was subsequently encamped near Rousselaer, forming part of the covering army during the siege of Huy. The vicinity of the camp was infested by detachments of the enemy, and on one occasion the waggons conveying the bread to the army were attacked, when a detachment of the Four teenth, forming part of the guard, was engaged, and the regiment had Captain Sacheverel mortally wounded, who was the only British officer killed by the enemy during this campaign. Having to remain in the field during cold and wet weather, the soldiers erected huts of wood and straw, and on the 1st of October the huts of the Four teenth Regiment were accidentally set on fire, and destroyed: the Second Foot Guards had experienced the same misfortune a few days previously. The for tress of Huy having surrendered, the army separated for winter quarters, and the regiment returned to Bruges in the second week in October. 1695 From Bruges, the regiment marched, in May, 1695, to Dixmude, where it pitched its tents, and remained several days. The Duke of Wirtemberg took the com mand of the troops assembled at this point, and ad vancing to the junction of the Loo and Dixmude canals, encamped before the fortress of Kenoque, upon which an attack was made for the purpose of drawing the French army that way, for the protection of their lines in West Flanders. The Fourteenth Regiment took part in this service; its grenadier company was engaged in driving the French from the intrenchments and houses near the Loo canal, and in repulsing the attempts of the enemy to regain possession of them. A redoubt was afterwards taken, and a lodgment effected in the works at the bridge, in which services the regiment had several men killed and wounded. This demonstration having produced the desired effect, the strong fortress THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 1? of Namur xvas exposed to an attack from the main 1695 army, and it was accordingly invested, and the siege commenced. The attack on Kenoque was then desisted in; the Fourteenth Regiment was one of the corps with drawn from West Flanders, and joined the covering army, under the Prince of Vaudemont, at Wouterghem. From Wouterghem, the regiment marched towards Namur, to take part in the siege of that important fortress, which was deemed nearly impregnable, and was defended by a nunierjous garrison, under the cele brated Marshal Boufflers. On arriving before Namur the regiment pitched its tents at Templeux, from whence it advanced and took its turn of duty in the trenches. On the 8th of July, the regiment was on duty before Namur, and it was ordered to support the attacks to be made that evening on . the covered-way near the hill of Bouge: the storming party was commanded by Major-General Ramsay. About seven o'clock in the evening, the signal for the attack was given, and the storming party rushed forward with the most distin guished heroism. The Fourteenth moved forward to support the attack, and mingling with the combatants evinced signal intrepidity. The soldiers rushed up to the enemy's palisades, and placing the muzzles of their muskets between the staves, fired a volley, which put the French into some confusion. The palisades were afterwards broken; — the supporting corps joined in the assault, — the second covered-way was carried, and the French overpowered, driven from their works, pursued among the batteries on the brow of the hill, and many of them were killed in the stone pits in which they took refuge. This post having been thus captured, the Fourteenth Regiment retired, and being relieved from duty in the trenches, it returned to its caMp at 18 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1695 Templeux, a le%ue and a half from Namur. Its loss was severe: — Lieutenant Ravisson was killed; Captain Carew and Ensign Perott died of their wounds ; Cap tains Pope, Jackson, and Forbes, and Ensign Cormach, were wounded, but afterwards recovered. The regiment quitted its post at Templeux, took its station in the lines of circumvallation, and mounted guard in the trenches, on the 10th of July; it was again on duty in the trenches on the 16th of July, when it had Captain Forbes and several private soldiers killed. A detachment of the grenadiers of the regiment was engaged, on the l7th of July, in an attack upon the counterscarp; the assault was made about five o'clock in the evening; the French disputed the post with great bravery, defending the glacis for some time ; but they could not withstand the prowess of the British grena diers, who effected a lodgment, and obliged the enemy to abandon the counterscarp. Lieutenant Williams of the grenadier company of the regiment was killed, and Captain Devaux was wounded with the working party. The regiment was again on duty in the trenches on the 19th and 24th of July. On the following day the town surrendered, the garrison retiring to the castle. After the surrender of the town of Namur, the regiment quitted the lines of circumvallation, and joined the covering army under the Prince of Vaude mont, which encamped, on the 8th of August, near the village of Waterloo, and afterwards took up a position near Namur. A numerous French army com manded by Marshal Villeroy advanced to raise the siege of the castle, but the covering army occupied a position which was deemed too formidable to be at tacked, and the French Marshal withdrew without hazarding an engagement. A detachment from the grenadier company of the regiment quitted the covering army, and was engaged. THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 19 on the 20th of August, in assaulting the breaches of the 1695 Terra Nova and Coharne, under the command of Lord Cutts. This proved a desperate service, particularly the assault of the Terra Nova, where the British grena diers were engaged, and a serious loss was sustained in consequence of the regiments ordered to support the attack not advancing in time. The Fourteenth Foot had several men killed and wounded, and Lieu tenant Sewell, who commanded the detachment from the grenadier company, was also wounded. Preparations were made for a second assault, when Marshal Boufflers agreed to surrender on honorable terms, which were granted. Thus was captured this important fortress, which the French had boasted might be restored, but could not be taken; and the achieve ment reflected great credit on the confederate arms ; it was the most important event of the war. After the surrender of the castle of Namur, the regiment remained a short time in the field, and subse quently marched into cantonments in the villages near the Bruges canal. The French monarch not only found his career of 1696 conquest arrested, by the efforts of the sovereign of Great Britain, but the towns he had captured were also being re-taken, and it became a point of great import ance to him to detach England from the confederacy, which could only be accomplished by re-placing King James on the throne. For this purpose measures were privately concerted for exciting a rebellion in England; the Duke of Berwick, and several other English officers in the French service, were sent across the Channel in disguise, and through their persuasions a number of men were prepared to rise at a moment's notice; at the same time a conspiracy was formed in London to assas sinate King William, and fifty men were engaged and prepared with arms to commit the diabolical act: a 20 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1696 French naval and land force was also held in feadmesS for a descent on the English coast, and King James was at Calais prepared to embark. At this juncture, the Fourteenth, and a number of other regiments, received orders to return to England, and they arrived at Gravesend in March, 1696. The conspiracy was, however, discovered; a British fleet was sent to blockade the French ports, and the designs of the King of France being thus defeated. King William was left at liberty to prosecute the war for the security of the civil and religious liberties of the nations of Europe. Several of the corps which had arrived from Flanders returned to the seat of war immediately; but the Fourteenth was one of the regiments selected to remain on home ser vice; it landed at Gravesend on the 22nd of March, and proceeded to Canterbury and Feversham, from whence it was removed to London in November, and took the duty at the Tower. 1697 In 1697, King William saw his efforts for the pre servation of national independence attended with suc cess; the French monarch was humbled, and the treaty of Ryswick fixed the balance of power in Europe. 1698 Soon after the restoration of peace, the regiment received orders to proceed to Ireland, and it landed at Belfast and Cork in March, 1 698 ; at the same time it was placed upon a peace establishment. lyoi King James died in France in 1701, when Louis XIV. proclaimed the Pretender King of Great Britain by the title of James III.; this event, with the elevation of the Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV., to the throne of Spain, in violation of solemn engagements, was followed by a sanguinary war with France and Spain, during which the continent of Europe, and the peninsula of Portugal and Spain, became theatres for the display of British valour, but the Fourteenth Regiment was selected to remain in Ireland. The THE fourteenth FOOT. 21 proclamation of the Pretender, and the death of King l702 William III., in March, 1702, revived the hopes of the partisans of the Stuart family, who were conspiring to elevate the Pretender to the throne, and Queen Anne deemed it expedient to detain a few trusty corps, of approved devotion to the Protestant interest, in Ire land. Although the honorable distinction of being selected 1703 to remain in Ireland, prevented the regiment acquiring laurels in the field, yet it sent several drafts of men on foreign service, who had opportunities of distinguishing themselves. In the autumn of 1703 it furnished a draft of fifty men to complete Lord Montjoy's, and another draft of the same strength for Colonel Bru- denel's regiments, (afterwards disbanded,) on their em barkation to accompany the Archduke Charles of Austria to Portugal. The regiment was in garrison at Dublin from the 7th of August to the 31st of December, 1703. In the autumn of 1704, and the spring of 1705, 1705 additional detachments were sent to Portugal, to serve under General the Earl of Galway; they were con ducted thither by Captain Laffit, Ensigns Schackford and Blount, and three serjeants, whose expenses, amounting to 70^. 19s. 4id., were directed to be paid by a warrant dated the 5th of July, 1705. In August of the same year the regiment furnished a captain, lieutenant, ensign, two serjeants, and fifty rank and file towards completing the regiments of Charlemont, George, and Caulfield, (afterwards disbanded,) on their embarkation with the expedition under General the Earl of Peterborough, who captured Barcelona, and had astonishing success in Catalonia and Valentia. The regiment was quartered at Dublin from March 1706 to November, 1706, and the private soldiers received a penny a day in addition to their pay, granted by King William III. in 1699, to all regiments employed on 22 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 17O6 duty at Dublin. The Fourteenth had, however per formed the duty of two regiments for some time, and the allowance was extended to all detachments, in con sideration of the good conduct of the corps. 1707 The Fourteenth Regiment remained in Ireland during the whole of the war, continuing to send detach- 1712 ments abroad from time to time, particvdarly to Por tugal and Spain, and its excellent conduct on home service occasioned it to be held in high estimation by the Government. 1713 On the 14th of June, 1713, Lieutenant-General Tidcomb died at Bath; and Queen Anne conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Colonel Jasper Clayton, from the half-pay of a newly-raised corps which was disbanded a short time previously. 1714 The decease of Queen Anne, and the accession of King George I., in 1714, was followed by renewed efforts on the part of the partisans of the Pretender to procure his elevation to the throne; these exertions began to assume an alarming appearance in the summer 1715 of 1715, when the well-known attachment of the Four teenth Regiment to the Protestant succession, occa sioned it to be recalled from Ireland, and ordered to Scotland, where the Jacobites were numerous, and it landed at Saltcoats in Ayrshire early in the summer. In the autumn the Earl of Mar assembled his vassals, erected the standard of the Pretender in the Highlands, and summoned the clans to take arms. The royal forces in Scotland were encamped at Stirling under Major-General Wightman; the Fourteenth Regiment joined the camp in October, and the Duke of Argyle assumed the command; but his Grace had not four thousand men to confront ten thousand under the Earl of Mar. When the rebel army advanced towards the Firth, the King's troops quitted the camp at Stirling and pro- THE fourteenth FOOT. 23 ceeded towards Dumblain; and on the morning of the 1715 13th of November the hostile forces confronted each other on Sheriffmuir: the Fourteenth foot were posted in the left wing of the royal army. The rebels advanced to commence the engagement, and at that moment it was deemed necessary to make some altera tion in the position of the royal forces; as the left wing was taking up the new alignment, it was attacked by a body of the clans of very superior numbers, and put into some confusion : at the same time the right wing of the royal army overpowered the left wing of the rebel host, and drove it from the field; each commander having one wing triumphant and one wing defeated. The Fourteenth, and several other corps on the left, resisted the charge of the clans a short time, but being attacked in the act of forming, and engaged by very superior numbers, they fell back a short distance ; they thus became separated from the remainder of the army, and retiring beyond Dumblain, took possession of the passes to prevent the clans penetrating towards Stir ling. Both armies retained their position during the day, and the rebels, being defeated in their design of penetrating southward, afterwards retired; when the King's troops returned to their camp at Stirling. The Fourteenth Foot had one lieutenant and six rank and file killed; fourteen rank and file wounded; Captain Barlow, Lieutenant Griffin, and several private soldiers were made prisoners. The Pretender arrived in Scotland soon afterwards, and his presence appeared to give new life to his adhe rents. Additional forces joined the army under the Duke 17I6 of Argyle: the Fourteenth was formed in brigade with the Third, Twenty-first, and Thirty-sixth regi ments, under Brigadier- General Morrison; and in January, 1716^ the royal troops advanced, marching 24 historical record of I7I6 through snow, over ice, and exposed to severe weather, when the Pretender retreated, and losing all hope of success he escaped, with the leaders of the rebellion, to France: the Highlanders, finding themselves deserted by their commanders, dispersed. After pursuing the insurgents some distance, the Fourteenth was quar tered a short time at Dunkeld. The rebellion being suppressed, the regiment was stationed in garrison at Fort William, which was built in the reign of King William III., in a plain, on a navi gable arm bf the sea called Loch Eil, near the influx of the Lochy and Nevis, in the shire of Inverness. At this 1717 place the regiment was stationed during the year l7l7) 171 8 and in 17I8 it marched from thence to Perth, and afterwards to Inverness, where it remained until June of the following year. 1719 In the mean time Scotland had not enjoyed a state of tranquillity; but the minds of the people had been constantly agitated by the projects of the friends of the Pretender. When the Earl of Mar's rebellion was sup pressed, the King of Sweden made preparations for a descent in favour of the Pretender; and when that pro ject failed, the King of Spain fitted out an armament to place the Pretender on the throne. The Spanish fleet was dispersed by a storm; but two ships arrived on the coast of Scotland, in April, 1719, and four hundred Spaniards, with about a hundred Scots and English gentlemen, landed at Kintail, on the main within Skye, and encamped opposite the castle of Donan, where they were joined by about fifteen hundred men of the clans. To oppose this force the Fourteenth left Inverness on the 5th of June, and being united with three troops of the Scots Greys, the Eleventh and Fifteenth Regi ments, under Major-General Wightman, arrived about four o'clock on the afternoon of the 10th of June at Glenshiel, when the Spaniards and Highlanders retreated the fourteenth foot. 25 and formed for battle on the romantic mountain scenery 1719 of the pass of Straichell. The King's troops advanced, and at five o'clock the signal for battle was given, when the infantry climbed the rocky crags and opened a sharp fire of musketry, which was re-echoed in the hollows beneath; at the same time the Greys charged along the road to force the pass; The enemy returned the fire, but soon gave way, and were chased from rock to rock for some time; on gaining the top of the hill they made a momentary stand, but the King's infantry sent forward a shower of bullets and advanced at a running pace to charge with bayonets, when the Spaniards and High landers fled in every direction. The soldiers passed the night in the hills; the Spaniards surrendered on the following day; the Highlanders dispersed; and the Marquis of Tullibardine, the Earl of Seaforth, and other rebel leaders, fled to the continent. After this service the regiment marched to the castle of Bran, near Kainloch-Benchven, Inverness- shire; and in 1721 it proceeded to Edinburgh. 1721 The regiment quitted Scotland in May, 1722, and 1722 marched to Hungerford : in the summer it was en camped, with several other corps, on Salisbury-plain, where it was reviewed by King George I. on the 30th of August, and afterwards returned to Hungerford. Early in 1723 the regiment marched to Reading 1723 and Windsor ; it was subsequently encamped in Hyde- park, and in the autumn marched to Bristol. In May, 1725, the regiment commenced its march 1725 for Berwick; in July, 1726, it was removed to Lan- 1726 cashire; and in January, 1727; it marched to Canter- 1727 bury, from whence four companies were detached to Dover, Ashford, Sandwich, and Feversham. At this period the Spaniards had commenced the siege of Gibraltar, which fortress had been captured by a British and Dutch armament in 1704, and had been 14. c 26 historical record of 1727 ceded to Great Britain at the treaty of Utrecht, in I7l3. The colonel of the Fourteenth, Jasper Clayton, was Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar; he proceeded thither in January, 1 727, and took the command of the garrison, which opened its fire on the Spanish troops on the 21st of February ; and in March the regiment embarked to take part in the defence of that important fortresis, where it arrived oil the 21st of April, together with a battalion of Foot Guards, and the Governor, General the Earl of Portmore. The regiment landed immediately, and it had the honor to take an active share in the successful defence of this valuable entrepot to the Me diterranean. The Spaniards continued the siege until many men had perished in the attempt, and the tre mendous fire of their artillery had produced little effect besides the bursting and damaging of their own cannon. In the early part of June the fire slackened, and on the 18th of that month hostilities ceased. The regiment was afterwards selected to form part of the garrison of Gibraltar, where it was stationed during the following fifteen years. Previously to quitting England, two companies wete added to its establish ment; these companies remained on home service; 1729 they were stationed in the south of England until 1729, when they were disbanded. 1739 War between Great Britain and Spain was resumed in 1739; and the claims of the Elector of Bavaria on the kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary, which were at tempted to be enforced after the death of the Emperor, 1740 Charles VI., in 1740, involved Great Britain in hostili ties with France and Bavaria. King George II. resolved to support the House of Austria; the garrison of Gib raltar was reinforced, and the Fourteenth Regiment, having been relieved from duty at that fortress, arrived 1742 at Portsmouth in September, 1742. After reposing a few days in barracks at Portsmouth, the regiment the fourteenth foot. 27 marched into quarters in Yorkshire, the head-quarters 1742 being at York. In the summer of this year. His Majesty sent an 1743 army to Flanders to support the House of Austria, and on the 16th of June, 1743, the colonel of the Four teenth Foot, Lieutenant-General Jasper Clayton, who was employed on the staff of the British army in Flanders, was killed at the battle of Dettingen ; he was an officer of distinguished merit; his fall was regretted by the King and the whole army, and his remains were interred, with great solemnity, in the Chapel of Prince George of Hesse. The King conferred the command of the regiment on Colonel Joseph Price, from the Fifty-seventh, now Forty-sixth Foot, by commission dated the 22nd of June, 1743. From Yorkshire the regiment marched into Nor- 1744 thumberland, and was stationed at Berwick; in 1744, it marched to Dunstable and afterwards to Colchester. Immediately on the receipt of the news of the loss 1745 of the battle of Fontenoy, on the 30th of April, 1745, the regiment received orders to proceed to Flanders, to join the allied army commanded by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland; it embarked at Tilbury, on the 15th of May, landed in West Flanders, and joined the camp on the plain of Lessines, before the end of the month. The regiment took part in several operations ; it was encamped at Grammont, and after wards on the Brussels' canal, in order to cover Dutch Brabant; but the French had so great a superiority of numbers, that it was found impossible to prevent their capturing several fortified towns. In the mean time, Charles Edward, eldest son of the Pretender, had arrived in Scotland, and being guided by desperate and designing men, and joined by a number of the clans, he resolved on the romantic enterprise of attempting to dethrone a beloved mo- C2 28 historical record op 1745 narch, to overturn the constitution of a brave and free people, and to establish the authority of a dynasty which had been removed for arbitrary attacks on the established religion and laws. The Fourteenth was one of the regiments ordered home on this occa sion; it arrived in the north of England, and formed part of the army assembled by Field-Marshal Wade, at Newcastle, to prevent the rebels penetrating into South Britain ; and, in the second week of November, it was detached to Berwick, where it arrived in time to pre vent the rebels capturing that town. The regiment afterwards marched to Scotland, and when the clans made a precipitate retreat from Derby, back to Scot land, it took up its quarters in the city of Edinburgh. 1746 The young Pretender was joined by some new levies, and he procured a supply of artillery and ammu nition, which enabled him to commence the siege of Stirling Castle : and Lieutenant-General Hawley, who commanded the King's troops at Edinburgh, resolved to attempt to raise the siege. For this purpose, the Fourteenth, and several other corps, advanced from Edinburgh on the 13th of January, 1746, under Major- General Huske, and drove a body of the rebels out of Linlithgow; on the following day another division marched to Borrowstounness ; and on the 16th of January, the army encamped near Falkirk, About mid-day on the l7th of January, the rebel army was seen moving towards some high ground on Falkirk-moor, and the King's troops quitted their camp-ground to engage the clans. Passing some rugged grounds, the soldiers diverged on the moor, and formed two lines; the Fourth and Fourteenth Regiments constituted Brigadier-General Cholmonde- ley's brigade, and were posted in the first line. As the King's troops advanced to battle a tremendous hurri cane, with a heavy shower of rain, beat violently in their faces, and nearly blinded them; at the same time the fourteenth foot. 29 it beat on the backs of the clans, and caused them 1746 little annoyance ; the soldiers could not see to take aim, very few muskets would give fire, and, under these circumstances, some confusion took place, and several regiments quitted the field; but the Fourth and Four teenth Regiments under Brigadier-General Chol mondeley made a determined stand, and they with stood the fury of the charging Highland host with astonishing firmness, evincing the most heroic valour under circumstances of peculiar danger and difficulty. They were joined by the second battalion of the Royals, the Third and Forty-eighth Regiments ; Major-General Huske assumed the command ; and these five corps repulsed one wing of the rebel army, and maintained their post, on the field of battle, until night, when no enemy could be seen, and the soldiers being wet, and the night cold and stormy, they retired. The King's troops retreated to Edinburgh, where His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland arrived, and assumed the command, and on the 31st of January the army agaia advanced, when the rebels raised the siege of Stirling Castle, and made a precipitate retreat towards Inverness. The royal army pursued the rebels as far as Perth, where it halted in consequence of severe weather; the march was resumed on the 20th of February; but heavy rains occasioned the army to make another halt at Aberdeen. The troops were again in motion in the early part of April, and on the 16th of that month, as they advanced in three columns towards Inverness, the rebel army was dis covered in order of battle on Ctilloden-raoor, when the royal forces formed three lines, the Fourteenth Foot taking post in the centre of the first line, under Lieut.- General the Earl of Albemarle. After a sharp can nonade, several clans rushed forward, with loud shouts, to attack the King's troops sword in hand; but they 30 historical record op 1746 were assailed by a destructive fire of musketry, received on the point of the bayonet, and driven back with severe loss. The royal cavalry galloped forward, com pleted the rout and discomfiture of the clans, and pursued them with great slaughter several miles. This victory transformed the young Pretender from an imaginary monarch to an humble fugitive, and after wandering for some time in disguise in the isles, and among the mountains, he escaped to the continent. The loss of the regiment at the battle of Culloden was limited to Captain Grosette, and one private soldier killed; Captain Simpson and nine rank and file wounded*. After returning from the pursuit of the rebels, the troops encamped near Inverness, from whence they advanced in May, and pitched their tents in a valley, surrounded by lofty mountains, near Fort Augustus. The Fourteenth Regiment was employed in guarding prisoners taken after the battle, and was afterwards stationed at Stirling, from whence it was removed to Glasgow. 1747 In June, 1747 the regiment marched from Glasgow to Perth, and in September to Inverness. The colonel of the regiment, Brigadier- General Price, commanded a brigade in the Netherlands, and highly distinguished himself at the battle of Val, on the 2nd of July, 1747; he died at Breda in November of the same year; when King George II. conferred the colonelcy on the Honourable William , Herbert, fifth son of Thomas, eighth Earl of Pembroke, from captain and lieutenant-colonel in the Second Foot Guards. 1749 The regiment remained in Scotland; in 1749 it was * The strength of the regiment at the battle of Culloden was, 2 field officers, 7 captains, 14 subalterns, 21 serjeants, 11 di-ummers, and 304 rank and file. THE fourteenth FOOT. 31 stationed at Fort William; and in 1750 at Glasgow, 175D from whence it marched to Carlisle and Newcastle. In 1751 a royal warrant was issued regulating the 1751 clothing, colours, and standards of the several regiments of the army. In this warrant the first, or King's colour, of the Fourteenth Regiment, is directed to be the great union: the second, or regimental colour, to be of huff siik, with the union in the upper canton; in the centre of the colours XIV. in gold Roman characters, within a wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk. The uniform of the regiment at this period, was black three-cornered cocked hats, bound with white lace ; scarlet coats faced with yellow, yellow cuffs and white lace; scarlet waistcoats and breeches ; white gaiters, and white cravats; buff belts, and buff pouches. The drummers wore buff coats faced with scarlet. The grenadiers wore cloth caps with the king's cipher and crown in front; the "white horse," with the motto "Nee aspera terrent," on the flap; and the number of the regiment behind. In August of this year orders were issued for the regiment to march to the south of England, and to fur nish detachments on the coast of Sussex, to assist the officers of the revenue in the prevention of smuggling. The regiment called in its detachments in the begin- 1752 ning of April, 1752, and marching to Portsmouth, em barked for Gibraltar, where it was stationed during the following seven years. Colonel the Honorable William Herbert was re- 1753 moved to the Second Dragoon Guards in 1753, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Regi ment by Colonel Edward Braddock, from lieutenant- colonel in the Second Foot Guards. In 1755, some disputes occurred between England 1755 and France, respecting the extent of the British domi nions in America, and Major-General Braddock was 32 historical record of 1755 mortally wounded at Fort du Quesne: he was succeeded by Lieutenant-General Fowke, governor of Gibraltar, from the Second Foot, by commission dated the 12th of November, 1755. 1756 War commenced between Great Britain and France in 1756, when a French armament attacked the island of Minorca, which was captured in l708, and ceded to the British crown at the peace of Utrecht in 1713. Lieutenant-General Fowke received orders to send a detachment from Gibraltar, to reinforce the garrison of Port Mahon ; but he called a council of war, which passed a resolution against sending the detachment. He was sentenced to be suspended for nine months, for dis obeying the order, and King George II. dismissed him from the service. His Majesty afterwards conferred the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Regiment on Colonel Charles Jefferies, from colonel-commandant of the third battalion of the Sixtieth Regiment, who had distin guished himself in the defence of Port Mahon. 1759 In December, 1759, the regiment was relieved from garrison duty at Gibraltar, and embarking for England, 1760 arrived, in January, 1760, at Plymouth, from whence it marched to Canterbury, and in the summer it was en camped, with the Nineteenth andTwenty-first Regiments, on Barham Downs under Lieutenant-General Campbell. In October the Fourteenth struck their tents, and marched to Dover Castle, where they remained during 1761 the following year. 1762 The regiment marched to Maidstone, and furnished a guard over French prisoners of war at Sissinghurst in October, 1762; in December it proceeded to Exeter; 1763 from whence it was removed in March, 1763, to Ply mouth. 1764 Leaving Plymouth in March, 1764, the regiment proceeded to the vicinity of London, and was reviewed on Wimbledon Common : on the 7th of May it was the fourteenth foot. 33 reviewed in Hyde Park by King George III., who was 1764 pleased to express his high approbation of its appearance and discipline ; after the review it marched to Chatham and Dover. Major-General Jefferies died in May, 1765, and the 1765 King conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Major- General the Honorable William Keppel, fourth son of William Anne, second Earl of Albemarle, from the Fifty- sixth Foot. At this period, three companies of the regiment were employed on duty at Windsor and Hampton Court, and their good conduct attracted the attention of the King, George III., who was always ready to confer marks of his royal approbation on corps and individuals. His Majesty made some alterations in the clothing, and directed the " white horse," with the motto "Nee aspera terrent," to be placed on the black bear-skin caps to be worn by the grenadiers, and on the white caps to be worn by the drummers*. Towards the end of May, 1766, the regiment marched 1766 into village quarters near Hounslow Heath, where it was reviewed on the 4th of June by the King, who was graciously pleased to express his royal approbation of its appearance and movements in the field. After the * " Uth October, 1765. " Alterations in the clothing which is to be delivered in the " year 1766 to the Fourteenth Regiment of Foot, commanded by " the Honorable Major-General Keppel, and which are approved " of by His Majesty. " The breeches to be buff. " The Grenadiers to have black bear-skin caps, fronted with red, " the motto and horse white metal. " The di'umraers to have white bear-skin caps, with a red front, " motto and horse white metal. " By order of the King. " Edward Harvey " Adjutant-General?'' 34 historical record op 1766 review the regiment marched to Salisbury and adja- cents. In June the regiment embarked at Portsmouth for North America, and was stationed in Nova Scotia and 1771 Canada until 1771^ vi^hen it embarked from Halifax for the West Indies, to take part in reducing to submission to the British government, the refractory Caribbees in St. Vincent's. The island of St. Vincent's was captured from the French in 1762, and was ceded to Great Britain at the peace in 1 763 ; it was found to contain two tribes of natives called the red and black Caribs, the former being the Aborigines, and the latter having sprung from a cargo of African slaves, who escaped from a vessel which was wrecked on the island. The Carib bees were devoted to the French interest; they were dangerous and troublesome neighbours to the English planters, and it was found necessary to restrain their conduct, and enforce obedience to a few salutary regu lations. They were, however, of a determined spirit, possessed many thickly-wooded fastnesses, and so reso lutely resisted all attempts to restrain their roving pro pensities and mode of life, that it was found neces sary to augment the military force on the island. The Fourteenth Foot were employed against the refrac- 1772 tory Caribbees in 1772 and 1773; numerous skirmishes 1773 occurred among the thickly- wooded parts of the coun try, and several soldiers were killed and wounded, in the bush fighting, which took place daily for some time. At length the Caribbees were reduced to submission: and the regiment returned to North America, leaving a number of sick men and others in the West Indies. 1774 The regiment was stationed at Virginia in North America, when the misunderstanding between Great Britain and these prosperous and wealthy colonies, pro duced open hostilities. The spirit which the colonists THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 35 evinced in resisting the acts of the British parliament, 1774 for raising a revenue in their country, assumed a serious aspect in the years 1773 and 1774, and in 1775 hostilities 1775 commenced in the state of Massachusetts. The Four teenth Regiment remained in the state of Virginia for some time afterwards; it was, consequently, not at Bunker's Hill; but it lost two promising officers at that battle, on the l7th of June, 1775, who were attending Major-General Howe during the engagement: viz., Lieutenant and Adjutant Bruce, who was killed, and Ensign Hesketh mortally wounded. On the 18th of October, 1775, the colonelcy of the regiment was conferred on Major-General Robert Cun ninghame, from the Fifty-eighth Foot, in succession to Lieutenant-General the Honorable William Keppel, removed to the Twelfth Dragoons. The regiment was stationed at Norfolk, in Virginia, from whence a detachment of one hundred and twenty men, under Captain Fordyce, advanced at midnight on the 8th of December, against the American entrench ments at Great Bridge. At day-break the detachment crossed the bridge, and the grenadiers moved forward with great gallantry to storm the works. Lieutenant Batut being at the head of the leading section ; but as they approached the entrenchments, a body of Ameri cans, of very superior numbers, assailed them with a destructive fire of musketry: Captain Fordyce and twelve men were killed within a few yards of the breast work; Lieutenant Batut and sixteen soldiers were wounded and taken prisoners, and the remainder of the detachment retreated across the bridge to a British fort, garrisoned by a detachment under Captain Leslie. The Americans buried Captain Fordyce with military honors. The American troops afterwards increased in num- 1776 bers so fast, that the royal forces were withdrawn from 36 historical record of 1776 Virginia, and the Fourteenth Foot proceeded to the army under General Sir William Howe, at New York, where they were joined by a detachment which had been left at Nova Scotia on the embarkation of the regiment for the West Indies. After arriving at New York, part of the regiment was stationed on Staten Island, and the remainder was employed in the general operations of the army. 1777 The regiment had sustained a serious loss at St. Vincent's, and being weak in numbers, it was directed to draft the private soldiers fit for duty to other corps, and return to England, where it arrived in the summer of 1777; and active measures were adopted to recruit its ranks. 1778 During the year 1778 the regiment was stationed in 1779 the south of England; and in the summer of 1779 it pitched its tents on Coxheath, where a camp was formed of the Sixth, Fourteenth, Fiftieth, Sixty-fifth, and Sixty-ninth Regiments, with sixteen battalions of mili tia, under Lieutenant-General Pierson. 178O The regiment marched to Gosport in 1780, and pitched its tents at Stokes-bay, furnishing working par ties at Fort Monkton, and a guard over the French, Spanish, and American prisoners of war, at Forton prison. In July the reginient embarked as marines on board the Channel fleet commanded by Admiral Darby, 178I vi'ho, in 178I, relieved Gibraltar, which fortress was besieged by a combined French and Spanish force. 1782 Having completed its recruiting, and attained a state of efficiency, the regiment embarked from Portsmouth, in January, 1782, for Jamaica; it was on board of transports in the harbour of St. Lucia, during Admiral Rodney's engagement with the French fleet under Count de Grasse, on the 12th of April, and afterwards mounted guard over the Count, when a prisoner on that island. THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 3? The regiment proceeded to Jamaica, and was formed 1782 to receive Prince William Henry, (afterwards King William IV.,) then a midshipman, on his landing at Spanish Town, and mounted guard at his quarters du ring his stay on the island. Soon after its arrival at Jamaica, the regiment re ceived orders, dated the 31st of August, 1782, to as sume the title of the " Fourteenth, or Bedford shire Regiment of Foot," and to cultivate a con nection with that county, so as to create a mutual attachment between the inhabitants of Bedfordshire and the regiment, which might, at all times, be useful towards recruiting the corps. On the 4th of April, 1787, Lieutenant-General 1787 Robert Cunninghame was removed to the Fifth Royal Irish Dragoons, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot, by Lieutenant-General John Douglas, who had commanded the Twenty-first Light Dragoons, which corps was disbanded in 1783. The Fourteenth Regiment attended the funeral of 1788 the Honorable Captain Chetwynd, of His Majesty's ship "Europa," in November, 1788, at which the Governor of Jamaica, — His Royal Highness Prince William Henry (then a captain of the Royal Navy), — the officers of the squadron, and a number of gentlemen in carriages, were present. The regiment marched at the head of the procession in funeral order, the band playing the Dead March ; and the remains of this distinguished officer were interred in the chancel of the church at Spanish Town. Lieutenant-General Douglas having been removed i789 to the Fifth Dragoon Guards, His Majesty conferred the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot on Colonel George Earl Waldegrave, by commission, dated the 27th of August, 1789. Earl Waldegrave died about six weeks after his appointment, and was succeeded by 38 historical record of 1789 Colonel George Hotham, from captain and lieutenant- colonel of the First Foot Guards. 1791 Having been relieved from duty at Jamaica, the regiment embarked on board of His Majesty's ship Dover, of forty-four guns, on the 9th of April, 1791, and landed at Portsmouth on the lOth of June. In the autumn it marched to Chatham, and afterwards to Canterbury; and on Friday, the 21st of November, it received their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York, at Dover, on their arrival from the Continent; the Duke of York having married, a few weeks pre- 1792 viously, Frederica Charlotte Ulrica, Princess Royal of Prussia. Early in 1 792 the regiment returned to Chatham, and was brigaded with the Third Foot (the Buffs) under the command of Colonel Fox ; in June the two regirnents encamped on Bagshot-heath, with several other corps; under the command of the Duke of Rich mond: at this camp the regiment remained three weeks; it was reviewed several times by His Majesty, 1793 and afterwards returned to Chatham, where it remained several months. In the meantime a revolution had taken place in France, where a republican party had seized the reins of governmentj beheaded their sovereign, and involved the country in anarchy and bloodshed. Not content with carrying the horrors of democracy into every part of France, the republicans endeavoured to propagate their doctrines in all countries, and to overturn the constitution of every monarchy in Europe. Under these circumstances, the British people became in volved in war for the defence of the fixed rights of their sovereign, the preservation of their own civil and religious liberties, and of their honor as a nation. The Fourteenth Regiment was one of the first the fourteenth foot. 39 corps completed to a war establishment, under the 1793 zealous and judicious arrangements of its excellent commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Welbore Ellis Doyle, who assumed the command on the arrival of the regiment from Jamaica in 1791; it was also one of the corps selected for foreign service at the commencement of the war; and embarking at Dover, on the 19th March, 1793, for Holland, to aid the Dutch in repelling an attack of the French, it landed at Helvoetsluys, in the island of Voorn, on the 25th of March, being the first regiment of the line which arrived at the scene of war. The success of the allied arms had removed the theatre of war from Holland to the confines of French Flanders; and the Fourteenth Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Doyle, proceeded to Briel, where it embarked for Antwerp, whence it marched to Ghent, and was removed in canal boats to Bruges, where it halted a few days. From Bruges it marched to Tournay, where it arrived towards the end of April ; and the flank companies, with those of the Thirty- seventh and Fifty-third Regiments, were placed under the orders of Major Mathews, of the Fifty- third, and detached to Marquain, to watch the motions of the enemy, in which service they were employed until the 20th of May. The Duke of York assumed the command of the British and Hanoverian troops in Flanders, and co operated with the Austrians under the Prince of Saxe- Cobourg. On the 23rd of May the Fourteenth Regiment was engaged in the attack of the enemy's fortified camp at Famars, and evinced great gallantry. Being composed principally of yotmg soldiers, they rushed up the heights with great impetuosity to attack the enemy, but did not preserve sufficient order; Lieut.- Colonel Doyle galloped to the front, halted^ and re formed the ranks, then bid the band play the tune 40 historical record of 1793 "ca ira," and using a few encouraging expressions to the men, led them to the attack, when they rushed in com pact order upon their opponents, and overpowered all opposition*. The French retreated across the Scheldt, and the allied army invested the fortress of Valenciennes. Lieutenant Charles W. Doyle, who performed the duty of brigade-major, was thanked for his conduct. The loss of the regiment was limited to two serjeants and seven rank and file wounded; the Duke of York expressed his approbation of its conduct in orders. The Fourteenth Regiment was employed at the siege of Valenciennes, under the Duke of York, and on the 25th of July, it furnished a detachment to take part in storming the horn-work. Lieut.-Colonel Doyle being appointed to the command of one of the attack ing columns, obtained permission to place at the head of his party, one hundred volunteers of the Four teenth Regiment, and having assembled the corps, he said, "Soldiers, one hundred volunteers from among " you are to lead the column that I am to command " upon a service of the greatest danger; I have thought " it right to state this before I call upon you; such of " you as volunteer this dangerous enterprise, recover " arms:" when every man brought his musket to the " recover." The colonel was much affected by this dis play of devotion, and said, "Soldiers, I thank you from " my heart; where all are equally desirous of facing the " greatest danger, I cannot look, or wish, for volun- * " The British troops who had this opportunity of distinguishing " themselves were the brigade of the line, viz., the Fourteenth, " Thirty-seventh, and Fifty-third Regiments, with the battalion " formed from the Light Infantry and Grenadier companies, under " the command of Major-General Abercromby ; seven pieces of can- " non and two hundred prisoners were taken in the redoubts." — London Gaxette, THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 41 " teers. Officers, call out the first ten men for duty in 1793 " each company." On the 26th of July the following general order was issued. — " His Royal Highness the Commander-in-chief re- " turns his thanks to Major-General Abercrombie, " Colonel Leigh, and Lieutenant-Colonel Doyle, for " the gallantry they showed on the attack last night." Having been constantly exposed to the cannon of the town for seven weeks, the men had acquired great steadiness under fire, the attack was made with signal intrepidity and resolution, and the out-works were car ried in gallant style. The regiment had one serjeant and three rank and file killed; one officer, one serjeant, and fourteen rank and file wounded; the flank companies also lost seven men. Three days afterwards the garrison capitulated, and this important fortress was delivered up to the Duke of York. After the surrender of Valenciennes the British troops marched towards Cambray, and they subse quently separated from the Austrians, taking with them a few Imperial regiments, for the purpose of under taking the siege of Dunkirk. On arriving at Menin, it was ascertained that the French had driven the Dutch from Lincelles; that post was recaptured by the British Foot Guards under Major-General Lake, on the 18th of August. The Fourteenth Regiment was one of the corps ordered to support the Foot Guards, and was left in possession of the village, after its capture, until that post was restored to the Dutch. The army resumed its march towards Dunkirk on the following day, and on the 24th of August, the Fourteenth Foot took part in driving the French out-posts, between the canal of Furnes and the sea, into 14. D 42 historical record op 1793 the town, on which occasion the soldiers had to force their way through strong double hedges, and across deep ditches full of water. A deep ditch, surrounding the garden of a chateau, obstructed the progress of the grenadier company of the Fourteenth, when Lieu tenant Thomas Green Clapham leaped into the ditch, where he stood up to his breast in water, that the grenadiers might pass swiftly over it, by stepping upon his shoulders, and pursue the French, which they did with great alacrity. The light infantry company also displayed distinguished ardour, and captured three pieces of artillery. Finally the French were driven into the town, and the siege was commenced. The loss of the regiment was limited to a few private soldiers killed and wounded. On the 6th of September, the French made a sortie from Dunkirk, in great strength, directing their attack principally against the right of the besieging army, when the Fourteenth Foot, commanded by Major Alexander Ross, (Lieutenant-Colonel Doyle being ill) was ordered forward to support that part of the position. As they passed the flank of the regiment of Esterhazy, the Germans cheered the Fourteenth, and the gal lant soldiers rushed into the fight with great energy, overthrowing all opposition, and chasing the French up the covered way. The regiment had one serjeant, one corporal, and eight private soldiers killed; Captains Cochrane and Garnier, Lieutenants Mackenzie, PoweU, and Elrington*, Ensigns Smith and Williams, Volun- * Lieutenant Richard Goodall Elrington received a musket-ball in the right thigh : after the wound was healed, he returned to his duty, when an abscess formed in the left thigh from which the ball was extracted; it having passed, in the flesh, from the right to the left side of his body, and sunk down the thigh to the spot where the abscess formed. This officer entered the army as an ensign in 1790; was promoted from a lieutenantcy in the Fourteenth to be captain in the First West India Regiment in 1795: was removed to the Forty-seventh Regiment in 1803, and was promoted to the lieut.- the fourteenth foot. 43 teer McGrath, one serjeant, one corporal, and thirty- 1793 six private soldiers, wounded. The arrival of the heavy artillery for the siege, and the naval force intended to co-operate with the army, in the reduction of Dunkirk, was so long delayed, that the French had time to convey from every part of France, by coaches, waggons, and other vehicles, such an immense body of troops, to the vicinity of Dunkirk, that the Duke of York had little chance of success. Another sortie was made by the garrison on the 8th of September, when the Fourteenth and Thirty- seventh Regiments advanced to attack the French ; as the two corps passed the regiment of Joseph Colloredo, they were cheered by the Austrians, and they succeeded in repulsing the enemy : but no chance of final success remained, and the siege was raised, the Fourteenth Regiment marching by Furnes and Ypres, to Menin. The regiment marched, in October, to Oudenarde, where it furnished a guard over two thousand French prisoners; it was sent forward, several times, to take the out-post duty, and upon a movement in advance, by the enemy, upon Menin and Wevelghem, it repulsed an attack upon the out-post at Vervicke. Early in 1 794 the regiment left Oudenarde for 1 794 Wevelghem, and remained on outpost duty until April, when the army assembled, and was reviewed by the Emperor of Germany, on the heights of Cateau, where His Royal Highness William Frederick, Duke of Glou cester, was nominated to the command of the brigade composed of the Fourteenth, Thirty- seventh, and Fifty-third Regiments. In the general attack on the enemy's positions, on the 17th of April, the regiment formed part of the colonelcy in June, 1813 : he continued in command of the Forty- seventh Regiment until November, 1841, when he attained the rank of major-general. He died in London on 2nd August, 1845. D2 44 historical record of 1794 column under Lieutenant-General Sir William Erskine, and took part in the attack on the village of PrSmont, and the wood on its left. The French having been driven from their posi tions, the siege of Landrecies was commenced, and the Fourteenth Regiment formed part of the covering army encamped on the heights of Cateau; this post was attacked on the 26th of April, by the French under General Chapuy, who were repulsed, with great slaugh ter, by the British cavalry, with the loss of many guns. On this occasion the light company of the regiment behaved with much gallantry, and, having advanced to a wood on the left, kept in check a considerable body of the enemy, who meditated an attack on the batteries. On the fall of Landrecies, the British troops moved to the vicinity of Tournay, where they were attacked on the 10th of May by a numerous body of French, who were defeated with severe loss. The Fourteenth Foot lost only one man on this occasion. At length a combined attack was made on the French positions, with the view of forcing them to evacuate Flanders, in which the Fourteenth Regi ment had another opportunity of distinguishing itself; it left Tournay on the evening of the 16th of May, — took part in forcing the points of the French position it was destined to attack in the direction of Lisle, on the 17th of May, and was successful; but several Aus trian columns failed to accomplish their part in the combined movements. The British troops, having penetrated the French position, and being left unsup ported, became exposed to the attack of the enemy's very superior numbers. Early on the 18th of May the Fourteenth Regiment was environed and at tacked by an overwhelming force, but it stood its ground, and by firing by wings and platoons with as much steadiness and regularity as on parade, held its THE fourteenth FOOT. 45 assailants in check. Its veteran commanding officer, 1794 Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Browne, became quite ex hausted, and sat for some time on a chair behind the colours. At length an aide-de-camp arrived from Ma jor-General Fox, commanding the brigade, with orders for the Fourteenth to retreat; and while performing this retrograde movement, they preserved an unbroken formation. Surrounded by enemies, fired upon by in fantry and artillery, and menaced by cavalry, the regi ment preserved its order with astonishing firmness, form ing divisions in the rear against cavalry, and marching over ground covered with dead bodies. The road to Lannoy, by which the regiment had advanced on the preceding day, was found in possession of the enemy, with an abbatis and cannon formed across it, and the first discharge killed several grenadiers, when Major- General Fox said to Captain Clapham, " I fear we must lay down our arms." " No, sir," replied the captain, "the Fourteenth can cut through them." At this moment Corporal Gilbert Cimitiere*, of the gre nadiers, a French emigrant, well acquainted with the country, stepped forward, and undertook to conduct the brigade through the inclosures, and the troops quitted the main road under his guidance, being fol lowed and assailed by the French. Lieutenant-Colonel Browne was shot through the body, and was carried in a blanket by four grenadiers, but he suffered so much pain that he requested them to stop, and he and they were made prisoners. The command of the regi ment devolved on Captain Perry, of the light com pany, which was afterwards commanded by Lieutenant * Afterwards lieutenant-colonel of the Forty-eighth Regiment. Mr. Gilbert Cimitiere was appointed to an ensigncy in the Sixth West India Regiment on 1st July, 1795 ; promoted to a lieutenantcy iu the Forty-eighth Regiment on the 15th June, 1796 ; in which he attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel, in 1824. He retired from the service in 1827. 46 historical record op 1794 Graves. This officer, and Lieutenant Elrington, com manded the two rear companies of the column, and formed alternately to repulse the French cavalry. Al though every road was fortified, and the hedges lined with troops, the brigade fought its way through the inclosures with astonishing gallantry and resolution, and gained the position at Templeuve, having, how ever, lost every piece of artillery with the column, ex cepting one of the battalion guns of the Fourteenth Regiment, under Lieutenant Phillott. The guide of the column. Corporal Gilbert Cimitiere, was rewarded with a commission. The loss of the regiment, on this trying occasion, was one serjeant and thirteen rank and file, killed; twenty- two rank and file wounded: Lieutenant-Colonel Browne wounded and taken prisoner ; three serjeants, two drummers, and sixty-eight rank and file, prisoners of war and missing, many of whom were taken ir consequence of being wounded and unable to continue the retreat. Lieutenant-Colonel Browne died at Lisle on the following day, and was much regretted by the officers and soldiers he had commanded with distin guished bravery on many trying occasions. The con duct of the brigade was commended by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, and its gallantry is re corded in the histories of the war*. • " Major-General Fox, with the Fourteenth, Thirty-seventh, " and Fifty-third Regiments, was engaged with the whole of the " French column which had marched from Lisle, and the different " corps which had driven the rest of the army back fell upon his " flanks and rear ; perhaps there is not on record a single instance of " greater gaUantry or more soldier-like conduct than was exhibited " on that day, by these three regiments. At length General Fox, " finding that the whole army had left him, began to think of retreat- " ing, to effect which it was necessary to get possession of the cause- «' way leading to Leers; but before that could be accomplished he " was obliged to charge several battalions of the enemy, who were " astonished that such a handful of men should presume to give " them battle, and expected every moment that they would lay down THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 4? The regiment resumed its post in front of Tournay, 1794 and was in position on the 22nd of May, when General Pichegru attacked the allied army with an immense body of troops, first assailing the right and afterwards the centre of the line. The Fourteenth being on the left, were not engaged during the early part of the day; but in the afternoon, the enemy carried the post of Pontechin, on the high road from Courtray to Tournay, and the fortune of the day was evidently flowing in favour of the French, when the brigade, formed of the Fourteenth, Thirty-seventh, and Fifty-third Regi ments, was ordered to the post of honor and danger. As the Fourteenth quitted their post on the left, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ramsay, the Duke of York addressed them in the most flattering manner, declaring his perfect reliance on their gallantry. The three regiments moved at a running pace; though weak in numbers, they were strong in valour and resolution, and being conscious of their own prowess, they rushed upon their numerous opponents fully determined to conquer or perish in the attempt. The Fourteenth charged along the chaussee, — overpowered all resist ance, — carried the village, — re-formed beyond the houses under a heavy fire*, — raised a loud shout, and rushed forward to storm a battery oh a rising ground near a " their arms ; but with a degree of intrepidity that words cannot describe, " and is, indeed, scarcely conceivable, they gained the wished-for " point, and then formed with such regularity that the enemy could " not assail them : they secured their retreat towards Leers, and the " next morning joined General Otto's column." — Captain Jones' Journal. * While the troops were forming outside the village, a hare ran across the line, a man named Tovey knocked it down with his mus ket, and placed it in his haversack, with surprising coolness, although under so heavy a fire that it was difficult to form the men, from the frequent and numerous casualties which occurred; thus exemplifying that distinguished feature in the character of the British soldier, " cool and collected in the midst of danger." 48 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1794 windmill, which the French defended a short time, but afterwards abandoned it, leaving the regiment in pos session of several pieces of cannon. This sudden burst of British valour, coming like an explosion of thunder, amazed and confounded the French, vi^ho gave way before the superior prowess of the British soldiers, and the current of the battle flowed in favour of the aUies. There was, however, a protracted resistance in an orchard, where the grenadiers and light infantry of the Fourteenth Foot were engaged, and several instances of individual contempt of danger occurred. A grena dier named Ryan refused to avail himself of the advan tage of standing behind a tree, saying "They cannot touch me;" but the next moment he fell forward apparently dead, when Captain Clapham turned him over, and said, "Ryan, you are only shot through the face, you will do well yet;" "Is that all?" replied the grenadier, and jumping up and commencing loading his firelock, he added, "Then' I will have another rap at them," and he was with difficulty prevailed upon to go to the rear *. The French were eventually driven out of the orchard; the British pressed upon their opponents, and a victory was gained over the Republican troops, who were forced to quit the field of battle with severe loss. The Fourteenth Regiment gained great honor on this occasion ; its loss was one serjeant and four rank and file killed; Captain Cochrane, Major of brigade, died of his wounds; one serjeant and twenty-eight rank and file wounded; five men missing. Lieutenant- Colonel Ramsay's horse was killed, and the Lieutenant- Colonel received four musket balls through his hat. The following general order, dated Tournay, 23rd of May, 1 794, was published. — " His Royal Highness the Commander-in-chief * Private Ryan served many years afterwards with deep marks in his cheeks. THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 49 " desires to express his most particular thanks to 1794 "Major-General Fox; to the Fourteenth Regiment "under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ramsay; " to the Thirty-seventh Regiment commanded by Cap- "tain Lightburne; to the Fifty-third Regiment com- " manded by Major Wiseman, and to the detachment " of artillery attached to them under the command of " Captain Trotter, for that display of intrepidity and " good conduct, which reflects ihe greatest honor upon " themselves, at the same time that it was highly instru- " mental in deciding the important victory of the 22nd " instant. " His Royal Highness much laments the loss they "have sustained; but flatters himself they feel it, " in some measure, compensated by the credit they " have gained." In his public despatch the Duke of York, speak ing of the Fourteenth, Thirty-seventh, and Fifty- third Regiments, stated, — "Nothing could exceed the "spirit and gallantry with which they conducted them- " selves, particularly in the storm of the village of " Pontechin, which they forced with the bayonet." Historians have recorded the gallant conduct of the regiment*; and the royal authority was afterwards * " The Duke of York detached seven Austiian battalions, and " the second brigade of British infantry, (Fourteenth, Thirty- " seventh, and Fifty-third^ under Major-General Fox, who, though '' they had lost so many men only four days before, anxiously wished " to get into action. Nothing could exceed their spirit and perse- " verance; they stormed the village of Pontechin, and after firing a " few shot rushed with fixed bayonets into the heart of the enemy, " and turned the fate of the day once more in favour of the allies. " The charge was conducted with such skill and activity that it " immediately threw the enemy into confusion, and forced them " to give way. At this time the artillery came into action and " directed their fire so well, and followed it up with such activity, " the enemy could never be rallied so as to renew the attack, although " they had fresh troops constantly coming up, but continued to lose "ground till dark. Such a battle has seldom been fought; the 50 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1794 given for it to bear the word " Tournay" on its colours, to commemorate its distinguished conduct on this memorable occasion. Notwithstanding these displays of valour, the enemy brought forward so great a superiority of numbers that it was found necessary to retreat, and a series of retro grade movements followed, during which little fighting occurred, and few corps had opportunities of distin guishing themselves. Various positions were occupied for short periods, and after quitting the Austrian Nether lands, attempts were made to defend Holland ; but the people of that country had imbibed the doctrines of republicanism, and they made little effort to preserve the United Provinces from the French. In August the Fourteenth regiment was encamped near Antwerp ; it was afterwards in position in the vicinity of Breda, from whence it retired to a post beyond Bois-le-duc, and, subsequently, to Nimeguen : it formed part of the gar rison of Nimeguen for a short period, and when that town was evacuated, the regiment proceeded to Linden Castle ; the army occupying a position beyond the Waal, for the defence of the passage of that river. To wards the end of December the river became frozen, and a body of the enemy crossed on the ice ; but was driven back on the 30th of that month. 1795 The frost afterwards became more severe, and on the 4th of January, 1795, another body of French troops passed the river on the ice. At this period, the Four- " enemy was in action, under an incessant fire of cannon and mus- " ketry, upwards of twelve hours, and left twelve thousand dead in " the field, five hundred taken, and seven pieces of cannon. " The loss of the allies, in this memorable action, amounted to " four thousand men; one hundred and ninety-six were British, and " all, except three, from General Fox's brigade. It is a fact, although " it appears almost impossible, that a single British brigade, and that " brigade less than six hundred men, on that great day, absolutely won " the battle; for had it not come up, the allies would have been " beaten." — Captain So'S'ks' Journal. THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 51 teenth Regiment was at Linden Castle, from whence 1795 it advanced to take part in a combined attack on the enemy, under Major-General David Dundas. On the 7th of January it traversed the Rhine on the ice at Rhenen, and proceeded to Bueren Castle. On the fol lowing morning Major-General Lord Cathcart advanced with the light companies, thirty hulans, and a detachment of the Twenty- seventh Regiment, to reconnoitre; and the Fourteenth and Twenty-seventh regiments were afterwards brought up to attack the enemy at Guelder malsen. The Fourteenth formed on the ice, on the left of the dyke, and the Twenty-seventh across the in- closure on the right, supported by the piquets, hulans, and afterwards by a squadron of light dragoons ; and the field pieces were protected by the grenadiers of the Fourteenth under Lieutenant Elrington, who marched before the guns. Advancing in this order, the troops drove the French before them, until they arrived at Gueldermalsen, where a protracted resistance Was made. Lieutenant Elrington, with the grenadiers of the Four teenth, charged the French artillery at the bridge, and bayonetted the enemy at the gun, carrying the post with great gallantry. The British battalion guns cleared the street ; the soldiers rushed forward, and were engaged from house to house, until they had passed the village, when they were assailed by the enemy in force. The Fourteenth defended the streets; the Twenty-seventh, • the church-yard; and the Twenty-eighth coming up most opportunely on the right, threw in a flanking fire, which compelled the enemy to retire*. The brigade remained * Every man of the Fourteenth was proud of the reputation which the regiment had acquired, with which he identified himself; even the recruits possessed the same esprit de corps. After the cap ture of Gueldermalsen a young soldier, named Sullivan, struck the butt-end of his musket against a cask, when the musket went off, and the ball passed through the soldier's body. He instantly called to Jjieutenant Graves, and said, " I hope, Sjr, you will let my friends 52 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1 795 in the village during the night ; it was ordered to retire on the following morning, and the three regiments were thanked in orders for their distinguished conduct: Lieu tenant Elrington, of the Fourteenth, was thanked by name for his gallantry at the attack of the bridge defended by a gun. The regiment had twelve rank and file kiUed; Lieutenant-Colonel Hope (afterwards Gene ral Sir Alexander Hope, G.C.B.), Captain Perry, one serjeant, and twenty rank and file, wounded: Lieutenant- Colonel Hope lost the use of his right arm from a wound in the shoulder*. Captain Perry died of his wounds. After this action the regiment marched to CuUen- burg, and was on duty about a week, on the banks of the Leek, without house, tent, or any other cover from the weather, which was particularly severe. Numerical superiority gave the enemy so decided an advantage, that a retreat through Holland to Germany became necessary, which took place in the depth of winter, and was attended with severe privation and suffering. On one occasion, after a long march, the Fourteenth Foot found themselves on a dreary heath, on a dark night, exposed to severe frost, and a snow storm; the men's limbs were so benumbed with cold, that the most fatal results were apprehended; but the discovery of a large farm-house, and a barn upon the . heath, proved particularly fortunate to the soldiers. These hardships were aggravated by the mortifying re flection, that the regiment was retiring before an enemy, whom it had never encountered without proving victo- " know that I always behaved as became a good soldier," and imme diately expired. * Captain Jones, speaking of the conduct of the Fourteenth, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-eighth Regiments, at Gueldermalsen, states in his Journal, " These regiments behaved with their usual " gallantry, and faced every danger with that cheerfulness and per- " severance whicli has peculiarly distinguished them." THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 53 rious. At length the regiment arrived in Germany, 1795 where it obtained repose in comfortable quarters; it embarked at Bremen-lee on the 9th of April, and landed at Harwich on the 7th of May. From Harwich the regiment marched to Hitchin and its neighbourhood; and when passing through the seve ral towns on its route it was hailed with acclamations by the inhabitants; almost every officer and soldier bore marks of bullets having passed through his accoutre ments or clothing; the colours were perforated in many places, and were borne by Lieutenants Stuart and Graves, the two senior subalterns, — so many casualties had occurred among the officers. The achievements of the regiment had been made known, and it was every where congratulated on its gallant exploits. In June the regiment pitched its tents at Warley, in Essex, and in July received orders to march to Nust- haling, near Southampton. On passing through Dart- ford, the band played the republican tune qa ira (which it played when the regiment charged the position at Famars, in 1793), when the inhabitants evinced their aversion to democracy by throwing stones at the musi cians for playing so offensive a tune; but upon an explanation being given, the people responded with three cheers to the honour of the brave soldiers of the Fourteenth who fought at Famars. The regiment afterwards embarked for Quiberon- bay, to support the French emigrants under M. Som- breuil, but being detained by contrary winds, it was directed to disembark and return to Southampton. At this period an armament was fitting out to com plete the deliverance of the French West India islands from the power of republicanism, and to reduce to obedience the insurgents of St. Vincent and Grenada. The Fourteenth Regiment joined the expedition, and sailed with the immense fleet of Indiamen, transports. 54 historical record of 1795 and merchant-vessels, under the convoy of a squadron of the royal navy commanded by Admiral Christian, which, on quitting the British shores, presented a mag nificent spectacle calculated to impress the mind with a just idea of British power; but the voyage had been delayed until a very late period of the year, and the fleet encountered so severe a storm that several ships foundered at sea, others were wrecked on the western coast of England, and the greater part returned to port. The fleet was re-fitted and again put to sea, but, after encountering severe gales, it returned to Portsmouth a second time. The " Calypso" transport, having part of the Fourteenth Regiment on board, was nearly run down during a heavy gale, by the " Charon" of forty- four guns, and lost the main yard; but this transport continued the voyage and arrived at Barbadoes in eleven weeks. 1796 Several of the regiments, which returned to port, had their destination changed; but the portion of the Fourteenth, which had put back, re-embarked in Feb ruary, 1796, and arrived in April at Barbadoes, where four companies of the Twenty-eighth Foot were at tached to the regiment. The Fourteenth Foot constituted part of the expedition against St. Lucia, commanded by Lieute nant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby; and sailed from Carlisle-bay, Barbadoes, on the 22nd of April, for the rendezvous of the troops to be employed in the enter prise, at Martinique, from whence the expedition sailed, on the morning of the 26th of April, for St. Lucia, where the head quarters landed on the 27th, near Pigeon Island, and marched to Choque Bay, to cover the landing of the remainder of the troops. They con tinued in position there a short time, till the batteries against Morne Fortune were completed, when they were ordered up to take part in the ulterior operations. Prior the fourteenth foot. 55 to landing, three companies were detached, with a force 1796 under Brigadier General Perryn, on the side of the Grand Cul de Sac, to facilitate the investment of Morne Fortune, and an attempt was made to drive the enemy from the batteries on the base of the mountain, on that side; and Major Donkin's battalion, consisting of three companies of the Fourteenth and four of the Twenty-eighth, formed part of the force employed on this service. This battalion supported the Forty- fourth Regiment, in the column commanded by Colonel Riddell. On advancing to the attack, the battahon was checked, at a sudden turn in a winding road cut on the side of a steep hill, by an abattis occupied by French troops, when Captain James Graves sprang up the bank by the aid of a branch, and being assisted by Captain Henry Cox, and Lieutenant George Morris, he helped a few soldiers to cHmb up the side of the hill, who fired down upon the flank of the troops in the abattis, who instantly abandoned it, and the Fourteenth continued their advance. On arriving on more open ground, the fire of the enemy's batteries was heavy; when Captain James Graves, of the Fourteenth, and Captain John Frederic Brown, of the Twenty-eighth, stormed the lower battery, called Chapuis, with a few men of the two regiments. Captain Brown, Lieutenants William F. Dalton and John Grady, with several private soldiers, fell wounded in the advance, but the battery was captured, and was held by Captain Graves, Lieutenant John Hutchin son, and about forty rank and file. The soldiers being fired upon from a house, it was forced by a few men under Lieutenant Owen, and all the defenders bayonet ted. The firing on the right indicating a retrograde movement on the part of the British troops at that point, Serjeant Shaw of the Fourteenth was detached to reconnoitre; he returned wounded, and reported the retreat of the British, and the advance of a fresh column 56 historical record of 1796 of the enemy. Under these circumstances the guns in the battery were spiked, and the soldiers retired, fight ing their way through a woody country, until they joined the column under Brigadier-General Perryn. From the failure of part of the attacking force the ope rations were not successful. The loss of the Fourteenth was limited to five men killed; Captain Cox, and one serjeant wounded. On sending a flag of truce, on the following day, to inquire for prisoners, the answer received was, " The republicans " have made no prisoners." An attack was afterwards made on the north side of Morne Fortune; a battery opened its fire against the enemy's works on the 16th of May, and on the 24th the French desired a suspension of arms, which was followed by the surrender of the island. After the surrender of St. Lucia, the Fourteenth formed part of the expedition against the island of St, Vincent, and a landing was effected on the 8th of June : the Caribs having surrendered, the French troops retired, in a body, to the strong fort of La Vigie. It having been ascertained that the fort was badly provi sioned, and worse provided with water, it was clear that the garrison could not hold out many days ; and the Commander-in-Chief shortly received information that they intended to effect an escape, by night, by descend ing along the course of a deep ravine, which led from the town through high and inaccessible rocks. A party of the Fourteenth, consisting of three officers, and one hundred men, was ordered out to occupy the pass : — they took up a position in the bed of the river, behind some large stones, over which the men rested their bayonets. The darkness of the night, and the position between the woods, precluded the possibility of seeing anything, and the rushing of the water pre vented anything from being heard; The first intima- the fourteenth foot. 57 tion that the party in ambuscade received of the 1796 enemy's approach, was the fact of their actually pressing upon their bayonets. Immediately a desultory firing took place, which ceased only when the enemy were supposed to have retreated. When daylight broke, a horrid spectacle of killed and wounded presented itself. Such of the garrison as succeeded in returning to La Vigie surrendered the next day. Captain Powell, who commanded. Lieutenants Gibson and Beavan, and the whole party, received the thanks of Sir Ralph Abercromby. These captures having been accomplished, the Four teenth Regiment returned to Barbadoes, where it was stationed during the remainder of the year. Spain having united with France in the war against 1797 Great Britain, orders were issued to attack the Spanish possessions in the West Indies, and in the early part of February, 1797, the Fourteenth Regiment proceeded to Cariacou, where an expedition was assembled to attack the island of Trinidad. On the morning of the 15 th of February the fleet sailed on the enterprise, and as it anchored near the shores of Trinidad, the Spaniards became conscious of their inability to resist, and set fire to their naval force in the harbour. The troops landed on the 17th of February, and the Spaniards immediately surrendered, delivering up the island. From Trinidad the regiment proceed to Martinique, where it was stationed several weeks. Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby assem bled a small force, in the beginning of April, for the attack of the Spanish island of Porto Rico, and the Fourteenth were withdrawn from Martinique to take part in the enterprise. The fleet entered a narrow channel three leagues eastward of the town, and the troops landed on the 18th of April; but met with great opposition by a heavy fire of musketry from the 14. B 58 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1797 Spaniards, who were lodged behind a breastwork on the beach. The Fourteenth were in flat-bottomed boats, pulled by the Lascars of the Indiamen in which they had been conveyed. The impetuosity of the men could not bear delay ; but, leaping out of the boats, and wading ashore, they soon drove the enemy from their position, at the point of the bayonet. Lieutenant- Colonel Burnett was ordered to pursue, with all pos sible speed, to endeavour to get possession of the bridge which led over the river between the town and the beach. So closely were the enemy pursued by the Fourteenth, and particularly by the lAght Company, that many threw away their arms and accoutrements, and fairly ran for it: they succeeded in gaining the bridge; and, as soon as the men of the Fourteenth approached the tete-de-pont, the Spaniards blew up the bridge at the moment when many of their own people were crossing it. The destruction of the bridge obliged the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Ralph Abercromby, to change his plan, which had, originally, been to take the town by a coup-de-main. The next day, therefore, the army began to erect batteries. The second day after their completion, the enemy kept up such an incessant fire, that they succeeded in dismounting two of the guns of one of the batteries, and otherwise seriously injuring the works. A strong party was, therefore, ordered out at night to repair the damage : this party consisted of three hundred and fifty men, under the command of Captain Powell, afterwards Lieutenant- Colonel and Major of the regiment, of which number one hundred and fifty were to be employed in the trenches, and two hundred were placed at some distance from the battery to act as a covering party. The same night Major Ronald Hamilton, of the Fourteenth, made an attempt to ford the river, with a view of ascer taining if it were fordable for infantry ; but, being dis- THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 59 covered, he was fired upon by an advanced sentry. 1797 This creating some alarm, caused an irregular fire of musketry to be carried on all night. Under cover of this, and of the darkness, a party of fite hundred Spaniards contrived to cross the river higher up, and then descending along its edge, secreted themselves among the brushwood between the river and the battery. At dawn of day a serjeant and twelve men of the Fourteenth, who had been on piquet in the bushes, were called in, and, at the very same moment, as if by magic, the whole party of Spaniards rushed, in one dense mass, into the battery. Sir Ralph Abercromby, Colonel Hope, the Ad jutant-General, (afterwards Lord Niddry) Colonel Mait- land, with the whole staff of the Commander-in-Chief, had arrived, about an hour before, to inspect the work, and were at the moment in the battery. The sudden inrush of the SjDaniards created surprise; and the in creased number of persons thus in the battery produced great confusion. The only British who had arms were the twelve men from the piquet ; but all the Spaniards were provided with bayonets, or short swords, evidently intended for the butchery of the whole working party. For a short time it seemed as if they were to be utterly at the mercy of the enemy ; but, soon recovering them selves, they feU. to work with good will with shovels, pickaxes, and other implements of labour, and that with such terrible effect, that every Spaniard was either killed, or taken prisoner, before the covering party could arrive to assist their comrades. The working party had five men killed, and seventeen wounded. Captain Powell, and Lieutenants Gibson and Wren, received thanks in general orders*. * Sir Ralph Abercromby entertained a high opinion of the Fourteenth; in the West Indies he always landed with the flank E 2 60 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1797 From Porto Rico the regiment again proceeded to Martinique, where it was stationed upwards of three years. 1800 Towards the end of the year 1800, the regiment relieved the Seventieth Foot at Trinidad. 1802 On the conclusion of the treaty of Amiens in 1802, Great Britain gave up the captured possessions of France, Spain, and Holland. The Fourteenth were relieved 1803 from duty in the West Indies in April, 1803, and returning to England, landed at Gosport, from whence they marched to Winchester, under Captain Graves, who had performed the duty of commanding officer nearly twelve months. Previously to the arrival of the regiment in England, the short respite from the horrors of war, granted by the treaty of Amiens, had terminated; the ambitious de signs of Bonaparte, First Consul of France, had involved Great Britain in another contest, and orders had been is sued for augmenting the regular army. Every effort was made to complete the establishment of the Fourteenth Foot, which was attended with great success, and when Bonaparte assembled an army for the invasion of England, the regiment marched to Silver Hill Barracks, and afterwards to Winchelsea, where it was held in readiness to repel the legions of France, had they ven tured to land on the British coast. At this momen tous period the measures of the government were nobly seconded by the people ; a patriotic enthusiasm pervaded companies, and the regiment furnished a corporal's guard at his quarters. When he was appointed to the command of the troops in the Mediterranean, with whom he proceeded to Egypt, he wrote to Captain Graves, stating, " I regret extremely that I cannot take you " with me, as I intended, having found all my staff appointed when " I got to London." He afterwards added, with great pleasantry, " I also greatly regret that the Fourteenth are not on the expe- " dition, as I do not think any service can go on well without them." the fourteenth foot. 61 the country; and the attitude the nation assumed, with 1803 the strength and energy it evinced, while breathing defiance to the gigantic military power by which it was menaced, left no room for doubt respecting the result of the contest had the French army attempted to carry into effect the threats of its leader. In 1804 the French army remainded inactive at 1804 Boulogne, and Great Britain preserved an attitude of defence. In. the autumn of this year a second battalion was added to the Fourteenth Regiment. The first battalion remained on the Sussex coast in 1805 readiness for active service whenever it might be re quired. In the mean time the French nation had con ferred on its First Consul, Bonaparte, the dignity of Emperor, and he was also crowned King of Italy. In the autumn Napoleon reviewed his army at Boulogne, and afterwards marched against the forces of Russia and Austria, to crush the coalition forming against his inte rests in Germany. At this period the French troops were withdrawn from Hanover, which country they seized on resuming hostilities in 1803. Towards the end of October, the first battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment embarked for Hanover, where a body of British troops was assembled under Lieutenant-General Lord Cathcart. The defeat of the Austrians and Rus sians at Austerlitz, established the preponderance of the French power on the continent for a short period, and in the treaty concluded at Vienna soon afterwards, it was stipulated that Hanover should be occupied by the Prussians. Under these circumstances the troops under Lord Cathcart returned to England. The first battalion landed from Hanover in February, 1806 1806, and was quartered in Kent. On the decease of General Hotham, King George III. conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Major- General Sir Harry Calvert, from the Fifth West India 62 historical record op 1806 Regiment, by commission dated the 8th of February, 1806. In this year the second battalion proceeded to Ireland. The first battalion was encamped at Shorncliffe, where it was formed in brigade with the Ninth and Ninety-first Foot, under Major-General Rowland Hill, (afterwards General Lord Hill) ; this brigade was reviewed with the Forty-third Regiment by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, who expressed his high approbation of the appearance and discipline of the several corps. In December the first battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment proceeded to Ireland. 1807 After remaining in Ireland five months the first battalion returned to England, and in June, 1807, it embarked under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel James Watson, for the East Indies, where it arrived in November of the same year, and landed at Fort St. George, Madras. 1808 The influence of French councils at the court of Denmark, had involved that country in hostilities with Great Britain, and in the beginning of 1808 the first battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment sailed from Madras with the expedition against the Danish settle ment of Tranquebar, situate at one of the mouths of the Caveri river, in the Carnatic, which surrendered to the British arms on the 8th of February, when Lieutenant Colonel Watson, with the head quarters, returned to Madras, and shortly afterwards to Bengal. In the mean time important events had occurred in Europe, which called the second battalion of the Four teenth Regiment into active service. After reducing Germany to submission to his will, and forcing Russia to accede to his decrees. Napoleon was prompted by his restless ambition to attempt the subjugation of Spain and Portugal. The Spaniards and Portuguese the fourteenth foot. 63 rose in arms to assert their national rights, and in the 1808 summer of 1808 Portugal was delivered by a British army under Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley. In the autumn Lieutenan1>General Sir John Moore received orders to advance with a body of British troops from Portugal, into the heart of Spain, at the same. time several regiments were sent from the United Kingdom to co-operate in this enterprise. The second battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Jasper NicoUs, embarked from Cork for Spain, and landed at Corunna, forming part of the force under Lieutenant-General Sir David Baird. Advancing up the country, the British troops encoun tered many difficulties and privations, and the Spanish armies, with which they were directed to co-operate, were defeated and dispersed by the legions of Napo leon, who had three hundred thousand men in Spain. To confront this host of veterans, the British general had not twenty-five thousand men; yet, with that intrepidity for which he was always distinguished, he advanced and menaced the enemy's lines. Sir David Baird's division joined the troops under Sir John Moore on the 20th of December, at Majorga, from whence the army advanced to Sahagun, and prepara tions were made for attacking the French troops under Marshal Soult; but information being received that Napoleon was advancing at the head of an over whelming force, the army retreated towards the coast. In this retrograde movement of two hundred and fifty miles, along roads covered with snow, over rivers and mountains, and along narrow defiles, the troops endured privation and suffering of various kinds; but the ability of their commander was conspicuous, and the army arrived, unbroken, at Corunna, in January, 1809. The 1809 soldiers obtained shelter, food, and repose in the town and neighbouring villages, and their wasted strength 64 historical record of 1809 was recruited while they waited the arrival of shipping to transport them to England. The French army under Marshal Soult approaching, the British troops formed for battle on a range of heights in front of Corunna; the Fourteenth were formed in brigade with the Second, Fifth, and Thirty- second Regiments, under Major- General (afterwards Lord) HiU, and were posted towards the left of the position. On the 16th of January the French troops descended the mountains and attacked the British position in three columns; the first column carried the village of Elvina; then dividing, attempted to turn the right of Lieutenant-General Sir David Baird's division by the valley, and to break its front; the second column advanced against the British centre, and the third attacked the left at the village of Palavia Abaxo. The furious onsets of the enemy were met and repulsed with a firmness and determination which proved the uncon^- querable spirit and excellent discipline of the British troops. The enemy finding his efforts unavailing on the right and centre, determined to render the attack on the left more serious, and succeeded in obtaining pos session of Palavia Abaxo, the village through which the great road to Madrid passes, and which was situate in front of that part of the line; from this post the French were, however, soon expelled, by a very gaUant attack of some companies of the second battalion of the Four teenth Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel NicoUs*. The enemy was repulsed at all points, and the lustre of the British arms shone with peculiar * "It is peculiarly incumbent upon the Lieutenant-General to "notice the vigorous attack made by the second battalion of the "Fourteenth Regiment, under Lieut.-Colonel NicoUs, which « drove the enemy out of the village on the left, of which he had " possessed himself."— Gene>-(i; Orders. THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 65 briUiance amidst the most disadvantageous circum- 1809 stances; but the army sustained the loss of its gallant commander, Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, who was mortally wounded during the engagement. Having defeated a French army of superior numbers, the British troops withdrew on board the fleet. Major- General Hill's brigade took up a position near the ramparts, leaving the piquets to keep up the bivouac fires, to cover the embarkation, which was completed with little loss, and the army returned to England. The distinguished conduct of the Fourteenth Foot was afterwards rewarded with the royal authority to bear the word "Corunna" on the colours of the regiment. The second battalion of the Fourteenth Regi ment landed at Portsmouth and Plymouth, from whence it proceeded to Buckingham; and while stationed at that place, the county title of the regiment was changed from "Bedfordshire" to "Buckinghamshire." In the summer of this year a very powerful arma ment was fitted out and placed under the orders of General the Earl of Chatham, for an attack on Holland, and the second battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment marched from Buckingham to Portsmouth, where it embarked on this enterprise uiider the command of Lieutenant-Colonel NicoUs. In the beginning of August it landed on the island of Walcheren, situate in the German Ocean, near the mouth of the Scheldt, and was employed in the siege of Flushing, the prin cipal port on the island. During the progress of the siege, the Fourteenth evinced the same ardour and contempt of danger for which they were distinguished at the battle of Corunna. On the evening of the 12th of August they were directed to storm one of the Dutch entrenchments in front of the position occupied by the troops- under Major-General Graham, and a detachment of the King's German Legion co-operated in the attack. 66 historical record op 1809 Lieutenant-Colonel NicoUs led the Fourteenth to the assault with great gaUantry, and the soldiers rushed forward with so much spirit and resolution that they carried the entrenchments in a few minutes, capturing one gun and thirteen prisoners, and establishing a lodgment within musket-shot of the walls of the town. This was accomplished with the loss of Ensign C. Harold, and one private soldier, killed; four rank and file wounded. On the following day the line of battle ships cannon aded the town, which was soon in flames, presenting an awful scene of destruction; in the evening one of the batteries was stormed by the Thirty-sixth, Seventy- first, and light battalion of the King's German Legion, and on the morning of the 15th of August the garrison surrendered. The Fourteenth were thanked in general orders for their distinguished conduct. Embarking from Flushing, the battalion was pre pared to sail up the river Scheldt for an attack on Antwerp; but the delays which took place, gave the enemy time to prepare additional means of defence, and an epidemic disease of a fatal character breaking out among the troops, the enterprise was abandoned, and the Fourteenth returned to England, and were quartered at Steyning. The unhealthy climate of Walcheren produced a serious loss of life among the troops left on that island, and the soldiers of the Fourteenth having recovered from the effects of the epidemic, embarked a second time for that station; they formed part of the covering brigade when the stores, sick soldiers, &c., were removed, on the final evacuation of that island. 1810 In March, 1810, the second battalion embarked for Malta, but on arriving at Gibraltar, it was ordered to land at that fortress, and two companies, under Captain Everard and Captain Ramsay, were detached to Tariffa, THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 67 for the defence of that town against the French: the 1810 two companies returned to Gibraltar in June, and the battalion continued its voyage to Malta, where it arrived on the 23rd of that month. In the autumn of this year the first battalion was Avithdrawn from Bengal, to take part in the reduction of the Isle of France, or the Mauritius, an important island belonging to France, and situate in the Indian sea. The battalion sailed to Rodriguez, which was the appointed rendezvous of the expedition, and on the 28th of November the fleet came in sight of the Isle of France. The troops landed in the bay of Mapou, and advanced through a thick wood, skirmishing occasion- aUy with the French. On diverging into the open country, the British marched direct upon Port Louis, but the soldiers suffering much from the want of water, the army halted at the streams at the powder mills, five miles from the town. Resuming the march on the foUowing day, the troops were opposed by the enemy in force, when some sharp fighting occurred, in which the British soldiers were triumphant. The Four teenth had one man killed, and two wounded, on this occasion. Having overcome aU opposition, the British con tinued their march, and took post in front of the enemy's lines before the town. On the following morning the governor. General de Caen, agreed to surrender the place to the British troops, under Major- General John Abercromby. This valuable island was thus added to the possessions of the British crown, and the Fourteenth were thanked in orders for their conduct on this service. After the capture of the Isle of France, the first battahon of the Fourteenth Regiment proceeded to Madras, where it was stationed several weeks. In January, 1811, the flank companies of the second 1811 68 HISTORICAL RECORD OP 1811 battalion proceeded from Malta, to the island of Sicily, under the orders of Captain Ramsay and Captain Light, to serve under Major-General Lord WiUiam Bentinck. After the capture of the Isle of France, the British government resolved to complete its dominion in the East, by the conquest of the island of Java, of which the Dutch had held undisturbed possession for more than one hundred years. The extent of the island, — six hun dred and forty miles long, and about a hundred broad; the luxuriant and fertile character of the soil, the moun tain districts yielding the vegetables and grain of Europe, and the plains the delicious fruits and other valuable productions of the East in abundance, without the necessity of laborious tillage, 'and to so great an extent as to occasion it to be sometimes called the granary of the East; rendered the island of Java a Valuable acquisition to the United Provinces, and its principal city, Batavia, was the capital of the Dutch set- lements in the East Indies. Holland having become a part of that empire which Napoleon was forming to prepare the way for universal dominion, it became necessary to deprive the Dutch of the large and fertile island of Java, and a body of troops was placed under the orders of Lieutenant-General Sir Samuel Auch- muty for that purpose. In this enterprise the first battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment was employed, and the greater part of the officers and men were re- embarked in March on board of the men-of-war ordered to cruise off the island, in which service they had various opportunities of distinguishing themselves, in destroying gun-boats, and in other enterprises on the coast. On one occasion Lieutenant Gillman, who com manded a party on board the boats of His Majesty's ship " Sir Francis Drake," was killed. The conduct of a detachment under Lieutenant J. H. Heyland, em- THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 69 barked in the sloop "Procris," engaged in the boarding 1811 of some of the enemy's gun-boats, was highly com mended in the public despatch of Captain Maunsell, R.N. Detachments consisting of the Fourteenth and Eighty-ninth Regiments, Royal Marines, and seamen, were landed from His Majesty's ship " Minden," near Bantam, on the coast of Java, and, in two contests, defeated five hundred of the enemy's chosen troops, which bad-been sent to Batavia to attack them. Cap tain Watson, Lieutenants Rochfort, McLean, and L'Estrange, and Ensign Jennings, of the Fourteenth, and Lieutenant Dunscombe of the Eighty-ninth, par ticularly distinguished themselves on these occasions. The head-quarters sailed from Madras on the 18th of April, 1811, and landed on the 4th of August, at the village of Chillingching, about twelve miles east of Batavia, towards which city the army directed its march. The French and Dutch troops set fire to the magazines in Batavia, and abandoned the city, which was taken possession of by the British. On the 10th of August the British advanced from Batavia, and found three thousand select men of the GaUo-Batavian troops in a strong position, defended by abattis behind Weltefreden; and this post was stormed and carried at the point of the bayonet, many of the enemy being kiUed, and the remainder retreating to the entrenched position at Cornelis, between the great river Jacatra, and the deep aqueduct of Slaken. The conduct of Captain Stannus commanding the light infantry company of the Fourteenth, and of Lieute nant Coghlan, commanding the rifle company, was highly commended in Colonel Gillespie's report of this action. The regiment had Ensign Nickisson and three rank and file wounded. In the strong position of Cornelis more than ten thousand GaUo-Batavian troops were assembled, and they were greatly superior in numbers to the British 70 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1811 force. This formidable position was, however, stormed on the 26th of August, and the invincible prowess of the assailants overcame all opposition; the British were triumphant at every point; nearly two thousand of the enemy were killed, and about five thousand prisoners were taken, including three general officers. The re mainder of the enemy dispersed, excepting a few men, who accompanied the GaUo-Batavian commander. Gene ral Jansens, in his flight. The Fourteenth distin guished themselves on this occasion, and the conduct of their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, was commended in the official account of the action given by Colonel GiUespie. The victory of Cornelis terminated the Dutch sovereignty of Java; General Jansens was pursued up the country; and on the 16th of September, the Four teenth were engaged in storming the fortified position at Jattoo, when the remainder of the GaUo-Batavian force was routed; General Jansens was afterwards forced to surrender, and this valuable island was annexed to the dominions of the British Crown. It was restored to Holland, at the termination of the war, by the Treaty of Vienna in 1814. The loss of the Fourteenth Foot at the storming of Fort Cornelis was Captain Marinus Kennedy, two serjeants, and nine rank and file, killed; Major George Miller, Captain Trevor Stannus, Lieutenants W. H. Coghlan and Kenneth Mc Kenzie, seven serjeants, and eighty-three three rank and file, wounded; one rank and file missing. Lieutenant-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty stated in his public despatch, " The superior discipline and invin- " cible courage which have so highly distinguished the " British army, were never more fully displayed, and I " have the heartfelt pleasure to add, that they have not " been clouded by any acts of insubordination." The commanding officer of the Fourteenth, Lieu- the fourteenth foot. 71 tenant-Colonel Watson, (now Lieutenant-General Sir 1811 James Watson, K.C.B., colonel of the regiment,) was rewarded with a gold medal; and the word "Java" was placed, by royal authority, on the colours of the regiment to commemorate its distinguished services at the capture of that island, which was the most splendid acquisition made by the British arms in 1811. The strength of the first battalion at the capture of Java was forty-eight officers, and one thousand one hundred and forty-five non-commissioned officers and soldiers. After the capture of Java the Fourteenth re- 1812 mained on the island for some time. The Sultan of Mataram, who governed a portion of the interior, trust ing to his power, and the strength of his fortified palace, at Djoojocarta, meditated the expulsion of all Europeans from the island, and committed aggressions of which it became necessary to stop the progress. To effect this, his palace was captured by storm on the morning of the 20th of June, 1812; on which occasion the Four teenth had another occasion of distinguishing them selves. Lieutenant-Colonel Watson commanded the main attack, and the grenadiers of the regiment headed the assault in their usual gallant style*. Colonel Gil lespie, commanding the forces in Java, stated in orders, " To Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, who commanded " the leading column, the commander of the forces can- " not convey the sense he entertains of his distinguished " bravery, and of the quickness and celerity with which " he conceived and executed the attack. "The animated style in which Captain Johnstone " and Lieutenant Hunter crossed the ditch, at the head " of the Fourteenth grenadiers, and escaladed the * " The gallant Fourteenth proceeded to scour the ramparts, "and the capture of the Sultan rendered the victory complete." — London Gaxette. 72 historical record of 1812 " ramparts, under the fire of the east bastion, could only " be equalled by the order and zeal of their followers." The conduct of Lieutenant Hill, and of Lieutenant Mc Lean, of the regiment was also commended. Eight rank and file of the regiment were kUled Lieutenant Mc Lean died of his wounds, and thirty rank and file were wounded. ' 1813 An expedition was fitted out, in 1813, consisting of a detachment of the Fourteenth Regiment, and of the troops in the service of the Honourable the East India Company, and placed under the orders of Lieu tenant-Colonel Watson of the Fourteenth, for the attack of the piratical state of Sambas, on the western coast of the island of Borneo, which terminated in the surrender of the town, after a sharp conflict in which Captain Watson and Lieutenant Jennings were wounded; the capture of all the batteries, fortified posts, and defences of the Sultan, and the complete discomfiture of Pangerang Anom and his adherents. The first batta hon proceeded to Bengal in October, 1813. In the mean time the war in Europe was pro- ' secuted with great vigour; the British troops were victorious in the Peninsula, and every effort was made to bring a powerful army into the field. At this period a third battalion was added to the Fourteenth Regi ment of Foot; it was raised by volunteers from the Militia and assembled at Weedon under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel the Honorable James Stewart, and was soon in a condition fit for active service. 1814 After a contest of twenty years, the period of the downfal of that gigantic power, which had sprung out of the French revolution, arrived ; the snow storms of the winter of 1812-13, had annihilated the French army in Russia ; the British army, which had delivered Portugal and Spain from the tyrannical rule of Napo leon, was foUowing up its career of victory in the heart of France; at the same time the forces of Russia^, THE fourteenth FOOT. 73 Prussia, Austria, and other continental states, were 1814 invading France. Thus a favourable opportunity pre sented itself; one powerful effort appeared likely to overthrow Napoleon and his adherents, and at this important juncture, (the spring of 1814,) the third battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment received orders to hold itself in readiness for foreign service, and com menced its march for the coast; at the same time the second battalion was withdrawn from the island of Malta, to join the expedition, under Lieutenant-General Lord William Bentinck, against the north-west coast of Italy. This expedition captured several places, in cluding the maritime city of Genoa, once a celebrated republic, now the capital of a province in the Sardinian States. The progress of the British arms in Italy was suddenly arrested by the termination of the war: Napo leon Bonaparte abdicated; Louis .XVIII. ascended the throne of France; and the nations of Europe hailed the event as the great jubilee of Christendom. The embark ation of the third battahon of the Fourteenth Regi ment was countermanded, and after some delay, the second battalion was placed in quarters at the city of ' Genoa, where it remained twelve months. Towards the end of the year the third battalion was held in readiness to embark for North America; cir cumstances connected with the trade of neutral nations, during the war with France, having involved Great Britain in hostilities with the United States. Before the battalion quitted England, peace was concluded with the United States, when the order for its proceeding abroad was countermanded, and directions were given for its being disbanded on the 24th of March, 1815. In the spring of 1815, while the Congress at Vienna 1815 was deciding on the boundaries of kingdoms, and the people of aU countries were looking forward to a pe riod of peace, Bonaparte suddenly violated his engage- 14. P 74 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1815 ments, re-appeared in France, and the French army declaring in his favour, he reascended the throne he had abdicated. War was immediately declared against the usurper; the order for disbanding the third battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment was consequently rescinded, and on the 21st of March, (three days before the date fixed upon for its being disbanded,) the battalion received directions to embark for Flanders: it landed at Ostend on the 31st of March, and formed part of the army com manded by His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange. Additional forces were sent to Flanders, Field Marshal his Grace the Duke of Wellington assumed the command, and the third battalion of the Four teenth Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Francis S. Tidy, (Major of the regiment,) was formed in brigade with the Twenty-third Royal Welsh FusiUers, and Fifty-first Light Infantry under Colonel Mitchel, and constituted part of the fourth division, commanded by Lieutenant-General the Honorable Sir Charles Colville, K.C.B. Bonaparte attempted, by one of those rapid advances for which he had always been celebrated, to interpose between the British and Prussian armies, and on the 16th of June the battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras were fought: the British were victorious; but the Prussians were defeated; and the Duke of WeUington retreated, on the 17th of June, to the position in front of the village of Waterloo, to preserve his communication with Prince Blucher. On the 18th of June the third battalion of the Four teenth Regiment had the honour to take part in the memorable battle of Waterloo, the character and import ance of which engagement, distinguish it as the greatest event of the age, and mark it as the brightest era in the history of the British army. The battalion was composed of young soldiers, who had never before been under fire, but their bearing reflected honour on the corps to which THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 75 they belonged. During the heat of the conflict, when 1815 the thunder of cannon and musketry, the occasional explosion of caissons, the hissing of balls, shells, and grape shot, the clash of arms, the impetuous noise and shouts of the soldiery, produced a scene of carnage and confusion impossible to describe, a staff officer rode up to Lieutenant-Colonel Tidy, and directed him to form square; this was scarcely completed when the glittering arms of a regiment of cuirassiers were seen issuing from the smoke. The French horsemen paused for a moment at the sight of the scarlet uniforms of the Fourteenth, and then turned to the right to attack a regiment of Brunswickers; but a volley from the Brunswick square repulsed the enemy, and Lieutenant-Colonel Tidy, with the view of giving confidence to the young soldiers of the Fourteenth, drew their attention to the facility with which infantry could repulse cavalry The French cuirassiers rallied, and appeared inclined to charge the Fourteenth, but were intimidated by the steady and determined bearing of the battalion. The cavalry attacks on the British line were particu larly severe, and were supported by large bodies of troops of all arms; the infantry pressing forward, while dra goons, lancers, carabineers, and cuirassiers advanced in overwhelming numbers, threatening to bear down all opposition; masking at times the advance of infantry; charging the British squares, and when repulsed, quickly re-forming; while individuals, spurred on by an ardent but unavailing intrepidity, were observed searching for an opening in the British battalions by which to pene trate, and usually perishing in the vain attempt. Repulsed at all points, Bonaparte resolved to make a last desperate effort, and brought forward his reserve, consisting of the old imperial guards; but these chosen bands were overthrown and annihilated ; and the whole British army rushing forward upon the enemy, com- F2 76 HISTORICAL RECORD OF I8l5 pleted the overthrow of the legions of Bonaparte, which were driven from the field bf battle with the loss of all their cannon, baggage, and the materiel of their army. Thus was a victory, the most complete and decisive, achieved by the army under the Duke of Wellington : the British soldiers halted on the field of battle sur rounded by their ensaiigUined trophies: they had decided the political destiny of the world, and ensure4 national independence to the kingdoms of Europe ! In congratulating the regiments of the fourth bri gade, in the share they had in achieving the glorious victory at Waterloo, Lieutenant-General Sir Charles ColviUe observed, — "the Twenty-third and Fifty-first " Regiments fuUy maintained their former high cha- " racter, whilst the very young third battalion of "the Fourteenth, in this its first trial, displayed a " steadiness and gaUantry becoming of veteran troops." The loss of the battalion was seven rank and file kiUed; Ensign Alfred Cooper, foUr serjeants, and sixteen rank and file, wounded. The royal authority was afterwards given for the regiment to bear the word "Waterloo" on its colors, to commemorate the share it had in gaining this splen did victory. Lieutenant-Colonel Tidy was rewarded with the dignity of Companion of the Bath; and every officer and soldier received a silver medal, wdth the privilege of reckoning two years' service for that day. The names of the officers of the Fourteenth Regiment of Foot, who received medals, for the battle of Waterloo, on the I8th of June, 1815, are contained in the following list: Major Francis S. Tidv, {Lieut.-Colonel,) commanding the battalion. Major Keightley. Captains. Wm. Tumor. George Marlay. Richard Adams. Wm. Ross. Thomas Ramsay. j. L. White. Christian Wilson. THE fourteenth FOOT. 77 Lieutenants. 1815 Wm. Akenside. Wm. Buckle. L. Westwood. Ch. M. Brannan. Geo. Baldwin. Jas. C. Hartley. Samuel Beachcroft. John Nicholson. Ensigns. Geo. Mackenzie. Jas. Ramsay Smith. Richard J. Stacpoole. Robert B- Newenham. Alfred Cooper. Richard B. Holmes. Wm. Keowen. Joseph Bowlby. Hon. G. T- Keppel, John Manley Wood. John P. Matthews. Montague Burrows. Arthur Ormsby. Adjutant. — WiUiam Buckle. Assistant-Surgeons. — Alexander Shannon ; Henry Terry. On the morning of the 19th of June, the British troops advanced in pursuit of the wreck of the French army; and on entering France, the Duke of WeUington invited Louis XVIII. to repair to Cateau Cambresis. Being desirous of not exposing the King's person, the British commander directed Cambray to be summoned; but this fortress refused to surrender, and repulsed the troops which approached the town on the 23rd of June. On the foUowing day orders for attacking the place by escalade were issued, and the third battalion of the Fourteenth, with the Twenty-third and Fifty-first Regiments, were directed to make a fejnt attack on the Paris gate; but the gallantry of the officers and soldiers turned the feint into a real attack, and they were in possession of the town before the other brigades of the fourth division could force an entrance. The citadel of Cambray surrendered on the 25th of June. The army continued its advance upon Paris, which city surrendered in the early part of July, and the war was terminated with the restoration of Louis XVIII. to the throne of France. During this period, the second battalion had re mained at the city of Genoa, on the north-west coast of Italy, from whence it was ordered to Marseilles, in France, under the command of Major-General Lowe, 78 historical record OF 1815 and it landed at that port on the 12th of July. At this period Bonaparte was at Rochefort, endeavouring to effect his escape to North America ; but being pre vented by the British cruizers, he surrendered to Captain Maitland, commanding the " Bellerophon" man of war, thus closing his political career. On the conclusion of the treaties of peace which followed these events, the battalion embarked from Marseilles for the island of Malta, where it arrived in January, 1816. The third battalion remained in the vicinity of Paris several months; it was present at the reviews of the army, in the plain of St. Denis and Champs Elysees, by the Emperors of Russia and Austria, and the Kings of Prussia and France, and on the formation of the army of occupation, it returned to England: it was disbanded at Deal, on the I7th of February, 1816; the non-commissioned officers and soldiers fit for duty being transferred to the first and second battalions. The first battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment was stationed at the military cantonment of Berham-- pore, from whence it marched, in the beginning of 1815, and joined the army assembled under Major-General George Wood, in consequence of the war with the king dom of Nepaul. The Nepaulese were soon reduced to submission, and in April, the Fourteenth proceeded to the military cantonment of Dinapore, situated on the south bank of the river Ganges, in the province of Bahar, where they remained until October, when they embarked in boats, and proceeded to the cantonments near the ancient Hindoo town of Cawnpore, on the west bank of the Ganges, in the province of Allahabad. 1816 On the 26th of April, 1816, the second battalion embarked from Malta, for the Ionian Islands, where it was stationed during the following seventeen months. The first battalion remained at Cawnpore during the whole of this year. THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 79 In the mean time the resistance made by a powerful 1817 Hindoo Zemindar, or landholder, who possessed the town and fort of Hatrass, in the province of Agra, occa sioned the regiment once more to take the field in India, in the beginning of 1817. This Zemindar was named Dyaram; during the troubles in the province of Agra, he only paid his rents when threatened with a large military force, and in the year 1803, when the country between the rivers Jumna and Ganges, called the Dooab, was taken possession of by the British, he expressed himself willing to pay his assessment, but objected to any interference in what he called his terri tory. This was not agreed to, but he was not then molested. His refusing to acknowledge the authority of the civil law, afterwards rendered it necessary to bring him to obedience by force of arms, and he had the presumption to defy the British power. To reduce this refractory Zemindar, a body of troops was placed under Major-General Sir Dyson Marshall, and the first battalion of the Fourteenth Regiment took part in the enterprise. The fortified town of Hatrass was reputed of great strength, and when the troops arrived before it, in February, 181 7j some inquiry was made respecting the depth of the ditch, which a soldier of the Fourteenth, volunteered to ascertain, and fastening a large stone to the end of a cord, he proceeded alone after dark, and gained the necessary information, with a cool intrepidity, exposed to such great danger, as created great surprise. The fire of the batteries soon forced the town to submit, when it was taken posses sion of by Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, and the Four teenth; but the castle held out several days; at length the principal magazine exploded, and during the fol lowing night the refractory Dyaram escaped at the head of a hundred horsemen all in complete armour. The castle was afterwards taken possession of without oppo- 80 historical record of 181 7 sition; and this was followed by the submission of all the zemindars of the Dooab. After the performance of this service the Fourteenth returned to Cawnpore, where they remained several months. The second battalion embarked from Cephalonia in the autumn of this year, and proceeded to Malta, where it remained a few days. The peace of Europe appear ing to be established upon a firm basis, a reduction in the army took place, which occasioned the second bat talion to receive orders to return to England for the purpose of being disbanded ; it landed at Portsmouth on the 24th and 25th of November, and was reduced at Chichester on the 23rd of December, transferring four hundred and twenty rank and file to the first battalion. The aggressions of the bands of Pindarees, who made incursions into the territory subject to Great Britain, and committed great depredations, occasioned the regiment to be again called into the field in Oc tober of this year. Colonel Watson having received the appointment of Brigadier-General, and been nomi nated to a command under Major-General Sir Dyson Marshall, the command of the regiment devolved on Major Johnstone. The Pindarees were a community of professed marauders?, and they were encouraged to make ravages in the British dominions in India, by the Mahratta states. Being all horsemen subsisting by plunder, the services of the corps employed against them were of an arduous and trying character : — tra versing extensive districts by forced marches, passing rivers and thickets, and attempting to surprise these bands of plunderers, were duties calculated to exhaust the strength of European soldiers, when performed under an Indian sun. The regiment continued actively 1818 employed on these services until April, 1818, when it proceeded to the military cantonment of Meerut. 1819 At the pleasant quarters of Meerut, situated on an THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 81 extensive grass plain, the regiment was stationed during 1819 the seven foUowing years, and it preserved a high repu tation for good conduct in quarters, while employed in this part of India. Events, however, occurred in 1825, 1825 which occasioned it to take the field, when it had another opportunity of gaining laurels in combat with the enemies of Great Britain, under the foUowing cir cumstances : The Rajah of Bhurtpore, Baldeo Singh, had become attached to the English government, with which he formed an alliance, offensive and defensive, and pro cured a guarantee for the succession of his youthful son, Bhulwunt Singh, to the throne; but amongst many of the rajah's subjects, a strong feeling of hostility to the British existed, particularly in the army, and his nephew, Doorjun Sal, was at the head of the party opposed to the British alliance. After the rajah's decease his nephew excited a rebellion, gained posses sion of the capital, and assumed the sovereign power. To fulfil the engagements made with the deceased rajah, by removing the usurper, and placing the youthful prince on the throne, a British army was assembled under General Viscount Combermere, and in November, 1825, the Fourteenth Foot, mustering upwards of nine hundred officers and soldiers, were withdrawn from Meerut, to join the division assembling at Muttra, for the purpose of engaging in this enterprise. The most important part of this war, it was well known, would consist in the siege of the capital, the fortified city of Bhurtpore; and great confidence being placed by the natives in the strength of this place, from which a British army under Lord Lake had been forced to retire in 1805, after a short siege, a body of troops was assem bled, and a train of artillery brought forward, such as have seldom taken the field in Indian warfare. The Fourteenth, commanded by Major Matthias Everard, 82 historical record of 1825 were formed in brigade with the Twenty-third and Sixty-third Regiments of Native Infantry, under Lieu tenant-Colonel John M'Combe, of the Fourteenth, who had the rank of brigadier-general; Lieutenant- Colonel W. T. Edwards, of the Fourteenth Regiment, also commanded a brigade, with the rank of brigadier- general. On the 10th and 11th of December the British army appeared before the celebrated city and fortress of Bhurtpore, which contained a garrison nearly equal in numbers to the besieging force. The Bhurtporees had cut a sluice into the embankment of a lake near the town, to fill the ditch round the works with water, but they were speedily driven from the spot; the sluice was stopped, the embankment was turned into a military post, which was intrusted to a company of the Four teenth Foot, and some Sepoys: about eighteen inches of water, only, had flowed into the ditch, and this sud den seizure of the embankment facilitated the progress of the siege by keeping the ditch nearly empty. The seve ral corps took up their ground; the investment became complete, several reconnoisances were made, and work ing parties cut down orange and date trees from the groves, and converted them into fascines and gabions. At an early hour on the morning of the 24th of Decem ber the fires of two batteries were opened on the town; additional works were constructed, the batteries became more numerous, and the siege was prosecuted with vigour; each successive day giving birth to fresh under takings, and the progress, though tardy, becoming hourly more and more perceptible. It was, however, found particularly difficult to effect practicable breaches in the singularly constructed walls of Bhurtpore, which were thickly studded, in many places, with large trees of a peculiarly tough description of timber, which resisted shot with remarkable pertinacity. The the fourteenth foot. 83 process of mining was adopted, several explosions 1825 took place, and the result soon rendered it evident to every one present that the horrors of an assault were drawing near. The Bhurtporees, however, evinced great bravery and perseverance, exposing themselves to the fire of the besieging force with singular resolution; they built up in the night the works which were knocked down during the day, labouring under a ceaseless fire, and evincing a firm determination to persevere in the defence. The roar of cannon and musketry continued day and night like a ceaseless peal of thunder; and the explosions of the mines deafened, for an instant, all who were near the place. Considerable progress having been made towards ig26 effecting practicable breaches, the Fourteenth Regi ment received orders to prepare to lead one of the attacks at the storming of this celebrated fortress, and at two o'clock on the morning of the 18th of January, 1826, it marched to the front opposite the left bastion, to await the explosion of a mine. The Fourteenth and Fifty-ninth Regiments had the honour of being selected to head the two attacks, and they were directed to wheel as soon as they had entered the breaches, one to the right and the other to the left, and, continuing their career round the ramjDarts, to drive the enemy before them till they met. Some delay occurred in the mine, and the soldiers stood seven hours anxiously waiting for the moment to commence the assault, du ring which time the thunder of the artiUery was tre mendous. General Lord Combermere arrived at the spot where the Fourteenth were formed, and seeing the mouth of the mine near, he anxiously enquired if all was safe, to which the engineer replied in the affirmative. His lordship returned soon afterwards, and repeated the question, when he was again assured that all was safe. In a few minutes afterwards the 84 historical record of 1826 bastion, beneath which the mine had been formed, heaved, as if by the power of an earthquake ; the pon derous waU rocked to and fro, and then sunk down again, when, with a sound far exceeding the loudest thunder, the exploding mine rent the massive bastion into fragments, forcing stones, logs of wood, guns, men, and earth, into the air, with a violence which it is impossible to describe, and filling the atmosphere for a considerable distance with so dense a cloud of smoke, dust, and fragments of the rmned bastion, that it was difficult to breathe. Brigadier M'^Combe was stunned, and several soldiers of the Fourteenth were injured by the faUing fragments and bursting mine. As soon as the tremendous crash was over, the soldiers rushed through the cloud of smoke and dust, and began to ascend the breach, led by Majors Everard and Bisshopp ; they encountered some opposition, but nothing could withstand the bayonets of the Grenadiers of the Four teenth, — their valour soon overpowered aU resistance, and the regiment gained the summit with little loss. The native corps appointed to support the regiment not being near, a short pause ensued, when the enemy opened a heavy fire from the buildings near the breach. Undaunted by this, the Fourteenth dashed forward, cleared the walls as they went, and, turning to the right, they drove the enemy from bastion to bastion, and from tower to tower, with astonishing intrepidity and success, capturing a colour which was on one of the bastions. The enemy sprang a mine, which kiHed several soldiers of the regiment; the Bhurtpore artil lerymen fought with great desperation, and the de fenders of the walls evinced much personal bravery, but they could not withstand the superior prowess and disciphne of the British troops. As the Fourteenth were scouring the ramparts, and overcoming all opposition in gallant style, they THE FOURTEENTH FOdT. 85 arrived at the Anah gate, where they met the soldiers 1826 of the Fifty-ninth, who had turned to the left at the breach, and proved victorious over every opponent ; it was a moment of intense interest, and a scene of glo rious emotions : Bhurtpore was won ! the stain of a former repulse was wiped from the British arms, and they hailed each other with a hearty and cordial cheer. The light company of the Fourteenth, which mounted the breach with the grenadiers, pursued, with other troops, a body of the enemy towards the citadel, which they nearly entered with the fugitives ; four hun dred Bhurtporees were shut out, and bayonetted at the gate. The citadel surrendered a few hours after wards ; the commander-in-chief entered it at the head of the Fourteenth Regiment, which he placed in garrison, as a compliment to the corps for its extra ordinary gallantry : thus was accomplished the capture of this celebrated city, which was regarded throughout the East as impregnable, the natives being accustomed to remark that India was not subdued, because Bhurt pore had not fallen. That boast was rendered futile, and every native prince had a clear evidence that neither the number of his troops, nor the strength of his for tresses, would avail against the superior valour and discipline of the British foirces. The usurper, Doorjun Sal, was captured while at tempting to escape, and was sCnt prisoner to Allaha bad ; the young R,ajah, Bhulwunt Singh, was taken to the palace of his ancestors, and seated on the throne, in the presence of the Fourteenth Regiment; and the other towns of his dominions submitted. Thus was the cloud which darkened the horizon of British Itidia dispersed, and the splendour of the British arms received additional lustre in the East. Lord Comber mere stated in his' public despatch,— " I have the plea- 86 HISTORICAL record OP 1826 " sure to acquaint your lordship, that the conduct of " every one engaged was marked by a degree of zeal "which calls for my unqualified approbation; but I " must particularly remark the behaviour of His Ma- " jesty's Fourteenth Regiment, commanded by " Major Everard, and Fipty-ninti-i, commanded by " Major Fuller ; these corps having led the columns " of assault, by their steadiness and determination de- " cided the fate of the day." In division orders it was stated, — " Major-General " ReyneU congratulates the troops of his division, Eu- " ropean and Native, engaged in the storming of Bhurt- " pore this morning, upon the brilliant success which " attended their gallant exertions. It is impossible for " him to convey half what he feels in appreciating the " conduct of His Majesty's Fourteenth Regiment, " that led the principal storming column. It has im- '^ pressed his mind with stronger notions of what a " British Regiment is capable of, when led by such " officers as Major Everard, Major Bisshopp, and Cap- " tain Mackenzie, than he ever before possessed. The " Major-General requests that Major Everard will as- " sure the officers and soldiers of the Fourteenth " Regiment, that they more than realized his expecta- " tions." Lieutenant-Colonel W. T. Edwards, of the Four teenth, an officer of high character and lofty promise, fell at the head of the second brigade, pierced by many wounds ; Captain Henry B. Armstrong was also mor- taUy wounded while leading his men to victory on the ramparts. The regiment had likewise two serjeants, twenty-nine rank and file, and three Lascars, killed; Lieutenant-Colonel John M^Combe, Lieutenants Ri chard Stack, Robert Daly, and Edward C. Lynch, Volunteer W. TuUoh, two serjeants, ninety-eight rank and file, and three Lascars, wounded. THE FOURTEENTH FOOT. 87 Colonel John M'Combe*, who commanded the first 1826 brigade, and Major Matthias Everard, who commanded the regiment, were rewarded with the dignity of Com panion of the Bath ; and the Royal authority was after wards given for the word " Bhurtpore " to be borne on the regimental colour, to commemorate its gallantry on this occasion. The war having terminated, the regiment returned to the cantonment of Meerut, where it was stationed upwards of six months. General Sir Harry Calvert, Baronet, G.C.B., died in September, 1826, when King George IV. conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on General Thomas Lord Lynedoch, G.C.B. The regiment left Meerut in October; it subse quently embarked in boats, and, after a tedious passage down the river Ganges, arrived at Fort William in the beginning of 1827; and was stationed at that fortress i827 twelve months. Early in 1828 the regiment quitted Fort William, 1828 and proceeded to the cantonment at Berhampore, where it was stationed during the year 1829. 1829 After performing the important duty of guarding 1830 the colonial possessions of Great Britain in India twentjr-three years, the Fourteenth Regiment re ceived orders to prepare to return to England ; it left Berhampore in November, and proceeded to Fort Wil liam ; the men who volunteered to remain in India were transferred to other corps; and in December, 1830, and January, 1831, it embarked from Calcutta 1831 for England. It landed at Gravesend in May and July, — was stationed at Chatham until September, — and at Albany Barracks during the remainder of the year. * Colonel John M'Combe died at Calcutta on the 12th October, 1828. 88 HISTORICAL RECORD OF 1832 In the early part of 1832, the regiment was sta tioned at Haslar Barracks, fi-om whence it proceeded to Portsmouth, where it remained five months. In the middle of July it embarked for Ireland, and after land ing at Cork, marched from thence to Buttevant. 1833 In 1833 the head-quarters were removed to Ath- 1834 lone; in 1834 to Dublin, and afterwards to Mullingar. General Lord Lynedoch having been removed to the First, the Royal, Regiment of Foot, King William IV. conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Lieu tenant-General the Honorable Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B., G.C.H., by commission, dated the 12th bf December, 1834. This officer was removed to the 1835 Fifth Fusiliers in March, 1835, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Regiment by Lieu tenant-General Sir Alexander Hope, G.C.B., who, as lieutenant-colonel, commanded the regiment in 1795. The head-quarters were removed to Dundalk in the summer of 1835. 1836 Five years had not elapsed from the period of the return of the regiment from India, when it received orders to prepare for embarkation for the West Indies. It was divided into six service and four depot compa nies; the service companies embarked from Cork in February, 1836, arrived, in March, at Barbadoes, and were removed, in April, to the island of St. Kitt's. 1837 In February, 1837, the service companies were re- inoved to Antigua. On the 19th of May, General the Honorable Sir Alexander Hope, G.C.B., Lieutenant Governor of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, died, and was succeeded in the colonelcy by Lieutenant-General Sir James Watson, K.C.B., who had commanded the regiment in India, as lieutenant- colon el, from the year 1807 to 1821, when he was promoted to the rank of major-general. In June the depot companies embarked from Water- the fourteenth foot. 89 ford for England, and, landing at Bristol, proceeded 1837 from thence to Brecon. During the year 1838, the service companies re- 1838 mained at Antigua. The distinguished services of the Fourteenth Regiment in India, from 1807 to 1831, having been, at the special request of Lieutenant-General Sir James Watson, brought before Her Majesty by the Com mander-in-Chief, the Royal authority was given for the badge of the "Royal Tiger," superscribed "India," to be borne upon the regimental colour and appoint ments, to commemorate its services in that part of Her Majesty's dominions. In December* orders were received for the removal of the service companies from Antigua to St. Lucia, where they arrived in the beginning of January, 1839 : 1839 in April, 1840, they proceeded to Barbadoes, and in 1840 June to Trinidad. They suffered severely on these stations from yellow fever and other effects of a tropical chmate. The dep6t companies proceeded from England to Ireland in June, 1840. The regiment remained at Trinidad until the early 1841 part of 1841, when it was removed to Barbadoes. On the 27th. of April it embarked from Barbadoes for Lower Canada, and landed at Quebec on the 2nd of June foUowing. The depot companies were removed from Ireland to 1345 England, in December, 1844; and the service com panies have remained in Canada until the year 1845, the period of the completion of this Record. * A brigantine, having on board the head-quarters of the regi ment, with six officers, one hundred and eight soldiers, and thirty women, under Lieut.-Colonel Everard, C.B., K.H., was wrecked on the rocks off Guadaloupe, before daylight on Christmas day; but the inhabitants came to their aid in boats, and no lives were lost. 14. G 90 record op the fourteenth foot. 1845 Amo^g the splendid achievements of valour with which the annals of the British army abound, the gallant ]:!phaYiour of the Fourteenth Foot, on se veral occasions, appears conspicuous for those bright quaUties of intrepidity and heroism which distinguish the inhabitants of Great Britain and Ireland when arrayed under the standard of their Sovereign ; and the conduct of this corps in quarters has been markpd by those excellent features of order, subordination, and discipline, vrhich adorn the character of the British soldier, procuring for him the a(lmiration of the in habitants of all countries. The inscriptions on tlie colour of the regiment bear testimony of the estima tion in which its services have been held by its Sove reign; and the reports of the general officers, under whqm it has served, have procured for it the confidence of the Government and the Country. 14 th Re.dmi-nt of Foot. SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF THE FOUKTEENTH, OB BUCKINGHAM REGIMENT OP FOOT. Sir Edwaed Hales, Baronet. Appointed 22nd June, 1685. This officer was the son of Sir Edward Hales, of Woodchurch, in the county of Kent, who was a distinguished loyalist in the reigns of Charles I. and Charles II., and being forced to flee from England for his loyal attempts during the rebel lion, he died in France a few years after the restoration in 1660. Edwakd Hales succeeded, on the decease of his father, to the family estate at Woodchurch, and to the dignity of a Baronet ; and when the Court began to evince a disposition to favour Papacy, he changed his religion from Protestant to Roman Catholic. He was in great favour with King James II., and having raised a company of foot for the service of that monarch, in June, 1685, he was appointed colonel of a regiment, which is now the Fourteenth Foot. He was also constituted a member of the privy council, one of the lords of the Admiralty, deputy governor of the cinque ports, and lieutenant-governor of the Tower of London. Being unable, fronx his religion, to take the required oaths on appointment to the colonelcy of his regiment, he was prose- o 2 92 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. cuted and convicted at Rochester assizes; but he moved the case to the Court of King's Bench, pleaded the King's dis pensation and had judgment in his behalf: — eleven out of the twelve judges being of opinion that the King might dispense in that case. Sir Edward Hales was in the King's confidence; and at the Revolution, in 1688, he was employed to make arrangements for His Majesty's flight to France. On the night of the 10th of December, Sir Edward, with the quarter-master of his reginient, Edward Syng*, quitted Whitehall Palace with the King — proceeded in a hackney coach to Horse-ferry, crossed the Thames in a boat, and con tinued their flight in disguise to Feversham, where they went on board of the Custom-House hoy, designing to cross the channel to France; but they were suspected of being Popish priests, and were apprehended on board the vessel by the country people. The King being afterwards recognised, he was induced to return to London; but he subsequently escaped from Rochester and proceeded to France. Sir Edward Hales attempted to conceal himself, to escape the fury of the populace, who were enraged against him for changing his religion, and at the time he was apprehended at Feversham the country people were plundering his house, killing his deer, and wantonly destroying his property in Kent. He was detained in custody, and afterwards confined in the Tower of London for eighteen months; on his release he proceeded to France, and he was at La Hogue ready to embark for England when Admiral Russel defeated the French fleet. His eldest son served in King James's army in Ireland, and was killed at the battle of the Boyne. While in France, Sir Edward Hales was created by King James, Earl op Tenterden, in Kent. He died in France in 1695, and was buried in the church of St. Sulpice in Paris. • Vide King James's own account of this circumstance, in Doctor Clarke's life of that monarch. succession op colonels. 93 William Beveridge. Appointed dilst December, 1688. William Beveridge served under the Prince of Orange in the Netherlands, in one of the British regiments in the service of the States-General of Holland; and at the Revolu tion, in 1 688, His Highness promoted him to the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Regiment of Foot. He commanded the regiment nearly four years; and was killed in a duel with one of his captains, on the 14th of November, 1692. John Tidcomb. Appointed 14i/t November, 1692. This officer entered the army in the reign of King James II., and was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Thirteenth Foot, on the 31st of December, 1688. He served under Major-General Mackay in Scotland, and displayed great gallantry at the battle of Killicrankie : he also served under King William III., in Ireland, and was at the battle of the Boyne. He returned to England soon afterwards; but ac companied the expedition to Ireland, under Lieutenant-General the Earl of Marlborough, (afterwards the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough,) and was at the capture of Cork and Kinsale, and also in several skirmishes. His excellent con duct on all occasions was rewarded with the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot, in 1692: he afterwards served in the Netherlands, was at the battle of Landen, and was engaged in the siege of Namur. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, in 1703; to that of major-general, on the 1st of January, 1704; and to lieutenant-general, on the 1st of January, 1707- He died at Bath, in June, 1713. Jasper Clayton. Appointed 15th June, 1713. Jasper Clayton obtained a commission in the army on the 24th of June, 1695, and afterwards acquired great cele- 94 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. brity as a gallant and meritorious officer. He served under King William until the peace of Ryswick, in 1697> He also served under the great Duke of Marlborough, in the reign of Queen Anne; and was appointed lieutenant- colonel of the Eleventh Foot, with which he served in Spain. His regi ment sufiisred severely at the battle of Almanza, in 1707; and he returned with it to England in 1708, to recruit. In 1709, he served ift Flanders, and distinguished himself at the siege of Mons, where he was wounded*. He also served at the forcing of the French lines, in 1710, and was rewarded with the colonelcy of a newly-raised regiment of foot, on the 8th of December of that year. In 1711 he served in the dis astrous expedition againsi Quebec, and his regiment had three officers and seventy-one sbldiers drowned in the river St. Lawrence, then called the river of Canada. At the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, his regiment was dis banded; and in June of the same year, he was appointed colonel of the Fourteenth Foot. He served in Scotland under the Duke of Argyle, during the rebellion of the Earl of Mar, and commanded a brigade at the battle of Dumblain, on the 13th of November, 1715. He was subsequently ap pointed lieutenant-governor of Gibraltar; he commanded the troops in that fortress when it was besieged by the Spaniards^ in 1727, and his conduct in the successful defence of that important place, called forth the approbation of his sovereign and country. The rank of major-general was conferred on this excellent officer, on the 2nd of November, 1735; and that of lieutenant general, on the 2nd of July, 1739. In 1743, he served under King George II. in Germany; and highly distinguished himself at the battle of Dettingen, on the 16th of June in that year. He was killed as he was giving orders for the artillery to play upon the bridge as the French retreated, and his fall was equally regretted by his sovereign, the officers, and soldiers of the army. He was interred with military honors in the chapel of Prince George of Hesse, at Hanau. * Vide the Record of the Eleventh Foot. succession op colonels. 95 Joseph Price. Appointed 22nd June, 1743. Joseph Price obtained a commission of ensigii in a regi ment of foot in 1706; and subsequently rose to the rank of captain and lieutenant-colonel in the First Foot Guards. In January, 1741, he was promoted to the colonelcy of the Fifty- seventh (now Forty-sixth) regiment, which was then first raised ; and in 1 743 he was removed to the Fourteenth Foot. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general on the 6th of June, 1 745, During the campaign of 1747> he commanded a brigade of infantry in the Netherlands, under His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland. At the battle Of Val, on the 2nd of July of that year, he highly distinguished himself. His brigade was posted in the village of Val, and his gallantry during the action was commended by the Duke of Cumberland in his public despatch. He died in Novem ber of the same year, at Breda, in Holland. The Honorable William Herbert. Appointed 1st December, 1747- The Honorable William Herbert, fifth son of Tho mas, eighth Earl of Pembroke, and father of Henry, first Earl of Caernarvon, was appointed to a commission in the army on the 1st of May^ 1722. He was promoted on the 15th December, 1738, to the commission of captain and lieu tenant-colonel in the First Foot Guards; and in December, 1747, to the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot. In January, 1753, he was removed to the Second Dragoon Guards. He was subsequently advanced to the rank of major-general : he was grooffi of the bedchamber to King George II., and a member of parliament for Wilton, in Wiltshire. He died on the 31st of March, I757. 96 succession op colonels. Edward Braddock. Appointed 17th February, 1753. Edward Braddock was appointed ensign in the Second Foot Guards on the llth October, 1710; lieutenant of the grenadier company in 171 6*; captain and lieutenant-colonel in 1736; major in 1743; and was promoted to the lieutenant- colonelcy of the same regiment on the 21st of November, 1745. In 1753 he was appointed to the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot; in the following year he was promoted major-general, and sent with a body of troops to North America; and in 1755 he was commander-in-chief in that country. Plaving completed arrangements for opening the campaign against the French, who had made aggressions on the British territory, he took the field with a body of regular troops, provincials, and Indians; and on the 9th of July, while marching with twelve hundred men through the woods towards Fort du Quesne, he was suddenly attacked by a body of French and Indians, who had concealed themselves behind the trees and bushes, and his men were put into some confusion. " He exerted himself to remedy this disaster as " much as man could do, and, after having had five horses " killed under him, he was shot through the arm and through "the lungs, of which he died four days after wardst." Thomas Fowke. Appointed 12th November, 1755. This officer had been upwards of fifty years in the army when he was appointed to the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot, his first commission being dated the 25th of May, 1705. After serving the Crown fifteen years, he was promoted to * On the 26th of May, 1718, he fought a duel in Hyde Park with sword aud pistol, with Colonel Waller. -|- London Gaxette. SUCCESSION OP COLONELS. 97 the lieutenant-colonelcy of the Seventh Dragoons, by commis sion dated the 25th of June, 1720. In January, 1741, he was promoted to the colonelcy of the Fifty-fourth (now Forty- third) regiment, which was then first raised; and in August of the same year he was removed to the Second, or Queen's Royal regiment. His commissions of general officer were dated, — brigadier-general, 1st June, 1745; major-general, 18th of September, 1747; and lieutenant-general, 30th of April, 1754. He was governor of Gibraltar in 1756, when the island of Minorca, which was then subject to the British Crown, was attacked by the French; and having disobeyed the directions, which he received from the Secretary at War, to send a reinforcement to that island, he was tried by a general court-martial, and sentenced to be suspended for nine months; hut the King, George II., directed that he should be dismissed from the service. Charles Jefferies. Appointed 'Jth September, 1756. Apter a progressive service in the subordinate commis sions, this officer was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Fourteenth Foot on the 12th of September, 1745, and in February following he was removed to the Thirty-fourth regi ment. In January, 1 756, he was promoted to colonel-com mandant of a battalion of the Sixty-second Royal American regiment, now the Sixtieth, or King's Royal Rifle Corps. At this period he was with the Thirty-fourth regiment at the island of Minorca, which was soon afterwards attacked by the French, and he signalized himself in the defence of Port Mahon, particularly in repulsing an attack on the place by storm, on which occasion he was taken prisoner. His gal lantry was shortly afterwards rewarded with the colonelcy of the Fourteenth regiment. He was promoted to the rank of major-general on the 27th of June, 1759. He died in 1765. 98 strccEssioN of colonels. The Honorable William Keppel, Appointed 31st May, 1765. The Honorable William Keppel, fourth son of Wil liam-Anne, second Earl of Albemarle, was appointed captain and lieutenant-colonel in the First Foot Guards On the 28th of April, I75O; and gentleman of the horse to His Majesty King George II. in December, 1752. On the 21st of July, I76O, he was promoted to second major, with the rank of colonel, in the First Foot Guards; and in December of the fol lowing year, to the colonelcy of the Fifty-sixth Foot. In the succeeding spring he proceeded with his regiment on an ex pedition against the Havannah, with the local rank of major- general. In August the Havannah capitulated, when he took possession of the fort La Punta; and being afterwards left commander-in-chief at that station, he re-delivered the city to the Spaniards according to the conditions of the Treaty of Peace in 1763. He was promoted to the rank of major- general on the 10th of July, 1762; vvas rettioved from the colonelcy of the Fifty-sixth to the Fourteenth Foot in 1765; and was advanced to the rank of lieutenant-general in May, 1772. In 1773 he was appointed commander-in-chief in Ireland. In 1775 he was removed to the colonelcy of the Twelfth Dragoons. He was several years a representative in parliament for the borough of Windsor. His decease occurred on the 1st of March, 1782. Robert Cunninghame. Appointed IQth October, 1 775. This officer served several years in the Thirty-fifth Foot, in which regiment he roSe to the rank of captain in December, 1752. He was soon afterwards appointed adj utant -general in Ireland, which office he held for many years. He was pro moted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1757; — to that of colonel in 1762; — and to the colonelcy of the Fifty-eighth Regiment in 1767- In 1772 he was advanced to the rank of SUCCESSION OP COLONELS. 99 rtiajor-general ; three years afterwards he was removed to the command of the Foijrteenth Foot; and in August, 1777, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general. On the 4th of April, 1787, he was rerrioved to the colonelcy of the Fifth, Royal Irish, Dragoons, arid he was advanced to the rank of general in 1793. He died in 1797. John Douglas. Appointed April Ath, 1787- John Douglas was many years an officer in the Scots' GreySj with which corps he served several campaigns in the Netherlands previously to the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748-9. He also served with his regiment in Germany, under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, from 1759 to l7t>2, distinguishing himself on several occasions; and on the 14th of November, 1770, he was promoted to the lieutenant colo nelcy of the regiment (the Greys). In 1775 he was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the King, with the rank of colonel in the army;— in February, 1779, he was promoted to the rank of major-general; and in April of the same year he obtained the colonelcy of the Twenty-first Light Dragoons, which corps was then first embodied. His regiment was disbanded at the conclusion of the American war in 1783; and in 1787 he obtained the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot; he was also promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in the same year. In 1789 he was removed to the colonelcy of the Fifth Dragoon Guards, which he retained until his decease in 1790. George Earl WAtDEGRAVE. Appointed 27th August, 1789. Viscount Chbwton was appointed ensign in the Third Foot Guards on the 10th of May, 1768; lieutenant and captain on the 12th of August, 1773; and captain-lieutenant and lieutenant-colonel in the Second Foot Guards in 1778. In the following year he was appointed lieutenant-colonel command- 100 SUCCESSION OP COLONELS. ing the Eighty-seventh Foot, then first raised; and in 1782 he was promoted to the rank of colonel. He succeeded, on the decease of his father, in 1784, to the dignity of Earl Walde grave; and was also appointed master of the horse to the Queen, and aide-de-camp to the King. In August, 1 789, he was appointed colonel of the Fourteenth Foot. He died about six weeks afterwards. George Hotham. Appointed 18th November, 1789. George Hotham procured the appointment of ensign in the First Foot Guards on the 14th of May, 1759; he was pro moted to the rank of lieutenant and captain in 1765; and to that of captain and lieutenant-colonel in 1775. In 1781 he was appointed aide-de-camp to the King, with the rank of colonel in the army; and in 1789 he obtained the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot. His commissions of general officer were dated, — major-general, 28th of April, 1790, lieutenant- general, 26th of January, 1797, and general, 29th of April, 1802. He died in 1806. Sir Harry Calvert, Baronet, G.C.B. Appointed 8th February, 1806. Sir Harry Calvert, Baronet, was appointed second lieutenant in the Twenty- third. Royal Welsh Fusiliers, in April 1778; he was several months at the Royal Military College at Woolwich, and proceeding to North America in the following year, he joined his regiment, which was then employed on the outpost duty of the army. In December, 1779, he served with his regiment in the expedition, under Lieutenant- General Sir Henry Clinton, to South Carolina, and was at the siege and capture of Charlestown. He afterwards served under the Marquis Cornwallis, and shared in all the diffi culties, dangers, and privations, in the campaigns of the southern provinces, until the siege of York Town, when the SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. 101 Marquis Cornwalhs was forced to surrender, with the troops under his command, to General Washington. He remained a prisoner of war from October, 1781, until the peace in 1783, when he proceeded with his regiment to New York. In the early part of 1784 he returned to England, when he procured permission to pass the remainder of the year on the Continent. In October, 1786, he purchased the command of a company in his regiment, with which he did duty until the spring of 1790, when he exchanged into the Coldstream Guards. On the breaking out of the war of the French revolution, in 1793, he proceeded with the brigade of Foot Guards, commanded by Major-General (afterwards Lord) Lake, to Holland, and when the Duke of York assumed the command of the British and Hanoverian troops in Flanders, Captain Calvert was nominated one of His Royal Highness's aides-de-camp. After serving in this capacity until the surrender of Valenciennes, he was sent to England with the account of that event, on which occasion King George III. was pleased to confer on him the rank of major. He ob tained the rank of lieutenant-colonel in December, 1793, by the purchase of a company in the Coldstream Guards. He served with the allied army during the year 1794, and returned to England on the recal of the British troops early in 1795. In May of that year he was employed on a con fidential mission to the court of Berlin; and in 1796 he was appointed Deputy Adjutant-General to the Forces: he obtained the rank of colonel in June 1797, and in 1799 he was appointed to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the Sixty-third Regiment. On the 9th of January, 1799, His Majesty was pleased to appoint Colonel Calvert to the important situation of Adjutant-General to the Forces, in which capacity he was enabled to perform important and valuable services to the crown and to the country, during one of the most eventful periods in the history of Great Britain. In August, 1800 he was nominated to the colonelcy of the Fifth West India regiment; in 1803 he was promoted to the rank of major-general; in 1806 he was removed to the Fourteenth Foot, and in 1810 he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant- general. 102 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. At the period of his appointment to the high and im portant station of Adjutant-General of the Forces, the wan|; of efficient regulations, and of an adherence to a system founded on principles calculated to prornote the advan tage of every branch of service, was felt by all persons called upon to take a part in the concerns of the arpay, and serious inconvenience was experienced from the absence of such a system by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, who, at two different periods, had to contend against powerful continental armies, with troops, though eminently brave, and endued with the true spirit of their profession, yet not formed upon soiind general principles of discipline. His Royal Highness, being appointed Commander-in-Chief, applied him self with great diligence to the correction of abuses, and to the improvement of the condition of the army in every particular: and his efforts, which were honoured with the encouragement and approbation of His Majesty, were ably seconded by his staff officers, who were judiciously selected to carry his views into effect; the ultimate accomplishment of these objects reflected the highest credit on those who planned, and on those who executed measures which have conduced to the safety and glory of the United Kingdom and of its numerous colonial possessions. Among these officers. Sir Hai^ry Calvert held a distinguished station. As Adjutant- General, the discipline, equipment, and efficiency of the army came under his superintendence, and to improve and perfect these, he devoted his best energies and unwearied attention. The general or(lers of the army, in the successive editions which were brought forward from the year 1 799, afford abundant proofs of the value of his labours, in the nnmerous and excellent regulations made fiom time to time for the better government of the army. In the clothing, messing, equipment, and every other branch of the interior economy, improvements were introduced to promote the health and comfort of the soldier, and the efficiency of corps; and the establishment of confidential inspection reports facilitated the accomplishment of these objects, by furnishing the Commander-in-Chief, and the authorities under him, with the means of forming a cor rect judgnient of the state of each corps in all its Retails, — SUCCESSION OF COLONELS, 103 of correcting what was wrong, — of supplying what was de ficient, and of ascertaining the merits and capabilities of the of^cers. The energies of his inind were also directed to the improvement of the morale, as well as to ameliorate the ma teriel of the army. Being a man of high and sensitive honor himself, he vyished to inspire all his brother officers with the same sentiments, by impressing them with a just idea of what they owed to themselves, both as individuals, and as members of the profession of arms. Conscious that no man can be truly respectable who does not respect himself, he was always anxious to uphold and encourage this principle; in accordance with which, he was particularly careful to afford every officer charged with misconduct the fullest opportunity of explanation, and, in conveying disapprobation or censure, he avoided the use of terms calculated to affect the officer's personal feelings, or to degrade him in his own estimation: his verbal intercourse was conducted on the same principle. Such was the kindness of his Ipok and demeanour, and the courtesy of his language, that it was impossible to offer him any personal disrespect; and with whatever sentiments a gentleman might haye approached him in his official ca pacity, he cpuld retire with those only of respect and esteem. To the officers of his own department, who were in daily intercourse with hini, his orders were conveyed in the form of requests; and the urbanity of his manners, tempered with self-respect, ensured prompt and cheerful co-operation. In so extensive a branch of the service, the preparation of many documents was necessarily confided to assistants, and the alterations which suggested themselves to his refined dis crimination, were proposed with delicacy,-^ — a trait of cha racter grateful to the feelings of his subordinates, and re membered with emotions of respect constantly increased by continued intercourse. In 1807, when the recruiting of the army was placed under his superintendence, he applied him self successfully to the improvement of that branch of the service. He interested himself in the Royal Military Asy lum, and in the establishment of regimental schools; the con dition of general hospitals also engaged his attention, — he visited them all in 1814, and suggested many improvements 104 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. in their conduct and management. The invalid and the pen sioner found a friend and protector in him, and the repre sentations of a discharged private soldier were received and considered with the same care as those of the higher grades of the service. In this, and in every other respect, he acted in accordance with the desires of the Duke of York, whose innate goodness of heart, and natural generosity and con descension, led him to promote and encourage every species of kindness to the humblest members of the profession to which he was so devotedly attached; and Sir Harry Cal vert was the faithful organ of His Royal Highness's bene volent intentions, delighting in the good he was thus enabled to effect. Having conducted, in conjunction with the able officers associated with him in the other military departments, the details of the British army, when it was on a scale of magni tude surpassing anything previously known, and through the whole course of the most tremendous contest in which the nation ever was engaged, and having witnessed victory achieved, by the valour and discipline of the troops under their matchless chief, with the glorious termination of the war, he was rewarded with the dignity of Baronet, in October, 1818; and in the beginning of the year 1820, he retired from that high situation which he had so long and so ably filled, carrying with him the cordial good wishes of every rank. He had previously been appointed lieutenant-governor of Chelsea Hospital; honored with the dignity of Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, and Grand Cross of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order; and in 1826, he was promoted to the rank of general. He died suddenly of a fit of apoplexy, while on a visit with his family at Claydon Hall, in Bucking hamshire, on the 3rd of September, 1826. succession of colonels. 105 Thomas Lord Lynedoch. Appointed 6th September, 1826. This nobleman, whose services, when General Graham, were of a most distinguished character, was removed to the First, or Royal, Regiment of Foot, on the 12th of December, 1834, the colonelcy of which corps he retained to the period of his decease, which took place on the 18th December, 1843. The Honorable Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B. and G.C.H. Appointed 12th December, 1834. Sir Charles Colville, whose distinguished services during the late war are recorded in the history of Europe, was removed to the colonelcy of the Fifth Regiment of Foot, or Northumberland Fusihers, on the 25th of March, 1835, in succession to General Sir Henry Johnson, deceased. He died on the 27th March, 1843. The Honorable Sir Alexander Hope, G.C.B. Appointed 25th March, 1835. The Honorable Alexander Hope entered the army as ensign in the Sixty-third Regiment, on the 6th of March, 1786, and after a service of upwards of thirteen years he wag promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the Fourteenth Foot, on the 27th of August, 1794. He commanded the regiment during its retreat through Holland, and in the attack of the French post at Gueldermalsen, on the 8th of January, 1795, he received a wound in the shoulder which deprived him of the use of his right arm. He was appointed governor of Tynemouth and CHfford's fort, in 1 797; lieutenant- governor of Edinburgh Castle, in 1798; and deputy adjutant- general to the expedition to Holland, in 1 799. He was pro- 14. H 106 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS. moted to the rank of colonel in the army, on the 1st of January, 1800; and to the colonelcy of the Fifth West India Regiment, on the 30th of October, 1806. In April, 1808, he was further promoted to the rank of major-general. In April, 1813, he was removed to the colonelcy of the Forty-seventh Regiment; and in June of the same year, he was advanced to the rank of lieu tenant-general. He obtained the rank of general, on the 22nd of July, 1830; and the colonelcy of the Fourteenth Regiment, in 1835. He was constituted a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath : he was lieutenant-governor of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea: he died on the 19th of May, 1837- Sir James Watson, K.C.B. Appointed 2'lth May, 1837. London : Harrison and Co., Printers, St. Martin's Lane. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 9002 04078 2592 'III '!rifi'''thii~'i' 'III I'riii