Part 2
In the General Orders issued by Lieut.-General Sir John Hope (afterwards Lord Hopetoun), congratulating the army upon the successful result of the Battle of Corunna, on the 16th of January, 1809, it is stated:--"On no occasion has the undaunted valour of British troops ever been more manifest. At the termination of a severe and harassing march, rendered necessary by the superiority which the enemy had acquired, and which had materially impaired the efficiency of the troops, many disadvantages were to be encountered. These have all been surmounted by the conduct of the troops themselves; and the enemy has been taught, that whatever advantages of position or of numbers he may possess, there is inherent in the British officers and soldiers a bravery that knows not how to yield,--that no circumstances can appal,--and that will ensure victory when it is to be obtained by the exertion of any human means.
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF
THE FIRST,
OR
ROYAL REGIMENT OF FOOT:
CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF
THE ORIGIN OF THE REGIMENT
IN THE REIGN OF
KING JAMES VI. OF SCOTLAND,
AND
OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
To 1846.
COMPILED BY
RICHARD CANNON, ESQ.
ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, HORSE GUARDS.
ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES.
LONDON:
PARKER, FURNIVALL, & PARKER,
30, CHARING CROSS.
M DCCC XLVII.
LONDON:--PRINTED BY W. CLOWES & SONS, DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.
THE FIRST,
OR
THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF FOOT
Bears on its Colours, as a Regimental Badge,
THE ROYAL CIPHER WITHIN THE CIRCLE OF ST. ANDREW, SURMOUNTED WITH A CROWN.
In the corners of the second Colour
THE THISTLE AND CROWN,
WITH THE MOTTO
_"NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT":_
ALSO THE
SPHYNX,
AND THE FOLLOWING INSCRIPTIONS:--
"EGMONT-OP-ZEE,"--"ST. LUCIA,"--"EGYPT,"--"CORUNNA,"--"BUSACO,"-- "SALAMANCA,"--"VITTORIA,"--"ST. SEBASTIAN,"--"NIVE,"--"PENINSULA,"-- "NIAGARA,"--"WATERLOO,"-- "NAGPORE,"--"MAHEIDPOOR,"--"AVA."
CONTENTS.
Anno Page
882 Origin of the _Scots Guards_ at the French Court 1
1420 Scots Auxiliaries sent to France 2
1421 Battle of Baugé 3
1422 Scots _Gendarmes_ instituted in France --
---- Capture of Avranches --
1423 Battle of Crevan --
1424 ---- Verneuille --
1440 Scots _Garde du Corps_ instituted in France --
1495 Conquest of Naples 4
1515 Battle of Pavia --
1590 Origin of the _Royal Regiment_ --
1613 _Scots Regiment in the service of Sweden_ 7
1615 Capture of Kexholm, and siege of Plesko --
1620 ---- Riga, Dunamond, and Mittau 8
---- Scots Companies in the service of the King of Bohemia --
1621} Battles of Prague and Fleurus -- 1622}
1625 _Hepburn's Scots Regiment in the Swedish Service_ 9
---- Capture of Selburg, Duneberg, Nidorp, and Dorpat; and battle of Semigallia --
1626 Relief of Mew --
1627 Capture of Kesmark and Marienberg, and action at Dirschan 10
1628 Capture of Newburg, Strasberg, Dribentz, Sweitz, and Massovia --
---- Defence of Stralsund --
1629 Skirmish near Thorn --
1630 Relief of Rugenwald 12
---- Blockade of Colberg 13
1631 Capture of Frankfort on the Oder 14
---- ---- Landsberg 16
1631 Defence of the fortified camp at Werben 17
---- Battle of Leipsic --
---- Capture of Halle, and services in Franconia 21
---- ---- Wurtzburg and Marienberg 22
---- Defence of Oxenford --
---- Capture of Frankfort on the Maine 23
---- ---- Oppenheim and Mentz 24
1632 ---- Donawerth 26
---- Forcing the passage of the Lech 27
---- Capture of Augsburg --
---- Siege of Ingoldstadt --
---- Capture of Landshut and Munich 28
---- Relief of Weissemberg --
---- Defence of Nurenberg --
---- Capture of Rayn and Landsberg 30
---- Relief of Rayn 31
1633 Skirmish near Memmingen 32
---- Capture of Kaufbeuren --
---- Siege of Kempten --
1634 Battle of Nordlingen 33
_Hepburn's Scots Regiment in the French Service_:
---- Siege of La Motte, and relief of Heidelberg 34
1635 _Hepburn's two regiments incorporated_ 35
---- Action near Metz 36
1636 Capture of Saverne --
1638} Siege of St. Omer 38 } 1639} Capture of Renty, Catelet, and Hesdin 39
---- Skirmish near St. Nicholas 40
1643 Battle of Roucroy 41
---- Capture of Thionville and Turin --
1644 Capture of Gravelines 42
1646 ---- Courtray and Dunkirk 43
1648 Battle of Lens --
1649 Siege of Paris 44
1652 Action in the suburbs of Paris 45
---- Skirmish at Villeneuve, St. George's 47
---- Capture of Bar le Duc, and Ligny 48
1653 Capture of Château Portien and Vervins 49
1661 The Regiment proceeds to England 52
1662 Returns to France; Scots Guards incorporated in the Regiment 53
1666 Proceeds to England, and afterwards to Ireland --
1668 Returns to France 54
1672 Capture of Grave --
1673 ---- Maestricht 55
1674 Skirmishes near Heidelberg --
---- Battle of Molsheim 56
1675 Capture of Dachstein 57
---- Defence of Treves --
1676 Skirmish near Saverne 58
1677 ---- Kochersberg and capture of Fribourg 59
1678 Returns to England 60
---- Grenadier Company added --
1679 Stationed in Ireland --
1680 Four Companies proceed to Tangier 61
---- Action with the Moors --
---- Twelve additional Companies proceed to Tangier 62
---- Actions with the Moors 63
1683 One Company from Tangier to England 67
1684 Fifteen Companies ditto --
---- Five Companies from Ireland to England --
---- Styled "_The Royal Regiment of Foot_" --
---- Reviewed by King Charles II. 68
1685 Battle of Sedgemoor 70
---- Rewards to Wounded Officers and Men 72
---- Reviewed by King James II. 73
1686 Divided into Two Battalions 74
---- 2nd Battalion proceeds to Scotland --
---- 1st " encamps on Hounslow Heath --
1688 1st " ditto 75
---- 2nd " from Scotland to England --
---- The Revolution --
1689 The Regiment mutinies 77
---- 2nd Battalion proceeds to Scotland 79
---- 1st " " the Netherlands --
---- 1st " Battle of Walcourt --
1690 2nd Battalion proceeds from Scotland to Holland 80
1692 Battle of Steenkirk 81
1693 ---- Landen 84
1695 1st Battalion, Siege of Namur 87
1696 Reviewed by King William III. 91
1698 Embarks for Ireland 92
1701 Embarks for Holland 93
1702 Covering the siege of Kayserswerth 94
---- Skirmish near Nimeguen --
---- Covering the sieges of Venloo and Ruremonde 95
---- Capture of Stevenswart and Liege --
1703 ---- Huy and Limburg 97
1704 Battle of Schellenberg 99
---- ---- Blenheim 102
---- Covering the siege of Landau 105
1705 Re-capture of Huy 106
---- Forcing the French lines at Neer-Hespen and Helixem 107
---- Skirmish near the Dyle 108
1706 Battle of Ramilies 109
---- Covering the sieges of Dendermond, Ostend, and Menin --
---- Capture of Aeth 110
1707 The regimental badge changed from the _Cross_ to the _Circle of St. Andrew_ --
1708 Battle of Oudenarde 111
---- Covering the siege of Lisle 112
---- Battle of Wynendale 113
---- Forcing the passage of the Scheldt 114
---- Capture of Ghent --
1709 Capture of Tournay 115
---- Battle of Malplaquet 116
---- Covering the siege of Mons 118
1710 ---- Douay and Bethune --
---- Capture of Aire 119
1711 ---- Bouchain --
1712 Covering the siege of Quesnoy 120
1714 Returns to England 121
1715 Proceeds to Ireland 122
1741 2nd Battalion proceeds to the West Indies 123
1742 2nd Battalion proceeds to England 123
1743 " returns to Ireland --
---- 1st Battalion proceeds to Flanders --
1745 " battle of Fontenoy 124
---- " embarks for England 125
---- 2nd Battalion ---- ditto --
---- " marches to Scotland 126
1746 " battle of Falkirk --
---- " ---- Culloden 127
---- 1st Battalion, expedition to L'Orient, &c. 128
1747 " proceeds to Holland 130
---- " relief of Hulst, and defence of Fort Sandberg --
1748 2nd Battalion proceeds to Holland 131
1749 Both Battalions proceed to Ireland 132
1751 Regulation respecting Colours and Clothing; and designated "_The First, or Royal Regiment of Foot_" --
1757 2nd Battalion proceeds to North America 134
1758 " capture of Louisburg --
1759 " ---- Ticonderago, and Crown Point 135
1760 2nd Battalion, expedition against the Cherokees 136
---- " capture of Isle aux Noix, and Montreal 141
---- 1st Battalion proceeds to Quiberon Bay; returns to Ireland 142
1761 2nd Battalion, expedition against the Cherokees --
---- " capture of Dominico 144
1762 " capture of Martinico, and the Havannah --
---- " re-capture of Newfoundland 147
1763 " returns to England 148
1764 " proceeds to Scotland --
1768 1st Battalion ---- Gibraltar --
---- 2nd Battalion returns to England --
1771 " proceeds to Minorca --
1775 Both Battalions return to England --
1780 1st Battalion proceeds to the West Indies 149
1781 1st Battalion, capture of St. Eustatia, St. Martin, and Saba 149
1782 " defence of St. Christopher --
---- " returns to England 152
1784 2nd Battalion proceeds to Gibraltar 153
---- 1st Battalion ---- Ireland --
1790 " ---- West Indies --
1793 2nd Battalion, defence of Toulon --
1794 " descent on Corsica; capture of Convention Redoubt, and Calvi 156
---- 1st Battalion proceeds to St. Domingo 159
---- " capture of Fort L'Acal --
---- " attack on Bombarde 160
---- " defence of a Block House --
---- " capture of Port-au-Prince --
---- " defence of Fort Bizzeton 161
1795 " ---- an out-post --
1796 2nd Battalion proceeds to Elba 162
1797 1st Battalion returns to England; proceeds to Scotland 162
---- 2nd Battalion proceeds to Portugal --
1798 1st Battalion ---- Ireland 163
1799 2nd Battalion returns to England --
---- " expedition to Holland --
---- " action near the Helder --
---- " ---- Shagen 164
---- " battle of Egmont-op-Zee --
---- " returns to England 165
1800 " expedition to Ferrol and Cadiz --
---- 1st Battalion proceeds to Scotland 166
1801 2nd Battalion, expedition to Egypt --
---- " battle of Aboukir --
---- " ---- Alexandria 168
---- " skirmishes at Hamed, El Aft, &c. 170
---- " capture of Cairo, and Alexandria --
---- 1st Battalion returns to England 171
---- " proceeds to the West Indies --
---- " capture of St. Martin, St. Thomas, St. John, and Santa Cruz 172
1801 2nd Battalion proceeds to Malta 172
1802 " ---- Gibraltar --
1803 " returns to England --
---- " proceeds to the West Indies --
---- " capture of St. Lucia, and Tobago 173
---- 1st Battalion ---- Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice 174
1804 _Two additional Battalions embodied_ --
1805 4th Battalion proceeds to Ireland --
---- 3rd Battalion ---- England --
---- 2nd Battalion ---- England 175
1806 4th Battalion ---- England --
1807 2nd Battalion ---- the East Indies --
---- 3rd Battalion ---- Ireland --
---- 4th Battalion ---- Scotland --
1808 " ---- England 176
---- 3rd Battalion, expedition to Spain --
1809 " battle of Corunna 177
---- " embarks for England 178
---- " expedition to Walcheren 179
---- " siege of Flushing --
---- " returns to England 180
1810 1st Battalion, capture of Guadaloupe --
---- 3rd Battalion proceeds to Portugal 181
---- " battle of Busaco --
---- 4th Battalion proceeds to Scotland 182
1811 3rd Battalion, battle of Fuentes d'Onor --
1812 " siege of Ciudad Rodrigo 183
---- Styled, "_First Regiment of Foot, or Royal Scots_" --
---- 3rd Battalion, siege of Badajoz --
---- " skirmish near Torrecille de la Orden 184
---- " battle of Salamanca --
---- " siege of Burgos 185
---- " skirmish near Palencia --
---- 1st Battalion proceeds to Canada 186
1813 " attack on Sackett's Harbour 188
---- " ---- Sodius --
---- " skirmish near Four-mile Creek 189
---- " ---- Cross-roads --
---- " capture of Fort Niagara --
1813 1st Battalion, capture of Black-rock and Buffalo 190
---- 3rd Battalion, skirmish near Osma 192
---- " battle of Vittoria --
---- " capture of St. Sebastian 193
---- " passage of the Bidassoa 195
---- " battles of Nivelle and Nive 196
---- 4th Battalion proceeds to Swedish Pomerania --
1814 1st Battalion, action at Longwood 197
---- " skirmish near Chippewa 198
---- " battle of Lundy's Lane 199
---- " siege of Fort Erie 201
---- " action at Cook's Mills 202
---- 2nd Battalion employed against the Pindarees 203
---- 3rd Battalion, blockade of Bayonne --
---- 4th Battalion, siege of Bergen-op-Zoom --
---- " returns to England 204
---- " proceeds to Canada 205
---- 3rd Battalion, repulsing the sortie from Bayonne --
---- " proceeds to Ireland 206
1815 1st and 4th Battalions return to England 207
---- 3rd Battalion proceeds to Flanders --
---- " battle of Quatre Bras 208
---- " ---- Waterloo 210
---- " advances to Paris 212
---- 4th Battalion proceeds to France --
1816 " _returns to England, and disbanded_ 214
---- 1st Battalion proceeds to Ireland --
1817 _3rd Battalion returns to England, and disbanded_ 215
---- Order respecting inscriptions on the colours --
---- 2nd Battalion, services against the Pindarees 216
---- " battle of Nagpore 217
---- " ---- Maheidpoor 221
1818 " capture of Fort Talnere 223
---- " capture of Forts Gawelghur, and Narnullah 225
---- " operations against Peishwah Bajee Rao 226
---- " capture of Forts Unkye, Rajdeir, Inderye, Trimbuck, and Malleygaum 227
1819 " capture of Asseerghur
1819 2nd Battalion capture of Asseerghur 229
1821 The title of "_First, or Royal Regiment of Foot_" restored 236
1825 2nd Battalion embarks for Rangoon --
---- " action at Donabew 237
---- " skirmishes at Padoun Mew 240
---- " action at Simbike 244
---- " action near the Irawaddy 246
1826 1st Battalion, Service Companies proceed to the West Indies 248
---- " Reserve Companies proceed to Scotland 249
---- 2nd Battalion, action at Melloone 250
---- " ---- Pagahm Mew 251
---- " returns to Madras 252
1831 " embarks for England 254
1832 " proceeds to Scotland 249
---- _The colours of both Battalions assimilated_ --
1833 1st Battalion, Reserve Companies proceed to Ireland 255
---- 2nd Battalion proceeds to Ireland 256
---- 1st Battalion, Service Companies proceed to Ireland --
1836 2nd Battalion, ---- proceed to Canada --
1837 " Depôt companies proceed to England 257
---- " Service Companies, action at St. Charles --
---- " ---- action at Point Olivière 258
---- " ---- action at St. Eustache 259
1838 1st Battalion proceeds to Scotland 261
1839 " Service Companies embark for Gibraltar --
1841 " Depôt Companies proceed to Ireland --
1843 2nd Battalion, Service Companies embark for the West Indies --
---- " Wreck of the Premier Transport, and return of the head-quarter division to Quebec --
1844 2nd Battalion, head-quarters, and three Companies proceed to Nova Scotia, and embark for the West Indies 261
1846 " Service Companies embark for Scotland, and joined by Depôt Companies --
---- 1st Battalion, Service Companies embark for the West Indies 262
---- The conclusion 263
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.
1633 Sir John Hepburn 265
1636 James Hepburn 267
1637 Lord James Douglas --
1655 Lord George Douglas 268
1688 Frederick Duke Schomberg --
1691 Sir Robert Douglas 270
1692 Lord George Hamilton 271
1737 Honourable James St. Clair 272
1762 Sir Henry Erskine, Bart. 273
1765 John Marquis of Lorne --
1782 Lord Adam Gordon 274
1801 His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent 275
1820 George Marquis of Huntly 279
1834 Thomas Lord Lynedoch 280
1843 Sir George Murray, G.C.B. 285
1846 Sir James Kempt, G.C.B. 288
PLATES.
Colours of the Regiment, to precede Page 1
Colonel Sir Robert Douglas, at the Battle of Steenkirk, to face 83
Uniform in 1838, to face 261
[Illustration: Colours of the 1st, or Royal Regiment of Foot.
To face page 1.]
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF
THE FIRST,
OR
ROYAL REGIMENT OF FOOT.
[Sidenote: 882]
THE ROYAL REGIMENT of FOOT is the representative of a body of gallant Scots, formerly in the service of the celebrated GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS, King of Sweden; and of another body of Scots, many years in the service of the Kings of France; and it claims an origin anterior to that of any other corps in the British army; but, although a laborious research has been made, and _much_ information procured, yet, owing to the little attention which was paid to the history of military bodies previously to the last century, _all_ the circumstances connected with its origin have not been ascertained. Its first Colonel was SIR JOHN HEPBURN, a distinguished officer, well known in Europe during the early part of the seventeenth century; but it appears to have existed some time as independent companies before it was constituted a regiment. Tradition has connected its early services with the ancient Scots Guards at the French court; and, in order that the claims of the ROYAL REGIMENT to antiquity may be clearly understood, a brief statement of the origin and services of the Scots Guards is introduced into this record.
The Scots have been celebrated for deeds of arms for many centuries, and they have been described by historians as a hardy, valiant, and generous people. Led by a native ardour for military fame, many Scotsmen have quitted their own country, and, like the daring adventurers of the remote ages, they have sought renown in foreign lands, where they have acquired celebrity for martial achievements, long before the practice of forming military bodies into regiments existed. It is recorded in history, that as early as the year 882, Charles III., King of France, had twenty-four armed Scots, in whose fidelity and valour he reposed confidence, to attend his person as a guard.[6]
[Sidenote: 1254]
The life of LOUIS IX. is stated to have been twice preserved,--once in France, and afterwards in Egypt during the Holy War, by his faithful and valiant Scots attendants; and that monarch, after his return from Palestine, in 1254, increased the number of Scots who attended his person to about one hundred, and constituted them a Corps of Guards.[7] The practice of having armed Scots attendants appears to have been continued by the succeeding sovereigns of France, and Charles V. is stated to have placed this corps on a regular establishment.
[Sidenote: 1415]
[Sidenote: 1420]
[Sidenote: 1421]
[Sidenote: 1422]
[Sidenote: 1423]
[Sidenote: 1424]
[Sidenote: 1429]
[Sidenote: 1440]
When King Henry V. of England, after having gained the memorable victory at _Agincourt_, on the 25th of October, 1415, and captured many of the principal towns and castles of France, was acknowledged as heir to the French throne by Charles VI., the Scots Guards appear to have quitted the court, and to have taken part with the Dauphin (afterwards Charles VII.), in his resistance to the new arrangement which deprived him of the succession to the crown. At the same time 7000 men were sent from Scotland, under the command of John Earl of Buchan, to assist the Dauphin, and these auxiliaries having evinced signal gallantry on several occasions, especially at the battle of _Baugé_, on the 22nd March, 1421, when the Duke of Clarence and above a thousand English were killed, King Charles VII. selected from among them one hundred "Men at Arms," and one hundred "Archers," whom he constituted a corps of Guards for the protection of the Royal Person, which corps was subsequently designated the "GENDARMES ECOSSOISES:" at the same time, the Scots Commander, the Earl of Buchan, was appointed Constable of France. The Scots continued with the French army, and signalized themselves at the capture of _Avranches_, in Normandy, in 1422; and at the battle of _Crevan_, in 1423. An additional force of five thousand men was sent from Scotland to France in 1424, and the Scots gave proof of personal bravery at the battle of _Verneuille_, in 1424; and in the attack of an English convoy under Sir John Falstolfe, in 1429; and after these repeated instances of gallantry, Charles VII. selected a number of Scots gentlemen of quality and approved valour, whom he constituted a Guard, to which he gave precedence before all other troops in France, and this guard was designated LE GARDE DU CORPS ECOSSOISES.[8] The Scots GENDARMES, and GARDE DU CORPS, continued to form part of the French military force until about the year 1788; but for more than a hundred years before their dissolution the officers and men were nearly all French.
[Sidenote: 1484]
[Sidenote: 1495]
[Sidenote: 1509]
[Sidenote: 1515]
About the year 1484, another auxiliary force proceeded from Scotland to France; and the Scots in the French service signalized themselves in various parts of Europe, but especially in Italy in the year 1495, and they acquired the principal glory in the conquest of Naples.[9] There were also Scots troops with the French army serving against the Venetians in 1509,[10] and with King Francis I. of France, in Italy, in 1515, in which year the Scots Guards were nearly all killed in defence of the King's person before _Pavia_, where he was taken prisoner.[11] After this fatal battle King Francis is stated to have exclaimed, "We have lost everything but our honour!"
[Sidenote: 1590]
Two historical accounts of the origin and services of the FIRST, OR ROYAL, REGIMENT OF FOOT, have already been printed, in which this corps is stated to be a continuation of the ancient Scots Guards at the French Court but this is an error,--the Scots Guards were Cavalry, and this was always an Infantry corps, and it never sustained any character in the French army, but that of a regiment of the line. The supposition, that this Regiment was formerly the Body Guard of the Scottish kings is also without foundation.