THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF Til !•
(KINGS) HUSSARS
FROM
A.D. 1715 TO A.D. «
BY COLONEL HENRY BLACKB''
M.A. OH ;
WITH NU \fF.KOUS ILLUSTKAl .
LONG MA AND <
39 PAT;
NEW YORK A? VY
OI
vfd
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF THE
I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS
•
FROM
A.D. I7IS TO A.D. IQOO
BY COLONEL HENRY BLACKBURNE HAMILTON
M.A. CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD : LATE COMMANDING THE REGIMENT
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
NEW YORK AND BOMBAY
1901
All rights reserved
UA
€55
WITH
HIS MAJESTY'S GRACIOUS PERMISSION THIS HISTORICAL RECORD OF
THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS
IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO OUR SOVEREIGN LORD
KING EDWARD VII.
IN THIS THE FIRST YEAR
OF HIS MAJESTY'S
REIGN
• •;J.Ci
TITLES OF THE REGIMENT
1715. Raised as Dormer's Dragoons.
(Numbered as Fourteenth Dragoons.) 1776. The Fourteenth Light Dragoons. 1798. The Fourteenth, or the Duchess of York's Own Light
Dragoons.
1830. The Fourteenth, or the King's Light Dragoons. 1861. The Fourteenth, or King's Hussars.
BADGES AND DISTINCTIONS CONFERRED
BADGES
1751. The White Horse of Hanover authorised for the Guidons
by Royal Warrant. 1798. Royal authority given to assume the Prussian Eagle as
a Regimental Badge. 1832. Authorised to bear the King's Crest on the Appointments,
and the Prussian Eagle on the second and third
corners of the Regimental Guidon.
DISTINCTIONS
1815. 'Peninsula.'
1820. ' Talavera '— ' Fuentes d'Onor '— ' Salamanca '— ' Vittoria '
— ' Orthes.' 1837. 'Douro.'
1852. c Punjaub '— ' Chillianwallah '— ' Goojerat. 1859. 'Persia.' 1863. 'Central India.'
CORRIGENDA ET ADDENDA
At page xiii, line 18, for ' nephew ' read ' cousin.'
At page 55, line 14 —
For ' it was defeated by the French ' read ' it defeated the French.' For ' its gallant leader killed ' read ' its gallant leader was killed.'
At page 65, footnote2, add after the word ' succeed ' : ' £a Ira,' the name of a French revolutionary air, was adopted as a Regimental March by the 1 4th Foot after the taking of Famars, in Flanders, in 1793. Both Mr. F. A. Hawker and Mr. Adolphus Hawker are of opinion that the song was used by the I4th Light Dragoons in the Peninsula when their father (Sir S. Hawker) was commanding the regiment, and they consider he became acquainted with the air when serving in Flanders in the i6th Light Dragoons. ' £a Ira, 1810,' is quoted in All the Year Round (New Series), No. 877, p. 60, Sept. 1885.
At page 414, footnote 1, for ' Vicars-Maxims' read ' Vickers- Maxims.'
PREFACE
THIS Historical Record of the i4th (King's) Hussars from its first formation as Dormer's Dragoons up to the present time, is not intended to be a complete and exhaustive history of that distinguished corps, but rather an attempt to supply in a com- pact form and in chronological order an authentic record of the stations where it has been from time to time quartered ; the battles, sieges, and other military operations in which it has been engaged ; honorary distinctions which it has gained ; changes in its establishment, uniform, and equipment ; how it has been recruited at various times ; its reviews and inspections ; names of its officers ; memoirs and services of its colonels and lieutenant- colonels ; together with other matters which are likely to be valued not only by the officers and soldiers who have served, who are now serving, and who may hereafter serve in its ranks, but also by their friends and others interested therein. In addition to this there have been inserted coloured sketches of its past and present uniforms and former guidons, as well as some portraits of the colonels and commanding officers from time to time.
The Fourteenth is one of the most illustrious regiments in the British cavalry. Long before it was immortalised by Lever in Charles O1 M alley, the Irish Dragoon, it had gained for itself a name as a famous fighting regiment with plenty of esprit de corps, and was especially noted for the superior style in which its officers and men performed their outpost duties, so that at the close of the Peninsular War it had the reputation of
x HISTORICAL RECORD OF
being the finest light cavalry regiment the British army ever possessed. It bears on its banners twelve marks of distinction, beginning with ' Douro,' which is borne by no other cavalry regiment, and ending with 'Central India,' where it fought gloriously and fully sustained its former high reputation. As the regiment is now engaged on active service in the field in South Africa, it may yet achieve further distinctions and add fresh laurels to its present ample store, which is surpassed by only two cavalry regiments and equalled by only two others.
In the process of compiling the historical record of a regiment, one would naturally expect to find a continuous store of information on the chief points required to form the basis of such a work in ' The Regimental Digest of Services,' J kept in the orderly-room of every regiment in Her Majesty's service, and duly posted up from time to time. In the Fourteenth, however, these 'Regimental Records' happen to be very meagre : there are some important events omitted, there are several gaps in the continuity of events, and for nearly the first hundred years, that is up to 1808, there is no mention of the places where the regiment was stationed. The explanation is that when crossing the Pyrenees with Wellington's army on the loth November 1813, the night before they set foot on French territory, the I4th Light Dragoons had their baggage captured by the enemy, and with it disappeared all their precious regimental books and documents.
Under these circumstances it became necessary, when com- piling this Record, to obtain the required information elsewhere, and after a very satisfactory search of original War Office documents deposited in the Public Record Offices in London 1 Commonly called ' Regimental Records.'
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xi
and Dublin, the exact stations of the regiment for each year have been ascertained with the exception of those for the years 1721 to 1726 and for 1743 and 1744, and all we know is that the first-named six years were passed by the regiment some- where in Ireland, and the latter two years in Great Britain. The Historical Record of the i\th Light Dragoons, by Richard Cannon, Esqre., published in 1847, has been taken as the founda- tion of this work up to that date, and all admirers of regimental histories should be very thankful to him for the care and accuracy he brought to bear on his numerous works of that class.
The author has the greatest possible pleasure in acknow- ledging the obligations he is under to the following kind friends, and at the same time takes this opportunity to return them his grateful thanks for the help and assistance they have given him : —
Captain C. COTTRELL- DORMER of Rousham, Oxon. (late 1 3th Hussars), for portrait of his ancestor, Lieutenant- General James Dormer, founder of the regiment.
F. A. HAWKER, Esquire, of Eaglehurst, Bracknell, Berks, and ADOLPHUS HAWKER, Esquire, late of the War Office, for portrait of General Sir S. Hawker, G.C.H., their late father; and also for the words of the old regimental song of the i4th Light Dragoons used in the Peninsular War when Sir S. Hawker commanded the regiment.
Captain J. H. TREMAYNE, Adjutant, i3th Hussars, for extracts from MS. journal written in the Peninsular War, with reference to the time when the i3th and i4th Light Dragoons were brigaded together and nicknamed the ' Ragged Brigade,' 1813-14.
Major R. M. RICHARDSON, i4th Hussars, for portrait of Colonel J. Townsend, A.D.C., who commanded the regiment
xii HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1829-45; and for several portraits of old colonels and lieutenant-colonels from the album of the Officers' Mess at Newbridge, 1897.
Major- General the Honourable HERBERT EATON, late Grenadier Guards, for copy of War Office roll of the officers and men of the i4th Light Dragoons who were among the recipients of the War Medal given in 1848 by Her Majesty Queen Victoria to the survivors of the wars.
Sir ALBERT WILLIAM WOODS, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Garter King of Arms, and Inspector of Colours to Her Majesty's Army, for the benefit of his kind advice as to the badges of the regiment.
S. M. MILNE, Esquire, of Calverley House, near Leeds, for portraits of Lord Southampton and General Louis Dejean, both colonels of the i4th Dragoons, as well as for much kind advice and valuable information as to the old uniforms of the regiment, a subject on which he is a well-known authority.
Colonel the Right Honourable A. W. B. EARL BROWNLOW, A.D.C., for a portrait of the Earl of Bridgewater, Colonel of the 1 4th Light Dragoons, his ancestor.
Sir ARTHUR E. HAVELOCK, G.C.M.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.I. E., for portrait of his late father, Lieutenant-Colonel William Havelock, K. H., killed at Ramnuggur when in command of the 1 4th Light Dragoons in 1848.
Captain H. R. GALL, late 7th Royal Fusiliers, for the perusal of some interesting letters written by his late father, Major-General R. H. Gall, C.B., a distinguished officer of the 1 4th Light Dragoons, who served through the Punjaub and Central India campaigns.
Captain the Honourable J. BERESFORD, 7th (Q.O.) Hussars, for portrait of Major-General A. Scudamore, C.B., who com- manded the 1 4th Light Dragoons, 1861.
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xiii
Messrs. INNES and Co., late of Bedford Street, Strand, for permission to use or reproduce maps and plans in The Sikhs and the Sikh Wars, by General Sir Charles Gough, V.C., G.C.B., and A. D. Innes, Esq., M.A. (published by Innes and Co., London, 1897).
J. H. SYLVESTER, Esq., F.G.S., late of 2nd Regiment Mayne's Horse, for permission to use or reproduce the map showing the route of the Central India Field Force, pub- lished in his Recollections of the Campaign in Malwa and Central India ( 1 860).
Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. ENGLISH, late commanding 1 4th Hussars, for facilities of access to the 'Regimental Digest of Services ' at Newbridge in 1897.
Colonel G. H. C. HAMILTON, Major E. D. J. O'BRIEN, and Captain R. G. BROOKSBANK, i4th Hussars, for information as to the campaign in South Africa.
The portrait of General H. E. Doherty, C.B., was kindly given by his nephew, Major D. H. DOHERTY, late 3rd (King's Own) Hussars.
Miss MURRAY kindly supplied the portrait of her late father, General the Hon. Sir Henry Murray, K.C.B., and Mrs. R. O. MILNE that of her late father, General H. Richmond Jones, C.B.
The portrait of Major-General Sir John Burgoyne, Bart., was obtained by the kindness of his great-grandson, Colonel Sir JOHN MONTAGU BURGOYNE, Bart., to whom the original painting by Romney belongs.
Mrs. FRANK VANDELEUR kindly supplied the picture of General Sir J. O. Vandeleur, G.C.B., from which the photo- gravure was reproduced.
There are also numerous other kind friends and former brother-officers and some now serving in the i4th Hussars
xiv HISTORICAL RECORD OF
who have helped the author by giving him useful hints and information during the compilation of his work, and by re- plying to his queries, and to one and all of these he takes this opportunity of thanking them sincerely for their kind assistance. He would also add, that of the old officers of the Fourteenth who, from the first, have given him their best encouragement, as well as much useful information, are Viscount Chetwynd, Captain R. P. Apthorp, and the late General C. W. Thompson, Colonel of the i4th (King's) Hussars.
The late Colonel the Honourable G. H. Gough, C.B., when employed at the War Office as Private Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief (Viscount Wolseley), was good enough to supply the author with those interesting anecdotes of the Peninsular War by the late General Sir T. W. Brotherton, G.C.B., and obtained permission from the family for their publication in this book. He also kindly supplied a copy of the Jhansi, Calpee, and Gwalior despatches of Major- General Sir Hugh Rose, K.C.B., from which extracts will be found in the Appendix.
The portrait of Field-Marshal John Campbell, fifth Duke of Argyll, is from an oil painting by Gainsborough, lately in Argyll Lodge, Kensington, which His Grace the late Duke of Argyll kindly gave the author permission to have photographed.
It remains for the author to acknowledge with his grateful thanks the help he has received from the following on various occasions : —
Lieutenant-Colonel C. Greenhill Gardyne, Glenforsa, Isle
of Mull, N.B. Major H. Davidson, Cantray, Croy, N.B.
F. Leach, Esq., War Office, London.
G. Smith, Esq., War Office, London.
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xv
Hubert Hall, Esq., F.S.A., Public Record Office, London. Herbert Wood, Esq., Public Record Office, Dublin. Mr. H. M. Winder, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin. Mr. Henry Pridgeon (late i4th Hussars), St. Anne Street, Liverpool.
The author had the advantage of conversing with, pro- bably at the time, the oldest survivor of the I4th Light Dragoons, Mr. Sweeney, warder of the Tower of London, who had many long yarns to spin of his old soldiering days which commenced in King William iv.'s reign. He served with the 1 4th Light Dragoons through the Punjaub and Indian Mutiny campaigns, and died about two years ago, leaving a widow.
All those interested in Light Dragoons in general, and the Fourteenth in particular, should read Charles O Malley, published in 1847 under the authorship of ' Harry Lorrequer,' with illustrations by ' Phiz.' The following is the well-known song which Captain Richard Power of the Irish Dragoons (the 1 4th) sang at the mess in Dublin when the officers were trying to induce ' Charles O'Malley ' to join their corps (he being then a student at Trinity College) : —
THE IRISH DRAGOON (Air — ' Love is the soul of a gay Irishman.')
Oh ! love is the soul of an Irish Dragoon, In battle, in bivouac, or in saloon —
From the tip of his spur to his bright sabretache. With his soldierly gait and his bearing so high, His gay laughing look and his light-speaking eye, He frowns at his rival, he ogles his wench, He springs in his saddle and ' chasses ' the French —
With his jingling spur and his bright sabretache.
xvi HISTORICAL RECORD OF
His spirits are high and he little knows care, Whether sipping his claret or charging a square —
With his jingling spur and his bright sabretache. As ready to sing or to skirmish he 's found, To take off his wine or to take up his ground ; When the bugle may call him, how little he fears To charge forth in column, and beat the Mounseers —
With his jingling spur and his bright sabretache.
When the battle is over, he gaily rides back To cheer every soul in the night bivouac —
With his jingling spur and his bright sabretache. Oh ! there you may see him in full glory crowned, As he sits 'mid his friends on the hardly-won ground, And hear with what feeling the toast he will give, As he drinks to the land where all Irishmen live —
With his jingling spur and his bright sabretache.
There are, besides Charles O'Malley, two other books more recently published which are entirely about the i4th Light Dragoons and the I4th Hussars, both written by non- commissioned officers who have served in the regiment, which are extremely interesting and well worth reading, viz. — Scraps from my Sabretache, by G. C. Stent (W. H. Allen and Co., London, 1882); A Kings Hussar, by Herbert Compton (being reminiscences of Troop Sergeant- Major Edwin Mole), late i4th Hussars (Cassell and Co., 1896).
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xvii
SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES QUOTED
PRINTED BOOKS
Historical Record of the \&tth King's Light Dragoons. By RICHARD CANNON, Esq.
London: Parker, Furnival and Parker. 1847. Narrative of the War in the Peninsula, 1808-1813. By General CHARLES VANE,
Marquis of Londonderry, G.C.B., G.C.H., Colonel loth Hussars. 1828. History of the Indian Mutiny. By KAYE and MALLESON. 6 vols. London :
Longmans, Green, and Co. 1898. Scraps from my Sabretache, By G. C. STENT, M.R.A.S. London: W. H. Allen
and Co. 1882. Historical Record of the First or Royal Regiment of Dragoons. By General DE
AINSLIE, Colonel of the regiment. London : Chapman and Hall. 1887. Recollections of the Campaign in Malwa and Central India under Major- General Sir
Hugh Rose, G.C.S. By J. H. SYLVESTER, Esq., F.G.S., 2nd Regiment Mayne's
Horse. Bombay : Smith, Taylor and Co. 1860.
The Sepoy Revolt. By General McLEOD INNES, V.C. London : Innes and Co. 1897. History of the Highland Clans. By JAMES BROWNE. 3 vols., 8vo. Glasgow. 1843. The Sikhs and the Sikh Wars. By General Sir CHARLES GOUGH, V.C., G.C.B., and
A. D. INNES, Esq., M.A. London : A. D. Innes and Co. 1897. Historical Journal of the British Campaign on the Continent, with the Retreat
through Holland, 1794-95. By Captain L. J. JONES, loth Regiment. Bir- mingham. 1797. Memoirs of the loth Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales' s Own). By Colonel R. S.
LIDDELL, late commanding loth Royal Hussars. Illustrated. London :
Longmans. 1891.
Old Memories. By General Sir HUGH GOUGH, V.C., G.C.B. Blackwood. 1897. Biography of General Sir James Outram, Bart., G.C.B. , K. C.S.I. By Major- General
Sir F. G. GOLDSMID, K.C.S.I., C.B. 1880. History of the War in the Peninsula and the South of France. By Lieutenant-
General Sir WILLIAM NAPIER, K.C.B. 6 vols. London : Frederick Warne
and Co. ' Chandos Classics.' Narrative of the Second Sikh War, 1848-49. By E. J. THACKWELL, Esq., late
A.D.C. to General W. Thackwell, C.B. London : Richard Bentley. 1851.
(2nd Edition revised.)
b
xviii HISTORICAL RECORD OF
Standards and Colours of the British Army. By S. M. MILNE, Esq. 1893. Historical Record of Medals and Honorary Distinctions conferred on the British Navy
and Army and the Auxiliary Forces from the earliest periods. By Captain T.
TANCRED, late Royal Scots Greys. London : Spink and Co. 1891. Book of Dignities. London : W. H. Allen and Co. 1890. Dictionary of National Biography. London : Smith, Elder and Co. 1895. Historical Record of the i tfh Light Dragoons. By RICHARD CANNON, Esq. London :
J. W. Parker. 1842. Historical Record of the i&h (Queeris) Light Dragoons (Lancers). By RICHARD
CANNON, Esq. London : J. W. Parker. 1842.
PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS
Army Lists.
Burke's and Foster's Peerages and Baronetages.
The London Gazette.
Bulletins, Despatches, and London Gazette.
Illustrated London News. 1849.
Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, London. 1895.
Dress Regulations for the Officers of the Army. War Office, 1822,
1831, 1846, 1855, 1857, 1864, 1874, 1883, 1894, and 1900. Times. Army and Navy Gazette. Broad Arrow.
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS
Marching Orders. Muster Rolls. Marching Books. Army Returns. MS. Army Lists.
Public Record Offices,
Pay Lists. London and Dublin.
General Officers' Letter- Books.
Review Reports and Inspection Returns.
Routes.
Book of Licences (Military).
Regimental Digest of Services, I4th Hussars (Orderly-Room, New- bridge, 1897).
War Office Books (Establishment, Moves, Miscellany, Honorary Distinctions, etc.). Pall Mall, London.
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xix
CONTENTS
PACK
PREFACE, . ..... ix
HISTORICAL RECORD
YEAR
1715. Formation of Dormer's Dragoons in South Britain, numbered
1 4th Dragoons, . . - . .'; ' '. '•-••.' . i
Names of the Officers, . . . f- . '. i
Engaged at Preston with the Jacobites, '".•'.'' • .- *' -'.'•" i
1716. Quartered in Lincolnshire, .^ Y • r ; v .- • ';. • '" 4
1717. Embarked for Ireland, -:•* '"• v';) V '•*-'. ' "-•.'•' ^ 4 1742. Returned to Great Britain, . . . ;fc.» ;.; 12
1745. Engaged with the Jacobites at Prestonpans, and proceeded
to Newcastle, . . . . - • . . I3~I5
Returned to Scotland, . . . , ^ • 16
1746. Engaged with the rebels at Falkirk, . o .• - . . 16
1747. Embarked for Ireland, . . . . . 18 1751. Clothing warrant issued and guidons regulated by George n.
Uniform scarlet, facings lemon-yellow, silver lace, . 19
1768. Clothing warrant of George in., .«. .-. *•„ .>;] • -.. 27
1776. Constituted a corps of Light Dragoons, .,;. . '. 32
1784. Uniform changed from scarlet to blue, * -.-.'. . . 34
1794. Two troops embarked for Flanders, . ,;, , «•. 39
1795. Embarked for the West Indies, . . , . 41
1797. Returned to England, . .. . . ^, . 46
1798. Styled the 1 4th Duchess of York's Own Light Dragoons, . 48 Authorised to bear the Prussian Eagle; Facings changed
from lemon-yellow to orange, . .49
1808. Embarked for Portugal, . . . .^ . 54
1809. Engaged at Oporto and Douro, r.., 56 Engaged in front of Talavera, . • ./ 60 Engaged at Talavera, .... , r. „, • 61
xx HISTORICAL RECORD OF
YEAR PAGE
1810. Engaged at Sexmiro, ...... 66
Engaged at Coa, ...... 69
Engaged at Frexadas, ..... 71
Skirmish at Mortagao, .... 71
Engaged in front of Busaco, . . . . . 71
Retreat to Torres Vedras, . . . . 75
Action at Rio Mandevilla, .... 75
Affair at Sobral, . . . . . .76
1811. Affair at Venta de Serra, ..... 78
Skirmishes at Pombal, Redinha, Casal Nova, Foz d'Aronce, . 78
Affair at Sabugal, . . . . . . 79
Affairs at Gallegos and Pogo Velho, . . 80
Battle of Fuentes d'Onor, . . 81
Affair at Carpio, . . . . . . 89
1812. At the siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, . . . 93 At the siege and capture of Badajos, .... 94
Affair at Usagre, near Villa Franca, . . . . 95
Affair at Alaijos, . . . . . . 97
Affair at Castrillos, . . . - . . . 97
Battle of Salamanca, ...... 98
Affair at Penaranda, . . . . . .103
Affair at Blasco Sancho (Corporal Hanley), . .104
Advance on Madrid, . . . . . . 1 1 1
Retirement from Madrid, . . . . . 1 1 1
Engagement at Matilla, . . . .113
General Paget taken prisoner, . . . .113
Behind the Agueda, . . . . . . 113
1813. Advance into Spain, . . . . .117
Engaged near Burgos, . . . . . 117
Affair at Pancorba, . . . . . . 118
Battle of Vittoria, . . . . . . 119
Pursuit of the French to Pampeluna, . . 120
Pursuit to the Pyrenees, . . . . . 120
Capture of a party at Ostiz, . . . . . 120
Capture of a party at Roncesvalles, . . . 120
Capture of ' The Emperor,' . . . . .120
Engaged in the Bastan Valley, . . .124
Skirmish at Almandoz, t , , . . 125
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xxi
YEAR PAGE
1813. Skirmish at Pass of Maya, . . . . . 125 Passage of the Nivelle, . . . . . v 126 Passage of the Nive, . . . ' *, lt \ .-/. f ;••.")' 128 Affair near Mendionda, . . ./ ..V. . 128 Affair at Hasparren, . . . i-.-i >, - .: 128 Affair near Cambo, . . ,. ^ • . . 138
1814. Action at Garris, . . . .. ". . . 140,147
Action at Sauveterre, . . . •»,;>.. ~vi 141
Battle of Orthes, . . .... . /. j . 142,148
Engaged at Aire, .. y&us : ;* :, f -,-* • • -.-.-.r- .143,149
Engaged near Pau, . :^.i '> = ,• uJan :.v- .143,150
Engaged at Tarbes, . . . 7< • ,;•' 144
Engaged at St. Gaudens, . . •. . 145
Battle of Toulouse, . . . . : . . 145, 151
End of Peninsular War, . .,. . .. . 146,152
Affair at Clarac, . - . .' . . . 150
Affair at Castel Paget, . . . . . 151
Affair at Vic Bigorre, . . . . . . 151
Embarked for England, . . . . . 158
Reviewed at Hounslow, . . . .' . 158
General Sir T. W. Brotherton, G.C.B., .. . . 176
Embarked for North America (Gulf of Mexico), . . 177
1815. Embarked for England, . . . . * ' . 179 Returned to Hounslow, . . :,, " , 179
1816. Embarked for Ireland, ,rv;4 . .»• . . 180 1819. Returned to England, . . ... . 182
1822. Reviewed at Hounslow, . . 186
1825. Embarked for Ireland, . ... 187
1828. Returned to England, . . . . , 188
1830. Quartered at Brighton, . . . . . 189 Reviewed in London by King William iv., and authorised to
bear the title of the i4th (King's) Light Dragoons, . 189
Uniform changed from blue to scarlet, . . , ; , 1 90
1831. At Birmingham, Coventry, and Gloucester, . . y 191 Engaged in quelling riots at Bristol, . :~.t . ,-; 192 Orange facings changed to blue, . . ,., > 194
1832. Quartered at Hounslow for the Royal Escorts, ;?./; ;. 195 Authorised to bear the King's Crest, . ,, • • •• v, • I95
xxii HISTORICAL RECORD OF
YEAR PAGE
1833. Embarked for Ireland, . . . . 196
1834. Guidons discontinued, . 197 1836. Embarked for Scotland, . 198
1838. Returned to England, . . '. . 199
1839. Reviewed at Windsor by Queen Victoria, . . 202
1840. Uniform changed from scarlet to blue, and facings changed
from blue to scarlet, . . . •• . . 204
1841. Left Canterbury, and embarked at Gravesend for Bombay, . 206 At Kirkee, . . . . . - 206
1843. Two squadrons proceeded to Kolapore, . . 208
1845. Two squadrons returned from Kolapore, . . 208 Marched to Bengal, .... 209
1846. At Umballa, ..... . 210
1848. At Ferozepore and Anarkullee (Lahore), . . . 211 One squadron with the expedition into Sikh territory, . 211 Regiment proceeded on service with Army of the Punjaub
under Lord Gough, . . . . 212
Engaged at Ramnuggur on the Chenab, . . . 213-22
1849. Engaged at Chillianwallah, . . . 224-32 Engaged at Goojerat, ...... 233-40
Pursuit to the Khyber, . . . . . 241
At Lahore, . . . . . . 242
1851. At Meerut, ...... 243
1854. Ordered to Crimea, ..... 245
I^55- Orders for Crimea countermanded, .... 246
At Kirkee, ..... . 246
1857. Proceeded on service to Persia, . . . 247 At capture of Mohamra, . .250
Returned to Kirkee, . . . . . . 251
Proceeded to the Deccan, Sattara, and Kolapore on service, . 251
At Aurungabad, . . . . . 253
At Boldana, ....... 255
At Dhar, . • . . • . . . 258-61
With the Malwa and Nerbudda Field Forces at Mundesor, . 262
Engaged at Goraria, . . . . . . 264-67
At Indore, . . . . . . 268
With the Central India Field Force, . . . . 268
Right wing at Sehore, . .".... 269
THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xxiii
YEAR PAGE
1858. Marched from Mhow and Sehore with ist and and Brigades
Central India Field Force, ,.,<. V* f ja'i • • 273
At Rathgur, . . . . . ..--.-. 274
Engaged at Barodia, . . . .,,, ; . , 275
Engaged at Garrakota, . . . . . 277
Forced the Muddenpore Pass, . . . 279
Engaged at Chanderi (Central India), . , . . . 280-82
At Jhansi, .... ,;..,, ,.<, ., 283
Siege of Jhansi, .- ^ ,- .1 '. „ .; 287
Battle of the Betwa, . ;.. , . ,. ; . .;; ry. 289
Lieutenant Leith gains the Victoria Cross, . . > 294
Storming of Jhansi, . . . .... . 297
Major Gall storms a hill at Jhansi, . „ . . 298
Escape of the Ranee, . . . . • • 298
Capture of Jhansi, . . . , . 298
Lieutenant-Colonel Gall captures Lohari Fort, , . . 300
Battle of Koonch, . , . ,. . . 301-305
March on Calpee, . . . 305
Fortress of Calpee, . .... 307
Engagement near Golowlee, . . . 308
Capture of Calpee, . . 311
March on Gwalior, . . . .312
Capture of Morar cantonments, . : , 313
Death of the Ranee of Jhansi, 314
Gwalior Fort captured, .* 317
Engaged at Jowra-Alipore, . .. . 319-20
Services of the Central India Field Force, . . .320-21
Ranode, defeat of Ferozshah, , • 324-26
1858-9. Description of Lieutenant-Colonel Gall, C.B., , . 328
1859. At Kirkee, , 33 l
1860. Embarked for England at Bombay, . .- , 332 At Newbridge, .. . . .* '.- •••• 332
1861. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales dines with regiment, . 335 Converted into Hussars; uniform blue, busby-bags yellow,
plumes white, . . ,r . • 335
At Dundalk, . . . ... 335
1862. At Manchester, . . . ..; 33^ 1864. At Aldershot, . . . . *. » - 337
xxiv HISTORICAL RECORD OF
YEAR PAGE
1866. At Hounslow, . "; •. . . . . 338 At Buckingham Palace for Hyde Park riots, . . . 339
1867. Quartered in Scotland, . . . . . 340
1868. Embarked for Ireland, . . . . . 341
At Newbridge, .... v > . 341
At Dublin, . . . . . . ' . 341
In south of Ireland on election duty, . . ;•' . 342
1869. Squadron system introduced, . . . . . 343
At Curragh Camp, ...... 344
Quartered at Longford, Limerick, Curragh Camp, and Castlebar, 344-45
1869- } Detached on election duty and in aid of the civil power to
7°- j various places, . . . . . . 345-46
1870. Troop system restored, ; 345 At Cahir, Fethard, Fermoy, Waterford, Clogheen, Carrick-on-
Suir, and Clonmel, ..... 346
1871. At Ballincollig, Cork, Fermoy, Bandon, Limerick, and Clogheen, 347
1872. Employed on election duty in County Kerry and in Galway, . 348 1872-3. At Newbridge and the Curragh, .... 349-50
1873. At Dublin, ..... . 350
1874. Embarked for England, . . . . . 350 At Aldershot, . . . . . . . 351
1875. At Colchester, . . . . . . 352
1876. Embarked for Bombay, ..... 354
Depot to Canterbury, . . . . . . 354
At Bangalore, . -355
1877. Lord Lytton, Governor - General of India, dines with the
officers, and visits regimental theatre, . . . 356
1878. Ordered on active service in Afghanistan, . . . 357 Order countermanded, . • . . . . 358
1880. Lieutenant- Colonel Arbuthnot introduces new regimental
march, 'The King of Prussia,' . . . . 359
1 88 1. Embarked for active service in South Africa, . . - . 359 Landed at Durban, . . . . . -359
Marched into the Transvaal, . . . . . 360
New army pay and promotion warrant issued, . . . 360
At Ladysmith, ...... 360
Embarked for Bombay, ..... 362
1882. At Secunderabad, . . . . . 362 1883-4. At camps of exercise under Lord Roberts, . . . 364-65
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xxv
YEAR PAGE
1886. Embarked for England, . . . ' ' . . 367 At Shorncliffe Camp, . . . . ' . k 367
1887. At Jubilee Review, Aldershot, . . . . 369 Regimental Firing Team won Cambridge Challenge Shield at
Wimbledon, . . . . . . 370
1888. Duke of Cambridge lunched with the officers, . . 372 In camp at Aldershot for summer drills, . . •<• 372 At Brighton and Hilsea, i> ' . '.• .'••'• . 373
1889. Regimental Almanack revised and published by Lieutenant-
Colonel H. B. Hamilton, ..... 373
At Aldershot in camp for summer drills, . . . 374
Reviewed by the Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia, . 375
1890. 'The Derby' won by Captain Sir James Miller's chestnut
colt 'Sainfoin,' . . . . . -377
Regimental Firing Team won the Cambridge Challenge Shield
at Bisley (second time), . . . . -377
At Cavalry Manoeuvres in Berkshire, . . . . 378
At Hounslow, Hampton Court, and Kensington, . . 379 Officers' ' Dress-Call ' for Mess introduced by Colonel H. B.
Hamilton, ...... 380
1891. Regimental 'Standing Orders' introduced and published by
Colonel H. B. Hamilton, . . . . .381
On duty at Windsor during Emperor of Germany's visit, also
in London, Wimbledon, and at the Crystal Palace, . 382-83
At Aldershot for summer drills, . . . . 383 Regimental Firing Team won the Cambridge Challenge Shield
at Bisley (third time), . . . . .384
At Leeds and Birmingham, ..... 384
1892. At Strensall Camp for summer drills, . . . 385 At Manchester, ...... 386
1893. Employed in aid of the civil power in North Wales, . . 387 Martini- Metford carbines issued, . '. . . 388
1894. At the opening of the Manchester Canal by Her Majesty
Queen Victoria, ...... 389
Embarked for Ireland, . . . . ' . 389
At Cahir, Fethard, Waterford, and Limerick, . . .' 389
1896. At Curragh Camp for summer drills, . . . 392
Lee-Metford magazine carbines issued, . . . 392
Detachments sent to Clogheen and Carrick on-Suir, . . 392
xxvi HISTORICAL RECORD OF
YEAR PAGE
1897. The new pattern cavalry saddle introduced, . . . 396
At Newbridge and Curragh Camp, . ." . 398
1899 Ordered to mobilise up to war strength, . . 400
Embarked for England, . . .402
At Aldershot, . . . . . , .402
Embarked for active service in South Africa, , . 404
1900. Engaged in the campaign against the Boers, . . 404-29
Major Brown gains the Victoria Cross, . . 419
MISCELLANEOUS Regimental Almanack, . . . . . .431
Regimental Music, .... -435
Table of services at home and abroad, . . 446
Changes in establishment since 1800, . . 447
Changes in uniform since 1715, . 448-52
Guidons, 1715-1834, . . 453'54
Regimental plate, pictures, etc., . . . 455-56
Regimental race cups and lists of winners, .... 457-60
Races won by officers, 1873-90, 1895, an^ 1899, . . 461
Succession of Colonels, . . . . . . 462
Succession of Lieutenant-Colonels, . ... 463
Succession of Adjutants, ...... 465
Memoirs and Services of the Colonels, .... 467-84
Memoirs and Services of the Lieutenant-Colonels, . . . 484-510
List of officers, Dormer's Dragoons, 1715, . . . . 511
Lists of officers, NevilPs Dragoons, 1730 and 1736, . . 511, 512
Lists of officers, Hamilton's Dragoons, 1740 and 1745, . 512, 513
List of officers, Lord Tyrawley's Dragoons, 1752, . . . 513
Alphabetical list of officers, 1 4th Dragoons, 1715-54, . . . 514-16
Army Lists, 1754-1901, ... . 5l7-$9
List of warrant officers, 1881-1900, ..... 560
APPENDIX A (Ramnuggur and Chillian wallah), . . . 561
APPENDIX B (Central India), ..... 582
APPENDIX C (South Africa), . ... 614
INDEX, 621
THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xxvii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
COLOURED PLATES
BY WILLIAM GRIGGS
BADGES AND DISTINCTIONS OF THE REGIMENT, . . Frontispiece
TROOPER, 1715 AND 1742, . . to face page 12
GUIDONS OF THE REGIMENT, 1751, , „ 2o
LIGHT DRAGOON, 1776, . .; ,, 32
OFFICERS, 1808 AND 1812, ... . „ 54
LIGHT DRAGOONS, 1815 ; SERGEANT (Summer Dress), 1831, . „ 178
OFFICERS, 1819, . . ,, 182
GUIDONS OF THE REGIMENT, 1798 AND 1832, . „ 194
GROUP, 1836, . . . . . . „ 198
LIGHT DRAGOONS, 1841; OFFICER, 1851, . . , ,, 204
OFFICERS AND LIGHT DRAGOON, 1859, . . < . ,, 330
OFFICER OF THE REGIMENT (Review Order), 1891, . „ 380
OFFICER AND HUSSAR (Marching Order), 1894, „ 388
GROUP (Undress), 1899, ... „ 400
GROUP (Khaki), 1900, ... . ,, 404
xxviii HISTORICAL RECORD OF
PHOTOGRAVURES BY W. L. COLLS
ROYAL PATRON
His MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY WILLIAM THE FOURTH, KING
OF ENGLAND, Etc. Etc. Etc., .... to face page 190 (Engraving published 1830 by Henry Dawe, from a miniature by J agger, the property of Countess of Enroll.)
ROYAL PATRONESS
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS FREDERICA (PRINCESS ROYAL OF
PRUSSIA), DUCHESS OF YORK, „ 48
(Published by J. Sewell 1791. From the European Magazine. Engraved by Bromley. Painted by Cun- ingham.)
COLONELS
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL JAMES DORMER, ., i
(Photographed by H. W. Taunt, from oil painting by Vanlo in collection of Captain Charles W. Cottrell- Dormer of Rousham, Oxon.)
FIELD-MARSHAL JOHN CAMPBELL, FIFTH DUKE OF ARGYLL, . ,, 24
(Photographed by M. Jacolette, of Queen's Gate Hall, South Kensington, from oil painting by Gainsborough in the collection of His Grace the Duke of Argyll.)
GENERAL SIR JOHN O. VANDELEUR, G.C.B., . . ,, 186
(Engraving by Villain of a portrait by Z. Belliard in the collection of Hector S. Vandeleur, Esq.)
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL WILLIAM BECKWITH, K.H., . . „ 192
(Copy photograph by Debenham and Gould, Bourne- mouth.)
GENERAL THE HON. SIR HENRY MURRAY, K.C.B., . . „ 244
(Photographed from a pencil sketch (face coloured) by Cosway, belonging to Miss Murray of Wimbledon Lodge.)
GENERAL CHARLES W. THOMPSON, ...."„ 364 (Photo, Fradelle and Young, 283 Regent Street, W.)
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xxix
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL CLEMENT NEVILLE (OR NEVILL), . to face page 468 (Engraving by John Brooks, from painting by Hoar.)
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL Louis DEJEAN, „ 472
(Engraving by I. Faber. Painted by Ph. Mercier.)
GENERAL CHARLES FITZROY, FIRST LORD SOUTHAMPTON, . „ 474
(From the plate after Sir Joshua Reynolds, by permis- sion of Henry Graves and Company, Limited.)
GENERAL JOHN W. EGERTON, EARL OF BRIDGEWATER, . „ 476
(From a drawing by Edridge, 1805, in the collection of the Right Hon. the Earl of Brownlow, etc. etc.)
GENERAL SIR EDWARD KERRISON, BART., G.C.H., K.C.B., . ,, 478
(Engraving by W. G. Edwards. Painted by M. A. Shee, R.A. Published in 1818 by Edwards and Boydell.)
GENERAL H. R. JONES, C.B., ....,, 482
(Photo, Bullock Brothers, now Draycott, 138 The Parade, Leamington.)
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL THE HON. CHARLES W. THESIGER, . „ 484
(Copy of photo, Lafayette, 30 Westmoreland Street, Dublin.)
LIEUTENANT-COLONELS COMMANDING
MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JOHN BURGOYNE, BART., . . „ 30
(Photo by M. Jacolette, from oil painting by Romney in the collection of Colonel Sir John Montagu Bur- goyne, Bart.)
COLONEL JOHN TOWNSEND, A.D.C., „ 188
(Photo by Charleton and Son, Newbridge, Ireland, of an old oil painting of 1829, in Officers' Mess, I4th Hussars.)
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL CHARLES STEUART, C.B., . . ,, 256
(Copy photo, Debenham and Gould.)
MAJOR-GENERAL A. SCUDAMORE, C.B., . „ 334
(Copy photo, Debenham and Gould.)
MAJOR-GENERAL P. S. THOMPSON, C.B., „ 338
(Copy photo, Debenham and Gould.)
xxx HISTORICAL RECORD OF
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL F. P. CAMPBELL, . . to face page 352
(Copy photo, Debenham and Gould.)
COLONEL JOHN H. KNOX, . . . . . „ 360
(Copy photo, Debenham and Gould.)
COLONEL CHARLES F. MORTON, . . . . „ 366
(Photo, Thomas Fall, 10 Baker Street, Portman Square, W.)
COLONEL HENRY B. HAMILTON, „ 370
(Photo, J. Edwards (H. Walter Barnett, successor), i Parkside, Hyde Park Corner, S.W.)
LlEDTENANT-COLONEL A. F. ENGLISH, . . ., 392
(Photo, F. O. Devereux, 98 Western Road, Hove.)
GENERAL SIR SAMUEL HAWKER, G.C.H., . . . 488
(Photo from an oil portrait in possession of his son. F. A. Hawker, Esq., Eaglehurst, BracknelL)
COLONEL SIR F. B. HERVEY, BART., C.B., K.H., A.D.C., . „ 490
(Photo by H. W. Salmon, Winchester, from oil painting in the collection of Sir Frederick Bathurst, BarL, of Sombome Park, Stockbridge.)
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM HAVELOCK, K.H., . . „ 492
(Photo copy by Debenham and Gould, Bournemouth, from an old portrait in possession of his son, Colonel Havelock.)
GENERAL H. E. DOHERTY, C.B., „ 496
(From an old stereoscopic daguerrotype by Claudet of Regent Street.)
MAJOR-GENERAL SIR WILLLAM RUSSELL, BART., C.B., . „ 498
(Copy photo, Debenham and Gould.)
MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM ARBUTHNOT, C.B., „ 502
(Copy photo, Debenham and Gould.)
COLONEL THE HON. G. H. GOUGH, C.B., „ 506
(Photo, A. Bassano, 25 Old Bond Street.)
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL G. H. C. HAMILTON, . . . „ 510
(Photo, Charles Knight, 18 Queen's Road, Aldershot.)
SHAKO-PLATE AND BUTTONS (from a photograph), . . „ 449
FOUR STATUETTES (from a photograph), . . „ 456
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS xxxi
MAPS AND PLANS
BY EDWARD STANFORD
PAGE
British Isles, ...... between 10 and n
Flanders, Holland, and Germany, 1794-1795, facing 40
Hayti and St. Domingo, 1795-1797, \
• » 44 Gulf of Mexico, 1814-1815,
Peninsula and South of France, . . . between 96 and 97
Theatre of the Punjaub Campaign, 1848-1849, . facing 212
The Punjaub and Surrounding Districts, . . „ 242
Persia, 1857, . „ 248
Central India, . . . . . „ 270
South Africa, 1900, . . between 4060^407
HI
T 1 1 E
1715
GEORGE I.
THE regiment now styled 'The Fourteenth (King
was raised by Brigadier-General James Dor n South
Britain, and was originally known as ' Dorm-
The first officers were appointed dated 22nd July 1715 i : —
Captains. Lieutenants. Cornets.
Col.)-
Sol Rap Henry Pelham. William Boyle. Beverly Newcomin.
Thomas Ellis.
Th
James Stevens (Capt.-Lt). Edward Stroud. Lasale.
-enport.
Jonathan Pirke. Cuthbert James Flen.
Colonel —
James
Dormer.
In November the newly ra' were brigaded with ' Pitt's H on- Brigadier-General Dormer, and advanced
commanded by -General A n. AnEngagedat
engagement ensued with ci body of the Pretender's rebels, and being directed to dismount, Dormer's Dragoons formed I?I5- as infantry, and did good service in the attack on the avenue leading to Lancaster. They lost three men and sixteen horses killed, and Brigadier-General Dormer and four men were wounded.
eC..
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS
1715
GEORGE I. George:.,
1715.
THE regiment now styled 'The Fourteenth (King's) Hussars' was raised by Brigadier-General James Dormer in South Britain, and was originally known as ' Dormer's Dragoons.' i4th, or
The first officers were appointed as follows by commissions dated 22nd July 1715, six troops being the establishment of the regiment : —
Captains. Lieutenants. Cornets.
James Dormer (Col.). James Stevens (Capt.-Lt). Edward Stroud. Colonel— H.Killigrew(Lt-CoL). Henry Lasale. Thomas Ellis. g°«cr< Sol Rapin (Major). Peter Davenport. Thomas Delahaye. Lieutenant- Henry Pelham. Jonathan Pirke. William Hamilton. Colonel— H. William Boyle. Cuthbert Smith. Rigley Molyneux. * Beverly Newcomin. James Fleming. Andrew Forrester.
In November the newly raised men of ' Dormer's Dragoons' were brigaded with ' Pitt's Horse,' under their own Colonel, Brigadier-General Dormer, and advanced with other forces commanded by Major-General Wills towards Preston. An Engaged at engagement ensued with a body of the Pretender's rebels, November and being directed to dismount, Dormer's Dragoons formed I7IS- as infantry, and did good service in the attack on the avenue leading to Lancaster. They lost three men and sixteen horses killed, and Brigadier-General Dormer and four men were wounded.
2 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1715
Browne, in his History of the Highland Clans, relates how that General Wills had been ordered to collect all the forces he could to march on Warmington Bridge, Preston, so as to prevent the insurgents from advancing on Manchester. When the insurgents entered Preston, Wills was at Manchester, and he decided to march at once upon Preston with such troops as he had.
On the nth November he left Manchester for Wigan with four regiments of dragoons — Honeywood's (nth), Dor- mer's (i4th), Munden's (i3th), Wynne's (9th) — Pitt's Horse, Churchill's, Molesworth's, and Preston's regiments of foot. He reached Wigan early in the evening, and met Stanhope's Dragoons and Houghton's Militia there, they having retired from Preston on the Qth inst.
Amongst the Jacobite leaders in Preston were Lord Ken- mure, the Earls of Derwentwater, Nithsdale, and Wintour, Lord George Murray, old Borlume (Mackintosh), and Forster. They were taken aback by the news of Wills's advance. Lord Kenmure was apprised by letter, and came to Forster to consult him. It was resolved to send out a party of horse towards Wigan to watch the enemy and to secure the pass into the town by the Ribble Bridge. At daybreak on the I2th November, General Wills left Wigan. His van consisted of Preston's regiment of foot preceded by an advanced guard of fifty musketeers and fifty dragoons on foot. Then followed —
Honeywood's Dragoons, Dormer's Dragoons, Munden's Dragoons, with the baggage in rear escorted by fifty dragoons.
So soon as the approach was known, a select body of 100 well-armed Highlanders under Farquharson of Invercauld was posted at Ribble Bridge, and Forster himself at the head of some horse advanced over the bridge to reconnoitre. Lord George Murray had command of a barrier at the end of a lane leading to a field : this was attacked by Dormer's Dragoons, who acted very bravely though exposed to a mur- derous fire from the houses. They carried part of the barrier, were repulsed after a time by the defenders, and again pressed
1715] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 3
forward with a vigorous attack, when, after displaying great courage and resolution (although only newly raised troops), they were a second time beaten back with loss.
The attack on the windmill barrier, which was defended by Colonel Mackintosh, met with a similar fate.
After this, General Wills set fire to the houses, and next day General Carpenter with reinforcements arrived to help the Royalists. This opportune occurrence quite turned the tide of events : the Jacobites began to think of surrender, actually opened negotiations, and on the I4th November, headed by Lord Kenmure and other Scots noblemen, together with Colonel Mackintosh and Mr. Forster, they surrendered at discretion. There were 1468 prisoners, of whom 463 were English. The Jacobites lost seventeen killed, twenty-five wounded ; the losses of the Royalists were five times that number.
Preston had been defended by four barriers, but General Wills being short of troops on his first day of assault could only attack two barriers, those commanded by Mackintosh and Murray, and he divided his troops into three bodies for attack : —
The first, under Brigadier Honeywood, who had the foot regiments.
The second, under Brigadier Dormer, who had Dormer's Dragoons (i4th), Wynne's Dragoons (gth), and a squadron of Stanhope's Dragoons (afterwards dis- banded).
The third, under Brigadier Munden, who had Pitt's Horse (2nd Dragoon Guards), Munden's Dragoons (i3th), and a squadron of Stanhope's Dragoons forming in support.
Cannon says : ' The first barrier was carried with great gallantry, the second or inner barricade could not be forced for want of cannon ; but after the houses had been set on fire, the troops prevented the escape of the rebels.'1
1 Historical Record of the i^th Light Dragoons ^ p. 3.
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[1716-
Regiment proceeds to Ireland.
Lieutenant- Colonel — Sol Rapin.
Dormer's Dragoons were employed to escort prisoners to Lancaster gaol, and remained at Lancaster for the next six months.
1716
In May the regiment marched into cantonments at Lincoln and neighbouring towns, such as Sleaford, Newark, and Gains- borough.
1717
Dormer's Dragoons marched in May to Bristol and em- barked for Ireland, where they remained for the next twenty- five years. Adjutant George Thornborough was reduced with the regiment to two shillings per diem half-pay, being only twenty years of age, as appears in the Army List for 1 740.
It is probable the regiment was quartered shortly after arrival in scattered detachments through the west of Ireland, and for part of the year at Foxford (near Ballinrobe), Carrick- drumrush, Boyle, Collooney, and Castlebar. An order, dated 6th June 1717, was issued for it to proceed, on landing in Ireland, to certain quarters, named ' according to the within route,' but the route is missing.
In the Military Licences Book at the Public Record Office, Four Courts, Dublin, there is an entry allowing Major Sol Rapin, of Brigadier James Dormer's Dragoons, ' to be absent from his command for six months, from June 30, in considera- tion of his wounds received in your service, for the recovery of his health,' dated 5/8/1 717. There are also entries as follows : —
Licence, dated 18/9/1717, for Cornet Thos. Ellis (Dormer's Dragoons) to be absent in Great Britain for three months.
Leave from muster, ending 30/9/1717, granted to Captain Beverly Newcomin and Lieutenant Cuthbert Smith of Dormer's Regiment of Dragoons.
Major Sol Rapin was Lieutenant- Colonel in 1717.
To Cornet Rigley Molyneux of Brigadier Dormer's Dragoons, a Licence of 24/12/1717, 'to go into Great Britain
1719] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 5
about his own affairs, and to be absent out of this Kingdom for the space of three months from this date.'
To Peter Pickering, Chaplain to Brigadier Dormer's Dragoons, a Licence, dated 22/12/1717, 'to continue in Great Britain upon extry occasions, and be absent from his post in your said regiment for the space of three months from this date'; and there is an order, dated and signed 31/12/1717, ' to remove the cheques put upon the several officers and private men of Dormer's Dragoons for three months ending 30/9/1717.'
Major William Boyle became Lieutenant-Colonel vice Lieutenant- Lieutenant-Colonel Rapin.
1718
Brigadier Dormer's Dragoons received an order, dated 3ist May 1718, to march from their present quarters according to the following route :—
i Troop from Foxford, via Ballinrobe, 4th June, to
Nenagh barracks, arriving i4th June. i Troop from Carrickdrumrush on nth June to Charle-
ville barracks, arriving 2ist June, via Elphin. i Troop from Boyle, via Elphin, 4th June, to Cappoquin
barracks, June i6th. i Troop from Collooney, via Boyle, 6th June, to Tallow
Town, 1 7th June, i Troop from Castlebar, via Ballinrobe, 5th June, to
Mallow barracks, i6th June. i Troop from Castlebar, via Ballinrobe, 9th June, to
Tallow Town, 2ist June.
1719
In pursuance of an order, dated i4th March, Dormer's Dragoons moved as follows : —
i Troop from Tallow to Charleville Town.
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[1720-
i Troop from Cappoquin to Charleville Town.
i Troop from Nenagh to Bruff and Kilmallock Towns.
1 Troop at Charleville ) i , . , • j r
_ r _, „ V already there, remained fast.
2 I roops at Mallow J
In May another move commenced, and the regiment became located as follows : —
i Troop (the Brigadier's) to Downpatrick (one-half to
barracks, one-half to town), i Troop (Colonel Boyle's) to Lisburn Town, i Troop (Colonel Diggs's) to Carrickfergus (one-half to
barracks, one-half to town).
i Troop (Captain Newcomin's) to Dromore Town, i Troop (Captain Stevens's) to Carrickfergus barracks, i Troop (Captain Morin's) to Downpatrick. N.B. — The Lisburn Troop subsequently moved to Killy- leagh.
On Qth November an order came for the regiment to proceed to Mullingar : ij troops went to barracks, and the remainder (4^ troops) to the town of Mullingar.
It appears in an old book of Military Licences deposited at the Public Record Office, Dublin, that an order, dated 22nd May 1719, was issued to Brigadier Dormer's Regiment of Dragoons, to allow Mr. Henry Pickering, the chaplain, 'to continue in Great Britain about his own affairs, and to be absent out of this Kingdom (Ireland) for six months from ist January, the time his former Licence expired.'
Colonel —
Clement
Neville.
Lieutenant- Colonel— B. Newcomin.
1720
The regiment remained on in quarters at Mullingar. On 9th April, Brigadier James Dormer became Colonel of the 6th Regiment of Foot ; and Lieutenant-Colonel Clement Neville from the I3th Dragoons became Colonel of the regiment. Major B. Newcomin became Lieutenant -Colonel on ist December.
1727] THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 7
1721
For this and the following five years, no record has been found of the stations at which the regiment was quartered in Ireland.
1722
In Ireland.
1723
In Ireland.
1724
In Ireland.
1725
On 25th March, Lieutenant William Hamilton, with Quartermaster Charles Waldegrave and some non-commis- sioned officers, went to Great Britain for three months for the purpose of buying recruit horses for the regiment.
At this period Newcomin was still the Lieutenant-Colonel, and the captains were Dilkes, Pearce, Bowles, and Smith.
1726
From ist October to 3ist December of this year, Lieu- tenant William Hamilton, accompanied by i sergeant of Lieutenant-Colonel Newcomin's troop, was employed in England in buying recruit horses for the regiment.
1727
GEORGE II. George II.,
1727.
The regiment was quartered, i troop (the Colonel's) at Collooney, 5 troops at Sligo.
8 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1728
1728
Colonel Neville's Dragoons marched at the end of May to new quarters, as follows : —
i Troop (the Colonel's) from Collooney to Nenagh
barracks, i Troop (Major Smyth's) from Sligo to Loughrea
barracks, i Troop (Lieutenant-Colonel Newcomin's) from Sligo
to Headford barracks, i Troop (Captain Pearce's) from Sligo to Portumna
barracks. i Troop (Captain Dilkes's) from Sligo to Charleville
barracks, i Troop (Captain Bowles's) from Sligo to Mallow
barracks.
The whole regiment was in its new quarters by i2th June. On 25th June, 4 troops received an order to march early in July as follows : —
i Troop, Nenagh to Mallow, i Troop, Portumna to Loughrea, i Troop, Headford to Loughrea, i Troop, Charleville to Mallow,
leaving i troop in Mallow barracks and i troop in Loughrea barracks. The order directed, that 'when the troops above named are reviewed by the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Shannon, they are to march back to their respective quarters,' etc. The review was conducted by wings, 3 troops being inspected at Mallow and 3 at Loughrea.
1729
On 6th June, Colonel Neville's Dragoons commenced to march as follows : —
The Colonel's troop, Nenagh to Birr, and later to Castlebar.
1731] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 9
Lieutenant-Colonel Newcomin's, Headford to Bally- shannon barracks.
Major Smyth's, Loughrea to Ballyshannon barracks. Captain Pearce's, Portumna to Newport- Pratt barracks. Captain Dilkes's, Mallow to Headford barracks. Captain Bowles's, Charleville to Castlebar (half troop
to town and half troop to barracks).
Shortly after arrival the regiment got orders to march and be reviewed by General Honey wood as follows, a wing (4 troops) to Loughrea; a squadron (2 troops) to Enniskillen, returning to former quarters after the inspection.
1730
In June the regiment moved as follows : —
Colonel's troop, Castlebar to Longford barracks. Lieutenant- Colonel's troop, Ballyshannon to Granard
barracks.
Major's, from Ballyshannon to Mullingar barracks. Captain Pearce's, from Newport-Pratt to Tuam. Captain Dilkes's, from Headford to Phillipstown barracks. Captain Bowles's, from Castlebar to Navan barracks. The whole 6 troops were reviewed at Mullingar by Major-General Naper in August, and returned to their respec- tive stations afterwards.
On 3oth November the 6 troops marched to Dublin, and were assembled there in barracks by 9th December.
1731
On 1 7th June, Colonel Neville's Dragoons marched from Dublin via Dundalk, etc., to fresh quarters.
The Colonel's and Captain Pearce's troops to Saint- field barracks, near Hillsborough.
Lieutenant-Colonel Newcomin's and Captain Bowles's troops to Carrickfergus barracks.
io HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1732-
The Major's and Captain Dilkes's troops to Killough
barracks.
Subsequently 2 troops left Carrickfergus and Saintfield (i from each), and proceeded to Killyleagh and Downpatrick (i to each).
Lieutenant- Henry Desgrangues became Lieutenant-Colonel on i2th
Senses- November.
grangues. 1 732
A route, dated loth June, directed Neville's Dragoons to proceed from present quarters as follows : —
1 Troop to Lifford.
2 Troops ,, Ballyshannon.
2 ,, ,, Castle Dawson. i Troop ,, Collooney.
Three troops were reviewed by General Wynne at Sligo, and 3 troops at Castle Dawson by Major-General Price.
1733
From 4th to igth June the regiment moved as follows :— i Troop from Collooney, and i troop from Bally- shannon to Hamilton's Bawn.
i Troop from Ballyshannon to Dungannon barracks. The i troop at Lifford and 2 troops at Castle Dawson remained there.
The 6 troops were reviewed in June at Dungannon, and on 24th June they marched from their respective stations to Sligo, arriving there 9th July.
1734
The regiment remained in Sligo during this year.
1735
On yth July the regiment moved from Sligo to Belturbet, Collooney, Roscommon, Cavan, and Ballyshannon.
One squadron at Ballyshannon ; and i troop at each of the other stations. The march was completed by i2th July.
°Hjeigate
London : Long »:
BRITISH ISLES
KBerwick PLACES WH ERE THE "FOURTEENTH" HAVE BEEN. 1715-190O.
Scale of English Mies .
_ O •.«.-
v>
^
StanfbrcL's
, Gre&n. & Co.
1737] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS n
1736
A change of stations took place in June : —
i Troop went from Roscommon to Loughrea.
i Troop from Belturbet to Granard ; i troop, Cavan
to Gort.
i Troop, Collooney to Headford ; and 2 troops moved
from Ballyshannon — i to Cavan and i to Belturbet.
Major-General Lord Molesworth reviewed 3 troops in
June at Cavan ; and 3 troops were reviewed by Lieutenant-
General Naper at Loughrea, viz. the Gort, Headford, and
Loughrea troops. Lord Molesworth reviewed the Cavan,
Granard, and Belturbet troops.
1737
On 2Oth June, Neville's Dragoons marched as follows : —
i Troop, Loughrea to Mullingar.
i ,, Headford ,, Phillipstown.
i ,, Gort „
i „ Cavan „ „
i „ Belturbet ,, Navan.
i ,, at Granard remained there. This change was completed by the 25th of June.
On 27th June, Brigadier Neville went to the 8th Dragoons, Colonel— and Colonel Archibald Hamilton, from 27th Foot, became Hamilton. Colonel.
W. Wright became Lieutenant-Colonel 7th February, and Lieutenant- Captain Michael O'Brien Dilkes was appointed Major on i4th Wright." February. The regiment was reviewed at Phillipstown, the three detached troops returning to outquarters afterwards. In December the regiment moved as follows : — Captain Bowles's troop from Granard ; the Colonel's troop from Mullingar ; Captain Norris's from Navan ; and Major Smith's, Major Dilkes's, and Lieutenant-Colonel Wright's from Phillipstown, to Dublin, where the whole regiment was then concentrated under its newly appointed commander, Colonel Archibald Hamilton.
12 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1738-
1738
In May, Hamilton's Dragoons proceeded as follows : — 2 troops to Killough, and i troop each to Downpatrick, Saint- field, Carrickfergus, and Killyleagh. Subsequently 2 troops moved to Castle Dawson, 2 to Ballyshannon, i to Collooney, and i to Lifford ; and later in the year 2 troops from Bally- shannon went to Hamilton's Bawn, and i from Collooney to Dungannon.
1739
The regiment was stationed at Lifford, Castle Dawson, Dungannon, and Hamilton's Bawn.
1740
In May, i Troop marched from Lifford to Athlone.
2 Troops „ ,, Castle Dawson to Athlone.
1 Troop ,, „ Dungannon to Bandon.
2 Troops ,, „ Hamilton's Bawn, i to Middleton Town (beyond Cappoquin), and i (Major Dilkes's) to Castlemartin Town.
In July the 6 troops began to march to Sligo barracks, the last troop arriving by 2ist August.
1741
The regiment remained in Sligo.
Captain Richard Bowles became Major, i3th May.
1742
Regiment pro- The regiment came to Great Britain after twenty-five years' BCri?ain? Great service in Ireland, marching in May from Sligo to Belfast and
Donaghadee, where the embarkation took place.
On ist January of this year Colonel Archibald Hamilton
was advanced to the rank of Major-General.
1745] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 13
1743
There appears to be no record of where the regiment was stationed in England during this and the following year.
1744
At this period the establishment was 6 troops of 59 troopers each, total 354 (but the total strength, with officers and non- commissioned officers, came to 435), and the amount of pay for the whole corps for 366 days amounted to .£19,684, 143.
1745
The regiment was on the move in Scotland and North of England, being employed against the Jacobite rebels.
During this year the young Pretender, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, raised his father's standard in Scotland. The 1 4th Dragoons were ordered to Stirling; thence they pro- ceeded to Leith, and were stationed there when the rebel army advanced on Edinburgh.
Being ordered to join the troops under Colonel Gardiner, who, with the i3th Dragoons, was retiring before the rebels, the 1 4th Dragoons marched through Edinburgh on Sunday, 1 5th September, and effected a junction with Colonel Gardiner at Corstorphine, whence they fell back to Coltbridge, and thence towards Haddington. On the night of the 2oth Sep- tember the regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Wright, fur- nished vedettes and flanking patrols for the king's army at Prestonpans. The army was under the command of Lieutenant- General Sir John Cope, who advanced from Dunbar to confront the insurgents at Edinburgh, where they had established themselves on the i5th. A battle took place on 2Oth September. prestonpans, Prestonpans was lost; but Major Bowles, i4th Dragoons, «»* September particularly distinguished himself when the outposts were driven in by the Highlanders in the dark morning mist which enveloped the field.
i4 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1745
THE BATTLE OF PRESTONPANS OR GLADSMUIR.
Browne, in his History of the Highland Clans, narrates how that at dawn of day Cope's picquets on his left flank heard the tramp of the enemy, and as soon as Cope himself was apprised of the advance of the Highlanders, he gave orders to change his front to the east In doing this some confusion took place, as some of the advanced guards got in the way of the main body and prevented two squadrons of Gardiner's Dragoons (i3th), which had been posted on the right of General Cope's line, from forming properly ; so that, owing to want of room, the squadron under the immediate command of Colonel Gardiner drew up behind the one commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel Whitney, and the artillery was now in front of Whitney's squadron. The intervening ground between the two armies was level and good for cavalry, but the Scots came on so rapidly with their attack, that Cope was quite unable to make any use of it in time. There was a thick mist over the cornfields which prevented the two armies from seeing one another. The Camerons attacked Cope's cannon, which was on his right, and routed it. Whitney's squadron attempted to charge, but the Camerons set up a loud shout, rushed past the cannon, and shot at the dragoons. Lieutenant -Colonel Whitney was wounded. The Scottish swordsmen came on, sword in hand, and caused the squadron to fall into disorder, owing to the Highlanders slashing at the noses of the horses, which caused the dragoons to wheel about, and in their retreat they rode over the artillery guard, also in retreat Colonel Gardiner received orders to charge the Highlanders with his squadron and stop their advance, and he did his best, but his men were shaken, and com- menced to retire before the onward rush of the Highlanders as their comrades and the artillery had already done. Colonel Gardiner fought gallantly and was badly wounded. Cope's infantry made no better stand : the men seemed utterly de- moralised and unable to stem the furious onset of the Scots,
1745] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 15
and many threw down their arms and fled. Hamilton's Dragoons ( 1 4th) were posted on Cope's left, and behaved no better than the rest of his troops, but followed their bad example in falling back when the sudden and violent onslaught of the Highlanders was made. It is certain, however, that their officers behaved with great courage and bravery, and did their best to rally the men at this critical juncture, and the troopers did halt now and again and faced the enemy, but, according to Cannon,1 their sudden advance in the dark, their superior numbers and peculiar mode of fighting, struck the Royalists with consternation. Lieutenant -Colonel Wright commanded the i4th Dragoons on this occasion. Several of his officers and some of the private soldiers behaved with great gallantry, and highly distinguished themselves — par- ticularly so Major Bowles, whose horse was killed, and the troopers who rallied round him were all cut down. Major Bowles was surrounded by the enemy, but continued to fight on foot, when, having received eleven wounds, a rebel leader interposed and saved his life. Browne further relates how that even Sir John Cope himself, with the Earls Howe and Loudon, tried to rally 450 of the dragoons on the west side of Preston village at a favourable spot, but this effort proved ineffectual, and in the end the royal troops with their com- mander were routed. The brave Colonel Gardiner (i3th Dragoons) who commanded the cavalry in this battle fell on the field. He was a veteran of Marlborough's army, a truly good soldier, distinguished by personal bravery and many Christian virtues.
Gardiner was first shot in the breast, and was afterwards cut down by a Highlander with a scythe fastened to a pole, and, as he fell, another Highlander gave him a mortal blow on the head.2
After this battle the Fourteenth marched to Berwick. They afterwards joined the army assembled under Field- Marshal Wade at Newcastle, and when the rebels came
1 Cannon's Historical Record of the \\th Light Dragoons^ p. 6. 3 Cannon's Historical Record of the \^th Light Dragoons, p. 16.
16 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1746
down into Derbyshire, they were employed in covering Yorkshire.
Subsequently, when the young Pretender retreated hurriedly into Scotland, the regiment was sent to Edinburgh, and joined a few regiments assembled there under Lieutenant-General Hawley.1
Mr. Peter Vatass was appointed chaplain to the regiment on 24th December.
1746
The rebels besieged Stirling Castle on returning to Scot- land, and Lieutenant-General Hawley set the king's troops in motion to oppose the besiegers. On I3th January, Hamil- ton's Dragoons left Edinburgh and helped, with other forces, to drive a body of the rebels out of Linlithgow. They after- wards encamped near Falkirk. Battle of It was on Falkirk Moor, on the I7th January, that the
1746. King's army met with a repulse in the midst of a heavy storm of wind and rain which nearly blinded them. Browne relates that the Royalists were drawn up as follows : —
Lieutenant-General Hawley, Commander-in-Chief, took
the centre.
On the right was Major-General Huske. On the left was Brigadier Cholmondeley, and Ligonier, now Colonel of the 1 3th Dragoons, commanded the cavalry, which consisted of three regiments of dragoons, viz. Cob- ham's (loth), Ligonier's (i3th), and Hamilton's (i4th). Colonel Ligonier's own regiment was posted on the ex- treme left, Cobham's regiment in the centre, and Hamilton's Dragoons on the right. There was no artillery employed. Hawley's force numbered 10,000 men; the enemy had 8000 men, but they had the best ground, and the wind and driving rain were on their backs at the moment the two armies advanced to battle. At the outset, Ligonier's Dragoons were fired at fiercely by Lord George Murray's High-
1 Cannon's Historical Record of the \A,th Light Dragoons.
1746] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 17
landers, and many were killed and wounded ; this caused great panic amongst Ligonier's and Hamilton's Dragoons, who could not maintain their ground. It appears from Cannon1 that this battle was a surprise : the troops of the Royalists were at dinner in camp when the approach of the rebel army was descried, and hurriedly moved towards some high ground on Falkirk Moor, where the insurgent bands were formed. The action was commenced by a charge of the cavalry which broke the enemy's first line and did some execution ; but the second line of insurgents made a furious onslaught which proved successful and repulsed the dragoons. This is the occasion referred to above by Browne, who also narrates that the English losses in the battle were 280, and those of the Scots 200. Lieutenant-Colonel Whitney of Ligonier's regiment (i3th Dragoons) was amongst the slain. After this the infantry was brought up into the fight, as stated by Cannon,2 but a heavy storm of wind and rain beat so violently in the soldiers' faces as nearly to blind them, and the wet prevented their muskets giving fire. Several regiments retired somewhat in disorder, others maintained their ground and repulsed the Highlanders, and after dark the whole Royalist army withdrew to Linlithgow and Edinburgh.
Colonel Ligonier with the dragoons covered this retreat, but being drenched with rain and benumbed with cold, he was seized with an inflammation in the throat, of which he died on the 25th January. He had previously suffered from pleurisy, and was bled and blistered on the i4th January, but no con- sideration could keep him from his duty, so he left his bed to command the brigade of dragoons at this battle, and led the opening charge of cavalry with great spirit.3
The Duke of Cumberland was subsequently sent to com- mand the King's army in Scotland, and made an advance on Stirling, whereupon the rebels hastily retired northwards, pursued by the Royalists. The Fourteenth (Hamilton's
1 Historical Record of the \$th Light Dragoons, pp. 7 and 8. 2 Ibid.
3 Cannon's Historical Record of the \$th Light Dragoons, p. 19.
B
i8 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1747-
Dragoons) were left behind with orders to . patrol along the roads leading westward from Edinburgh, to prevent the rebels obtaining intelligence.
The Duke of Cumberland was victorious, and at Culloden, on 1 6th April, he completely overpowered the Highlanders and put an end to the rebellion. Subsequently Prince Charles Edward Stuart, with much difficulty, effected his escape into France.1
1747
Regiment Hamilton's Dragoons returned this year to Ireland, and
ireknd. remained in that country till 1795, a period of forty-eight years. In 1747 they were stationed at Carrickfergus, Castle Dawson, and Killough, after landing in Dublin in the early part of the year. On I7th August, Mr. Thomas Irving was appointed surgeon to the regiment. He was the first surgeon of the Fourteenth, and remained with the regiment till the 2Oth October 1774, when he was succeeded by Mr. George Borthwick.
A new set of buff accoutrements was issued this year. The six troops were thus designated : —
The General's troop. Captain Clark's troop.
The Lieutenant-Colonel's Captain Hamilton's
troop. troop.
The Major's troop. Captain Bailie's troop.
Major-General Archibald Hamilton was the Colonel ; William Wright, the Lieutenant-Colonel ; James Norris, the Major.
Previous to this date, and even to the end of George ii.'s reign, our regiments were generally known by the name of their Colonel, who in these early times took a very active part in the affairs of his regiment, and often accompanied it on active service, and more resembled the present Lieutenant- Colonel commanding a regiment than the full Colonel who is purely an honorary officer at the present day.2
1 Cannon's Historical Record of the \\th Light Dragoons^ p. 8.
2 Lidd ell's Memoirs of the \oth Royal Hussars.
1750 THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 19
1748
In June, Hamilton's Dragoons marched from the north of Ireland to Clonmel and Mallow. After being reviewed there, 2 troops remained stationed at Clonmel and i at Mallow ; the other 3 proceeded—
i to Cappoquin and Tulla.
i to Charleville.
i to Doneraile.
This year a licence for three months was granted for Recruiting. Cornet James Baily of Captain Bailie's troop to go into Ulster with a sergeant, corporal, and drummer of the same troop, to raise recruits for the regiment.
1749
Lieutenant-General Archibald Hamilton, Colonel of the Colonel— regiment, died on 8th July, and Lieutenant-General James, TyTawiey?' Lord Tyrawley, from loth Regiment of Foot, became Colonel. Some new swords were issued. The regiment was reviewed by Lieutenant-General Bragg at Phillipstown in June. Three troops remained there, 2 troops marched to Tullamore, and i troop to Mullingar barracks. Major Norris became Lieutenant- Lieutenant-
r*«1^,,> 1 Colonel —
V-OlOnei. James Norris.
1750
The regiment was quartered at Athlone, Castlebar, and Granard.
1751
The regiment marched to Sligo barracks, and arrived there on the 20th June.
On ist July, the clothing of the army was regulated by 1 4th Dragoons, royal warrant of H.M. King George n. as follows :— SS^rifli
lemon-yellow facings. I4TH DRAGOONS.
Coats, scarlet, double-breasted, without lapels ; lined with lemon-colour; button-holes worked with narrow white
20 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1751-
lace ; buttons, white metal, set on three and three ; a long slash pocket in each skirt ; and a white worsted aiguillette on the right shoulder.
Waistcoats and breeches, lemon-colour.
Hats, bound with silver lace, ornamented with white loop and black cockade.
Red forage-cap turned up with lemon colour, and xiv. D. on the flap. Boots of jacked leather, reaching to knee. Cloaks, scarlet, with a lemon-coloured cape ; the buttons set on three and three, upon white frogs or loops, with a red and green stripe down the centre.
Horse-furniture of lemon-coloured cloth, the holster-caps and housings having a border of white lace, with a red and green stripe down the centre ; xiv. D. embroidered upon a red ground, within a wreath of roses and thistles, on the housing ; and upon the holster-caps G.R. with the crown over it, and xiv. D. underneath.
Officers, distinguished by silver lace and embroidery ; and a crimson silk sash worn across the left shoulder. Quarter- masters to wear a crimson silk sash round their waists.
Sergeants to have narrow silver lace on the cuffs, pockets and shoulder-straps ; silver aiguillettes ; and green, red, and white worsted sashes tied round their waists.
Drummers and hautboys,1 clothed in lemon-coloured coats, lined and faced with scarlet, and ornamented with white lace, having a red and green stripe down the centre ; red waistcoats and breeches.
Guidons, the first or King's guidon to be of crimson silk with a silver and red fringe ; in the centre, the rose and thistle conjoined, and crown over them, with the motto ' Dieu et mon Droit ' underneath ; the white horse in a compartment in the
1 The 'Hautbois' ('oboe' Italian and Spanish) was a French invention, and introduced into our army after the Restoration. It was a large flageolet or clarionet, and gave a sound louder than all instruments except the trumpet. It was used in the dragoons and infantry. In 1759 it was exchanged again for the trumpet. — {British Army, by Sir S. Scott, Bart.) LiddelFs loth Hussars, p. 4.
FIRST (.
'75'
20 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1751-
lace ; buttons, white metal, set on thi \ a long
slash pocket in each skirt ; and a white woi
i'ight shoulder.
Waistcoats and breeches, lemon-colour.
Hats, bound with silver lace, ornamented with and black cockade.
Red forage-cap turned up with lemon colour, and xiv. D. on the flap. Boots of jacked leather, reaching to knee. Cloaks, scarlet, with a lemon-coloured cape ; the buttons set on three and three, upon white frogs or loops, with a red and green stripe down the centre.
Horse-furniture of lemon-coloured cloth, the holster-caps and housings having a border of white lace, with a red and green stripe down the centre ; xiv. P. embroidered upon a red ground, within a wreath of roses and thistles, on the housing ; and upon the holster-caps G.R. with t! it, and
xiv. D. underneath.
Officers, distinguished by silver lace and embr a crimson silk sash worn across the left shoulder. Quarter- masters to wear a crimson silk sash round their waists.
Sergeants to have narrow silver lace on the cuffs, pockets and shoulder-straps ; silver aiguillettes ; and green, red, and white worsted sashes tied round their waists.
Drummers and hautboys,1 clothed in lemon-coloured coats, lined an md ornamented with white lace,
having a red and green stripe do« ;entre ; red waistcoats
and breeches.
Guidons, the first or King's guidon to be of en :\k
with a silver and red fringe ; in the centre, the rose and thistle conjoined, and crown over them, with the motto ' Dieu et mon Droit ' underneath ; the white horse in a compartment in the
The 'Hautbois1 ('oboe' Italian and Spanish) was a F> -ntion, and
duced into our army after the Restoration. >rionet,
gave a sound louder than all instruments except the tn was u«e*'.
and infantry. In 1759 it was exchanged ajain ' British -colt, Bart.) Lid^ell's loM Hussars, p. 4.
FIRST (OR KING'S) GUIDON.
SECOND GUIDON.
'751
1754] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 21
first and fourth corners ; and xiv. D. in silver characters on a lemon ground in a compartment in the second and third corners. The second and third guidons to be of lemon-coloured silk ; in the centre xiv. D. on a red ground within a wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk ; the white horse on a red ground in the first and fourth compartments, and the rose and thistle conjoined on a red ground in the second and third compartments : the third colour to have a figure 3 on a circular red ground under the wreath.
Captain James Bailie was appointed Major, igth June.
1752
Three troops went to Castlebar, 2 troops to Athlone (of which i troop went later to Roscommon), and i troop to Granard.
On 27th November, Lieutenant-General Lord Tyrawley went to the 3rd Dragoons, and Colonel Lewis Dejean was Colonel- appointed Colonel in his place.
1753
In May the 6 troops of Colonel Dejean's regiment were reviewed at Athlone, and marched to new quarters in June as follows : —
3 troops to Gort ; i troop to Portumna, i to Head- ford, and i to Loughrea.
The last troop reached its destination (Portumna) on 5th June ; this was Captain Arabin's troop. Major (and Captain) J. Bailie's troop was at Gort.
1754
Thomas Erie was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, 4th Sep- Lieutenant- tember. He was appointed Cornet in 1707, the year of his Thomas Erie, birth, and Lieutenant in 1722 at the age of 15 years. He remained at the head of the i4th Dragoons till 1773.
The regiment was quartered at Phillipstown and Tullamore, 3 troops at each place, and was reviewed at Maryborough. Subsequently the whole regiment moved to Dublin.
22 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1755
EXTRACT FROM DAILY PAY OF LAND FORCES, 1754-
|
DAILY PAY, ETC. |
BRITISH ESTABLISHMENT. |
IRISH ESTABLISHMENT. |
||
|
Dragoons. |
Dragoons. |
|||
|
Pay. |
Subsistence. |
Pay. |
Subsistence. |
|
|
£ s. d. |
£ s- d. |
£ s. d. |
£ s- d. |
|
|
Colonel, .... |
i 15 o |
i 6 6 |
in 4 |
i 3 8 |
|
Lieut. -Colonel and \ Captain, / |
146 |
o 18 6 |
o 19 4 |
o 14 7 |
|
Major, ..... |
i o 6 |
o 15 6 |
o 17 4 |
o 13 i |
|
Captain, .... |
o 15 6 |
on 6 |
0 12 4 |
092 |
|
Lieutenant, .... |
090 |
076 |
062 |
049 |
|
Cornet, .... |
080 |
066 |
052 |
o 3 10 |
|
Quartermaster, |
056 |
046 |
030 |
029 |
|
Chaplain, .... |
068 |
056 |
068 |
050 |
|
Adjutant, .... |
050 |
046 |
(?) |
(?) |
|
Surgeon, .... |
060 |
046 |
040 |
030 |
|
Kettledrummer, . |
023 |
019 |
o i 6 |
O I O |
|
Sergeant, .... |
029 |
023 |
026 |
017 |
|
Corporal, .... |
023 |
019 |
o i 8 |
0 I JT9TT |
|
Hautbois, .... |
020 |
o i 6 |
o i 6 |
O I O |
|
Private Man, |
017 |
o i 5 |
014 |
0 0 II |
|
Agent, each Troop, . , . |
O I 2 |
o 3 6| |
||
|
Widows, .... |
002 |
ALLOWANCE PER DIEM OVER THE PAY.
Dragoons s. d.
Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, Major and Captain, recruiting each, . 2 4
(When full, by Warrant of i4th August 1747).
Colonel, for clothing lost by deserters, . . . .150
Each troop of 6 troops, . . . . . .26
1755
The regiment remained in Dublin till May. Colonel Dejean was commanding the cavalry in Ireland in the early part of the year ; and the Monthly State signed by him in January shows that only two officers of the i4th Dragoons were absent on leave, viz. Lieutenant E. Vernon and Chaplain P. Vatass, and there were 'fit for duty1 130 rank and file, with 143 troop-
1758] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 23
horses. There were 14 men and 14 horses wanting to complete. Quartermaster Philip Mercier was appointed Adjutant.
In May and June the regiment left Dublin : 2 troops pro- ceeded to Ballyshannon, i to Navan, which went later to Thurles Camp, and 3 troops to Belturbet. Of these latter i troop went subsequently to Thurles Camp and i to Bally- shannon. Lieutenant-Colonel Erie's troop was at Belturbet, one man of which, Private Ralph West, was ' whipt out.'
Two new standards were issued to the regiment.
1756
Some new swords were issued to the regiment. Captain Marcus Norman became Major, 2nd January. The regiment moved to Loughrea, and sent a troop to a camp formed near Kilkenny in August.
Colonel Dejean was promoted Major-General.
1757
The regiment was reviewed at Loughrea and proceeded afterwards to Clonmel. Captain Arabin's troop was at Tallow, the Colonel's troop at Portumna, Lieutenant-Colonel Erie's troop at Loughrea.
On 5th April Colonel John Campbell, afterwards Marquis Colonel of Lome, from the 54th Regiment, succeeded Major-General Dejean as Colonel of the regiment. The latter went to the 3rd Irish Horse, now 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers).
Jeremiah Hurley became Adjutant.
1758
The 6 troops, marching by squadrons, arrived at Athlone from Clonmel by 6th June, detaching i troop to Granard and i to Roscommon.
Captain Robert Brown's troop was at Athlone, also Major Norman's, Lieutenant-Colonel Erie's, and Captain Ford's.
Four quartermasters of the regiment were sent on command during the summer to Granard, Clonmel, Ross, and Roscommon.
24 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1759-
1759
Colonel Campbell was promoted Major-General.
The whole regiment was concentrated at Athlone, and marched in June by squadrons to Clofimel. It was encamped near Fethard, and reviewed there with 3 other regiments of cavalry, subsequently proceeding to quarters in Clonmel, Doneraile, and Ross.
Captain J. Ford became Major, i7th September. At this period it appears from the ' Monthly States of Cavalry in Ireland' that there were 10 regiments of cavalry there, 4 horse and 6 dragoons, the totals being as follows : —
/Men, 504. fMen, 1209.
iotal Horsei TJ ~ 1 otal Dragoons^ TT 0^
[Horses, 580. [Horses, 1287.
In 'Campbell's Dragoons' in the Monthly States it is reported (November and December 1759) 'Chaplain Vatass ill of a paralytic disorder and unable to attend his duty.' Signed Thomas Erie, Lieutenant-Colonel.
An order dated 5th May was issued giving route for Major- General Campbell's Dragoons to march from Doneraile and Ross to Clonmel, there to be reviewed and to return to same quarters after the review.
Another order was issued on 5th June 1759 for Campbell's Dragoons to march from Athlone (6 troops) to Clonmel, there to encamp. The troops marched by squadrons at a time, the ist squadron on I5th June, making five days' march and one halt, viz.—
Birr, June I5th; Roscrea, June i7th ; Thurles, June i8th ; Cashel, June I9th ; Clonmel, June 2Oth.
The 2nd and 3rd squadrons followed on i6th and i8th June.
1760
George in., GEORGE III.
1760.
In June the 2 troops at Doneraile and i at Ross joined headquarters at Clonmel, where the review took place, and the 3 detached troops then returned to former stations. In
HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1759-
1759
:el Campbell was promoted M neral.
regiment was c ..ted at Athlone, and
J in June by squadrons t nel. It was encamped
jthard, .ind reviewed there with 3 other regiments of proceeding to quarters in Clonmel, •
•ne Major, i;th September. At this lonthly States of Cavalry in of cavalrv there A.
209.
•
'
•as Erie, Lieutenant-Colonel.
~r dated 5th May was issued giving route for Major- dragoons to march from Doneraile and Ro re to be reviewed and to return to same
.
; issued • June 1/59 for Campbell's
Dm troops) to Clonmel, there
to r :hed by squadrons at a time, the
ist squadron on i5th June, makii one ha
Birr, June I5th; Roscrea, June Cashel, June I9th ; Clonmel, June
The 2nd and 3rd squadrons folio* id i8th
.
1760
GEORGE III.
17601
In June tii^^troops at Dom i at Ross joined
headquarters at C^^nel, where the review took place, and
3 detached troops ttoen returned to former stations. In
1762] THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 25
December, headquarters and 2 troops were moved to Kilkenny for the winter, 2 troops moving to Ross, I troop to Carrick-on- Suir, and i troop (the one hitherto at Ross) moving to Cullen.
It appears by the Monthly States and Muster Rolls of Cavalry in Ireland, that in January, n men were drafted from Campbell's Dragoons (i4th) to the Light Cavalry and the Inniskilling Dragoons in Germany, and i sergeant was sent 'on command' with them. In February, or earlier, 12 men were drafted towards the augmentation of the 3rd and 4th Regiments of Horse. In April, Lieutenant-Colonel Erie's troop was at Clonmel ; Major J. Ford's and Captain J. Mayne's at Doneraile ; Captain A. Molesworth's and Captain R. Howard's at Clonmel, and Captain Pepper's at Ross. In May, 'Adjutant Jeremiah Hurley preferred in the Carabiniers,' and in August, Adjutant Hurley 'on command in Germany.' In October, Lieutenant-Colonel Erie's and Captain A. Moles- worth's troops were at Kilkenny, Captain T. Pepper's troop at Cullen, and Captain Pearce's at Ross.
In the same month there were 'present and fit for duty' i Lieutenant- Colonel, i Captain, 2 Cornets, i Adjutant, 4 Quartermasters, 6 Sergeants, 4 Trumpeters, 130 rank and file, and 177 horses. There were 17 officers 'on licence' (leave), and i employed recruiting.
1761
Major-General Campbell became Lieutenant-General in January, and in April he became Marquis of Lome on the decease of his uncle, Archibald, third Duke of Argyll. In June the whole regiment came to Kilkenny for review, and then moved to Tullamore 3 troops, and Phillipstown 3 troops.
1762
The regiment was (probably) quartered in Dublin during the early part of this year, and moved later to Sligo. Lieutenant- General the Marquis of Lome was appointed Commander-in- Chief in Scotland, and Lieutenant-Colonel Erie was promoted Colonel by brevet.
26 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1763-
1763
Most of the regiment was at Sligo. Two men of Captain Butler's troop were imprisoned in Sligo Jail. On 26th May, Captain A. Molesworth became Major vice J. Ford. In June (probably) the headquarters and 3 troops moved to Castlebar, and i troop each to Roscommon, Athlone, and Headford.
1764
In July 3 troops were at Gort, and 3 troops at Loughrea, Head- ford, and Portumna. The 3 troops at Gort were the Marquis of Lome's, Lieutenant-Colonel Erie's, and Captain Pepper's.
1765
The regiment was stationed at Tallow, Cappoquin, and Doneraile in July. Major Molesworth's and Captain Pepper's troops were at Cappoquin, Captain Butler's at Tallow, the Marquis of Lome's at Doneraile, and Captain Howard's at Tallow.
Lieutenant-General the Marquis of Lome went to the ist
Royal Regiment of Foot, and was succeeded as Colonel of the
Colonel— 1 4th Dragoons on nth September by Colonel Charles Fitzroy
as. itzroy. (afterwar(}s Lord Southampton), who was only twenty-seven
years of age at this date.
1766
The regiment was at Tullamore and Phillipstown. Captain Howard's and Captain Pepper's troops were at Tullamore, and Captain Grice Blakeney's troop was at Phillipstown. Chaplain Vatass was absent on leave, and Deputy Gethin Crowe per- formed his duties in his absence. Cornet Arthur Ormsby became Adjutant.
1767
This year the regiment, now called Fitzroy's Dragoons, was stationed in Dublin. The commanding officer, Lieutenant- Colonel Thomas Erie, was now sixty years of age.
1768] THE 14™ (KING'S) HUSSARS 27
There were six troops at this time, and the officers com- prised —
i Colonel.
i Lieutenant-Colonel.
i Major.
3 Captains.
i Captain-Lieutenant.
5 Lieutenants.
6 Cornets, including the Adjutant.
The total strength was 155 officers and men, 119 troop- horses.
There were 6 men and 25 horses wanting to complete the establishment.
There was an officiating chaplain, a surgeon, and the Adjutant (Cornet A. Ormsby) present at the inspection in Dublin, which was made by General O'Brien D. Dilkes on 24th April. The regiment received a new supply of firelocks, New firelocks, bayonets, swords, and six trumpets this year. iSued?tS' etc''
In November it moved to Athlone.
The cost of horses for dragoon regiments was raised from Price of troop-
.1 . horses, 1767.
20 to 22 guineas this year.
1768
On 23rd May, at Athlone, Lieutenant-General R. Armiger inspected the regiment.
A new set of buff and small leather accoutrements was issued this year, as well as housings and caps.
The uniform, by royal warrant of George HI., dated iQth Description of December 1768, still remained scarlet (as prescribed in 1751), U1 with lemon-coloured facings, without lapels, with silver lace, lemon-coloured cloth waistcoats and breeches, silver lace, the button-holes of the waistcoat laced with silver to the bottom ; a silver epaulette, buttons not numbered, light boots, silver spurs,
1 The officer's coat was made with a slash sleeve and pocket, turned up with lemon-coloured cloth and six button-holes, laced with silver, the cuffs round and cut obliquely.
28 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1769-
lemon-coloured serge lining to coat and vest Trumpeters rode grey horses, men wore black spatter-dashes, silver-laced hat, button and loop ; hats were worn well cocked. The General in his review report remarked that the horses were in good condition, but ' not very nimble,' and ' 39 with long tails.'
The 132 pairs pistols in possession of the regiment were reported as ' bad.'
1769
Major-General the Earl of Drogheda reviewed the regi- ment at Athlone on 2nd June. Nearly the whole of the men were Irish, out of 136 only two being English. Three of the men had thirty-five years' service, and 7 had twenty-five years' service ; 37 men had from eight to ten years, and 51 from five to one year.
The Rev. Elias Handcock officiated as chaplain at Athlone in the absence of Mr. Peter Vatass, who appears by the returns to have been on commanding officer's leave since his appoint- ment to the regiment on 24th December 1745 !
Captain- Lieutenant John Mayne died on 25th ApriL
The inspection report says : ' The horses are nimble and in good condition, 61 with long tails out of 112 troopers on parade,
1 One troop is at Nenagh.
1 This is a good regiment, and fit for service.
(Signed) ' DROGHEDA, Major-General*
In June the regiment moved to Clonmel.
1770
In February the regiment moved to Birr. It was reviewed there by Major-General Ham Lambert on 3oth May. There were 80 horses with long tails.
Detachments at Thurles and ClonmeL The Rev. A. Downey was officiating chaplain. The review report says : ' A very good regiment, and very fit for service.
(Signed) ' HAM LAMBERT, Major-General'
1773] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 29
On 30th April, Colonel Thomas Erie was promoted Major- General at the age of sixty-three years, but still remained the Lieutenant-Colonel of the i4th Dragoons.
1771
Captain Thomas Pepper became Major on I4th March vice J. Maine.
The regiment was reviewed at Birr on 3rd June by Major- General Peirson.
Detachments were at Nenagh and Donaghmore. Horses reported as being ' nimble ' and ' in exceeding fine order and condition.' The Rev. John Croasdale was deputy-chaplain.
After the review, headquarters moved to Tullamore till December, and then went to Dublin. There were 95 long- tailed ' horses in the regiment. Six new trumpets were issued this year.
1772
In April, 4 troops were at Dublin, i at Lurgan, and i at Belfast.
The regiment was reviewed at Dublin by Lieutenant- General M. O'Brien Dilkes on the ist June, and shortly afterwards proceeded to Athlone and outquarters. The Rev. Mr. Hodgkinson was officiating as chaplain for Mr. Vatass.
On 3Oth October, Colonel Fitzroy, having been promoted to Major-General, was appointed Colonel of the 3rd Dragoons, and Lieutenant-General Daniel Webb from the 8th Footcoionei— became Colonel of the i4th Dragoons.
1773
The regiment remained at Athlone, Navan, and Ros- common. Lieutenant-General Webb died, and was succeeded as Colonel of the i4th Dragoons, on the nth November, bycoionei— Colonel George Warde, from the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the G 4th Dragoons.
30 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1773-
Lieutenant- Lieutenant-Colonel J. Burgoyne, from the 58th Regiment,
became Lieutenant-Colonel, I5th July, vice Major-General Thomas Erie.1 Lieutenant-Colonel Burgoyne had held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel since iQth December 1762.
Review report The regiment was reviewed at Athlone on 5th June by
Biayney, Licutenant-Gcneral Lord Blayney.
5th June' 1 7 73.
Observations on His Majesty's \^th Regiment of Dragoons.
' Officers made a good appearance : saluted well, well mounted, uniform agreeable to the King's regulations.
Non-commissioned officers steady under arms, but in- differently mounted.
Men clean under arms, hats well cocked, but not in size equal to the King's order.
Arms in very good order.
Complaints, none.
Recruits, good, well certified for; 18 enlisted since last review.
Stock purse account settled to 24th June 1772.
Orderly-books well kept.
Manual exercise performed by word of command, and pretty well.
Trumpeters pretty well mounted and well taught.
Horses in pretty good order. Long-tailed horses, 1 20 out of a total of 138 ; 13 purchased since last review.
Clothing well fitted and agreeable to the King's order.
Accounts and horse furniture agreeable to the King's order.
Movements and Manoeuvres executed at Inspection.
1 Received the General, marched by in squadrons, marched by troops and passed the General, dismount, marched by the General by troops, manual exercise, firings nine rounds, usual
1 Major-General T. Erie, who was now sixty-six years of age, had held the Lieu- tenant-Colonelcy of the I4th Dragoons since 1754 — nearly nineteen years.
•
30 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1773-
Lieutenant- Lieutenant-Colonel J. Burgc he 58th Regiment,
B°J.™ Miie Lieutenant-Colonel, isth Major-General
Erie.1 Lieutenant-Colonel Burgoyne had held the k of Lieutenant-Colonel since ipth December 1762. The regiment was reviewed at Athlor f.h June by
Lieutenant-General Lord Blayney.
Observations on His Majesty's \6^k Regiment, of Dragoons.
'Officers made a good ,.\.^\- Jted well, well
o the King's regulatiV
under arms, but in-
s well cocked, but not in size
••'K«l '.<r it plaints* none.
Recruits, good, well certified for; 18 enlisted since last iew.
Stock purse account settled to 24th June 1/72. Orderly-books well kept.
Manual exercise performed by word of command, and pretty well.
Trumpeters pretty well mounted and well taught. Horses in pretty good order. Long-tailed horses, 1 20 out of -a total of 138 ; 13 purchased since last review.
Clothing well fitted and agreeable to the King's or Accounts and horse furniture agreeable to the K >rder.
Movements and Manoeuvres executed at Inspection.
' Received the General, marched by in squadrons, marched by troops and passed the Genera), dismount, marched by the General by troops, manual exercise, firings nine rounds, usual
1 Major-General T. Erie, who was now sixty-six years of age, had held the Lieu- tenant-Colonelcy of the I4th Dragoons since 1754— nearly nineteen years.
1775] THE HTM (KING'S) HUSSARS 31
evolutions. Squadrons took ground to the left, wheeled the line to the right, etc. etc.
Part of the regiment is at Navan and Roscommon.
I reviewed this regiment at Athlone on 5th June 1773; found them in pretty good order, the officers well mounted, and the quartermasters but very indifferent. The horses were very active, but the men in general ride too long. None of the hats of the cavalry were agreeable to the King's order in size. (Signed) BLAYNEY, Lieutenant-General'
The regiment moved in June to Birr. The chaplain, Peter Vatass, was still absent on leave, and the Rev. Dean Hand- cock was the deputy-chaplain.
1774
Reviewed at Birr by Major-General the Earl of Drogheda.
Detachments at Gort and Portumna.
George Borthwick appointed Surgeon vice Irving, soth October.
The regiment moved on the 3ist December, 2 troops to Thurles, 2 troops to Tipperary, and 2 troops to Charleville.
1775
This year hostilities between Great Britain and her North American colonies commenced, and it was found that that country was not well adapted for the operations of heavy cavalry ; hence the necessity arose for a larger number of light cavalry regiments. During the first part of the year the 1 4th Dragoons remained at Tipperary, 3 troops and head- quarters, 2 troops at Thurles, i troop at Charleville.
In June the regiment was in Queen's County, 3 troops at Maryborough, and 3 at Mountmellick. Inspected by General Cunninghame at Tipperary on 5th June. The buttons on the uniform were numbered regimentally.
32 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1776-
1776
i4th Light The 1 4th Dragoons were now constituted a corps of Light
Dragoons in Ireland : the standard height for men and horses was reduced. Cocked hats were replaced by helmets ; arms and appointments of a lighter pattern were adopted, and the regiment was designated the ' i4th Light Dragoons.'
Captain Grice Blakeney was promoted Major, i6th March, vice Thomas Pepper.
The regiment remained at Maryborough and Mountmellick for the early part of the year, and on ist July there were 2 troops and headquarters at Tullamore, and 2 troops at Phillipstown.
Two new standards, and new saddles and bridles were issued this year.
1777
Colonel Warde was promoted Major-General, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Burgoyne received the brevet rank of Colonel on the 2 Qth of August.
Regiment remained at Tullamore and Phillipstown.
Reviewed at Tullamore on the i2th of June by Lieutenant- General James Johnston, who reported that the movements, evolutions, firings, and manoeuvres, were well performed.
The Lieutenant-Colonel, J. Burgoyne, was thirty-seven years of age ; the Major, Grice Blakeney, was thirty-seven ; the Adjutant, J. Wilson, was thirty-six. The Reverend Quintin Finlay officiated as Chaplain in the continued absence of Mr. Vatass, on leave.
New pistols were issued this year, also some new swords, carbines, and bayonets.
1778
The regiment remained at Tullamore till August. Major-General Warde went to the first Irish Horse (now Colonel— 4th Dragoon Guards), and Major-General Robert Sloper was ' oper' appointed Colonel of the i4th Light Dragoons on the 2nd April.
1782] THE i4TH (K :N - \RS 33
The regiment was reviewed at tr Clonmel by
Major-General Joseph Gabl • her, having
moved there from Tullamore in /,
The strength of the regime; horses. Everything had tx Fourteenth on becomir Carlow for the winu
G>' ^rt.
Regiment went into camp near Carrigaline for August and September.
Reviewed at Carrigaline Camp on 27th September by Major-General Mocher.
The Fourteenth consisted of 6 troops of 34 non-commissioned officers and men, 23 troop-horses, and 3 officers per troop.
The troop-horses averaged from 1 4 hands 3 inches to Height of 1 5 hands 3 inches in height.
In * o Band
was at Inn
Major G. Blakeney became L
J. Burgoyne, Bart., appoint .-r^rd Ligh4
Dragoons, and Andrew G November. B
The regiment rerr :i shannon for tr
whole of this y
1782
Un 3oth June the following change of quar
ilkeniv s to C
i troop w^
At this i<!i'
most accurat' quarterly on r
HISTOR [1776-
1776
The 14: is were now constituted a corps of Light
.:id: the standard height for men and horses
was ocked hats were replaced by helmets; arms
and aj -rnts of a lighter pattern wer and the
re. vas designated the ' i4th Light I
tain Grice Blakeney was promoted Major, i6th March, homas Pepper.
regiment remained a; orough and Mountmellick
part of thf and on ist July there were
•* and headquarters at Tullamore, and 2 troops at
is. and new saddles and bridges were
1777
. arde was promoted Major- General, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Burgoyne received the brevet rank one!
e 29th of August.
Regiment remained at Tullamore and Phiilipstown. Reviewed at Tullamore on the i2th of June by Lieutenant- General James Johnston, who reported that the movements, evolutions, firings, and manoeuvres, were well performed.
The Lieutenant-Colonel, j. Burgoyne, was thirty-seven years of age; the Major, Gnce Ulakeney, was thirty-seven; the Adjutant, J. Wilson, w . Reverend
Quintin Finlay officiated as Chaf itinued absence
of Mr. Vatass, on leave,
s pistols were issued this year. a!s icw swords,
"es, and bayonets.
1778
The regiment remained at Tullamore till August. Major-General Warde went to the first Irish Horse (now coic«*:- 4th Dragoon Guards), and Major-General Robert Sioper
"appointed Colonel of the i4th Light Dra *he 2nd
-ril
1782] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 33
The regiment was reviewed at a camp near Clonmel by Major-General Joseph Gabbett on 28th September, having moved there from Tullamore in August.
The strength of the regiment was 199 men, 137 troop- horses. Everything had been recently issued new to the Fourteenth on becoming ' Light Dragoons.' They moved to Carlow for the winter in the month of November.
1779
Colonel J. Burgoyne became Colonel Sir J. Burgoyne, Bart.
Regiment went into camp near Carrigaline for August and September.
Reviewed at Carrigaline Camp on 27th September by Major-General Mocher.
The Fourteenth consisted of 6 troops of 34 non-commissioned officers and men, 23 troop-horses, and 3 officers per troop.
The troop-horses averaged from 1 4 hands 3 inches to Height of 15 hands 3 inches in height. troop-horses.
In October they moved to Bandon.
1780
Five troops and headquarters remained at Bandon ; i troop was at Innishannon.
1781
Major G. Blakeney became Lieutenant-Colonel vice Sir Lieutenant- J. Burgoyne, Bart., appointed Colonel of the 23rd Light
Dragoons, and Andrew Corbet became Major, i9th November. Blakeney-
The regiment remained at Bandon and Innishannon for the whole of this year.
1782
On 3Oth June the following change of quarters took place : 3 troops to Kilkenny, 3 troops to Carrick-on-Suir ; later i troop went from Carrick-on-Suir to Ballyragget.
At this period the Muster- Rolls, one for each troop, were most accurately kept, and were rendered quarterly on i5th
c
34 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1783
April, 1 5th July, i5th October, and i5th January, for the quarter ending with previous month in each case. All officers present signed the docket, and the commanding officer at each station, and for each troop, signed this certificate : ' I certify that the several men mustered, on furlo', or sick, are effectives.' The names of all officers, sergeants, corporals, trumpeters, hautboys, and privates, were entered on the Rolls. The Muster- Rolls had to be sworn-to in presence of a magistrate, and so stated on reverse, with signatures attached of the Commissary of the Musters and the magistrate.
On 2Oth November, Major-General R. Sloper was pro- moted to the rank of Lieutenant-General.
1783
William Richardson was appointed Major vice A. Corbet.
In the spring the regiment moved from Kilkenny, etc., and was stationed at Clonmel, 3 troops, Clogheen 2 troops, and Cappoquin i troop.
1784
Clothing blue, On 1 8th day of May, by an order from the Adjutant- yaeciiowasemon" General's office, Dublin, the clothing of Light Dragoons before. was changed from scarlet to dark blue, as follows : —
Regulations for the clothing of the Light Dragoons. — The clothing of a private light dragoon is to consist of a jacket, shell, under-waistcoat, and leather breeches. The jacket and shell to be of blue cloth ; the collars and cuffs of the royal regiments to be red, and those of the other regiments to be of the colour of the facings of the regiment, looped upon the breast, edged with white cord, and to be lined with white, the nth and i3th regiments excepted, which are to be lined with buff. The under waistcoat to be of flannel with sleeves, and made so as to be buttoned within the waistband of the breeches. The breeches to be of buckskin.
N.B. — The make of the dress and method of placing the cord upon the breast of the jacket to be exactly conformable to the pattern approved by His Majesty.
1784] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 35
Officers and Quartermasters. — The dress-uniform of the officers and quartermasters of the Light Dragoons to be made according to the king's regulations of the igth December 1768, excepting that the coats are to be blue and faced with the same colour as the private men, and that the royal regiments are to be faced with scarlet.
Field uniform of the Officers and Quartermasters. — The jacket and shell to be made up in the same manner as those of the men, excepting that the shell is to have sleeves, and that the looping is to be made of silver, the I3th regiment excepted, which is to be of gold.
Sergeants. — The sergeants of the Light Dragoons to be distinguished by gold or silver looping.
Corporals. — The corporals of the Light Dragoons to be distinguished by a gold or silver cord round the collar and cuffs.
Trumpeters. — The trumpeters to have a jacket and shell, the colour and facing of the regiment, with lace instead of looping in front and down the seams.
N.B. — A pattern suit may be seen at the Commander-in- Chiefs office at the Royal Hospital, Dublin.
(Signed) F. PIGOT, Adjutant-General.
The foregoing orders were sent to the officers commanding the 8th, 1 2th, i3th, i4th, i7th, and i8th Light Dragoons, to the Earl of Drogheda, to the Major of Brigade for the General Officers, and to the agents, Messrs. Montgomery Wybrants and Cane.
The regiment was reviewed at Clonmel on the ist June by Major-General Sir Henry Calder, who inspected the regimental standing orders and reported: 'I am informed ' standing each troop is furnished with a copy of them.' This is the inrtheSRegi-S € first mention of any 'standing orders.' At this date there ment> were six troops : one commanded by the Colonel, one by the Lieutenant-Colonel, one by the Major, and three by Captains.
After the review the regiment moved to Loughrea.
36 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1785-
1785
Reviewed at Loughrea on 7th June by Major-General Lord Luttrell, who reports : ' The system of discipline and good order originally established by Colonel Sir John Burgoyne is well preserved by Colonel Blakeney and a very active adjutant. — (Signed) LUTTRELL.'
The adjutant was J. M'Gee, appointed I2th September 1780. After the inspection the regiment moved to Athlone.
1786
The regiment remained at Athlone till June, then moved to Kilkenny and out-stations. New sergeants' sashes were issued. Captain Arthur Carter was appointed Major loth April (vice W. Richardson), from 4th Regiment of Horse. Inspected by Major-General Lord Luttrell on 4th June, who reports : ' They have a code of regimental orders, and each officer is furnished with a copy. This regiment has ever been kept in perfect order and fit for service. — (Signed) LUTTRELL.'
Light Dragoons were ordered to have blue cloaks instead of red ones.
1787
The regiment was stationed at Kilkenny.
Reviewed on 5th June by Major-General the Earl of Carhampton. The men wore black spatter-dashes and helmets. The standards in use were issued in 1773.
Lord Carhampton reports : ' This regiment shows a constant and uniform attention of the officers to its appearance and discipline.'
In June the regiment moved to Nenagh and out-quarters.
1788
The regiment moved to the Curragh of Kildare, where Major-General Paterson reviewed it on 4th June. He reports : ' They have a code of regimental orders, and each officer is supplied with a copy.'
i79i] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 37
The chaplain, Mr. Peter Vatass, who has been on leave since his appointment to the regiment on 26th December 1745, is still shown as 'absent on leave,' he being at this date 66 years of age.
The zealous adjutant, J. M'Gee, being now 50 years of age, is reported as being 'sick at Carlow.'
New pouches and belts were issued.
In June the regiment moved to Carlow and out-stations.
On the 6th June, Lieutenant-General R. Sloper was awarded the dignity of Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath.
1789
At Carlow. Inspected on 6th June by Major-General Prescott, who states : ' A copy of the standing code is in pos- session of each officer. The regiment is well disciplined, in perfect good order, and fit for service.'
1790
At Carlow. Reviewed by Major-General C. W. Lyon on 26th June. The commanding officer certifies that each officer has a copy of the regimental ' Standing Orders.'
New standard-belts, waist-belts, housings, and caps were issued, also two new standards. One hundred and twenty- six carbines, bayonets, and pairs of pistols were reported in bad order, and new ones were issued. One hundred and thirty-eight swords in possession all reported good.
Lieutenant-Colonel Grice Blakeney was promoted to the rank of Colonel.
In July the regiment moved to Dublin.
1791
The regiment was reviewed in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on 28th May, by Major-General R. Whyte.
The 138 swords in possession of regiment (issued in 1776) were reported bad, and new ones were supplied.
38 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1792-
The complement for the regiment was :—
Swords . . . Firelocks and carbines Bayonets .... Pairs of pistols . . Trumpets . '.'".'. 6
This was the time of the French Revolution, and the spirit of republicanism had spread to the French West Indian Islands, where the blacks rose against the planters, committing acts of outrage and spoliation.
1792
The regiment was reviewed in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on 1 5th May, by Major-General Richard Whyte. The regimental code was still in use, and each officer had a copy. The chaplain was still on leave, being 70 years of age, and the Reverend Mr. Devereux officiated for him.
Seventeen privates were drafted to Jamaica. In June the regiment moved to Kilkenny, thence in July to Tallow, County Waterford, till November, and thence to Cappoquin in December.
1793
A British army under the Duke of York went to Flanders to act against the French, and British aid was also given to the planters in St. Domingo (Hayti). During this year the regi- ment seems to have been frequently on the move, and quartered in turn at Tallow, Cappoquin, Clogheen, and Kilkenny, sending other troops on detachment elsewhere.
1794
In January the headquarters of the regiment were at Clogheen. In March a move was made to Bandon and out- stations, and in September to Clonmel.
Major Arthur Carter received the brevet rank of Lieutenant-
1794] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 39
Colonel on ist March, and Colonel Grice Blakeney became Major- General on 3rd October.
Two troops were sent from Ireland to Flanders, and were there attached to the 8th Light Dragoons on arrival. In the muster-roll of these two troops from June to December 1794, they are shown as being in Major-General Vyse's brigade of the army in Flanders. They formed part of the van of the forces under Lieutenant-General the Earl of Moira, which proceeded on the march from Ostend to join the army under His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
The two troops wintered in Holland, taking part in several encounters with the enemy, and after an unusually severe season and a hard campaign, in which several men and six horses were lost, came to Germany early in the following year (1795), and became incorporated with the 8th Regiment of Light Dragoons.
These troops saw a good deal of service. It was on i5th TWO troops September 1794 that Lieutenant-General Abercromby (under Flanders and the orders of the Duke of York) marched with the reserve to SeD^e"^ try and regain the lost position of Boxtell in Brabant, near the York- river Dommel and the town of Berlicon. He found the enemy so strong that he was obliged to retire, and consequently the Duke of York had to fall back with his army across the Meuse,1 taking up a position near the old lines of Velpen, three miles in front of Grave. Next day, having crossed the Meuse, he encamped at Wichen, seven miles distant. In the engagement at Boxtell nearly 1500 men were lost, mostly German troops. The squadron of the I4th Light Dragoons lost 2 men who were reported 'missing.' The battle of Boxtell took place on the Battle of 1 4th September 1794: it was undoubtedly a victory of the ,4th September French over the allied British and Dutch forces under the I794' Duke of York.
On 6th December 1794 the Duke of York left the army in Holland, and the command of the allied army was taken over by General Walmoden, and of the British by Lieutenant-
1 Or ' Maas.'
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[i795
General Abercromby. In the month of December the troops suffered intensely from the inclemency of the weather during the time they were at Grave on the Meuse, near Nimeguen, in Dutch Brabant. The ice was so strong that cavalry and heavy cannon could cross the rivers. The winter clothing for the men came from Arnheim on the river Rhine. In the Action of Tuyi, action of Tuyl, fought on 3Oth December, the allies were 1794. e " victorious and drove the enemy across the Waal River. There were no casualties among the cavalry, but the igth, 33rd, 42nd, /8th, and 8oth Regiments, as well as the ' Loyal Emigrants,' lost between them 2 officers and 24 men.
Battle of Geldermalsen, 5th January I79S-
Battle of Bueren on Lingen, 8th January 1795-
Affair near
Elst,
loth January
1795-
1795
On 5th January, at Geldermalsen, where the enemy was defeated with a loss of 200 men, our losses were 4 officers, 64 men, and 1 1 horses, which included 7 men and 3 horses of the 1 1 th Light Dragoons ; but it does not appear that any losses were incurred by the i4th Light Dragoons or 8th Light Dragoons on this occasion, as the cavalry was mostly in reserve.
On the 8th January, at a place near Bueren, on the river Lingen, a battle took place. The British and allies were opposed to very superior forces of the enemy, but fought with the greatest gallantry, and lost 3 officers and 18 men killed, 8 officers, 113 men, and 3 horses wounded. No casualties occurred among the cavalry. On this occasion Major- General Lord Cathcart was in command. The 27th and 28th Regi- ments suffered heavily, and we had to retire across the Lingen to Elst.
Another engagement took place here on loth January, when the British lost several officers and men. Lieutenant- General Abercromby, who was marching on Echlade, suddenly found himself threatened by the French both on his left flank and in rear, the Hanoverians and Austrians being also hard pressed by bodies of the enemy. In this state of affairs
1795] THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 41
Lieutenant- General Abercromby retreated across the Lech, and eventually the whole British army had to retire into Westphalia and Germany, suffering great hardships and priva- Retreat into tions on their march. They reached Deventeron i4th January, Germany!* thence proceeding to Loonen and other places in Guelderland, and by the month of March General Abercromby had estab- lished the headquarters of the British troops at Osnaburg, and later at Diephelt in Westphalia. Towards the end of March the British marched to Bremen on Weser, and on the 1 4th April 1795 a large force embarked at Bremerleche, leaving for a time Major- General D. Dundas and Lord Cathcart with a detachment of artillery and the whole of the British cavalry, whilst the remainder sailed for England on the 24th April. In this campaign the superior forces of the enemy completely overpowered the British and their allies.1
The two troops of the i4th Light Dragoons which took TWO troops of part in these operations were by this time incorporated with the 8th Light Dragoons, now the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, and so we take leave of them to return to th« main body of Dragoons, the regiment which we left in Ireland in County Tipperary. mPGerrnany.
For some years the spirit of republicanism had run riot in the French West Indian Islands, and numerous acts of outrage and spoliation had been committed by the blacks who had hitherto been slaves, against the properties of their owners. In 1793 the planters of St. Domingo obtained British aid, whilst the revolutionists afterwards received assistance from France. At this period the 7 troops of the Fourteenth at Clonmel were ordered out to St. Domingo. The establishment at this time was 450 rank and file, with 486 troop-horses.
The 7 troops gave up their horses to the 24th Light Dragoons at Clonmel, and in June embarked without horses at Waterford under the superintendence of Major-General John William Egerton, whence they sailed to Bristol, taking with them their appointments and everything ready for service.
1 The above is taken from Jones's Historical Journal of the British Campaign on the Continent with the retreat through Holland, 1794-95 (published 1797).
42 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1796
They subsequently proceeded to Hayti or St. Domingo, one of the Leeward Islands in the Atlantic, for service there under Brevet Lieutenant- Colonel A. Carter. At Bristol the regiment met the i3th Light Dragoons destined for the same service as themselves, also the , 3Oth Light Dragoons under Colonel Sir John Garden, as well as the 32nd Light Dragoons under Colonel Blake. The two latter regiments were mounted, and had come from Ireland to do duty in England. Those regi- ments destined for active service, after landing at Bristol were stationed in billets in the adjacent towns, till the vessels which were to convey them to the West Indies were ready to receive them.
On arrival at St. Domingo the regiment was supplied with horses from America, and was soon engaged in active operations against the bands of armed negroes and mulattoes who had enrolled themselves under the banners of the French Republic.
During the years 1795, 1796, and 1797, numerous actions occurred, but against a hundred thousand trained blacks who had been instructed in European discipline, the few British troops on the island were unable to do more than exhibit many examples of discipline and valour.1
1796
There was a small party of the regiment stationed at Marl- borough in England, and a depot at Maidstone, and the estab- lishments of men and horses were largely augmented, but the effectives were very far below these numbers, owing to the casualties on service and want of recruits.
The country of Hayti or St. Domingo was close and hilly, and therefore quite unsuited to cavalry operations ; the climate, moreover, was unhealthy in the extreme, and after a time yellow fever broke out, and made fearful ravages amongst the British forces. There were seven cavalry regiments serving in
1 Cannon's Record^ pp. 16-17.
1796] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 43
the expedition, viz. the I3th, I4th, I7th, i8th, 2ist, 26th, and 29th Light Dragoons, and these suffered most terribly from the fatal scourge. The deaths were so numerous and rapid that regiments could not bury their own dead, and it is recorded that the 1 3th Light Dragoons had to obtain help in this duty from the men of the 56th Regiment serving near them. A vivid picture of the state of affairs is given in the early pages of Gleig's Hussar, published in I837.1
There is an old parchment muster-roll of the i4th Light Dragoons now preserved in the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London, dated May to December 1795, in which Major Arthur Carter and four privates are returned as ' Prisoners of War,' a few men are returned as 'at Halstead,' and others as ' in England.' This muster-roll was sworn to by Major (Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel) Sir J. Dunbar, Bart., on the 26th April 1798, at Marylebone, before a justice of the peace. In the old ' Monthly Returns,' also preserved in the Public Record Office, the i4th Light Dragoons on ist July 1795 are accounted for as follows : —
' Seven Troops at Maryborough.
' Two Troops on foreign service. (108 Horses).' and the nine Troops are thus designated :—
The Colonel's (Lieutenant-General R. Sloper's).
The Lieutenant-Colonel's (Major-General Grice Blak- eney's).
The Major's (Brevet Lieutenant - Colonel Arthur Carter's on foreign service).
Captain the Honourable James Butler's (on leave).
Captain N. Hutchinson's.
Captain Hamilton Gorge's.
Captain Henry Browne's.
Captain G. H. Montgomery's.
- vacant (afterwards Captain J. Kearnay's). Probably this return had reference to the period just before
1 The Hussar, by the author of The Subaltern. London : Henry Colburn, 1837-
44 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1797
the seven troops from Ireland embarked in the south of England for the West Indies, and when they were on their way to the coast. It is probable Lieutenant- Colonel Carter with some other officers and part of a troop proceeded early in the year 1795 to St. Domingo, and was followed by the remainder of the regiment in July or later. Colonel Blakeney having been promoted Major-General before the regiment em- barked, was practically succeeded in command by Lieutenant- Colonel Carter, the senior Major, and Captain Sir J. Dunbar, Bart., had been promoted Major on augmentation, on ist September 1795.
On the 3rd May, Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Sloper became General.
1797
Affair of Cannon relates that in an enterprise against the post of ' Le
s£ Domirjo,5' Mirebalais»' a town to tne nortn of Port-au-Prince on the west
2nd June 1797. coast of St. Domingo, a detachment of the i4th, i8th, and 2ist
Light Dragoons, commanded by Brevet Lieutenant- Colonel
Arthur Carter of the i4th Light Dragoons, distinguished
itself, and was commended in the public despatches.
The bulletins of 1 797-98 contain the following relative to the affair at Mirebalais : —
Despatch of Brigadier-General Churchill to Lieutenant- General George Simcox, commanding His Majesty's troops in the Isle of St. Domingo, dated Mirebalais, June 2nd, 1797.
' We were enabled to drive the enemy from a very advan- tageous position they had taken, which, from their superiority of numbers (about 1200 men), with three pieces of cannon, must in all probability have cost us a number of valuable lives to have carried ; but this additional strength l gave us an easy victory, for no sooner did they perceive a detachment of infantry and cavalry which I sent to guard the heights and
1 This refers to the junction of a column under Colonel Dessources at Port Michcll on the previous day.
CARIBBEAN SEA
Scale of English Mies.
50 O 50 100
HAYTI & ST DOMINGO 1795-1797.
GULF OF M \E X X C O
Scale of English Miles, o sp° igp
London,: Langimtn&, Green. £ Co.
1797] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 45
turn their right flank, than they immediately fled in the utmost confusion, and with such precipitation, that though Lieutenant- Colonel Carter with the detachments of the I4th, i8th, and 2ist Dragoons pursued them with that alacrity and spirit which has ever distinguished him, he could only come up with a very few. He succeeded, however, in driving a great many into the river Artibonite, most of whom perished, and he had the good fortune to take two of the guns with their ammuni- tion, mules, etc. etc. The third gun was most probably lost in the river, the carriage being left behind. We found the fort in the Bourg of Mirebalais as perfect as it had ever been and in no manner destroyed. I enclose a return of the artillery and ammunition found in the fort of Mirebalais, and I am happy to inform your Excellency that the repossession of this im- portant post and district was effected without loss, one sergeant and one private of the dragoons being all our wounded.
' Return of Ordnance and Ordnance stores taken in the fort of Mirebalais on the 2nd June 1797.
' 2 French 8-pounders badly spiked (since unspiked and
rendered serviceable). 2 6-pounders, serviceable. 2 2-pounders, serviceable. A large proportion of shot for the above ordnance of
every description.
The ammunition not ascertained, but stated to be damaged. (Signed) ' GEO. CHURCHILL, Brigadier-General'
The pestilential climate of the West Indies was highly in- jurious to the health of Europeans, and the i4th Light Dragoons, like other regiments serving there, were soon reduced to a skeleton. When the order came to return home, those who survived were permitted to volunteer into other corps remain- ing out longer, and those who remained in the regiment,
46 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1797
Regiment twenty-five in number, were embarked for England, where
arrives in Eng- . . . . ^ . . °,
land, Oct. 1 797. they arrived in October, and were stationed at Chelmsford.
On the ist June, General Sir Robert Sloper, K.B., was
removed to the Colonelcy of the 4th Dragoons, and Major-
Coionei— John General John William Egerton (afterwards Earl of Bridge-
Wm. Egerton. x J . /-. \ i f . ,
water) was appointed to the Colonelcy of the 1401 Light Dragoons, from the first Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 7th Light Dragoons. Major-General Egerton was employed on the staff at Chelmsford when the remnant of the i4th Light Dragoons arrived there from Hayti or St. Domingo, and receiving eight old and worn-out horses with the recruits from the depot at Maidstone, he had the satisfaction soon after of mounting the regiment afresh, and of seeing it within a few years with upwards of 900 horses in its ranks. There do not appear to be any authentic returns of the actual numbers of the i4th Light Dragoons who embarked for the West Indies, or of those who subsequently returned to England ; but in the case of the 1 3th Light Dragoons there is a very accurate casualty return preserved, and this may be taken as a fair sample of what the casualties of the I4th Light Dragoons probably were in the same campaign, for there is no reason to suppose they fared better.
' Casualty Return ' of 1 3th Light Dragoons :—
Men.
Sailed for the West Indies, . . 452
Died, ..... 287
Drafted to 2Oth and 2ist Light Dragoons, 1 13
Returned to England, . . . 52
452
In the ' Digest of Services' of the i4th Hussars,1 which are kept in the orderly-room at regimental headquarters, the only allusion to this West Indian expedition is as follows : — ' In
1 The Regimental Records.
1797] THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 47
June 1795 the regiment was dismounted at Clonmel barracks, and marched to Carrick-on-Suir, from whence it embarked to St. Domingo under the command of Colonel Carter. 1797, the regiment, on arrival in England, went to Chelmsford.'
As the above-quoted records are so very meagre, it may be interesting to relate the following facts taken from Cannon's Historical Record of the \$th Light Dragoons (pp. 28-30) with reference to the same expedition, in which that regiment also took part :—
'Two troops of the i$th had embarked about July or August 1795 for Jamaica; then the rest of the regiment gave up their horses at Mallow, in Ireland, and sailed from Cork to Bristol. Whilst waiting for orders at Bristol, the i3th Light Dragoons met the I4th Light Dragoons destined for the same service. The Thirteenth subsequently embarked at Southampton in transports ; all the ships then laden with troops proceeded from Southampton to Cove Harbour, Cork, and in February 1796 seven troops of the Thirteenth sailed for Barbadoes, where they arrived early in April. The worst revolt had taken place in the island of St. Domingo, which drove a large body of the planters to obtain aid from the English people and to transfer their allegiance from France to the British Crown. In consequence of this, additional forces were ordered to the West Indies. From Barbadoes the 1 3th Light Dragoons were moved to St. Domingo; but here the climate was so pestilential, the regiment (which had been supplied with some horses from America) was very soon reduced to a mere skeleton, and lost in six months 20 officers, 7 troop quartermasters, and 233 non-commissioned officers and men, so that the few remaining were removed to Jamaica in December 1796. Here the remnant of the regiment remained until July 1798, and, after transferring some men to the 2Oth and 2ist Light Dragoons, all that remained of the 1 3th Light Dragoons, 52 souls, embarked for England, and landed at Gravesend in October 1798.'
48
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[1798
Mr. Peter Vatass, who had been chaplain of the regiment since 24th December 1745, and was now seventy-five years of age, was removed, and no successor seems to have been appointed. Apparently Mr. Vatass had been on leave the whole of his service ! The salary of a regimental chaplain in those days was about £ 1 20 per annum.
Major-General Egerton, the new Colonel of the Fourteenth, was already well known to them, as he was the Staff Officer at Clonmel in 1 795 when they were ordered to give up their horses after being placed under orders for active service in the West Indies; and when in 1797 they arrived at Chelms- ford on return from St. Domingo, he was the Major-General in command there. He always took an intense interest in the regiment, and was extremely proud of the high reputation it subsequently gained in the Peninsula, and he remained at its head till his death in 1823. When he was first appointed to the full Colonelcy he took a very active part in the mea- sures adopted for remounting the regiment and recruiting its diminished ranks after service in the West Indies.
Two ' assistant-surgeons ' were for the first time appointed this year, viz. Henry Killaly, ist February 1797; Samuel Newman, 25th April 1797.
1798
The regiment having been recruited and remounted soon mustered 600 sabres : it was divided into 8 troops, and was stationed at Chelmsford. On 26th July 1798 His Majesty York's Own) King George in. was graciously pleased to approve of the regiment being styled the i4th (or Duchess of York's Own) Regiment of Light Dragoons, in honour of Her Royal Highness the Princess Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherina, Princess Royal of Prussia, who had married H.R.H. the Duke of York in 1791. This honour was conferred for services performed by the i4th Light Dragoons in receiving and escorting H.R.H. the Duchess of York on her arrival in England in the same year. The royal authority was given for the regiment to
Light Dragoons.
//,///>/....
/•K. ,<*£ &~~*,S/JX* ^«W, -
48 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1798
Mr. Peter Vatasit, who had been chaplain of the regiment
iber 1745, and was now se >e years
ige, was removed, and no successor seems to have been
;ed. Apparently Mr. Vatass had been on leave the
:
was about j£i2O per annum.
or-General Egerton, the new Colonel of the Fourteenth,
was already well known to them, as he was the Staff Officer
at Clonme! in 1795 when they were ordered to give up their
ses after being placed under orders for active service in
and when in 179; at Ch*
from St. Domingo, he was icral
nand there. He always took :erest in
the regiment, and was extremely proud
jbsequentty gained in the Peninsula, and d at
its !! his death in 1823. When he was first aprx
he took a very active part in the mea- sures adopted for remounting the regiment and recruiting its -hed ranks after s< the West Inch
were for the first time appointed
this year, viz. Henry Killaly, ist February 1797 , Samuel Newman. 25th April 1797.
1798
The regiment having been recruited and remounted soon mustered 600 sabres : it was divided into 8 troops, and was
• King George HI. was graciously pleased to approve of the ;ment being styled the i4th (or Duchess of York's Own) iment of Light Dragoons, in hor»ourof Her Royal Highness the Princess Frederica Charlotr .ca. Catherina, Pri:
Royal of Prussia, who had married H.R.H. the Duke of York in 1791. This honour was conferred for services performed the 1 4th Light Dragoons in receiving ami escorting C.H. the Duchess of York on her arrival in E. -gland in the year. The royal authority was given for ti mtnt to
/ 'f /<////>. I.' •//•,,/,,•,,;/ '//,//•/,'//, ////•/,*/ ' ,
y jferto.
1799] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 49
assume the Prussian Eagle as a badge, and the colour of the Prussian Eagle
facings was changed from lemon-yellow to orange, the colour ba
of the livery of the Royal House of Brandenburg.1 The Four-
teenth thus lost for a time the original pale yellow colour, but changed from
i • ( • i • n x- • i i r i » i i lemon-yellow
this was revived m 1861 in the colour of the busby-bags to orange, when the regiment became Hussars. In the autumn the regiment moved to Braintree and Halstead, where, on 9th October, Major- General Egerton made an inspection. At this review neither the Lieutenant-Colonel (Major-General Grice Blakeney) nor the senior Major (Colonel Arthur Carter) were present, but the junior Major (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Dunbar, Bart.) was in command of the regiment. On the ist January both the Majors were promoted by brevet, Lieutenant-Colonel Carter becoming Colonel, and Major Sir G. Dunbar, Bart., Lieutenant-Colonel.
1799
Being now stationed at Canterbury, the regiment was inspected there on the 25th of September by Major-General Garth. Its establishment was 720, but the effectives on that date were only 450 men and 390 troop-horses.
Major and Brevet-Colonel Arthur Carter, who had practic- ally commanded the regiment for several years, went on 5th December on appointment as Lieutenant-Colonel to the i8th Light Dragoons, and Lieutenant-Colonel John Michel from the unattached list, late 3Oth Light Dragoons, became second Lieutenant-Colonel of the I4th Light Dragoons on augmenta- tion. Major-General G. Blakeney was still continued as the Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment though a general officer, and Major (Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel) Sir George Dunbar, Bart.,2 died on the i5th October.
In the army list for this year a Veterinary Surgeon appears
1 Cannon's Historical Record of the \^th Light Dragoons, p. 18. An entry else- where gives the date of the royal authority which granted the Prussian Eagle as 7th September 1799. Orange, the colour of the ribbon worn with the Order of the ' Black Eagle,' is still considered the royal colour of Prussia.
2 Dunbar of Mochrum, Wigtonshire.
D
50 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1800-
for the first time in the list of commissioned officers, his name being Samuel Newman, appointed 9th January.
The first Paymaster, Mr. James Flanegan, was also appointed this year.
There was an order issued on 22nd April authorising queues ten inches in length to be worn by cavalry and infantry, excepting the light companies.
Captain the Hon. James Butler became Major in the regiment.
I80O
There were further augmentations in the establishment this year ; and there were 3 Lieutenant-Colonels — Grice Blakeney, John Michel, and Samuel Hawker, the latter having been appointed on i2th June.
Establishment. The establishment was raised to 10 troops of 90 rank and file each. Four new guidons were received.
At Canterbury on ist November the regiment was inspected by Major-General Wilford. A portion of the regiment had lately been in Swinly Camp under Lieutenant-Colonel J. Michel. NO 'Standing General Wilford mentions that 'no established orders 1 e existed in the corps for its direction and guidance.'
The established code of regimental orders which had existed previously in the regiment, and which was so highly spoken of by the Inspecting General officers from 1784 to 1790, appears to have been allowed to drop out about this period, or perhaps somewhat earlier.
' The system of discipline and good order ' established and maintained by the carrying out of these orders is referred to by Major-General Lord Luttrell in his inspection reports of 1785 and 1786, and he gives the credit of it to Colonel Sir John Burgoyne, Bart., who commanded the regiment from 1774 to 1 78 1.1 His successor in the command, Lieutenant-Colonel Grice Blakeney, who remained at the head of the regiment till he became Lieutenant-General in 1802, appears in the earlier
1 See p. 36.
i8o2] THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 51
years of his command to have kept up this good regimental system, and adhered to the ' Code of Regimental Orders/ but the latter was allowed to disappear as time went on.1 There is no record of the regiment ever having any ' regimental standing orders' again until May 1891, when Colonel H. B. Hamilton at Hounslow introduced the present existing ones, which were then thought to be the first the Fourteenth had ever possessed, as no traces whatever of any previous ones existed, and none apparently had been heard of by any one living at the time.2 The reference proving the former existence of this old ' regi- mental code of orders ' is very interesting, and was discovered by the author of these pages in an old ' Review- Book' of the eighteenth century preserved in the Public Record Office in Chancery Lane, London, where it was deposited by the War Office.
1801
The regiment remained at Canterbury till March. It was at Newbury in April and May. From June it was at Romford and Hornchurch.
On 1 2th June, Captain Henry Brown became Major, and on 1 4th August, James Gambier was appointed to the same rank in the regiment. Mr. Robert Thomson became Veterinary Surgeon this year, and remained in that position in the regiment until loth November 1814.
1802
In consequence of the Peace of Amiens on 27th March Establishment. 1802, the establishment of the regiment was reduced by two troops.
Captain Neil Talbot became Major on 25th June vice J. Gambier, and Lieutenant-Colonel S. Hawker was placed on half-pay owing to the reduction of a Lieutenant-Colonelcy in the establishment of the regiment.
1 The first mention of 'Standing Orders' is in 1784, when Lieutenant-Colonel Blakeney commanded the regiment (see p. 35). 2 See p. 381.
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[1803-
A squadron was stationed under Captain Talbot at Chelms- ford during the early part of this year, consisting of 125 troop- horses, and was inspected there on 3ist March by Major- Lieutenant- General Milner. Lieutenant-Colonel J. Michel became Brevet- Michel. " Colonel on 29th April, and then succeeded to the command of the Fourteenth, as Major-General Grice Blakeney was pro- moted Lieu tenant- General on the same date, and removed from the regiment after holding the Lieutenant-Colonelcy since iQth November 1781 — upwards of 21 years, but it is probable that he had not exercised the active duties of com- mand since his promotion to Major-General on 3rd October 1794. The second Lieutenant-Colonelcy was not filled up. Captain N. Talbot became Major on 25th June.
Establishment,
Lieutenant- Colonel — Samuel Hawker.
1 Recruiting- parties ' sent out.
1803
War broke out again. Considerable augmentations were again ordered, and on the loth -of March the establishment of the regiment was raised to 664 men and 600 troop-horses.
. The headquarters were at Hythe in November, where Major-General Cartwright inspected on 5th December.
Colonel J. Michel was succeeded in the Lieutenant-Colonelcy by Lieutenant-Colonel S. Hawker, who was brought back again into the regiment from half-pay to command.
The full Colonel of the regiment, Lieutenant-General John William Egerton, became Earl of Bridgewater.
1804
Further augmentations took place this year, and the regi- ment now consisted of 10 troops of about 90 rank and file each.
The total gross cost of the regiment for one year came to about ,£37,857-
The troopers required to complete the regiment up to its augmented establishment were obtained partly by subaltern officers being permitted to raise a stipulated number each for promotion to a higher rank, and partly by the aid of ' recruit- ing-parties' sent out to various centres. The recruits were
1806] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 53
chiefly obtained from London, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, and Chichester. In December the establishment was definitely fixed as follows : —
10 Troops. 50 Corporals.
54 Sergeants. 950 Privates.
10 Trumpeters. 1064 Troop-horses.
Captain (Brevet- Major) Richard Pigot became Major on 4th August vice H. Browne. Major-General Cartwright inspected the regiment on ist June at Hythe under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hawker. The various troops of the Fourteenth were much detached in separate stations same as last year, and had no regular place to assemble in for drill.
Major- General Cartwright made a second inspection in November at the same place (Hythe). In December head- quarters were at Guildford, and portions of the regiment at adjacent stations.
1805
In June the regiment moved to Hounslow.
On 22nd August, Major N. Talbot became second Lieutenant-Colonel on augmentation of establishment, and Captain Thomas Smith became Major.
There was a detachment at Kensington under Captain P. Keogh, which consisted of 9 sergeants and 34 corporals, selected from the 10 troops of the regiment.
Whilst stationed at Hounslow, Kensington, Hampton Court, Royal Escorts, and other adjacent suburban places, the detached troops of the regiment relieved those of the 9th Light Dragoons, and supplied the travelling escorts and letter parties for His Majesty King George in. and other members of the Royal Family, up to the month of September. There were 640 effective troop- horses by the end of the year.
1806
The regiment left Hounslow in July for the south-western district, and headquarters were at Southampton on August ist,
54
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[1807-
New carbines, etc., issued ; old arms and bayonets re- turned, 1807.
I4th Light Dragoons placed under orders for the Peninsula, I9th October 1808.
at Winchester August i4th, and at Dorchester on October i4th, having passed through Basingstoke and Alton en route.
Captain F. B. Hervey became Major on 8th May vice R. Pigot.
1807
In July the regiment left Dorchester, and, after being employed in the early part of the year on election duty in the county of Sussex, for the Midhurst election at Petworth, Fittleworth, and Pullborough, marched via Guildford, Farnham, and Bagshot, to its former quarters at Hounslow, Kensington, and Hampton Court.
A supply of new carbines and pistols was issued from the ordnance stores this year to the regiment, including the two augmentation troops, when the whole of the old pistols, carbines, and bayonets were returned into store.
On 9th July, Captain the Honourable Charles Butler became Major vice T. Smith.
In September the headquarters of the regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel S. Hawker were at Blatchington, near Brighton, and detachments were stationed at Eastbourne, Hastings, and Bexhill, so the stay at Hounslow must have been very short.
1808
On 5th July the regiment left Blatchington, Eastbourne, Bexhill, and Hastings in four divisions, and marched through London to Ipswich, arriving there 25th July, where it remained three months. On i9th October a depot squadron with heavy baggage was ordered to be left at Ipswich, and the four service squadrons were placed under orders for active service in the Peninsula. The regiment accordingly marched to Tiverton, Taunton, Exeter, and Honiton, one squadron remaining for a time at each place between i6th and 2Qth November, and on the latter date the four squadrons marched to Flushing, near Falmouth, where they embarked on 5th December on
1809] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 55
board several transports and sailed for Lisbon. The head- Regiment quarters were at Romford on ist November and at Liskeard iTsbon,5 ( on ist December, previous to embarkation. 5th December-
On 23rd December, under command of Colonel Samuel Hawker, the i4th (Duchess of York's Own) Light Dragoons landed at Lisbon ready to take part in the war against the French.
1809
The French Emperor, Napoleon Buonaparte, had already invaded Spain and Portugal, and a British army had proceeded to Portugal to help the Portuguese to expel the invaders. The Portuguese had been successful, and an army under Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore was advancing into Spain, where subsequently, on the i6th January 1809, it was defeated by the French under Marshal Soult, at Corunna, and its gallant leader killed. It was shortly before this catastrophe that the Fourteenth arrived in Portugal to join the British army, of which Major- General Sir Arthur Wellesley assumed command when he arrived at Lisbon on 22nd April 1809.
Colonel Hawker, commanding the regiment, was appointed A.D.C. to His Majesty King George in. with the rank of Colonel in the army on 25th April. The regiment remained quartered about Lisbon till the spring, when it advanced to Bucellas, an outpost of our army, and formed the advance- guard of the British troops on the march to Coimbra in the month of April. In May the Fourteenth were brigaded with the 1 6th Light Dragoons and 2oth Light Dragoons, as well as with the 3rd Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion, under command of Brigadier-General Stapleton Cotton (after- wards Field-Marshal Viscount Combermere), and took part in a review of the army in Portugal which was held at Coimbra1
1 The troops concentrated at Coimbra on 5th May were 25,000 sabres and bayonets, of which 9000 were Portuguese, 3000 Germans, the remainder British. There were also 24 guns. The cavalry division was commanded by Lieutenant- General Payne ; the three infantry divisions by Edward Paget (ist), Sherbrooke (2nd), Hill (3rd). Beresford's corps consisted of the Portuguese and a few British troops — (Napier.)
56 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1809
before Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley, K.B. (after- wards Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington); the other cavalry brigade, 3rd and 4th Dragoon Guards, was under the command of Brigadier-General Fane. The French troops under Marshals Soult and Victor had, in the meantime, invaded Portugal, and Marshal Soult had taken Oporto.1 The first service undertaken by the British commander was to expel the French from the important city of Oporto. Two squadrons of the Fourteenth under Lieutenant - Colonel Neil Talbot were detached with the Portuguese troops under Marshal Beresford to intercept the French if they should attempt to retreat northwards by Amarante. The remaining 3 squadrons under Colonel Hawker advanced direct on Oporto with the main body of the army, when, being employed with the rest of the cavalry on outpost duty and advance-picquets, they had several combats with the enemy, especially on the loth and i2th May. It was on the i2th May when Sir Arthur arrived on the banks of the Douro near Oporto, ** unperceived by the French, who were on the opposite (right) bank. He determined to force a passage across the river, and immediately detached 2 squadrons of the Fourteenth with the German brigade and 2 guns under command of Major- General John Murray 3 miles up the river on the left bank to Barca de Avintas, where they effected a passage in boats. In the meantime Sir Arthur concentrated the main body of his army behind the Serra convent height, where he posted 18 guns in a commanding position on the rock near the convent, and having with difficulty obtained 3 large barges, began to send his troops across. In his careful observation from the high ground the British general had observed the horses and baggage of the enemy amid clouds of dust retreating along the Vallonga road, and no large force seemed near the river, neither were the guards or patrols vigi- lant along the banks. There was a large building called the seminary, placed admirably for defence, which also caught the
1 Cannon's Historical Record of ike i\tk Light Dragoons.
i8o9] THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 57
British general's eyes, and large enough to hold two battalions or more.1 The first troops to cross were only 25 men under an officer, and these seized and occupied the seminary so quietly that the French in Oporto were not roused. By the time the third boat passed, in which was General Paget, leader of the ist Division, the city was roused to arms, and the seminary was furiously attacked. General Paget, who had mounted the roof, fell severely wounded, and his place was taken by General Hill, whose division, as well as General Sherbrooke's, were crossing the river in all haste. The English guns from the Serra opposite commanded the en- closure of the seminary and swept the ground on one flank with great effect. The struggle, however, was violent, and as the expected help from General Murray did not appear, the position was critical, especially as the numbers of the enemy were so overwhelming. At length Murray was descried coming down the right bank of the river. About this time the French evacuated the lower city; the attack on the seminary became slacker, and large columns of the enemy were passing in haste and confusion along the Vallonga road. Sherbrooke's men had most opportunely come upon the rear of the French at the lower part of the town, and had taken 5 guns. Murray's arrival across the enemy's line of retreat was of the greatest moment, but as he did not open his guns on the crowds of troops passing along the Vallonga road, Brigadier-General Charles Stewart, just at the right time, headed a most effective charge which was executed by the 2 squadrons of the Fourteenth, one in support of the other, gallantly led by Major F. B. Hervey2 and Major the Honour- able Charles Butler, who charged through the enemy's rear- guard as it was pushing through a narrow road to gain an open space beyond, unhorsed the French general Laborde, and
1 This account of the Douro affair is from Napier's History of the Peninsular War, from which numerous extracts have been made and much information gathered and inserted in this Record, bearing on this campaign.
2 Afterwards Colonel Sir Felton B. Hervey, Bart., C.B., A.D.C.
58 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1809
wounded General Foy, but as no support was at hand from Murray's troops, these brave men had to cut their way back Losses of the with considerable loss. Major Hervey lost his right arm, and the Fourteenth had 12 rank and file killed, i rank and file missmg- Captain Peter Hawker, Lieutenant Robert Knipe, Lieutenant Evelyn P. Dormer were wounded, as well as i sergeant and 18 rank and file.
Napier says : ' This finished the action. The French continued their retreat ; the British remained on the ground they had gained. The latter lost 20 killed, a general and 95 men wounded ; the former had 500 men killed and wounded.'
The Fourteenth lost heavily, as we have seen, in this affair, but the gallant conduct of the regiment was highly commended in Sir Arthur Wellesley's public despatch as well as in general orders. The troops had marched 85 miles in 4 days over most difficult country, and during 3 of those days they were constantly fighting. The sudden arrival of Murray's Division was a complete surprise to the enemy, and the gallant charge of the i4th Light Dragoons at the critical moment helped in a great measure to turn the tide of victory completely in favour of the British, and to cause the French to make a hasty retreat.
The following is an extract from the general orders issued by Lieutenant- General Sir Arthur Wellesley, commanding the British forces, dated Oporto, I2th May 1809 :—
' The passage of the Douro and subsequent movements on the enemy's flank by Lieutenant-General Sherbrooke with the Brigade of Guards and His Majesty's 29th regiment, and the bravery of the two squadrons of the I4th Light Dragoons under command of Major Hervey, and led by Brigadier- General the Honourable Charles Stewart, obtained the victory which has contributed so much to the honour of the troops on this day.'
It was not till the year 1837 that permission was given
1809] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 59
for the regiment to bear the word ' Douro ' on its appoint- ments.
The 1 4th Light Dragoons were now employed with the separate corps under Marshal Beresford in following up the French army under Marshal Soult as far as Ginjo. Here they halted, and afterwards moved to Abrantes on the Tagus, where the British army was concentrated for further opera- tions. On 2/th June an advance was made in the direction of Talavera de la Reyna, through Castello Brancho, Placentia, and the valley of the Alberche in Estremadura. On i5th July the British headquarters were at Placentia.
According to Napier, Sir Arthur Wellesley had now about 21,000 men with 30 guns, and Cuesta's Spaniards numbered about 35,000 with 70 guns.
The British had one cavalry division, 6 regiments, 3047 sabres, under Lieutenant-General Payne in three brigades ; 3rd and 4th Dragoon Guards under Fane, i4th and i6th Light Dragoons under Cotton, and the cavalry of the King's German Legion under Anson.
Four divisions of infantry as follows :—
ist, Lieutenant-General Sherbroke ; 2nd, Major-General Hill ; 3rd, Major-General Mackenzie ; 4th, Briga- dier-General Campbell.
The artillery was commanded by Major-General Howarth.
On the march through Spain the British army suffered great privations from scarcity of provisions ; and the incapacity of the Spanish general, as well as the unreliable nature of his troops, caused Sir Arthur much anxiety, and greatly hampered his movements. Towards the end of July two of the British divisions were sent forward, as well as the whole of the cavalry, to support a movement of the Spaniards against Marshal Victor's army, which, according to reports circulated, was falling back on Torrijos and behind the Guadarama river. Lieutenant- Generals Sherbrooke and Payne commanded this force. On the 26th July the Spanish army under Cuesta was at St. Ollalla,
60 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1809
Sherbrooke was at Cassalegas, Sir Arthur Wellesley was at Talavera, and Marshal Victor's army was only a few miles from Cuesta's advanced posts with 50,000 men and 90 guns. The French had also an army of 50,000 men under Mortier at Salamanca. The Spaniards were driven back by Victor, and had to retire on Talavera, supported by Sherbrooke and the cavalry under Payne.
On the 27th July a battle was imminent, and Sir Arthur left Mackenzie's Division with a brigade of cavalry to cover a retrograde movement, whilst he withdrew the allies into a position for order of battle six miles in rear. General Mac- kenzie was left in a wood lying to the right of the Alberche, which covered his left flank. Between 2 and 3 o'clock this post was attacked by the French, when the i4th Light Dragoons were ordered to advance, and they crossed the river Alberche, sending out a line of skirmishers to cover the Casualties of retirement of the infantry. The regiment was kept out skir- front of mishing till nightfall, and lost 9 horses killed ; one officer, Lieutenant Theophilus T. Ellis, and one private soldier being wounded, and two horses missing.1 After performing this service the Fourteenth resumed the post assigned them in the allied army, which was in the rear of Brigadier- General Campbell's Division. The position was as follows : — the Spaniards were placed on the right of our line, their right resting on Talavera; on their left came Campbell's Division, in two lines ; Sherbrooke's Division came next to Campbell's, in one line only ; Mackenzie's Division was destined to be the second line to Sherbrooke's; Hill's Division was to be on the left of the line. The whole line was two miles long, and was an exceedingly well chosen and strong position. The British and Germans mustered about 20,000 men under arms, with 30 guns. The Spaniards had about 34,000 men and 70 guns. The French numbered 80 guns and 50,000 men, and they were hardy veterans, while the allies had only 19,000 genuine soldiers.2 King Joseph Buonaparte was in command,
1 This was the combat of Salinas mentioned by Napier. 2 Napier,
1809] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 61
with Jourdan, Victor, and many other renowned generals under him.
At daybreak on the morning of the 28th July, the British Battle of left was attacked by the enemy's artillery and infantry, then JsthjSy' 1809; the centre, lastly the right of the line became involved in fierce first attack- contest. Both sides suffered heavily, the enemy more. At last the French retired in disorder to their original position, still keeping up a powerful fire of artillery.1
Our artillery was no match for the French : it was small of calibre and the guns few in number. When Cuesta was asked for reinforcements he sent two guns, but luckily these were good and well served by the Spaniards. Sir Arthur now sent for his cavalry, which was at a considerable distance ; he also obtained some Spanish cavalry, and placed the whole in mass six lines deep, the leading squadrons looking down a valley on his left flank. After this, about 9 o'clock, there was a cessation of hostilities for several hours.2
It was not till 12 o'clock that further hostilities took place. Second attack. Then the French opened the fight with 80 pieces of cannon, followed by the advance of their light troops, who were supported by broad black columns in rear. Campbell's Division was first attacked with fury, but it stood firm ; Mac- kenzie's Brigade and his Spanish battalions gallantly with- stood the onslaught, and after repulsing a second attack no less vehement, aided by a flank charge of Spanish cavalry, secured the victory in that quarter. On our left, a brilliant charge of Anson's Brigade of cavalry took place, when the 23rd Light Dragoons under Colonel Seymour and Major F. Ponsonby, with the ist German Hussars under Colonel Arentschild, charged Villate's troops. In this charge Colonel Arentschild, seeing an impracticable piece of ground ahead of him, pulled up his regiment just in time to avoid a catas- trophe ; but the 23rd Light Dragoons, continuing their advance, got into difficulties, and still going forward, were at last completely overmatched by the enemy. They then had to
1 Napier. 2 Ibid.
62 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1809
retire, leaving half their numbers killed and wounded — con- siderably more than 200. x *
The British centre was very hard pressed by Lapisse's attack, and here it was that Sherbrooke's men bravely drove back their assailants, when, encouraged by success, the Guards and Germans incautiously made a bayonet charge, in which the pursuit was carried too far, until our men were finally repulsed by the French reserves of infantry and dragoons. Confusion ensued, which caused the centre of the line to give way and become hopelessly broken : our right and left flanks, however, remained firm and resolute, Campbell and Hill holding their positions against all attacks. Sir Arthur saw that a critical and perilous moment had come, and was determined to make a final effort to restore the centre. Suddenly the 48th Regiment, led by Colonel Donellan, was seen advancing from the hill right down on the flank of the victorious French columns, pouring in such a steady and de- structive fire of musketry as completely checked the enemy's further movements. This enabled the Guards and Germans to rally, whilst our guns played incessantly on their opponents, and to crown all, a brigade of light cavalry under Brigadier- Charge of General Cotton, consisting of the i4th and i6th Light ^Cotton's Dragoons, was seen rapidly advancing on the enemy's flank. Brigade. This cavalry attack brought matters to a crisis : the enemy was checked, began to waver, lost all impulse, the battle was won.2 A general retirement to their former position subse- quently took place along the French line. The British were too exhausted by fatigue and weakened by losses to attempt any pursuit, and no assistance could be given by the Spaniards. At 6 o'clock all fighting ceased, and both armies remained on their own positions. Thus it was that the i4th Light Dragoons, i6th Light Dragoons, and the 48th Regiment, by coming forward at the critical time when the Guards Brigade was almost annihilated, contributed in no small measure to
1 Napier. 2 Ibid.
1809] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 63
change the fortunes of the day, and to gain the victory for the British arms.
The Fourteenth lost at Talavera — Casualties of
Killed-2i horses, 3 men. SVSS^
Colonel S. Hawker, slightly. 28th July 1809.
Captain J. Chapman,
Wounded — 5 officers
Captain P. Hawker, [severely.
Lieutenant W. Wainman, Lieutenant Thomas Smith, J „ 6 men.
,, 3 horses.
Missing — 13 horses.
Taken prisoner — Lieutenant E. P. Dormer. Lieutenant-Colonel Talbot and Captain Baker had horses killed under them in this battle.
The total losses of the British at Talavera were —
'33 officers, including Generals Mackenzie and Losses at
Killed -
Langworth.
Talavera.
800 men. f 195 officers, including 3 generals. \37oo men.
Missing I* officers' [650 men.
In addition there were about 800 killed and wounded on the 27th, the day before the battle.
The Spaniards lost 1 200 men.
The French lost 7389 officers and men.
Colonel Hawker was rewarded with a gold medal, and the Fourteenth subsequently (1820) received authority to bear on the guidons and appointments the word ' Talavera,' in com- memoration of their distinguished services in this action.1
After the victory of Talavera, the French brought for- ward such overwhelming armies in different directions under Ney, Soult, Victor, Mortier, and other generals, with the
Cannon.
64 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1809
intention of cutting off and utterly crushing the allies, that Sir Arthur Wellesley decided to act for some time on the defensive, and withdrew his army towards Truxillo and Merida, moving along the left bank of the Tagus, so as to baffle, if he could, the strong combination of armies against him. At first he moved to Deleytoza, crossing the river at Arzobispo, Craufurd's Brigade and six guns being sent to secure the boat-bridge at Almaraz and to cut off the French. About the end of August, owing to various circumstances, principally the scarcity of supplies and the bad conduct of the Spanish army, Sir Arthur fell back into Portugal, and occupied the valley of the Guadiana, his troops being distributed in Badajos, Elvas, Campo Major, etc., but the men suffered considerably from malignant fever in these districts. The Fourteenth were re- moved to Villa Vi^osa, a town in Alemtejo (Portugal), and in December they moved to Santarem, situated on the right bank of the Tagus, in the Estremadura of Portugal. Here they were formed in brigade under Major-General Slade with the ist Royal Dragoons, a regiment recently come from England.
During this year the rank of Troop-Sergeant- Major was Establishment, introduced into the cavalry. The establishment of officers in the regiment at this time was—
1 Colonel. i Adjutant (included in Lieu-
2 Lieutenant- Colonels. tenants). 2 Majors. i Surgeon.
9 Captains. i Assistant Surgeon.
21 Lieutenants. i Veterinary Surgeon.
8 Cornets. i Quartermaster, i Paymaster.
The regimental agents were Messrs. Collyer and Son, London.
Quartermasters became commissioned officers about this year. The first commissioned Quartermaster in the Four- teenth was Mr. Jameson, appointed 4th January 1810.
i8io] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 65
1810
The 1 4th Light Dragoons had a regimental song1 at this period, as follows : —
OLD REGIMENTAL SONG OF I4TH LIGHT DRAGOONS, USED IN THE PENINSULAR WAR.
'£A IRA!'2 1810 £/
Beaten backward in the press &}>s*l£jL '& ^^^flr*-^+-
Reeled the Old Fourteenth, / Q *
And in triumph shrill arose f C/ / /
The yell of the triumphant foes,
As, where the British Lion flew,
Flaunting ' White and Red and Blue ^^
Full well the fiery Frenchmen knew
The fame of the Fourteenth. ' s\
Beaten backward in the press ^w<4
Reeled the Old Fourteenth, Cheerily their Colonel spoke As the red line round him broke, Laughing, waving with his hand To the leader of the band, As again they took their stand, The men of the Fourteenth.
'Play the Frenchman's March,' he said,
The chief of the Fourteenth ;
' Strike it up, strike loud and clear,
As I stand before you here,
We will prove our mettle soon,
Ere yon pale sun rides at noon,
We '11 beat them to their own brave tune,
We men of the Fourteenth.'
On 1 4th March the Fourteenth left Santarem and returned to the Alemtejo and took the advanced posts of Lieutenant- General Rowland Hill's Corps at Arronches, a town situate at the conflux of the Caya and the Aigrette, near the Spanish
1 This song was kindly presented by Mr. F. A. Hawker, son of the late General Sir S. Hawker, G.C.H. Mr. Hawker also kindly gave the photograph of his father which is reproduced in this Record.
2 ' Ca ira ! ' (French) = ' We shall succeed.'
E
66 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1810
confines. In June the Fourteenth advanced to Almeida in the Beira province, and were attached to the Light Division under Brigadier- General Craufurd, who was behind the Agueda river watching the enemy's movements, when, with the i6th Light Dragoons and ist Hussars (King's German Legion), they took the outpost duty on this frontier.
Ciudad Rodrigo was at this time being invested by Marshal Ney. Marauding parties of French used to enter the villages of Barquilla and Villa de Puerco ; ambuscades were formed to cut them off i the Fourteenth took part in them. On nth July
nth July 1810. . .
a portion of the regiment charged a square of French infantry 200 strong : the square withstood the charge and opened a terrific fire. The gallant Lieutenant-Colonel Talbot, Quarter- master M'Cormick, and n men were killed close up to the bayonets, and 23 men were wounded. This occurred near Sexmiro, in front of Ciudad Rodrigo, and as Colonel Hawker had gone home wounded after Talavera, Lieutenant-Colonel Talbot was virtually in command of the regiment at the time of his death. Major F. B. Hervey succeeded him as second Lieutenant-Colonel on 2nd August, and he assumed command of the regiment in the absence of Colonel Hawker, immediately after Lieutenant-Colonel Talbot fell, and subse- quently when Colonel Hawker was appointed Major-General in 1811, he became the real commanding officer of the regiment, and it was under his able leadership that the i4th Light Dragoons became famous as Light Cavalry, being specially celebrated for the excellent manner in which they performed their outpost duties. Captain J. Chapman was promoted Major on the same date, in succession to Lieutenant-Colonel Hervey. Captain Brotherton, late of the I4th Light Dragoons (afterwards General Sir T. W. Brotherton, G.C. B., who died in 1868), has left a graphic account of the death and burial of Lieutenant-Colonel Talbot, amongst other interesting incidents1 of his experiences in the Peninsula when serving in the Four-
1 These incidents are in MSS., and were kindly presented by the late Colonel the Hon. G. H. Gough, C.B.
i8io] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 67
teenth, as follows : — ' The most formidable thing for cavalry to deal with is a square of steady infantry — indeed, such a square may be said to bid defiance to cavalry unless the cavalry has the aid of artillery to batter the square before charging it ; for the formation, in square, to resist cavalry is a most murderous one when exposed to artillery. At the village of Sexmiro we encountered a square of French infantry. It was lying down, concealed in some high-standing corn, and only rose up when my squadron came within pistol-shot of it, and was beautifully steady. We charged it most gallantly, but they fired a deadly volley into us, and half my men fell killed or wounded. Colonel Talbot, who commanded the regiment, had put himself at the head of the squadron along with me. Poor fellow, he fell pierced by eight balls, literally on the enemy's bayonets. The moment the square had fired into and so sadly crippled us, it moved off to join its support close by, and we were so shattered as not to be able to follow. The French infantry behaved beautifully on this occasion. It was the 6ist of the line. Marshal Massena immediately bestowed the Cross of the Legion of Honour on the officer commanding and several of the non-commissioned officers and men. So steady and cool was this little square, that though my horse fell, with the wounded, within two yards of their ranks, not a man moved out to bayonet me, but the square immediately retired in admirable order. We were repulsed, suffered great loss, and left our commanding officer, amongst others, dead on the field. I was sent afterwards to ask for his body, and brought it in. It was taken into a tent in which we messed. We all felt deep grief at his loss, for we all loved him ; yet I never shall forget that we ate a hearty meal with our beloved friend's corpse close to us, uncovered. He had a glorious countenance in death. He was a noble-looking fellow, and had died so instantaneously, having had no less than eight balls through him, that his countenance was but little altered. We buried him on the glacis of Fort Conception, and a few days after I saw his body blown into the air, along with the fragments of the
68 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1810
fort, when the explosion took place. What became of his remains afterwards we never could ascertain, as several horses and men were killed at the same time by the explosion. I may add that I went out with a flag of truce to fetch his body. When I arrived at the fatal spot where the murderous charge of my squadron had taken place, I saw lying on the ground only three French soldiers, one of whom was dead and the other two much mutilated by our sabres, but this was all the execution we had done in return for our severe loss. I brought poor Talbot's body back, and we buried him (as already related) on the glacis of Fort Conception. A few days afterwards the premeditated explosion of this fort took place, when his body was blown into the air. The blowing up and complete destruction of this important and beautiful little Star Fort which guarded the frontier of Spain, was an operation of extreme delicacy, and of most critical and precarious execution, for Colonel Burgoyne,1 the talented officer of Engineers, selected for the task, had positive orders not to blow it up till the very last moment (that is, till the advance of the enemy), so that we might make use of it till the last moment, but not leave a vestige of it for the enemy's use. These instructions were carried into effect with extraordinary precision and most thoroughly, though Massena had the meanness and effrontery to say the contrary in his report to Napoleon. I had some little share in the execution of this critical operation. I happened to be on picquet in front of the fort on the night it took place, or rather the morning, at daybreak. As it was a matter of great importance to Massena to preserve the fort, if possible, and prevent its destruction, which he knew was planned, he thought he would best obtain this object by a sudden and rapid advance on our picquets, driving them back at a gallop, and arriving on the glacis of the fort as soon as we did, when, he thought, the officer of Engineers would hesitate to blow it up for fear of destroying our people. The match was always kept ready in the fort for instantaneous explosion.
1 Afterwards Field-Marshal Sir John Burgoyne, Bart., G.C.B.
i8io] THE I4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 69
Knowing the state of the case, I had only just time to exclaim to an officer close to me (named Wainman), who was beauti- fully mounted on a thoroughbred horse, to go at speed to Burgoyne and apprise him that we were being driven back most rapidly, and that we had no time to lose. He arrived at the fort only just in time to enable Burgoyne to explode the mine. I found myself on the glacis just at this moment, and lost several horses and men by the explosion, besides the harrowing sight of poor Talbot's body being blown into the air. I had brought the body slung across a troop-horse. He was a delightful fellow, a friend I most deeply regretted, but singular and eccentric, particularly in his dress. He was dressed, the day he was killed, in nankeen pantaloons. Never was anything like the grief for his loss. When we buried him not an eye was dry.'
Napier says that four squadrons of the Fourteenth, under Lieutenant- Colonel Talbot, took part in this charge against the French infantry square.
On nth July, Ciudad Rodrigo surrendered, the Fourteenth remained in the villages near Fort La Conception until the 2ist July, when, as the French were approaching in masses, they fell back to Almeida. Here Brigadier-General Craufurd was bold enough to halt and make a stand against the advancing enemy, which led to the combat of Coa, in which the Light Division suffered heavily, and lost over 300 men.
Early in the morning of the 24th July, after a wet and Outpost affair
• t » i • • • i • r i 11 °n the Coa»
stormy night on outpost duty, a skirmishing right took place 24th July 1 8 10. with the French troops, who were advancing in force, near the passage of the river Coa, when the Light Division was engaged for a considerable time against superior numbers of the van- guard of the French army commanded by Marshal Massena.
On this occasion the Fourteenth were engaged and had the following casualties : killed — i sergeant; wounded — Lieutenant Blatchford, i man and 4 horses.
Brigadier- General Craufurd stated in his despatch — ' The retirement of the i4th Light Dragoons from Val-de-la-mula to
70 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1810
Almeida was carried out in the most regular and soldier-like manner, though opposed to a superior force of French cavalry.'
Lord Wellington's headquarters were now at Alverca.
General Brotherton relates the following as to the fight at Coa: — ' The combat of the Coa took place on 24th July 1810, and was a very sharp affair ; where we were only 6000 strong, against 24,000 brought into action by Massena. There were many gallant and daring deeds done that day, in taking and re- taking the bridge over the river of the same name. In one of these attacks, one of the officers of the 43rd, (Frederick)
brother of Sir Richard of Barwood Park, was shot
through the leg. Happening to be close to him, I jumped off my horse to assist him. He was bleeding profusely, and no surgeon immediately at hand to stop it, I had my canteen slung round me full of strong wine, and put it to his mouth, and made him take a copious draught of it. Just as I had done this the surgeon of the regiment came up, and I told him what I had done, at which he expressed himself displeased, saying that probably I should be the cause of his death ; but he
(Frederick ) always said afterwards to everybody that I
had saved his life by giving him the wine, as he felt so faint that he felt he was dying. He lived afterwards in excellent health till the 2ist June 1854.
' On the same day (24th July 1810) one of the officers under
my immediate command, Cornet B , was hit by a fragment
of a shell in the posterior, and as he was rather a soft sort of fellow, I thought, at first, that he made too great a fuss about it, though he turned deadly pale. But he had good reason to complain, for the piece of shell had buried itself deep in his buttock, and caused his death.'
From Almeida to the lines of Torres Vedras the regi- ment in conjunction with the i6th Light Dragoons and ist Hussars, King's German Legion, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir S. Cotton, Bart.,1 formed the rear- guard of the army.
1 Afterwards Field-Marshal Viscount Combermere, G.C.B., G.C.H.
i8io] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 71
On 28th August one squadron, acting with a squadron of the Frexadas, ist Royal Dragoons at Frexadas, was engaged with a superior f|Jo.AuEUS force of the enemy and highly distinguished itself.
' The advanced posts of the British army having removed to Frexadas, the French besieged and took Almeida on the 20th August, and on the day following they attacked a squadron of the Royals and one of the I4th Light Dragoons on picquet at Frexadas, under Major Dorville of the Royals. The enemy brought forward a superior force of cavalry supported by infantry, but the two squadrons, undaunted by the greater numbers, charged the French with signal gallantry and drove them from the field with the loss of many men killed and wounded and 8 prisoners. The Royals lost 2 men and i horse wounded.'1
On 24th September, when the enemy skirmished with our skirmish near picquets near Mortagao, a squadron of the i4th Light Dragoons 24thtSept°embei under Captain T. W. Brotherton, acting with a squadron ofl8ia 1 6th Light Dragoons and a squadron of ist King's German Hussars, covered the retreat of the Light Division for 4 miles. These 3 squadrons drove back 4 squadrons of French Hussars, and the squadron of the Fourteenth charged the enemy's cavalry, killing 30 men. .
On 25th September, Captain the Honourable H. Percy was taken prisoner whilst reconnoitring near the heights of Busaco. On this occasion the regiment, together with the Royals, was employed to cover the retreat of the Light Division to the position of Busaco. Whilst performing this duty against the Casualties of masses of the French army advancing on Busaco during the 25°^ and 26th 25th and 26th September, the casualties of the i4th Light Dragoons were as follows : —
Killed — i horse.
Wounded — i sergeant, 2 rank and file, 4 horses.
Missing — 3 rank and file, 7 horses.
The Fourteenth were now in brigade with the ist Royal Dragoons under Major-General Slade, and Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton commanded the Cavalry Division.
1 General De Ainslie's Royal Dragoons, 1887, pp. 111-12.
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[1810
Battle of Busaco, 27th September (in reserve).
On the 27th September, at the battle of Busaco, the Four- teenth, together with the ist Royal Dragoons, were in reserve. Subsequently they were employed in covering the retreat of the army to the strong lines of Torres Vedras. This important battle, after hard fighting, resulted in a victory for the allies. The French lost 800 killed and i General, Grain-d'Orge, with a total loss of about 4500, whilst the allies only lost 1300. The position taken up by Lord Wellington was impregnable, and Marshal Massena, after his repulse, marched towards Coimbra, whilst the allies crossed the Mondego near Coimbra, and moved towards Condeixa and Pombal.
General Brotherton relates the following incidents about Busaco : — ' At the battle of Busaco, after the charge made on our position by General Simon was repulsed, several of the French soldiers, who had fallen wounded within a few yards of our line, lay gasping in agony and thirst, calling out for water to drink ; but such was the galling fire still kept up by the enemy on this point, that it appeared almost certain death for any one to show himself for an instant beyond the shelter which some rocks afforded. I observed, however, a noble young fellow, a Hanoverian belonging to the German Legion, walk coolly and deliberately from behind a rock, and going to the nearest wounded French soldier who was calling out for drink, but lay in a most contorted and painful position (one of his legs, which was broken by a musket-shot, being bent under him), applied his canteen to the poor fellow's mouth, after having, without the least degree of hurry or trepidation (though the fire continued most heavy), settled his head on his knapsack, and otherwise made his position less painful. The fine young fellow did this successively to several other wounded French- men, and then returned to his regiment. When first this young officer stepped out, the enemy, fancying he might be leading an attack, redoubled their fire, but when they perceived what he was doing, the firing immediately ceased, and was succeeded by vociferous cheering at his conduct. A more affecting scene I never beheld in the field, and I only regret
i8io] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 73
that, almost at the same moment, I witnessed a disgusting contrast to it. A staff officer, a German, whose name I shall abstain from mentioning, placed himself in perfect security behind a rock, and with a rifle, with which he piqued himself on being an unerring shot, kept picking off French officers and soldiers by way of amusement ! I remonstrated with him on his barbarous conduct, and shamed him out of it, but not before he had hit several poor fellows who were actually employed at the time in burying their dead (it was a working-party sent out for the purpose). The remembrance of such conduct makes my blood curdle in my veins even at this time.
' At this same battle (Busaco) I witnessed an instance of the nervousness and superstition of the bravest soldiers. A battalion of the German Legion (Hanoverians) was sent down to drive the French out of a wood which they occupied in our front. They drove the enemy out most gallantly, but immediately after came running back most wildly and unaccountably till we learnt the cause. It appeared that part of the enemy's troops occupying the wood were part of the German contingent in the French service, and amongst them were some Hanoverians. On finding this out, our Hanoverians fled with the utmost precipitation out of the wood they had so gallantly gained possession of, horrified at the idea of fighting against their countrymen, and perhaps their relatives.'
Another of the General's stories is well worth relating. He Nuns and says : — ' On the retreat of the army to the famous lines of Torres SJyJPJJ* Vedras, when in command of the rearguards, a whole convent crouPe- of nuns came running out of their convent, as I passed by it, and implored me to save them from the French. It was im- possible for me to stop to protect them, and yet I could not bring myself to leave the poor creatures to the tender mercies of the French soldiers, though they were neither young nor handsome, but old and sallow, from penance and vigils, no doubt ; so I resolved on the expedient of placing these poor distracted creatures (22 in number) en croupe behind as many dragoons. They had uneasy seats, but clasped the dragoons
74 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1810
tightly round their waists, and we brought them safe into the lines of Torres Vedras, to their great joy and to the great amusement of all those who saw my convoy — such an one as had never before, I suppose, been escorted in this manner by dragoons. Lord Wellington heard of this adven- ture, and was much amused by it, and the next time I dined with him, after it took place, he complimented me on my chivalrous affair and laughed heartily about it.
' I was not so fortunate with a cargo of a very different description which I once attempted also to carry off en croupe. It was a famous " Murillo" altar-piece at Medina de Ris Secco, in Castile. One of the priests came running out to me as I was patrolling through the streets in search of the enemy, and told me of this famous picture, and advised me, as the French were momentarily expected, to have it taken down, rolled up, and placed carefully between two dragoons, the ends resting on their valises, for it was a large picture. Ill-luck, however, would have it that the French never entered Medina at this period, and knowing how I should get blamed for taking away this picture except to save it from the French, I was obliged, after having carried it a considerable distance, to retrace my steps, having heard of the retreat of the enemy, and replace the picture whence I had taken it. It was afterwards, however, taken away by Marshal Soult, and is, I believe, at this moment part of his dishonestly acquired collection. He was one of the most unscrupulous plunderers in the French army, and this is saying a great deal for him ! '
All this time the French legions in overwhelming numbers were still pressing on, and the i4th Light Dragoons formed the rearguard of our army as far as Pombal. On the ist of October Lord Wellington's outposts were drawn in from the heights of Coimbra, on which occasion 3 troops of the Four- teenth under Major the Honourable Charles Butler constituted the rearguard, and they proceeded through the town in rear of the Light Division, and then acted on the main road leading to Pombal. The remainder of the regiment was acting on
i8io] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 75
the plain with the rest of the cavalry of the army, but had to withdraw before the superior force of the enemy, crossing the Mondego at a ford below the town, and then skirmishing to prevent the passage of that river by the French. Here some sharp fighting took place, and the enemy's cavalry attacked and cut down some of the British in the middle of the river, and altogether 50 or 60 men were lost.
That night (ist October) the British headquarters were at Redinha, having passed through Condeixa, eight miles from Coimbra, and next day they were at Leiria. The retreat now became somewhat hasty and disordered, and plundering com- menced, but Lord Wellington took vigorous measures to enforce discipline. At Leiria, three men taken in the act were hanged. On the evening of the 4th October the French drove the English picquets from Pombal, and next morning came so suddenly upon Leiria as to create general confusion. There were daily encounters going on between our rearguard and the enemy's advanced bodies, and the Fourteenth had frequent opportunities of proving their valour, which they certainly did not fail to take advantage of. At Rio Mande- Rio villa, together with the ist Royal Dragoons, the i6th Light Is ia Dragoons, the ist German Hussars, and Captain Bull's troop of artillery, they repulsed a very superior force, on which occasion the ist French Hussars were nearly annihilated. The English lost 3 officers and 50 men, and the French many more : it is believed the enemy had 36 squadrons opposed to 10. The casualties of the Fourteenth at Rio Mandevilla were — Casualties at 6 men killed ; 8 men, 1 2 horses wounded, and also on 4th, villa, etc. e 5th, 8th, and Qth October they lost i man wounded, and 1 2 men and 2 horses missing.
On the loth, Lord Wellington occupied the fortified lines of Lines of Torres Torres Vedras, where the Fourteenth took charge of the out- pfcdHot?11" posts on the line from the Sobral road in front of Torres Vedras October l8ia so long as the French army under Marshal Massena, Prince of Essling, remained opposed to us in the vicinity of these stupendous lines of defensive works. Here the two armies
76 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1810
watched one another for a considerable time, but at length, after frequent reconnoitring, the French commanders declined to attack, and during the night of the I4th November, Massena retired and established his army upon the heights of Santarem, where he remained till the night of the 5th March 1811.
The morning of the I5th November was foggy, and the retreat of the enemy was not discovered for several hours after daybreak. The Fourteenth were ordered forward along the Cartaxo road, and their advanced patrols took a number of stragglers prisoners. The British headquarters were soon re-established at Cartaxo, where the regiment was intrusted with the outposts extending from the causeway and bridge over the river.
Sobrai, Captain Brotherton relates the following incident with
November reference to the affair at Sobrai :— ' On the last day of our retreat into the famous lines of Torres Vedras before Massena's army, we had a very sharp affair at a place called Sobrai, so much so that we were hotly engaged and literally intermixed with the enemy, particularly the yist Foot, the Rifles, and ourselves, the i4th Light Dragoons. The enemy were in very superior force, and we were giving way very fast. At this moment Colonel (then Captain) Perceval fell close to me, pierced by two balls, one through his leg and another through his arm. He was on the point of falling into the hands of the enemy. In those days I was particularly active, and as we were running away, I could use my legs as well as any- body, so I dismounted, and put poor Perceval on my horse, and joined in the scramble on foot, till I came up to a mounted dragoon of my own regiment. As, in action, the presence and exertions of an officer are more valuable than those of a private, it is not only justifiable, but it is incumbent on an officer, sooner than leave the field, to dismount a private, and take his horse. This I accordingly did without having time to ask any questions. When the fight was over, the late General Sir Denis Packe, a warm-hearted but very passionate man, whose orderly I had unknowingly dismounted, came up
i8io] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 77
to me and lectured me most severely and harshly for having done so ; and certainly, had I known the man was orderly to a General Officer, I would not have dismounted him, as it is essential for a General to have his orderly in action. I had presence of mind enough to make no reply, but bear the reprimand in silence. The General went away, but his aide- de-camp, Captain Synge (now Colonel Synge), having informed him of the circumstances under which I had taken his orderly's horse, he returned and made me many apologies for having reprimanded me, and praised what I had done. It was a heartfelt satisfaction to have saved poor Perceval, who, to the last day of his life, was grateful for it. He died at Brussels in 1838, and his wife has told me since that almost with his last breath he exclaimed, " Generous Brotherton ; he once saved my life f" This was very gratifying to me.'
On 2Oth October a Trumpet-Major was authorised to be Establishment borne on the establishment of cavalry regiments with the pay a of a sergeant. Cavalry regiments of ten troops to have one trumpet-major and nine trumpeters.
The following: is one of General Brotherton's anecdotes of At Torres
V r\
what occurred when the Fourteenth were at Torres Vedras : —
' When we were in the famous lines of Torres Vedras, I had gone
to dinner, to some friends of the Guards, on a mule, and return- The sagacity
ing to my regimental bivouack at night, I became apprehensive ofamule-
of going into an enemy's picquet by mistake. I came to a
turning which I thought I knew well, and tried to turn my
mule to the left, which I thought was the right road, but he
insisted on going to the right. We had a great battle, but
all I could do was in vain, and he carried me his own way, to
the right, and I got safe to my camp. I had the curiosity
next morning to go to the spot where the mule and myself
had differed in opinion, when I found that he was not only
right, but that I was so wrong, that, if I had had my own way,
I should have gone right into the enemy's camp.'
78 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1811
1811 In the Army List for this year the regiment appears with —
1 Colonel. i Paymaster.
2 Lieutenant-Colonels. i Veterinary Surgeon. 2 Majors. i Adjutant.
10 Captains. i Surgeon.
22 Lieutenants. 2 Assistant- Surgeons.
7 Cornets. i Quartermaster.
Agents — Messrs. Colly er, London.
On the 1 5th February, Viscount Wellington's headquarters were at Cartaxo. The Fourteenth were still in brigade with the ist Royal Dragoons, and their Brigadier was Major-General Slade.
On 6th March, at daybreak, Viscount Wellington discovered that the French had retreated and left their camp at Santarem. Marshal Massena was really forced to take this step, his army having become so wasted by sickness and privation. Our troops accordingly advanced in pursuit, the Fourteeth still being employed on outpost duty, and forming part of the advance- guard of the army.
On 8th March, Captain Babington's squadron, supported
by the remainder of the regiment under Lieutenant- Colonel
Hervey, made a brilliant and most successful charge against
four squadrons of the nth and 26th French Dragoons at
Ventade Venta de Serra, capturing 14 men and 14 horses, and losing
Sena, 8th
March 1811. only 2 men and 2 horses.
The regiment was now engaged in the different skirmishes and actions which were fought by our troops against the rear of the retreating enemy, the principal of which were : —
Pombal, loth March. Redinha, I2th March. Casal Nova, I4th March. Foz D'Aronce, i5th March. Battle of Sabugal, 3rd April. Miranda de Colvo. Tay D'Aortos.
i8n] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 79"
In these various engagements in which the Fourteenth took part, they escaped without any casualties.
The French army were heavy losers in the fight at Sabugal, sabugai, where they were unskilfully handled by Reynier, and Iost3rd Apnll8ll> 1 500 men to the allies' 200. Wellington said, ' This was one of the most glorious actions British troops were ever engaged in.' The whole affair did not last an hour. It took place on the banks of the Coa : Reynier had to attack the British up hill. The 43rd and 52nd Regiments of Light Infantry particularly distinguished themselves under Brigadier- General Beckwith, and captured a howitzer. Brigadier- General Colville's Brigade of the 3rd Division by a resolute fire on the French left decided the victory, and our cavalry pursued the flying enemy in their retreat to Rendo and Alfayates. The larger portion of the French army had reached Ciudad Rodrigo about the 4th April, and from thence Marshal Massena, Prince of Essling, continued his retrograde movement to Salamanca, which he occupied.
Wellington was now on the confines of Portugal, and invested Almeida. The Light Division occupied Gallegos and Espeja, whilst the rest of his army was disposed in villages on both sides of the Coa, and the headquarters were settled at Villa Formosa on the frontiers of Spain and Portugal. The Fourteenth furnished the outposts on the left bank of the Agueda, at Villa del Egua in the Spanish province of Leon, and intelligence was brought in from the Spanish town of Ledesma to the effect that the French army had been reinforced and reorganised, and that it was advancing. A squadron of the Fourteenth was hastily despatched under command of Captain Brotherton to Santa Esperita, but this was soon driven back behind the Agueda by the advancing columns of the enemy.
General Brotherton relates the following amusing anecdote with reference to the experiences of his patrol on this occasion : — ' I had been sent (in May 1811) patrolling to a distance from the army, in search of the enemy, when we were behind the
8o HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1811
Agueda, and had not found him after a most harassing and fatiguing day, in most sultry weather, and could not get back to the army that night, but put up at San Felices, where I con- sidered we were out of reach of the enemy. I put up at the priest's house, placing the men and horses, twelve in number, under sheds, in a large back yard, and felt so fatigued myself that I was tempted by the sight of a nice clean bed, and after a hearty supper which the priest gave me, to turn into bed, where I soon fell fast asleep. In the middle of the night I was woke by the priest coming to my bedside, and telling me that some French cavalry were passing through the town. I jumped up, and went to the window, and, by the light of the moon, which shone brightly, sure enough, I saw French cavalry very com- posedly walking through the streets, and just commencing to billet off, knocking at the different doors, and at the same moment came a loud rap at the priest's door. I had not even time to put on my breeches, but scampered off with only my cloak and my sword, and got down just in time to jump on my horse, and get my party out of the back gate, and galloped off in an opposite direction to that which the enemy had come from. I was not followed, and the enemy changing his intention marched through the place without halting in it, so I returned to fetch my breeches, etc., and to thank the honest and hospit- able priest who, though frightened at first, laughed heartily at my sans culotte adventure, which was matter of mirth through- out the army.'
The object of this advance of the Prince of Essling was to relieve Almeida, which the allies had besieged. On 25th April he reached Ciudad Rodrigo.
On the 3rd May, whilst we were retiring in the face of very
superior numbers of the enemy, Lieutenant John Townsend1 of
the 1 4th Light Dragoons was in charge of the picquets, and
he had to bring them in gradually under a heavy cannonade
Affairs at towards Fuentes d'Onor. The main body of the Fourteenth
Bojo^ihof was engaged the same day behind Gallegos, and a squadron
1 Afterwards Colonel J. Townsend, A.D.C., commanding I4th Light Dragoons.
i8n] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 81
commanded by Captain Brotherton had a sharp skirmish near Po9o Velho. Wellington had concentrated the main body of his army behind the Duas Casas river, and the French had to cross the Azava river, which was swollen and difficult to ford : this delayed them a few days, and the British advanced posts fell back on Fuentes d'Onor, where the main body occupied a tableland between the Turones and Duas Casas, their left being at Fort Conception, their centre opposite the village of Alameda, and their right behind Fuentes d'Onor.
On the 4th May, Wellington extended his right to Nave Battle of d'Aver, which, excluding the circuit of blockade round Almeida, #0*0*, sth made his line of battle 7 miles in length, but this gave himMayl811- a safer line of retreat. Our cavalry was very weak at this battle, and the enemy was particularly strong in that arm : ours did not exceed a thousand sabres. The French attack commenced two hours after daybreak on the 5th May, by Montbrun turning the right of Wellington's Seventh Division, and then charging the British cavalry, which had moved up in support.
The attack made on our position in the rear of the village is thus alluded to by Napier : — ' The French with one shock drove in all the cavalry out-guards, and cutting off Captain Ramsay's battery, came sweeping in upon the reserves of horse and upon the Seventh Division. But their leading squadrons approaching in a disorderly manner, were partially checked by the British, and, at the same time, a great commotion was observed in their main body. Men and horses there closed with confusion and tumult towards one point, a thick dust arose, and loud cries, and the sparkling of blades, and the flashing of pistols, indicated some extraordinary occurrence. Suddenly the multitude became violently agitated, an English shout pealed high and clear, the mass was rent asunder, and Norman Ramsay burst forth at the head of his battery, his horses, breathing fire, stretched like greyhounds along the plain, the guns bounding behind them as things of no weight, and the mounted gunners followed in full career. Captain Brotherton
F
82 HISTORICAL RECORD OF [1811
of the 1 4th Dragoons seeing this, rode forth with a squadron and overturned the head of the pursuing troops, and General Stewart joining in the charge, took the French General Lamotte, fighting hand to hand.'
After this the British cavalry had to retire behind the Light Division, which was thrown into squares. The Seventh Division fell back from Nave d'Aver, taking up a fresh position across the Turones river by Freneda, and during this retrograde movement the right flank was covered by the- I4th Light Dragoons and the Royal Dragoons, who retired in good order by alternate squadrons under a heavy cannonade. One squadron of the Fourteenth charged some French artillery with great gallantry, but was repulsed, and it was here that Captain Knipe, commanding the squadron, fell mortally wounded, and was succeeded by Lieutenant (afterwards Colonel) John Townsend, who took command of the squadron. Lieu- tenant-Colonel Hervey at the head of the regiment had his horse killed under him, and received a severe contusion.
The following casualties were incurred in this battle by the Fourteenth : —
{Captain Knipe. 4 men. 6 horses.
Lieutenant-Colonel Hervey. Captain Milles. Lieutenant Townsend. Lieutenant Gwynne.
Wounded
Lieutenant Badcock.
Lieutenant Ellis. 13 sergeants. 28 men. ^23 horses.
men. [4 horses.
The battle of Fuentes d'Onor was a hardly contested
i8u] THE i4TH (KING'S) HUSSARS 83
one. The French were superior in cavalry, having 5000 to our 1 200, and having 40,000 infantry, 36 pieces of artillery, and a battery of the Imperial Guard to our 32,000 infantry and 42 guns. What took place on our extreme right has already been described. At the same time, nearer the centre, and in front of the village of Fuentes d'Onor, a fierce battle also raged, and two companies of the 79th Regiment were taken, Colonel Cameron being mortally wounded. It was here the French general, Drouet, made his furious attack on our lines, when he captured the lower part of the village notwithstanding the gallant stand made by the 7ist, 79th, and 88th Regiments, who, though overmatched at first by sheer numbers and the fierce vigour of the attack, never quite relinquished the whole village, but rallied and then made a charge in which large numbers of the enemy fell. Here the fighting went on till evening, when the French at last retired some distance from the stream, and the British remained holding on to the crags and chapel.
On the extreme left, near Fort Conception, the allies maintained their position ; and when at length the fighting, which had been desperate, came to an end, both armies re- mained as it were in observation the one of the other.
The total losses of the allies were 1500 men and officers, of whom 300 were taken prisoners. The enemy's loss was estimated at 5000, but this was over the mark. By the loth May, Massena had retired beyond the Agueda, having been foiled in the attempt to relieve Almeida, and shortly afterwards Marmont assumed command of the French army operating towards Portugal. Both sides claimed a victory at Fuentes d'Onor, and Napier says, 'more errors than skill were observable on both sides ' in this battle.
Lieutenant-Colonel Hervey received a gold medal, and the Royal authority was granted in 1820 for the Fourteenth to bear on its guidons and appointments the words ' Fuentes d'Onor,' as a special mark of His Majesty's approbation of the conduct of the regiment on this occasion.
84
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
[1811
General
Brotherton's
anecdotes
about the
battle of
Fuentes
d'Onor.
Death of
Captain
Knipe.
General Brotherton relates several interesting episodes about Fuentes d'Onor : —
i. 'At Fuentes d'Onor the Adjutant-General of the army
(Lord L ) was near me, particularly in one remarkable
instance in which he joined in a charge I made to protect and rescue Captain Ramsay's guns of the Horse Artillery, as mentioned in Napier's History. At another period of the battle he ordered me to go to the assistance of Don Julian Sanchez, whose guerillas were getting roughly handled by some French cavalry. Of course I immediately obeyed, though it seemed to me an injudicious order, for on this memorable day our great inferiority in cavalry (the enemy having fully 4000 in the field of their very best, a large proportion of it of the Imperial Guard, and commanded by Montbrun, one of their best officers) rendered it advisable to keep the little we had constantly together, and detaching any of it to a distance a dangerous step. However, as I before said, I instantly obeyed, and started at a brisk trot ; for, in action, the least hesitation or slowness in executing an order is inexcusable in an inferior officer. I had not proceeded one hundred yards, when Lord Wellington, who was just arriving on this part of the field, rode up to me and asked me where I was going. I
told him the orders I had received from Lord L (then
General S.). He made no further observation than " Go back ! "
2. 'At Fuentes d'Onor we had a very fine fellow, Captain Knipe, killed through his gallant obstinacy, if I may so call it. We had the night before been discussing the best mode for cavalry