Chapter II: Part 2

The regiment was afterwards stationed at Mullingar, which was one of the frontier garrisons, and was actively employed during the winter in making incursions into the enemy's cantonments.

[Sidenote: 1691]

Towards the end of April, 1691, a detachment of the regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Hamilton, accompanied a party under Colonel Brewer in a sudden advance towards Dunore, to surprise two thousand armed Roman Catholic peasantry, who had taken post near that place. At daybreak on the following morning the detachment approached the post, and the enemy formed for battle, but soon fled, and the soldiers pursued and killed about fifty fugitives.

Quitting Mullingar in the early part of June, the regiment was engaged in the operations of the army under Lieut.-General Baron De Ghinkel, afterwards Earl of Athlone:[13] it took part in the siege of _Ballymore_, which place was captured in a few days; and afterwards appeared before _Athlone_, in the siege of which fortress it had several men killed and wounded.

A strong detachment of the regiment took part in the capture of _Athlone_ by storm, on which occasion the assailants rushed through the rapid stream of the Shannon, which was breast high, carried the enemy's works in gallant style, and in less than half an hour were masters of the town, to the surprise of General St. Ruth, who commanded King James's army, which was encamped near the fortress, and who was giving a public entertainment in his camp, when the news of the loss of _Athlone_ reached him.

After putting the captured fortress in repair, the army marched towards the enemy, who occupied a strong position near the castle of _Aghrim_, and on the 12th of July a general engagement took place, in which the Irish forces were overpowered and driven from the field with severe loss, including General St. Ruth, who was killed by a cannon ball. On this occasion the regiment formed part of the brigade under Major-General Talmash: it had seven rank and file killed; one major, two captains, one lieutenant, one ensign, and eight rank and file wounded.

After this victory, the army marched to _Galway_, which surrendered in a few days; and the victorious English troops proceeded to _Limerick_, where the remains of the defeated Irish forces had assembled, and appeared determined to make a resolute stand, in the hope of being reinforced from France. The regiment had the honour to take part in the siege of Limerick; and, the army having crossed the river Shannon and completed the investment of the place, the Irish soon afterwards surrendered the city, and with it every other part of Ireland of which they retained possession, the Irish regiments being permitted to follow King James to France, or remain in their own country, as they should choose: the "Royal Regiment of Ireland" was one of the corps which proceeded to France, and was taken into the service of Louis XIV. The EARL OF MEATH'S, now EIGHTEENTH regiment, was the only one of the eleven Irish corps embodied by King Charles II. which remained in the service of the English crown.

Ireland being rescued from the domination of King James, the regiment went into quarters in the county of Wicklow, and in December it proceeded to Waterford and Youghal.

[Sidenote: 1692]

In the spring of 1692, the King of France assembled an army near La Hogue, and prepared an immense fleet to convey the troops to England, to replace King James on the throne. When this menace of invasion was given, the EARL OF MEATH'S and several other regiments embarked at Waterford for England, and landing at Bristol, proceeded from thence to Portsmouth. Meanwhile the British and Dutch fleets had put to sea, and while the nations of Europe were gazing, in anxious expectation, at these preparations, the French navy was nearly annihilated in a decisive action off La Hogue, when the alarm of invasion ceased.

Soon after this victory a powerful armament was placed under the orders of Lieut.-General Meinhardt Duke of Leinster (afterwards Duke Schomberg) for the purpose of making a descent on the coast of France, and the EARL OF MEATH'S regiment was one of the corps which embarked on this service. The court of France had, however, drawn so immense a number of troops to the coast, that it was not thought advisable to land, and the fleet sailed to the Downs, where orders were received for a number of regiments to proceed to Flanders. The transports sailed to Ostend, where the EARL OF MEATH'S and several other corps landed, and being joined by a detachment from the confederate army under King William, they took and fortified the towns of Furnes and Dixmude. This service being completed, the regiment embarked for England; it encountered a severe storm at sea, and the transports were separated, but no loss was sustained; part of the regiment arrived in the Thames, the remainder landed at Harwich, and the whole were united at Bristol.

The Earl of Meath, being desirous of devoting his attention to the interests of Ireland, retired from the regiment, and was succeeded in the colonelcy by the lieut.-colonel, FREDERICK HAMILTON; Major Ormsby was promoted Lieut.-Colonel, and Captain Richard Stearne Major.

[Sidenote: 1693]

From Bristol the regiment marched in May, 1693, to Portsmouth, where it embarked on board the fleet to serve as marines, and in June sailed to Torbay, where the Dutch squadron joined. The first service undertaken was the protection of about four hundred merchant ships belonging to England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Hamburg, and Flanders, engaged in the Mediterranean trade. As the fleet proceeded through the Channel, it presented a splendid appearance. Captain Parker states--"All the sea, from the line of battle to our English coast, seemed as a floating wood covered with canvass; and as the weather was very fair, the whole made a most glorious appearance." After protecting the merchant-vessels through the Bay of Biscay, the grand fleet returned, leaving a squadron under Admiral Sir George Rooke, to continue the voyage with them. The French monarch had made powerful efforts to send to sea a formidable fleet, which attempted to intercept the merchantmen and convoy under Sir George Rooke. The English admiral avoided an engagement with so superior a force, and brought off the greater part of his fleet; but many valuable vessels were captured or destroyed by the enemy. On receiving news of this event, the combined fleets of England and Holland attempted to intercept the French naval force, but it got safe into port.

In the autumn the regiment landed and marched to Norwich.

During the campaign of this year, the confederate army in Flanders had sustained severe loss at the battle of _Landen_, and efforts were made to increase its numbers, for which purpose Colonel HAMILTON'S regiment was ordered to proceed abroad. It marched to London in December, was reviewed by King William in Hyde Park, and embarking on the Thames, sailed to Ostend, where it landed, and was stationed several months.

[Sidenote: 1694]

Taking the field in the spring of 1694, the regiment proceeded to the vicinity of Louvain, where it was reviewed by the King, and afterwards took part in the operations of the army. At the camp near Ramilies it was formed in brigade under Major-General Ramsay, and posted between two divisions of cavalry, in the left wing; it afterwards shared in many toilsome marches, also formed part of the covering army during the siege of _Huy_, and subsequently marched into winter quarters at Ghent.

During this campaign a question arose respecting the rank of regiments, and the King directed the subject to be submitted to a board of general officers.[14] Captain Parker states,--"As the general officers were most of them colonels of regiments raised in England by King James II., they showed great partiality on this occasion, for they would not allow the regiments, raised in Scotland or Ireland, to have any rank in the army previous to the time of their coming to England and entering upon English pay. By this regulation, ours, that had been regimented in the time of King Charles II., lost rank of eleven regiments, that had been raised by King James II. The King thought it very hard; but as he had left the matter to them, he confirmed their sentence." The rank of the regiment was thus fixed as EIGHTEENTH in the British line; numerical titles were, however, not generally used until the reign of George II.[15]

[Sidenote: 1695]

Taking the field to serve the campaign of 1695, the regiment was formed in brigade with the Fifth, Seventh, Twenty-third, Collingwood's (afterwards disbanded), and La Melonière's regiment of French Protestants, in the English service, under Brigadier-General Fitzpatrick.

When King William undertook the siege of the important fortress of _Namur_, the regiment formed part of the covering army under the Prince of Vaudemont, against which a French force of very superior numbers advanced under the orders of Marshal Villeroy. During the night of the 14th of July, the hostile columns confronted each other; the French, confident of success, detached a body of troops to gain the rear of the allies, and anxiously waited for daylight to commence the action. The Prince of Vaudemont ordered his cavalry forward; the dragoons dismounting and forming on foot, while the artillery, and infantry with pikes trailed, withdrew unobserved. The French prepared for the attack, when the dragoons of the confederate forces retired a few paces, mounted their horses, and retreated, presenting to the surprised French what appeared to be the magic spectacle of an army vanishing out of sight. The enemy pursued, but the allies retreated in good order, and took up a position in front of Ghent. This retreat has been celebrated by historians as a fine specimen of the art of war.

The EIGHTEENTH were afterwards engaged in several manœuvres for the preservation of the maritime towns of Flanders; in the early part of August they were encamped between Genappe and Waterloo, and afterwards joined the forces under King William. In the mean time the town of Namur had surrendered; but the castle, a strong fortress situate on a rock, still held out, and, on the 11th of August, the EIGHTEENTH relieved one of the regiments which had suffered severely in the siege, and took its turn of duty in the trenches. A breach having been effected, arrangements were made for a general assault. Three thousand British, under Lord Cutts, were to attack the counterscarp and the breach of the Terra Nova; three thousand Bavarians the breach of the Cohorn; two thousand Brandenburgers (Prussians) the upper point of the Cohorn; two thousand Dutch the Casotte; and six hundred men were to storm the lower town: the EIGHTEENTH formed part of the British storming party.

The regiment marched into the trenches on the 20th of August, to take part in storming the Castle of Namur, and the soldiers were elated with the expectation of distinguishing themselves under the eye of their Sovereign. The trenches being crowded with troops, the EIGHTEENTH and two other regiments were ordered to Salsine Abbey, half a mile from the breach to be attacked. A little before mid-day the assault was made with heroic ardour, but, owing to some mistake in the signal, all the corps did not advance simultaneously, and the British grenadiers, who headed the storming party, were opposed by very superior numbers, and sustained severe loss; Lord Cutts being among the wounded. Hurrying from Salsine Abbey to share in the assault, the EIGHTEENTH approached the scene of conflict a few moments after the grenadiers had been repulsed and forced to retire; the regiment, however, rushed forward, stormed the breach with signal gallantry, and planted the regimental colours on the summit; but the enemy had constructed a strong work within the breach, which the utmost efforts of the officers and soldiers could not force, and after performing "prodigies of valour" they were obliged to retreat with severe loss. The other attacks were more successful; and lodgments were effected in the works. Captain Parker states--"The King saw this action from a rising ground at the back of Salsine Abbey, and _took particular notice of the behaviour of our regiment; for ours, only, mounted the top of the breach, and we planted our colours thereon_, but could not proceed farther, because a strong retrenchment had been thrown up on the inside, which we could not see till we had mounted the very top of the breach, so we were obliged to follow the crowd. His Majesty, on this occasion, was pleased to honour us with the title of 'THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF FOOT OF IRELAND.'"[16] The King also conferred on the regiment the privilege of bearing his own arms, "THE LION OF NASSAU," on its colours (on which the cross of St. Patrick had previously been displayed); also the "HARP IN A BLUE FIELD AND A CROWN OVER IT," and the motto, "_Virtutis Namurcensis Præmium_."

The title was afterwards changed to "ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT."

The regiment sustained severe loss on this occasion; Lieut.-Colonel Ormsby, Captains Purefoy, Pinsent, and Cateret, Lieutenants Fitzmorris and Ramme, Ensigns Fettyplace, Blunt, Baker, and Hayter, with eighty-six non-commissioned officers and soldiers, were killed: Captain John Southwell and Ensign Lister died of their wounds; Colonel Frederick Hamilton, Captains Kane, Duroure, Seymour, and William Southwell, Lieutenants La Planche, Brereton, Hybert, Arphaxad, and Rolleston, Ensigns John Gifford, Ormsby, and Blakeney, with one hundred and eighty-five non-commissioned officers and soldiers, were wounded.[17]

The fire against the castle was continued, and preparations were made for another assault, which was prevented by the surrender of the garrison. Thus was captured the celebrated fortress of _Namur_, which reflected great credit on the confederate armies.

This conquest terminated the campaign, and the regiment passed the winter in garrison at Ghent.

[Sidenote: 1696]

During the campaign of 1696, the regiment served with the army of Flanders under the Prince of Vaudemont; and was formed in brigade with a battalion of the Royals, the third, fifth, and seventeenth regiments under Brigadier-General Selwyn; and its services were limited to the protection of Ghent, Bruges, and the maritime towns of Flanders. In the autumn it returned to Ghent.

[Sidenote: 1697]

Leaving Ghent in the spring of 1697, the regiment joined the army of Brabant under King William, and took part in the movements of this campaign; which were terminated by the treaty of Ryswick, when the British monarch saw his efforts for the liberty of Europe, and the preservation of the Protestant religion, attended with success.

On the termination of hostilities, the regiment marched to Ghent, where it was quartered several weeks, and on the 10th of December embarked at Ostend for Ireland. As two of the transports approached the Irish coast, they were chased by a Sallee man-of-war of eighteen guns, carrying Zealand colours. Seeing his brave soldiers in danger of being made slaves, Lieut.-Colonel Stearne called them on deck; the whole resolved on a desperate defence; and it was arranged that when the Sallee man-of-war attacked one transport, the other should come to its assistance, and the enemy should be boarded by the soldiers sword in hand, not doubting but that they would overpower the Turks and Moors, and capture the ship. With this view the soldiers were kept out of sight to induce the enemy to make an attack, and every man was ready for action. "The Sallee man-of-war kept us company about an hour, and was once, as we thought, coming up to board us; however, she thought better of it, fell astern, and stood off without firing a shot."[18] During the following night the two transports narrowly escaped destruction from a storm; they afterwards arrived safe in Bantry Bay; the soldiers landed on the 24th of December, and marched to Cork, where the regiment was assembled.

[Sidenote: 1699]

From Cork the regiment marched, in July, 1698, to Waterford; in the spring of 1699 it proceeded to Dublin, and in 1700 it was removed to Kinsale.

[Sidenote: 1700]

Pursuing those schemes of aggrandizement which had repeatedly involved Europe in war, Louis XIV. procured the accession of his grandson, Philip Duke of Anjou, to the throne of Spain, in violation of existing treaties; seized on the Spanish Netherlands; and made prisoners the Dutch troops in garrison in the barrier towns. The sudden acquisition of the Spanish monarchy by a grandson of the most ambitious and potent monarch of Europe, with the prospect of France and Spain being eventually united under one sovereign, affected the interests and agitated the public mind of all countries.

[Sidenote: 1701]

War was resolved upon: the standing armies were augmented; and while the din of hostile preparation was heard on every side, the ROYAL IRISH regiment was placed upon a war establishment, and embarked for Holland, where it arrived, with several other corps, in July, 1701, and was placed in garrison at Huesden. On the 21st of September it was reviewed on Breda-heath by King William III.

[Sidenote: 1702]

Quitting Huesden in March, 1702, the regiment proceeded to Rosendael, where the British infantry was assembled under Brigadier-General Ingoldsby; and at this place the troops received information of the death of King William III., on the 8th of March, and of the accession of Queen Anne.

From Rosendael the regiment marched to the duchy of Cleves, and formed part of the army encamped at Cranenburg during the siege of _Kayserswerth_, on the Lower Rhine, by the Germans. A French force of very superior numbers attempting to cut off the communication of the army at Cranenburg with _Nimeguen_, the troops struck their tents on the 10th of June, and by a forced march during the night arrived within a few miles of Nimeguen as the French legions approached. Some sharp fighting occurred, in which the British corps in the rear-guard evinced great gallantry, and the army effected its retreat under the works of the fortress.

Additional forces having arrived from England, the EARL OF MARLBOROUGH[19] assumed the command of the allied army, and by a series of skilful movements he forced the French army to make a precipitate retreat from the frontiers of Holland to their own lines, and he twice attempted to bring on a general engagement under advantageous circumstances, but was restrained by the Dutch field deputies. The French forces having fled to their lines, the English General resolved to attack their fortified towns, and the ROYAL IRISH regiment was one of the corps detached from the main army to undertake the siege of the fortress of _Venloo_, situate on the east side of the river Maese, in the province of Limburg.[20] On the west side of the river was a detached fortification of five bastions, called _Fort St. Michael_, against which the British troops carried on their approaches;--the Dutch and Germans attacking other parts of the town: the whole were under Veldt-Marshal Prince Nassau-Saarbruck. The approaches being carried to the foot of the glacis, orders were given to storm the covered-way, and make a lodgment on the top of the glacis; and the ROYAL IRISH regiment, being on duty in the trenches at the time, was appointed to make the attack, together with the grenadiers of the brigade, and a party of chosen fusiliers. Captain Parker has given the following account of this attack:--

"The Lord Cutts sent for all the officers, and told them, the design was to drive the enemy from the covered-way, that they might not disturb the workmen in making a lodgment; however, if the enemy gave way with precipitation, we were to jump into the covered-way, and pursue them, let the consequence be what it would. We all thought these were very rash orders, contrary both to the rules of war, and the design of the attack.

"About four in the afternoon (18th September), the signal was given, and, according to our orders, we rushed up the covered-way; the enemy gave us one scattering fire, and away they ran: we jumped into the covered-way, and ran after them. They made to a ravelin, which covered the curtain of the fort, in which were a captain and sixty men. We, seeing them get into the ravelin, pursued them, got in with them, and soon put most of them to the sword. They that escaped us fled over a small wooden bridge, that led over the moat to the fort; and here, like madmen, without fear or wit, we pursued them over that tottering bridge, exposed to the fire of the great and small shot of the fort. However, we got over the fausse-braye, where we had nothing for it but to take the fort or die. They that fled before us climbed up by the long grass that grew out of the fort; so we climbed after them. Here we were hard put to it to pull out the palisades, which pointed down upon us from the parapet, and, was it not for the great surprise and consternation of those within, we could never have surmounted this very point: but, as soon as they saw us at this work, they quitted the rampart, and retired down to the parade in the body of the fort, where they laid down their arms and cried for quarter, which was readily granted them. Thus were the unaccountable orders of Lord Cutts as unaccountably executed, to the great surprise of the whole army, and even of ourselves, when we came to reflect on what we had done."

The enemy had about four hundred killed, and two hundred made prisoners. The British loss, in killed and wounded, did not exceed forty men.

Captain Parker, of the ROYAL IRISH regiment, adds,--"This affair was the occasion of another almost as surprising. An express came to Prince Nassau which gave an account that Landau was taken; whereupon he ordered the army to draw down near the town, to fire three rounds (as a feu de-joie); the cannon also of all the batteries, the mortars, and cohorns, were ordered to fire, with the troops, into the town. When the garrison and inhabitants saw us drawing down on all sides, they judged it was with a design of making such an attack on the town as we had made on the fort, which struck such a terror into them, that the magistrates begged the Governor to capitulate, and not suffer them all to be put to the sword. The first round of all our batteries, and the small shot of the army, so affrighted them, that men, women, and children, came flocking to the ramparts with white cloths in their hands, crying, 'Mercy! mercy!' and the Governor, in as great a consternation as the rest, sent out an officer to the Prince to desire a capitulation, which was immediately granted; as we had other sieges to carry on this season, the Prince allowed them honourable terms."

After the capture of Venloo, the regiment was employed in the siege of the fortress of _Ruremonde_, which was captured in a short time; and Stevenswart having also been reduced by a detachment from the covering army, the navigation of the Maese was thus cleared of the enemy up to Maestricht.

Rejoining the main army after this achievement, the regiment advanced towards the city of _Liège_, the French forces retiring as the British approached, but leaving a strong garrison in the citadel and Chartreuse. The ROYAL IRISH regiment was employed in the siege of the citadel of Liège, and its grenadier company had the honour to take part in the capture of that fortress by storm, on the 23rd of October, when the British soldiers highly distinguished themselves. They were permitted to appropriate a large quantity of dollars and silver plate, captured on this occasion, to their own use.

From the pleasant valley of Liège, the regiment commenced its march, on the 3rd of November, back to Holland, and passed the winter in garrison at Huesden.

[Sidenote: 1703]

Quitting its winter quarters in April, 1703, the regiment traversed the country to Maestricht, and was in position near that city when the French forces, under Marshals Villeroy and Boufflers, made a sudden advance to surprise the British troops in their quarters, but were defeated in their design.

The DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH assembled the army near Maestricht, and the ROYAL IRISH regiment was formed in brigade with the eighth, thirteenth, seventeenth, and thirty-third, under its colonel, Brigadier-General F. Hamilton; and it advanced with the army towards Tongres, when the French quitted their post and eventually retired within their fortified lines, where the English General was desirous of attacking them, but was prevented by the Dutch commanders and field deputies. The services of the regiment were afterwards connected with the siege of _Huy_, which fortress was captured in ten days.

The ROYAL IRISH regiment formed part of the covering army during the siege of _Limburg_, which was commenced on the 10th of September, and on the 27th of that month the Governor surrendered. Spanish Guelderland being thus delivered from the power of France, the Dutch were freed from the danger of an invasion.

After taking part in these services the regiment marched to Breda: during the severe frosts of winter it proceeded to Bergen-op-Zoom, to reinforce the garrison of that fortress, and afterwards returned to Breda, from whence it detached three hundred men to Maestricht, to join the garrison of that city, while the Dutch soldiers were working at the entrenchments on the heights of Petersberg.

[Sidenote: 1704]

Meanwhile the united French and Bavarian armies had gained considerable advantage in Germany, and the Duke of Marlborough resolved to lead his British brigades from the ocean to the Danube, to rescue the Emperor of Germany from the menaced danger. To engage in this splendid undertaking, the ROYAL IRISH regiment marched from Breda on the 5th of May, N.S., and proceeded towards the Rhine; being joined at Bedburg by the detachment from Maestricht. Continuing its route, the regiment proceeded to Coblentz, where it passed the Moselle and the Rhine, and afterwards traversed the minor states of Germany towards the seat of war on the Danube; all Europe being surprised at the ability evinced by the British commander in conducting this daring enterprise.

Having united with the forces of the Empire, the British advanced on the 2nd of July to attack a body of French and Bavarians under Count d'Arco, in an entrenched camp on the heights of _Schellenberg_, on the left bank of the Danube. About six in the evening the leading division, of which a detachment of the ROYAL IRISH regiment formed part, moved forward under a heavy fire, and attacked the enemy's entrenchments with distinguished gallantry. The enemy made a determined resistance, and the assailants were repulsed; but the attack was renewed with heroic courage, and, after a protracted contest, the Germans co-operated in the attack, when the entrenchments were forced, and the French and Bavarians driven from the heights with great slaughter. The British cavalry, charging, completed the discomfiture of the enemy, and sixteen pieces of ordnance, a number of standards and colours, with the enemy's tents, and the equipage and plate of the Count d'Arco, were captured.

The regiment had one serjeant and eleven rank and file killed; Captain Lea, Ensigns Gilman, Walsh, and Pensant, three serjeants, and thirty-two rank and file wounded.[21]

The victory at Schellenberg was followed by the flight of the enemy from Donawerth; and the regiment was engaged in the operations of the army which penetrated Bavaria, and captured _Rayn_ after a short siege. The Elector of Bavaria formed an entrenched camp at Augsburg, to which city the allied army advanced; but found the enemy's camp too strong to be attacked with any prospect of success, and the troops retired a short distance. The siege of _Ingoldstadt_ was commenced by the Germans, and the ROYAL IRISH regiment formed part of the covering army.

Quitting his camp at Augsburg, the Elector of Bavaria joined a strong body of French troops sent to reinforce his army, and the united divisions encamped in the valley of the Danube, near the village of _Blenheim_.

At three o'clock on the morning of the memorable 13th of August, 1704, the allied army advanced towards the enemy, and about three o'clock in the afternoon the British developed their attack against the French brigades posted in the village of Blenheim; thus commencing an engagement in which the English troops acquired great distinction. The village being found strongly fortified, it was environed by a few corps, and the army passed the little river Nebel to attack the enemy's lines. The ROYAL IRISH regiment directed its attacks against the right wing of the Gallo-Bavarian army, and was engaged with the chosen troops of France, under Marshal Tallard; its heroic conduct reflected the highest lustre on the British arms, and it contributed materially to the complete overthrow and discomfiture of the opposing host. The French were chased from the field with great slaughter, and the loss of their cannon, baggage, and many troops captured, including the brigades posted in the village of Blenheim: Marshal Tallard, and several officers of distinction, were among the prisoners. The left wing of the enemy was also overpowered by the Germans, and the victory was complete and decisive: the powerful armies of France and Bavaria being literally destroyed. Thus, on the banks of the Danube, was achieved by British valour a trophy which will serve as a monument to commemorate the national glory to the end of time. The conduct of the brave soldiers who conquered in the interior of Germany was the admiration of surrounding states, and has been lauded by numerous historians: the DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH was elevated to the dignity of a PRINCE of the ROMAN EMPIRE.

The loss of the ROYAL IRISH regiment was Captains Brown, Rolleston, and Vaughan, Ensign Moyle, five serjeants, and fifty-two rank and file killed; Major Kane, Captains Lepenitor and Hussey, Lieutenants Smith, Roberts, Blakeney, and Harvey, Ensign Trips, nine serjeants, and eighty-seven rank and file wounded.[22]

From the Danube, the regiment traversed the country to the banks of the Rhine, crossed that river at Philipsburg on the 7th of September, and formed part of the covering army encamped at Croon-Weissemberg during the siege of _Landau_, which was undertaken by the Germans. When the siege drew towards a close, the regiment marched to Germersheim, where it embarked in boats on the Rhine, and in twelve days arrived at Nimeguen, where it landed, and, marching to Ruremonde, passed the winter at that place.

THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM.

Aug^t the 13^{th} 1704.

_J.M. Jopling del^t_

_Madeley lith 3 Wellington S^t Strand_

_For Cannon's Military Records_]

[Sidenote: 1705]

Brigadier-General Hamilton, having become advanced in years, retired from active service, and was permitted to dispose of the colonelcy of the regiment to Lieut.-General Ingoldsby, from the twenty-third foot, who was appointed colonel of the ROYAL IRISH regiment by commission dated the 1st of April, 1705.

From Ruremonde the regiment marched to the vicinity of Maestricht, where it joined the army; and afterwards proceeded by Juliers, through a mountainous country, to the valley of the Moselle, where it encamped near the city of Treves. The army passed the Moselle and the Saar in the early part of June, with the view of carrying on the war in that direction; but the Duke of Marlborough, being disappointed of the co-operation of the Germans, marched his army back to the Netherlands, which occasioned the soldiers much fatigue. On arriving at the Maese, a detachment was employed in recapturing _Huy_, which the enemy had taken during the absence of the army up the Moselle.

A formidable barrier of forts and entrenchments had been constructed with great labour and expense to arrest the progress of the British General; but by menacing the lines to the south of the Mehaine, to draw the French army to that quarter, and afterwards making a forced march to the right during the night of the 17th of July, these stupendous works were passed at _Helixem_ and _Neer-Hespen_, with little opposition; and the French and Bavarian troops, which hurried to the spot to drive back the leading corps of the allied army, were repulsed with severe loss. The ROYAL IRISH regiment was formed in brigade on this occasion with the twenty-fourth, twenty-ninth, and Temple's (afterwards disbanded), under Brigadier-General Webb, and, being in the main body of the army, did not sustain any loss. After this brilliant success, the designs of the British commander were frustrated by the opposition of the Dutch Generals, and little further advantage was gained.

The regiment returned to Holland for winter quarters, and was stationed at Worcum.

[Sidenote: 1706]

Taking the field in May, 1706, the regiment proceeded to the general rendezvous of the army near Tongres, and, advancing from thence in the direction of Mont St. André, on Whit-Sunday the 23rd of May, the British commander discovered a powerful French army, under Marshal Villeroy and the Elector of Bavaria, in position at that place, with their centre at the village of _Ramilies_, which was occupied by a considerable body of troops.

Diverging into the plain, the allied army formed line and advanced towards the enemy; the ROYAL IRISH regiment, being in the right wing, formed on the heights of Foulz, and, descending into the low grounds near the Little Gheet river, menaced the enemy's left, at Autreglise and Offuz, with an attack. This movement occasioned the enemy to weaken his centre to support his left flank, when the Duke of Marlborough instantly reinforced his centre, and made a determined attack upon the enemy's position at the weakened point. For some time the officers and soldiers of the ROYAL IRISH regiment were spectators of the fight; but at a critical moment they were brought forward, and they contributed to the complete overthrow of the forces of France, Spain, and Bavaria. The warlike brigades of the enemy, a few hours before so formidable and menacing, were driven from the field with great slaughter, and the loss of many officers and soldiers taken prisoners, also of their cannon and many standards and colours. After pursuing the fugitives a considerable distance, the regiment halted for the night, surrounded by the ensanguined trophies of this day of glorious triumph to the British arms.

Retreating to Louvain, the broken remains of the enemy's splendid army halted a short time, and soon afterwards abandoned that city, and also Lierre, Ghent, Damme, and Bruges. The magistrates of these towns, together with those of Brussels, Malines, and Alost, renounced their allegiance to the Duke of Anjou, and declared in favour of the House of Austria. The garrisons of Oudenarde and Antwerp surrendered; Ostend withstood a short siege and then capitulated. Thus the successes of the allied arms were splendid beyond all precedent.

Towards the end of July, the ROYAL IRISH regiment was detached from the main army to take part in the siege of the fortress of _Menin_, which was considered one of the masterpieces of VAUBAN, the celebrated French engineer, and was provided with a numerous garrison well supplied with everything necessary for a protracted defence. The garrison disputed every yard of ground with sanguinary tenacity; but the allies carried on the siege with vigour, and brought their approaches to the foot of the glacis, where a storming party was assembled to attack the covered-way. The ROYAL IRISH regiment was appointed to take part in this service. The signal being given, the assailants rushed forward to the palisades, and threw a shower of hand-grenades into the covered-way; then, entering amidst the confusion, overthrew all opposition. General Stearne states,--"This proved warm service; for though we drove the enemy at once out of the counterscarp, they sprung two mines upon us, and from their works plied us with a most violent fire, which we lay exposed to until our workmen had thrown up an entrenchment sufficient to cover us. In this action our regiment had six officers and upwards of eighty soldiers killed and wounded."[23]

The Governor, finding himself unable to arrest the progress of the besieging force, surrendered.

The fortress of _Aeth_ was afterwards captured, and this event terminated the campaign. Thus fortresses which had resisted powerful armies for months and years, and provinces disputed for ages, were the conquests of a summer: the nations of Europe witnessing with astonishment the splendid achievements of the forces under the Duke of Marlborough. After sharing in the brilliant successes of this campaign, the ROYAL IRISH regiment passed the winter at Ghent.

[Sidenote: 1707]

In May, 1707, the regiment again took the field, and was formed in brigade with the second battalion of the Royals, the eighth, twenty-fourth, and Temple's regiments, under Brigadier-General Sir Richard Temple (afterwards Viscount Cobham). During this campaign, the French army avoided a general engagement, and the summer was passed by the opposing armies in manœuvring and watching each other's movements. In the autumn, the regiment marched to the castle of Ghent, of which its commanding officer, Colonel Stearne, was appointed governor.

[Sidenote: 1708]

Finding his armies beaten on the continent, the French monarch fitted out an expedition for the purpose of landing the Pretender in Scotland, to embroil Great Britain in civil war; and the EIGHTEENTH regiment was one of the corps ordered home to repel the invaders: it embarked from Ostend in the middle of March, 1708, and sailed to the river Tyne; but the English fleet chased the French squadron from the British coast, and the regiment returned to Flanders.

When the opposing armies took the field, the French had obtained possession of Ghent and Bruges by treachery; but the English General surprised the French on the march near _Oudenarde_ on the 11th of June, and gained a decisive victory. The EIGHTEENTH regiment formed part of the leading brigade of the van of the army, under Major-General Cadogan, and with the eighth, twenty-third, and thirty-seventh regiments, descended from the high grounds between Eyne and Bevere, forded a rivulet, and attacked seven battalions of the Swiss regiments of Pfeffer, Villars, and Gueder, which had taken post at Eyne: after a sharp contest British valour prevailed, and Brigadier-General Pfeffer, with three entire battalions, were made prisoners of war: the remainder were either killed, or intercepted in their attempt to escape, and made prisoners. The EIGHTEENTH afterwards attacked a body of troops posted in the enclosures, and soon drove the French from their ground. As the regiment was advancing in pursuit, a numerous body of French cavalry menaced it in front and flank, and it fell back to the hedges, where it repulsed the French horsemen. Other British brigades arriving, the whole advanced; a fierce conflict of musketry ensued, and charge succeeded charge until darkness put an end to the conflict, and thus saved the French army from complete annihilation. The enemy made a precipitate retreat during the night.

Lieut.-Colonel Stearne commanded the regiment on this occasion, and he states in his journal,--"Our regiment, though the first that engaged, had only one lieutenant and eight men killed, and twelve men wounded."

The ROYAL IRISH regiment formed part of the force employed in the siege of the important fortress of _Lisle_, the capital of French Flanders, and the regiment had numerous opportunities of distinguishing itself during the long and determined defence made by a numerous garrison under Marshal Boufflers. The citadel did not surrender until the 9th of December. The EIGHTEENTH had two captains and three subalterns killed, the major and several other officers wounded, and two hundred non-commissioned officers and soldiers killed and wounded.

[Sidenote: 1709]

A strong detachment of recruits replaced the losses of the regiment, and it was in a highly efficient state when it took the field to serve the campaign of 1709. The Duke of Marlborough menaced the French army with an attack, which occasioned Marshal Villars to weaken the garrisons of the fortified towns to strengthen the army in the field, when the allies besieged _Tournay_. The EIGHTEENTH were detached, under the Prince of Orange, to drive the French detachment from Mortagne and St. Amand, and, having accomplished this service, joined the besieging army, and carried on its approaches at the seven fountains. The regiment was engaged in storming the breaches in the Ravelin and Half-Moon; and on the 29th of July it was in readiness to take part in storming the town, which was prevented by the surrender of the place, the garrison retiring into the citadel.

The EIGHTEENTH took part in the siege of the citadel of Tournay, which was celebrated for the extent of its underground works. Captain Parker, of the regiment, states in his journal,--"Our approaches against this citadel were carried on mostly underground, by sinking pits several fathom deep, and working from thence until we came to their casemates and mines. These extended a great way from the body of the citadel, and in them our men and the enemy frequently met, and fought with sword and pistol. We could not prevent them springing several mines which blew up some of our batteries, guns and all, and a great many men, in particular a captain, lieutenant, and forty (the London Gazette says thirty) men of our regiment." The EIGHTEENTH lost a lieutenant and several men in the combats underground; and ten grenadiers were suffocated in one of the galleries. In the early part of September the governor surrendered.

From Tournay the army marched in the direction of Mons, and, the French taking up a position near _Malplaquet_, a general engagement took place on the 11th of September, when the enemy was forced from his entrenchments with loss. Captain Parker states,--"The part which our regiment acted in this battle was something remarkable. We happened to be the last of the regiments which had been left at Tournay to level the approaches, and did not come up till the lines were formed. We were ordered to draw up on the right of the army, opposite a skirt of the wood of Sart, and, when the army advanced to attack the enemy, we entered the wood in our front. We continued marching till we came to a small plain, on the opposite side of which we perceived a battalion of the enemy drawn up, a skirt of the wood being in its rear. Colonel Kane, who was then at the head of the regiment, having drawn us up, and formed our platoons, advanced towards the enemy, with the six platoons of our first fire made ready. When we arrived within a hundred paces of them, they gave us a fire of one of their ranks; whereupon we halted, and returned them the fire of our six platoons at once, and immediately made ready the six platoons of our second fire, and advanced upon them again. They then gave us the fire of another rank; and we returned them a second fire, which made them shrink; however they gave us the fire of a third rank, after a scattering manner, and then retired into the wood in great disorder; on which we sent our third fire after them and saw them no more. We advanced up to the ground which they had quitted, and found several of them killed and wounded; and among the latter was one Lieutenant O'Sulivan, who told us the battalion we had engaged was the 'ROYAL REGIMENT OF IRELAND.'[24] Here, therefore, was a fair trial between the TWO ROYAL REGIMENTS OF IRELAND, one in the BRITISH and the other in the FRENCH service; for we met each other upon equal terms, and there was none else to interpose. We had but four men killed and six wounded; and found near forty of them on the spot killed and wounded. The advantage on our side will be easily accounted for, first from the weight of our ball; for the French arms carry bullets of 24 to the pound, whereas our British firelocks carry ball of 16 only to the pound, which will make a considerable difference in the execution: again, the manner of our firing was different from theirs; the French, at that time, fired all by ranks, which can never do equal execution with our platoon firing."

Lieut.-Colonel Stearne gives nearly the same particulars, and adds--"We marched into the wood after them (the Royal Irish in the French service); and when we had got through, we found our army mounting the enemy's last entrenchments, and our brother _harpers_[25] scoured off as fast as their heels could carry them. Thus ended this great and terrible battle, which was the most obstinate engagement on both sides that has been known in the memory of man: the killed and wounded on both sides was very great."

The EIGHTEENTH were afterwards employed in covering the siege of _Mons_, and passed the winter in quarters at Ghent.

[Sidenote: 1710]

From Ghent the regiment advanced on the 14th of April, 1710, and took part in the operations by which the French lines were passed at _Pont-à-Vendin_; and also formed part of the covering army during the siege of _Douay_, and also during the siege of _Bethune_; and was afterwards detached, under the Prince of Anhalt, to attack the town of _Aire_, situate on the banks of the river Lys. In the siege of this place many difficulties had to be overcome, from the nature of the ground, and from the determined defence of a numerous garrison: the EIGHTEENTH regiment had three officers killed, and five wounded; also about eighty soldiers killed and wounded. The garrison surrendered on the 9th of November; and the regiment, afterwards returned to Ghent.[26]

[Sidenote: 1711]

The ROYAL IRISH again took the field in April, 1711, and were employed in the operations by which the boasted impregnable French lines were passed at _Arleux_, and the opportunity of attacking the fortified town of _Bouchain_, situated on both sides of the river _Scheldt_, was ensured. The regiment formed part of a detachment of twenty battalions, commanded by Lieut.-General the Earl of Orkney, which took post on the north and north-west side of the town and river, and advanced to drive the French from the heights of Wavrechin. Captain Parker states, "Our British grenadiers marched to the top of the hill on the left of their works, in order to begin the attack on that side: here we were posted in a field of wheat, about seventy or eighty paces from their works, expecting every moment the signal to fall on. I must confess I did not like the aspect of the thing: we plainly saw their entrenchment was a perfect bulwark, strong and lofty, and crowded with men, and cannon pointed directly at us: we wished much that the Duke might take a nearer view. * * * * While I was musing, the Duke of Marlborough, ever watchful, ever right, rode up unattended, and posted himself on the right of my company of grenadiers, from whence he had a fair view of the greater part of the enemy's works. It is quite impossible for me to express the joy which the sight of this man gave me. I was well satisfied he would not push the thing unless he saw a strong probability of success; nor was this my notion alone; it was the sense of the whole army, both officers and soldiers, British and Foreigners; and, indeed, we had all the reason in the world for it, for he never led us on to any one action that we did not succeed in. He stayed only three or four minutes, and then rode back: we were in pain for him while he stayed, lest the enemy might have discovered him, and fired at him, in which case they could not well have missed him. He had not been longer from us than he stayed when orders came to us to retire. As the corn we stood in was high, we slipped off undiscovered, and were a good way down the hill before they perceived that we were retiring, and then they let fly all their great and small shot after us; but as we were by this time under the brow of the hill, all their shot went over our heads." This statement of a distinguished officer of the EIGHTEENTH regiment shows how fully the great Duke of Marlborough possessed the confidence of his troops.

During the siege of _Bouchain_, the ROYAL IRISH regiment was actively engaged in the trenches and the attacks; but did not sustain a very severe loss. Lieut.-Colonel Stearne states,--"In this siege our regiment had four officers wounded but none killed, and about forty men killed and wounded; the grenadiers suffered most. Bouchain being taken, our regiment was ordered to Tournay, where we were quartered the remaining part of the campaign, from whence we escorted what provision came that way to the army which continued about Bouchain." In October the regiment marched to Lisle, where it passed the winter.

[Sidenote: 1712]

In February, 1712, Lieut.-General Ingoldsby died, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the regiment by Lieut.-Colonel Stearne, who had held a commission in the corps thirty-four years, and wrote an account of its services.[27]

From Lisle the regiment advanced in April to some high ground beyond Bouchain, where a camp was formed of several corps, and entrenchments thrown up. The ROYAL IRISH regiment afterwards joined the army under the orders of the Duke of Ormond, and its grenadier company advanced on a reconnoitring party into Picardy; but a suspension of hostilities took place soon afterwards, and the army withdrew to Ghent, where the regiment passed the winter. The power of France was reduced, its armies defeated, its frontier towns captured, its ambitious monarch was forced to sue for peace, and the treaty of Utrecht gave repose to Europe.

[Sidenote: 1713]

The ROYAL IRISH regiment had acquired a high reputation during the war; and a board of officers being assembled in London, to decide on the rank of regiments, Colonel Stearne sent Captain Parker to England to claim rank for the regiment from the date of its formation in 1684, which would have given it rank as FIFTH foot; but this was not granted, and it continued to take date and rank in the English army from the time of its arrival in England in the autumn of 1688.[28]

During the winter, a very serious mutiny occurred among the troops stationed at Ghent, to which the soldiers were incited by a man, whom Captain Parker calls "a pettifogging attorney from London," who had entered the EIGHTEENTH regiment. This dangerous combination was suppressed, and ten of the ringleaders were executed.

[Sidenote: 1714]

After the conclusion of the treaty of peace, the British regiments quitted Flanders, excepting the eighth and EIGHTEENTH, which were appointed to garrison the citadel of Ghent until the barrier treaty was signed. The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough passing through Ghent, the officers of the two regiments met His Grace without the town, to show their respect to the character of their former commander.

[Sidenote: 1715]

On the breaking out of the rebellion of the Earl of Mar, in the autumn of 1715, the regiment was ordered to proceed to England, leaving the lieut.-colonel and a hundred men in the castle of Ghent; it landed at Greenwich, and marched to Gloucester, where it was joined by the party from Ghent in February following.

[Sidenote: 1716]

From Gloucester the regiment marched to _Oxford_; many persons at this celebrated university were disaffected to the government of King George I., and on the Prince of Wales's birthday, when the officers of the regiment were assembled at one of the inns, to celebrate the day, they were assailed by stones thrown from a house on the opposite side of the street. A number of soldiers, hearing that their officers had been thus assailed by the Jacobites, came running to the spot, and soon destroyed the windows of the house from whence the stones had been thrown. They afterwards went from street to street, and broke the windows of persons who refused to illuminate for the Prince of Wales's birthday. The Vice-Chancellor sent a complaint to His Majesty's privy council, and the officers were called upon for an explanation. The subject was afterwards investigated by the House of Lords, and, after several debates, the university was censured for not observing the birthday of the Prince of Wales, afterwards King George II.

[Sidenote: 1717]

In May, 1717, the regiment marched to Portsmouth, where it received orders to hold itself in readiness to proceed abroad.

Brigadier-General Stearne obtained permission to dispose of the colonelcy of the regiment to Lieut.-Colonel William Cosby, from the first troop, now first regiment of life guards.

[Sidenote: 1718]

Soon afterwards the regiment embarked for the island of Minorca, where it arrived in the early part of 1718, and it was stationed there many years, during which period little occurred worthy of being recorded.

[Sidenote: 1727]

In 1727, when the Spaniards besieged _Gibraltar_, a detachment from the regiments at Minorca proceeded to that fortress, under Colonel Cosby of the ROYAL IRISH regiment, to reinforce the garrison. This detachment took part in the successful defence of Gibraltar against the power of Spain, and when the siege was raised, it returned to Minorca.

[Sidenote: 1732]

[Sidenote: 1735]

[Sidenote: 1742]

While the regiment was at Minorca, Colonel Cosby was succeeded by Sir Charles Hotham, Baronet, in 1732; and, in 1735, King George II. nominated Colonel John Armstrong to the colonelcy. This officer, dying in 1742, was succeeded by Colonel John Mordaunt, from the forty-seventh regiment.

In the same year, the ROYAL IRISH regiment was relieved from duty at Minorca, and returned to England: it landed at Portsmouth and Southampton, and marched to Taunton, and the neighbouring towns, where it passed the winter.

[Sidenote: 1743]

From Taunton the regiment marched, in the spring of 1743, to Exeter and Plymouth, where it was reviewed by Lieut.-General Lord Tyrawley.

[Sidenote: 1744]