The character and credit of the British Army must chiefly depend upon the zeal and ardour, by which all who enter into its service are animated, and consequently it is of the highest importance that any measure calculated to excite the spirit of emulation, by which alone great and gallant actions are achieved, should be adopted.
Nothing can more fully tend to the accomplishment of this desirable object, than a full display of the noble deeds with which the Military History of our country abounds. To hold forth these bright examples, to the imitation of the youthful soldier, and thus to incite him to emulate the meritorious conduct of those who have preceded him in their honourable career, are among the motives that have given rise to the present publication.
The operations of the British Troops are, indeed, announced in the 'London Gazette,' from whence they are transferred into the public prints: the achievements of our armies are thus made known at the time of their occurrence, and receive the tribute of praise and admiration to which they are entitled. On extraordinary occasions, the Houses of Parliament have been in the habit of conferring on the Commanders, and the Officers and Troops acting under their orders, expressions of approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery, and these testimonials, confirmed by the high honour of their Sovereign's Approbation, constitute the reward which the soldier most highly prizes.
It has not, however, until late years, been the practice (which appears to have long prevailed in some of the Continental armies) for British Regiments to keep regular records of their services and achievements. Hence some difficulty has been experienced in obtaining, particularly from the old Regiments, an authentic account of their origin and subsequent services.
This defect will now be remedied, in consequence of His Majesty having been pleased to command, that every Regiment shall in future keep a full and ample record of its services at home and abroad.
From the materials thus collected, the country will henceforth derive information as to the difficulties and privations which chequer the career of those who embrace the military profession. In Great Britain, where so large a number of persons are devoted to the active concerns of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, and where these pursuits have, for so long a period, been undisturbed by the presence of war, which few other countries have escaped, comparatively little is known of the vicissitudes of active service, and of the casualties of climate, to which, even during peace, the British Troops are exposed in every part of the globe, with little or no interval of repose.
In their tranquil enjoyment of the blessings which the country derives from the industry and the enterprise of the agriculturist and the trader, its happy inhabitants may be supposed not often to reflect on the perilous duties of the soldier and the sailor—on their sufferings—and on the sacrifice of valuable life, by which so many national benefits are obtained and preserved.
The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endurance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying difficulties; and their character has been established in Continental warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected debarkations in spite of the most formidable opposition, and by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have maintained their advantages against superior numbers.
In the official Reports made by the respective Commanders, ample justice has generally been done to the gallant exertions of the Corps employed; but the details of their services, and of acts of individual bravery, can only be fully given in the Annals of the various Regiments.
These Records are now preparing for publication, under His Majesty's special authority, by Mr. Richard Cannon, Principal Clerk of the Adjutant-General's Office; and while the perusal of them cannot fail to be useful and interesting to military men of every rank, it is considered that they will also afford entertainment and information to the general reader, particularly to those who may have served in the Army, or who have relatives in the Service.
There exists in the breasts of most of those who have served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit du Corps—an attachment to every thing belonging to their Regiment; to such persons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot fail to prove interesting. Authentic accounts of the actions of the great—the valiant—the loyal, have always been of paramount interest with a brave and civilized people. Great Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in moments of danger and terror, have stood, "firm as the rocks of their native shore;" and when half the World has been arrayed against them, they have fought the battles of their Country with unshaken fortitude. It is presumed that a record of achievements in war—victories so complete and surprising, gained by our countrymen—our brothers—our fellow-citizens in arms—a record which revives the memory of the brave, and brings their gallant deeds before us, will certainly prove acceptable to the public.
Biographical memoirs of the Colonels and other distinguished Officers, will be introduced in the Records of their respective Regiments, and the Honorary Distinctions which have, from time to time, been conferred upon each Regiment, as testifying the value and importance of its services, will be faithfully set forth.
As a convenient mode of Publication, the Record of each Regiment will be printed in a distinct number, so that when the whole shall be completed, the Parts may be bound up in numerical succession.
[To face page 1.
CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
IN THE YEAR 1674,
AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
TO 1837.
PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, 14, CHARING-CROSS.
MDCCCXXXVIII.
THE
FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,
OR
NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS,
BEARS ON ITS COLOURS
"ST. GEORGE and the DRAGON,"
WITH THE MOTTO,
"QUO FATA VOCANT,"
AND THE FOLLOWING DISTINCTIONS:
"Wilhelmsthal"—"Roleia"—"Vimiera"—"Corunna"—"Busaco"—"Ciudad Rodrigo"—"Badajoz"—"Salamanca"—"Vittoria"—"Nivelle"—"Orthes"—"Toulouse"—"Peninsula."
| Anno | Page | |
| 1674 | The Dutch Government obtains permission to entertain British Troops in its service | 1 |
| —— | Ten Companies formed—the siege of Grave | 2 |
| —— | The Fifth, and three other regiments, formed | — |
| 1676 | Siege of Maastricht | 3 |
| 1677 | Battle of Mont-Cassel | 7 |
| 1678 | Battle of St. Denis | — |
| 1685 | The Regiment proceeds to England | 10 |
| —— | Returns to Holland | 11 |
| 1688 | Accompanies the Prince of Orange to England | 12 |
| —— | Revolution—Placed on the English Establishment | 14 |
| 1690 | Proceeds to Ireland | — |
| —— | Battle of the Boyne | 15 |
| 1691 | Skirmish near Castle-Cuff, &c. | — |
| —— | Siege of Athlone | 17 |
| —— | Siege of Limerick | 18 |
| —— | Returns to England | — |
| 1692 | Proceeds to Flanders | — |
| —— | Returns to England | 19 |
| 1693 | Expedition to Martinico | — |
| —— | Returns to England | — |
| —— | Proceeds to Flanders | — |
| 1695 | Covering the siege of Namur | 20 |
| 1697 | Returns to England | 22 |
| 1698 | Proceeds to Ireland | — |
| 1707 | Embarks for Portugal | — |
| 1709 | Battle of Caya | 24 |
| 1710 | Capture of Xeres de los Cabaleros | 25 |
| 1713 | Embarks for Gibraltar | 27 |
| 1727 | Defence of Gibraltar | — |
| 1728 | Proceeds to Ireland | 28 |
| 1735 | Embarks for England | — |
| 1737 | Returns to Ireland | 29 |
| 1755 | Proceeds to England | — |
| 1758 | Expedition to the Coast of France—destruction of Shipping, &c., at St. Maloes | — |
| —— | Capture of Cherbourg, &c.—Returns to England | 30 |
| 1760 | Proceeds to Germany | — |
| —— | Skirmish at Corbach | 31 |
| —— | Battle of Warbourg | — |
| —— | Surprise at Zirenberg | 32 |
| —— | Skirmish at Campen | — |
| 1761 | Battle of Kirch-Denkern | — |
| —— | Affair at Capelnhagen | 33 |
| —— | Skirmish at Eimbeck | — |
| —— | Skirmish at Foorwohle | — |
| 1762 | Battle of Groebenstien, &c. | — |
| —— | Skirmish at Lutterberg | 36 |
| —— | Skirmish at Homburg | — |
| —— | Covering the siege of Cassel | — |
| 1763 | Marches through Holland and embarks for England | — |
| —— | Proceeds to Ireland | 37 |
| 1767 | The "Order of Merit" introduced | — |
| 1771 | Suppression of disturbances in Ireland | 39 |
| 1774 | Embarks for Boston in North America | — |
| 1775 | Affair at Concord and Lexington | 40 |
| —— | Attack on Bunker's Hill | 42 |
| 1776 | Embarks from Boston for Nova Scotia | 44 |
| —— | Reduction of Long Island | — |
| —— | Action at White Plains | 45 |
| 1776 | Capture of Forts Washington and Lee | 45 |
| —— | Reduction of New Jersey | — |
| 1777 | Expedition to Pennsylvania—actions at Brandywine Creek and Germantown | 46 |
| 1778 | Retreat through the Jerseys—skirmish at Freehold | 48 |
| —— | Expedition to Little Egg Harbour | — |
| —— | Reduction of the Island of St. Lucie | 49 |
| —— | The men equipped with White Plumes | 51 |
| 1779} | In various actions in the West Indies | — |
| 1780} | ||
| 1780 | Proceeds to England | 51 |
| 1781 | Embarks for Ireland | 52 |
| 1787 | Proceeds to Canada | 54 |
| 1797 | Returns to England | 56 |
| 1799 | Second battalion formed—both battalions embark for Holland | — |
| —— | Action at Walmenhuysen, Shoreldam, and Egmont-op-Zee | 57 |
| —— | Action at Winkle | 58 |
| —— | Returns to England | — |
| 1800 | Proceeds to Gibraltar | 59 |
| 1802 | Returns to England—Second battalion disbanded | — |
| 1803 | Proceeds to Guernsey | — |
| 1804 | Returns to England—a Second battalion raised | — |
| 1805 | Second battalion to Guernsey—First battalion embarks for Hanover | — |
| 1806 | First battalion returns to England—embarks for South America | 60 |
| 1807 | Attack on Buenos Ayres | — |
| —— | Both battalions proceed to Ireland | 61 |
| 1808 | First battalion embarks for Portugal | — |
| —— | —————– Battle of Roleia | 62 |
| —— | —————– Battle of Vimiera | — |
| —— | —————– Advances into Spain—Retreats to the coast | 63 |
| 1809 | First battalion, battle of Corunna | 63 |
| —— | —————— Returns to England—proceeds on the Walcheren expedition | 64 |
| —— | First battalion returns to England | 65 |
| —— | —————– Detachment at the battle of Talavera | — |
| —— | Second battalion from Ireland to Portugal | — |
| 1810 | ——————–Battle of Busaco—Lines of Torres Vedras | 66 |
| —— | First battalion proceeds from England to Ireland | — |
| 1811 | Second battalion, affair at Redinha | 67 |
| —— | ———————Battle of Sabugal | — |
| —— | ———————Battle of Fuentes d'Onor | 68 |
| —— | ———————Siege of Badajoz | — |
| —— | ———————Action at El Bodon | — |
| 1812 | ———————Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo | 74 |
| —— | ———————Siege of Badajoz | 76 |
| —— | First battalion from Ireland to Portugal | 78 |
| —— | Both battalions at the battle of Salamanca | — |
| —— | —————— advance to Madrid | 79 |
| —— | Chivalrous spirit of James Grant | — |
| —— | Second battalion proceeds to England | 80 |
| —— | First battalion retreats from Madrid to Portugal | — |
| 1813 | —————– Battle of Vittoria | 81 |
| —— | —————– Battle of the Pyrenees | 82 |
| —— | —————– Enters France—battle of Nivelle | — |
| —— | —————– Passage of the Nive | — |
| 1814 | —————– Affair near the Gave d'Oleron | 83 |
| —— | —————– Battle of Orthes | — |
| —— | —————– Battle of Toulouse | — |
| —— | —————– Embarks for North America | 84 |
| —— | —————– Action near Plattsburg | — |
| 1815 | —————– Proceeds from America to Flanders | 85 |
| —— | —————– Advances to Paris | — |
| —— | —————– Forms part of the Army of Occupation in France | — |
| 1818 | First battalion proceeds to England | 85 |
| —— | Reduced to one battalion in 1816 | 86 |
| —— | Proceeds to the West Indies | — |
| 1821 | Reduced from ten to eight companies | — |
| 1824 | Privilege of wearing a distinguishing feather confirmed | 87 |
| 1825 | Augmented from eight to ten companies | — |
| 1826 | Embarks for England | — |
| 1827 | Proceeds to Ireland | 88 |
| 1829 | To wear a red and white feather | 90 |
| 1830 | Good conduct during the Galway election | 91 |
| 1831 | Six companies embark for Gibraltar, and four companies remain in Ireland | 95 |
| 1832 | The "Order of Merit" sanctioned | 96 |
| 1833 | Colours destroyed by fire | 97 |
| 1834 | Service companies from Gibraltar to Malta | 98 |
| —— | Facings changed to a lively green | 99 |
| 1835 | Correspondence relative to an additional banner | 100 |
| —— | The reserve companies proceed to England | 101 |
| 1836 | Equipped as Fusiliers, and styled the Fifth Regiment of Foot, or Northumberland Fusiliers | — |
| —— | "Wilhelmsthal" inscribed on the Colours | 102 |
| —— | New Colours presented to the regiment | 103 |
| 1837 | Service companies proceed to Corfu | 106 |
| —— | The Conclusion | — |
| PLATES. | |
| The Vignette—Badge—to follow | Title Page |
| The Colours to face | Page 1 |
| The Uniform of 1688 to face | Page 12 |
| The Uniform of 1835 to face | 100 |
| The Uniform of 1837 to face | 106 |
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.
| Anno | Page | |
| 1674 | Daniel Viscount of Clare | 107 |
| 1675 | John Fenwick | 108 |
| 1676 | Henry Wisely | — |
| 1680 | Thomas Monk | 109 |
| 1688 | Thomas Tollemache | — |
| 1689 | Edward Lloyd | 110 |
| 1694 | Thomas Fairfax | — |
| 1704 | Thomas Pearce | — |
| 1732 | John Cope | 111 |
| 1737 | Alexander Irwin | 112 |
| 1752 | Charles Whiteford | — |
| 1754 | Lord George Bentinck | 113 |
| 1759 | Studholme Hodgson | — |
| 1768 | Hugh Earl Percy | 114 |
| 1784 | Honourable Edward Stopford | — |
| 1794 | Sir Alured Clarke, G.C.B. | 115 |
| 1801 | Richard England | 116 |
| 1812 | William Wynyard | — |
| 1819 | Sir Henry Johnson, Bart., G.C.B. | 117 |
| 1835 | The Hon. Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B, and G.C.H. | — |
OF THE
FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,
OR
NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS.
When the treaty of peace between England and Holland was being negotiated at London in February 1674,[1] the Dutch Government, remembering the advantages which had been derived from the Auxiliary British troops in former wars, obtained permission again to entertain in its service certain regiments.
Peace having been concluded, King Charles II. disbanded part of his army in the same year, when many of the officers and men proceeded to Holland, and the formation of the British division was commenced. The original design was to have a division of ten thousand men, to be commanded-in-chief, under the Prince of Orange, by Major-General Sir Walter Vane; but while the organization of this force was in progress, Sir Walter was killed at the battle of Seneffe, which was fought on the 11th of August, 1674; and Sir William Ballandyne was appointed to succeed him in the command of the British troops.
The formation making rapid progress, in the autumn, when the Prince of Orange was besieging Grave in North Brabant, he was informed that ten English and Irish companies, complete and fit for service, were at Bois-le-Duc, about 18 miles distant, and his Highness, eager to avail himself of their services, immediately ordered them to join the army. In this siege the ten companies gave presage of that gallantry for which they afterwards became celebrated; they lost several men, and Sir William Ballandyne was also killed by a cannon-ball.
The capture of Grave, which took place on the 28th of October, terminated the campaign; the troops were sent into quarters; and during the winter four regiments of British subjects were formed at Bois-le-Duc;—two English—one Scots—and one Irish;—the latter is now designated the Fifth Regiment of Foot, or Northumberland Fusiliers, and its services form the subject of this narrative. Its first Colonel was Daniel O'Brien, Viscount of Clare; but this nobleman resigned soon afterwards, and quitted Holland. The regiment was commanded, ad interim, by Lieutenant-Colonel Anselmne, who had previously served with much honour in the Spanish service.
In 1675 the command of this regiment was conferred on Colonel John Fenwick, who had distinguished himself at the battle of Seneffe; at this period the regiment discontinued the designation of "Irish," and many English gentlemen received commissions in it.
After leaving its quarters at Bois-le-Duc in the spring of 1675, the regiment was encamped for a short time on one of the beautiful plains of Louvain, and it was subsequently employed in manœuvring near the frontiers of France and in the Principality of Liege. The progress of the campaign was impeded by the severe indisposition of the Prince of Orange; no engagement of importance occurred, and in the autumn the regiment marched to the Dutch Netherlands and passed the winter in garrison at Utrecht.
In the summer of 1676 the regiment marched to Brabant, and was stationed at Bois-le-Duc, preparatory to some expedition of importance. This occurred in the early part of July, and the men were in high spirits, anticipating some splendid adventure. About two o'clock in the morning the drums beat "to arms;" the regiment immediately assembled at the alarm-post, and commenced its march for the province of Limburg, being joined by other corps every day. On the fifth day, the Prince of Orange appeared at the head of the troops, and, to the surprise of the enemy, the famous city of Maestricht was besieged. This city, which was well fortified with all the works which art could suggest, was defended by 8000 chosen men commanded by Monsieur Calvo, a resolute Catalonian. The Prince of Orange attended to the progress of the siege; and after the arrival of the battering train, the works were carried on with vigour.
The three English regiments[2] were formed in one Brigade, and they soon distinguished themselves, beating back the sallies of the garrison with great slaughter. On the 30th of July, a storming party of two hundred men, furnished in equal proportions by the three regiments, attacked the Dauphin Bastion, and after a severe contest effected a lodgment, but afterwards lost their ground: this proved a sanguinary affair, and 150 men were killed and wounded out of the two hundred. On the 2nd of August the Brigade was again on duty in the trenches, when Colonel Fenwick was wounded.
The Prince of Orange resolved to make a second attack on the Dauphin Bastion on the 4th of August, when a detachment from the Brigade, commanded by Captain Anthony Barnwell of Fenwick's regiment, with another from the Dutch Foot Guards, commanded by Baron Sparr, formed the storming party.[3] At three o'clock the Brigade was under arms with the storming party in front; and at five the gallant little band, advancing under a tempest of bullets, went cheering to the attack and carried the bastion in gallant style—the English, gaining the lead of the Dutch, first made a lodgment. Scarcely, however, had the soldiers gained a footing, when the French sprung a mine and blew many of the men into the air, and following this up with a fierce attack, regained possession of the works. The heroic English were, however, "resolute to win;"—they returned to the attack, and fighting with a strength and majesty which nothing could withstand, drove back the French, and re-established themselves on the bastion; but their commander, Captain Barnwell, was killed, and more than half the officers and men of the party were killed and wounded.
About five in the morning of the 6th of August a desperate sally was made by three hundred Swiss Infantry, and, owing to the neglect of a sentry, they surprised and made prisoners the English guard on the bastion; but a reinforcement from the Brigade came forward to their rescue, and, after saluting the assailants with a few volleys, and a shower of hand-grenades, made a furious charge, retaking the bastion and chasing the Swiss Infantry with prodigious slaughter to the palisadoes of the counterscarp, destroying the whole detachment, except about twenty men who escaped into the town. The Prince of Orange complimented the Brigade on its distinguished bravery, and made each of the three regiments a present of a fat ox and six sheep.[4]
On the 15th of August Colonel Fenwick's regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Wisely (the Colonel not having recovered from his wounds) was on duty in the trenches, when the enemy made another furious sally; but they were nobly received by the regiment; a fierce combat ensued, in which the strength and unconquerable spirit, of the English again excited the admiration of the Prince of Orange, and a reinforcement arriving, the French were driven back with great loss.