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I. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, 1662-1900

Tangier, 1662-1680--Gibraltar, 1704--Gibraltar, 1779-1783 --Maida, 1806--Mediterranean--Mediterranean, 1901-02 1-11

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II. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN NORTHERN EUROPE, 1695-1709

Namur, 1695--Blenheim, 1704--Ramillies, 1706--Oudenarde, 1708--Malplaquet, 1709 12-23

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III. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN NORTHERN EUROPE, 1743-1762

Dettingen--Minden--Emsdorff--Warburg--Wilhelmstahl 24-35

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IV. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA

Louisburg, 1758--Quebec, 1759--Monte Video, 1807--Detroit, August 12, 1812--Miami, April 23, 1813--Niagara, July 25, 1814--Bladensburg, October 24, 1814 36-48

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V. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN INDIA, 1751-1764

Arcot--Plassey--Condore--Masulipatam--Badara--Wandewash --Pondicherry--Buxar 49-65

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VI. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN INDIA, 1774-1799

Rohilcund, 1774--Carnatic--Guzerat, 1778-1782--Sholinghur, 1781--Mangalore, 1783--Mysore--Nundy Droog, 1791--Rohilcund, 1794--Seedaseer, 1799--Seringapatam, 1799 66-87

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VII. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN FLANDERS, 1793-1799

Lincelles--Nieuport--Villers-en-Couche--Beaumont--Willems --Tournay--Egmont-op-Zee 88-96

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VIII. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN THE WEST INDIES, 1759-1810

West Indies, 1759-1810--Guadeloupe, 1759--Martinique, 1762--Havana--St. Lucia, 1778--Martinique, 1794--St. Lucia, 1796--St. Lucia, 1803--Surinam--Dominica--Martinique, 1809--Guadeloupe, 1810 97-121

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IX. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN

Egypt (with the Sphinx)--Mandora, 1802--Marabout, 1802--Egypt, 1882--Tel-el-Kebir, 1882--The Nile, 1884-85--Abu Klea, 1885--Kirbekan, 1885--Suakin, 1885--Tofrek, 1885--Hafir, 1896--Atbara, 1898--Khartoum, 1898 122-143

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X. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN INDIA, 1803-1809

Ally Ghur, 1803--Delhi, 1803-04--Assaye, 1803--Laswarree, 1803--Deig, 1803-04--Cochin, 1809 144-155

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XI. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN THE PENINSULAR WAR, 1808-1814

Roleia--Vimiera--Sahagun--Corunna--The Douro--Talavera--Busaco --Barrosa--Fuentes d'Onor--Albuera--Almaraz--Arroyos dos Molinos --Tarifa--Ciudad Rodrigo--Badajos--Salamanca--Vittoria--Pyrenees --San Sebastian--Nivelle--Nive--Orthes--Toulouse 156-191

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Chapter XII

WATERLOO AND THE ORDER OF THE BATH FOR THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

Waterloo, June 18, 1815 192-199

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XIII. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN INDIA, 1818-1826

Kirkee--Seetabuldee--Nagpore--Maheidpore--Corygaum--Nowah --Bhurtpore--Hindoostan--India 200-220

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XIV. BATTLE HONOURS FOR MINOR CAMPAIGNS IN THE EAST, 1796-1857

Amboyna--Ternate--Banda--Arabia--Bourbon--Java, 1811--Persian Gulf--Beni Boo Alli--Aden--Persia--Bushire--Reshire --Koosh-ab 221-239

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XV. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN BURMAH, 1885-1887

Ava--Kemmendine--Arracan--Pegu--Burmah, 1885-1887 240-251

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XVI. BATTLE HONOURS FOR THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR, 1839-1842

Afghanistan, 1839-1842--Ghuznee, 1839--Khelat--Kahun, 1840--Jelalabad--Khelat-i-Ghilzai--Candahar, 1842--Ghuznee, 1842--Cabool, 1842--Cutchee 252-265

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Chapter XVII

BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN INDIA, 1843

Scinde--Meeanee--Hyderabad--Maharajpore--Punniar 266-272

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XVIII. BATTLE HONOURS FOR THE CONQUEST OF THE PUNJAB

Moodkee--Ferozeshah--Aliwal--Sobraon--Chillianwallah--Mooltan --Goojerat--Punjab 273-294

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XIX. BATTLE HONOURS FOR THE CRIMEAN WAR, 1854-55

Alma--Balaclava--Inkerman--Sevastopol 295-310

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XX. BATTLE HONOURS FOR THE INDIAN MUTINY, 1857-1859

India--Delhi--Lucknow--Central India--Defence of Arrah--Behar 311-335

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XXI. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN CHINA, 1842-1900

Chinese War of 1840-1842--Canton--China, 1858-1860--Taku Forts, Pekin--China, 1900--Pekin, 1900 336-347

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XXII. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN SOUTH AFRICA, 1806-1879

Cape of Good Hope, 1806--South Africa, 1835--South Africa, 1846-47--South Africa, 1851-1853--South Africa, 1877-1880 348-359

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XXIII. BATTLE HONOURS FOR MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS

Jersey, 1781--Rodney's Victory of April 12, 1782--The Glorious First of June, 1794--St. Vincent--Fishguard --Copenhagen--New Zealand--Abyssinia--Ashantee 360-377

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XXIV. BATTLE HONOURS FOR THE SECOND AFGHAN WAR

Afghanistan, 1878-1880--Ali Masjid--Peiwar Kotal--Charasiah --Kabul, 1879--Ahmad Khel--Kandahar, 1880 378-392

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Chapter XXV

BATTLE HONOURS FOR OPERATIONS ON THE NORTH-WEST INDIAN FRONTIER, 1895-1897

Defence of Chitral--Chitral--Malakand--Samana--Punjab Frontier--Tirah 393-407

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XXVI. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SOUTH AFRICA, 1899-1902

Modder River--Defence of Ladysmith--Defence of Kimberley--Relief of Kimberley--Paardeburg--Relief of Ladysmith--Medals granted for the campaign--Decorations won regimentally--Casualties by regiments 408-432

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XXVII. MISSING BATTLE HONOURS

Sir A. Alison's Committee--General Ewart's Committee--Marlborough's forgotten victories--Wellington's minor successes--Losses at Douai --Peninsula, 1705--Gibraltar, 1727--Peninsula, 1762--Belleisle --Dominica--Manilla--Cape of Good Hope, 1795--Indian Honours --Pondicherry--Tanjore--Madras troops--An unrewarded Bombay column--The Indian Mutiny--Punjab Frontier Force--Umbeyla --Naval honours 433-453

APPENDICES: I. EGYPT, 1884 454-455 II. DEFENCE OF KIMBERLEY 456-457 III. AMBOOR 458 IV. WAR MEDALS 459-462

INDEX 463-500

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH Frontispiece

THE COLOURS OF THE TANGIER REGIMENT, 1684 (NOW THE QUEEN'S ROYAL WEST SURREY REGIMENT) To face page 2

ROBERT, LORD CLIVE " 50

GENERAL SIR RALPH ABERCROMBY " 124

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON " 192

THE COLOURS OF THE ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS (FORMERLY THE BOMBAY EUROPEANS) " 292

FIELD-MARSHAL COLIN CAMPBELL: LORD CLYDE " 324

THE COLOURS OF THE QUEEN'S ROYAL WEST SURREY REGIMENT, 1902 (FORMERLY THE TANGIER REGIMENT) " 424

MAPS

BATTLEFIELDS IN NORTHERN EUROPE " 13

BATTLEFIELDS IN SOUTHERN INDIA " 49

BATTLEFIELDS IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL " 182

BATTLEFIELDS IN NORTHERN INDIA " 406

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Introduction

In the following pages I have endeavoured to give a brief description of the various actions the names of which are emblazoned on the colours and appointments of the regiments in the British army. So far as I have been able, I have shown the part that each individual corps has played in every engagement, by appending to the account a return of the losses suffered. Unfortunately, in some cases casualty rolls are not obtainable; in others, owing to the returns having been hurriedly prepared, and later corrections neglected, the true losses of regiments do not appear.

The whole question of the award of battle honours abounds in anomalies. Paltry skirmishes have been immortalized, and many gallant fights have been left unrecorded. In some cases certain corps have been singled out for honour; others which bore an equal share in the same day's doings have been denied the privilege of assuming the battle honour. In some campaigns every skirmish has been handed down to posterity; in others one word has covered long years of fighting. Mysore, with its one honour, and Persia, with four, are cases in point. In some instances honours have been refused on the plea that the headquarters of the regiment was not present in the action; in others the honour has been granted when but a single troop or company has shared in the fight. There are regiments whose colours bear the names of battles in which they did not lose a single man; others have suffered heavy losses in historic battles which are as yet unrecorded. At Schellenberg, for example, Marlborough's earliest victory, and one unaccountably absent from our colours, the losses of the fifteen regiments engaged exceeded the total casualties of the whole army in the campaign in Afghanistan from 1879 to 1881, for which no less than seven battle honours were granted.

Esprit de corps is the keystone of the discipline of the British army, and the regimental colours are the living symbol of that esprit de corps. It is to their colours that men look as the emblems of their regimental history, and on those colours are--or should be--emblazoned the names of all historic battles in which the regiment has been engaged. A soldier knows--or ought to know--the history of his own regiment, but the moment arrives when his curiosity is piqued, and he wishes to learn something about a corps which has fought side by side with his own. Perchance curiosity may be excited as to the reason why Copenhagen appears on the appointments of the Rifle Brigade, and Arabia on the colours of the York and Lancaster; or how it comes about that Dominica is alone borne by the Cornwalls and Pondicherry by the Dublin Fusiliers. I have made no attempt to deal exhaustively with the subject; that would be beyond my powers and would open up too wide a field. I have therefore touched but lightly on those campaigns, such as the Peninsular and Waterloo, which are familiar to everyone in the least conversant with the history of his country, and have dwelt in more detail with those wars which are less well known. Memories are short. Already the South African War has been effaced by that titanic struggle between Russia and Japan. How, then, can the ordinary man be expected to carry in his mind even the rough outline of the Defence of Chitral, an episode which rivals Arcot in the heroism of its few defenders, or of Mangalore and Corygaum, which were in no way inferior in point of steadfast gallantry. When I read of the efforts made to insure the regular supply of jam during the South African War, my mind turns to Chitral, where the daily ration for six long weeks was one pound of flour a day, rice and meat being issued only on the doctors' orders, the one antiseptic available being carbolic tooth-powder! Or I think of Mangalore, which capitulated after Campbell had cut up his last horse and served out his last ration of flour. Yet I know that the men who defended Mangalore were in no way the superior of those who "muddled through" in South Africa, and that these were in no way inferior to the men who drove the French out of Spain. There were complaints of the stamp of recruits two centuries ago, as there are to-day. "The men you send me," wrote Grey from Martinique, "are not fit to bear arms." "I know not which are worse, officers or men," wrote Moore. "Send me men, not boys," wrote Sir Colin Campbell from India. Yet the boys who were not fit to bear arms captured the West Indies from the French; the worthless officers and men traversed Spain and held Napoleon's veterans in check at Corunna while their leader lay dying; and the boys in Sir Colin's regiments helped to restore peace in India.

Does the nation realize the calls it has made upon the army, or what oceans of blood have been shed owing to the vacillation and parsimony of successive Ministries? Three times have we captured the West India Islands; twice have our troops taken the Cape of Good Hope; three times have our armies marched from sea to sea in Spain; and there are few towns of importance in the Low Countries which have not been captured more than once by British troops. Conquests have been restored at the conclusion of a war in the full knowledge that on the outbreak of fresh hostilities those same conquests would have to be freshly undertaken and more lives sacrificed. Armies hastily reduced on the conclusion of a spurious peace had to be as hastily improvised on the renewal of war. Officers have been censured, broke, and shot if they have not performed prodigies with raw, untrained recruits. Uncomplainingly, all ranks went forth to die, eager only to uphold the honour of their Sovereign, of their regiments, and of their country.

I have not confined myself to the honours which appear only on the colours of British regiments, but have included all which have been granted to any corps which bears allegiance to our King. Some of the noblest feats of arms have been achieved by a few British officers at the head of a handful of Indian troops. At Mangalore and at Lucknow the sepoy regiments fought no less gallantly than the British corps which bear the same battle honour. The despatches of Colonel Campbell and of Sir John Inglis bear testimony to this fact; but at Seedaseer, Saugor, and Seetabuldee, at Corygaum, Arrah, and Kahun, and last, but by no means least, at Chitral, the sepoys had no British soldier to stiffen the defence. Yet there was no wavering. So long as the fighting races of India show the devotion to their officers and their loyalty to the Crown they have ever shown, we may smile at the frothy vapourings of the over-educated Bengalis, who have never furnished a single man for the defence of the country which they wish to emancipate from our rule. We read in the story of Chitral how the water-carrier, with his jaw smashed by a bullet, insisted as soon as his wound was dressed in taking more water to his Sikhs in the fighting-line. Is there not a story rife of a British regiment in the Mutiny which wished to recommend the regimental bheesti for a similar act of valour? There are few names amongst these battle honours around which stories of equal gallantry have not been woven. The memory of those deeds which men have dared, and in daring which they have gone forth to certain death, is the heritage not merely of those who serve under the colours, but of every man and woman of our race: Hardinge, rallying the men round the colours of the 57th at Albuera, with the now historic words, "Die hard, my men, die hard!"--a title that has clung to the regiment to this day. Luke O'Connor, then a colour-sergeant, holding high the colours of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at the Alma, under which ten young subalterns had fallen, and he with bullet through the breast, refusing to leave his sacred charge. Souter, of the 44th, tearing the colours from their staff and wrapping them under his sheepskin coat, and so saving them, when 667 officers and men fell under the fierce onslaughts of the Afghans in the dim defiles of the Khurd Kabul Pass, one solitary survivor reaching the shelter of the mud walls, held by the 13th, at Jelalabad. Or those two boy heroes, Melville and Coghill, whose dead bodies were found in the bed of the Tugela River, hard by the colours they had died to save. Or Quentin Battye, the first of three brothers to fall in the "Guides," dying with the old tag on his lips: "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."

These are the stories our colours have to tell, these the lessons the names upon them teach. Not merely gallantry in action--that is a small thing, and one inherent in our race. They teach of privations uncomplainingly borne, of difficulties nobly surmounted, of steadfast loyalty to the Crown, and of cheerful obedience to orders even when that obedience meant certain death. Such are the honours which have found an abiding-place on the colours of the British army.

I am aware that I possess few qualifications for the task I have undertaken, and I am also painfully aware that I have entirely failed to do justice to my theme. That failure would have been immeasurably greater had I not received the most valuable assistance from those far better qualified than I am to bring into relief the history of our army.

To these I would now venture to offer my most cordial thanks--to the Army Council, for some invaluable casualty returns, which I believe are now published for the first time; to the ever-courteous officials at the Record Office and in the libraries of the British Museum, the India Office, and the Royal United Service Institution, for the patience with which they have suffered my many importunities; last, but by no means least, to the many officers of regiments, British and Indian, who have so kindly given me unrecorded details of their regimental histories.

For the reproduction of the colours of "The Queen's" and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers I am indebted to the courtesy of the commanding officers of those two distinguished regiments. A close relationship exists between them. When Tangier and Bombay passed into our possession as the dowry of Queen Catharine of Braganza two regiments were raised as garrisons for our new possessions. The one proceeded to Tangier, and after some years of hard fighting, returned to England, to be known as "The 2nd Queen's." The other went to Bombay, and for two long centuries nobly upheld the honour of our name under the title of "The Bombay Europeans." On the transfer of the East India Company to the Crown the regiment appeared in the Army List as the 103rd Royal Bombay Fusiliers. Twenty years later, when regimental numbers were thrown into the melting-pot and the nomenclature of historic regiments changed, the Bombay Regiment became the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and as such worthily maintained its old reputation in South Africa. The Royal Scots and the Munster Fusiliers may claim seniority to the Queen's and the Dublins, but the battle honours on the colours I have selected cover the whole period with which I deal--from Tangier to Ladysmith, from Arcot to Lucknow.

I would, in conclusion, beg those--and they are many--whose knowledge of regimental history is far deeper than my own to deal gently with the many imperfections in this book--an unworthy tribute of homage to the incomparable heroism of the British soldier.

C. B. NORMAN.

January, 1911.

BATTLE HONOURS OF THE BRITISH ARMY

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I. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, 1662-1902

Tangier, 1662-1680--Gibraltar, 1704--Gibraltar, 1779-1783--Maida, 1806--Mediterranean--Mediterranean, 1901-02.

TANGIER, 1662-1680.

In the year 1910, just two centuries and a half after the event, the regiments which upheld British honour on the coast of Morocco were authorized to bear the above battle honour on their colours and appointments:

Royal Dragoons, 1662-1680. Grenadier Guards, 1680. Coldstream Guards, 1680. Royal Scots, 1680. The Queen's, 1662-1680.

The King's Own Lancaster Regiment has been unaccountably omitted from this list; but there is no doubt that the 4th (King's Own), under Colonel Kirke took part in the final series of actions with the Moors prior to our evacuating the fortress.

Tangier passed into our hands, together with Bombay, as a portion of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza on her marriage with Charles II. At that time there were many who considered it the more valuable of the two acquisitions, commanding as it did the entrance to the Mediterranean. Immense sums were spent in strengthening the fortifications and in improving the harbour. The inveterate hostilities of the Moors, however, only increased with time. The one regiment first raised for the garrison, then styled the "Regiment of Tangier" (now The Queen's Royal West Surrey) was from the outset of its career engaged in a long series of engagements waged against desperate odds. Soon it was found necessary to raise a regiment of horse to supplement the task of the infantry in dealing with the Moorish horsemen. The Royal Dragoons then came into existence, and laid the foundations of that reputation for dash and discipline which has never left them. Later on, owing to the persistent hostility of the Moors, the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstreams, and the 2nd Tangier Regiment (now the 4th King's Own) were sent as reinforcements; and a reference to the Tangier Papers shows that men from the fleet were continually employed against the enemy. On one occasion Sir Cloudesley Shovel, with 600 seamen, took a leading part in the defence. Casualty returns were not so carefully prepared in the seventeenth as in the twentieth century, and I have found it impossible to discover the total losses incurred during our occupation. Between the years 1660 and 1664 there was scarcely a month in which our troops were not fighting for their lives, and on one occasion at any rate they were so hard pressed that the Governor applied, and successfully, to the Spaniards at Gibraltar for assistance. Thus it comes about that in the casualty list which has come down to us of the action on October 27, 1680, the Spanish Horse figures side by side with the Grenadier Guards.

CASUALTIES IN ACTION AT TANGIER, OCTOBER 27, 1680.

+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Dragoons | - | 2 | 11 | 35 | |Grenadier Gds. | - | 1 | 7 | 51 | |Royal Scots | 4 | 15 | 36 | 100 | |The Queen's R. W. Surrey | 2 | 10 | 34 | 120 | |Spanish Horse | 5 | 4 | 12 | 22 | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

A few weeks after this action the King's Own (Lancaster Regiment), then commanded by Colonel Kirke, arrived as a reinforcement, and later in the year the Coldstream Guards. In 1684 the place was evacuated, having cost us many millions in money and many thousand valuable lives.

GIBRALTAR, 1704-05.

This battle honour, which commemorates the capture of Gibraltar by the fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke, and the subsequent defence of the fortress under Prince George of Hesse, is borne by the following regiments:

Grenadier Guards. Coldstream Guards. King's Own (Lancaster). Somerset Light Infantry. East Lancashire. East Surrey. Cornwall Light Infantry. Royal Sussex.

Queen Anne caused a medal to be struck in recognition of the services of the senior officers at the capture of this historic fortress, but it was left to King Edward VII. to sanction the grant of the battle honour to the regiments which added the Rock to the possession of Great Britain.

Owing to our having espoused the cause of Charles III. in the War of the Spanish Succession, a fleet of fifty sail was sent into the Mediterranean, under the command of Sir John Rooke, but it was practically placed at the disposal of King Charles. Embarked on the fleet under the command of Prince George of Hesse were the 4th (King's Own), 30th (East Lancashire), 31st (East Surrey), the 32nd (Cornwall Light Infantry), with Holt's and Shannon's Regiments, all acting as Marines. On July 22, 1704, the fleet anchored in Gibraltar Bay, and landed on what is now known as neutral ground. To a summons to surrender, the Governor sent a defiant answer. He, at all hazard, refused to recognize King Charles as his Sovereign, or our right to dictate to Spaniards in the choice of their monarch. On the following day Admiral Byng, with twenty-seven vessels, stood close in and silenced the batteries, when the bellicose Governor, in order to avoid the effusion of blood, accepted the terms offered. Rooke then landed the troops under Prince George, and sailed away to attack the allied fleets which were in the offing. In the course of the month of August he fought the Battle of Malaga, the effects of which were overshadowed by the glorious victory of Blenheim. The French and Spaniards were not prepared to sit down and see England established at the entrance of the Mediterranean, and at once took steps to recover possession of Gibraltar. We, on the other hand, took equally decisive measures to hold it. At that moment we had a considerable force in Portugal, acting in support of Charles III., and from this force reinforcements were immediately despatched to Gibraltar.

CASUALTIES AT THE CAPTURE OF AND SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS AT GIBRALTAR, 1704-05.

+------------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | | | | | |Grenadier Gds. | | | | | |Coldstream Gds. | | | | | |4th K.O. (R. Lancaster Regt.) | | | | | |13th Somerset L.I. | | | | | |Roy. Engineers | | | | | |30th East Lancashire | | | | | |31st E. Surrey | | | | | |32nd Cornwall L.I. | 1 | - | - | - | |35th R. Sussex | | | | | +------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

NOTE.--I have been unable to ascertain the casualties of individual corps at Gibraltar. I leave this table in the hope that at some future day the omission may be repaired; the total losses amounted to 3 officers and 57 men killed, 8 officers and 258 men wounded.

A combined battalion of the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards, the 13th (Somerset Light Infantry), and the 35th (Royal Sussex), some 1,800 of all ranks, embarked on transports. Narrowly escaping capture,[1] they succeeded in eluding the French fleet, and landed in Gibraltar Harbour on December 18. On the 23rd Prince George made a successful sortie at the head of his new troops, and destroyed a considerable portion of the siege-works; but the allies, having the land side open to them, were able to bring up supplies and fresh troops without difficulty, whereas we were dependent entirely on our fleet--in fact, on our command of the sea. In the early dawn of February 7, 1705, the allies made a determined attempt to carry the place by assault, but they were repulsed with terrible loss by the Coldstream Guards and the 13th (Somersets); then, finding their efforts useless, they abandoned the siege. Seventy-five years later a fresh attempt to dispossess us of the fortress led to a new battle honour appearing on the colours, but the siege of 1727 has been unaccountably lost sight of.

GIBRALTAR, 1727.

It is somewhat difficult to understand why the defence of Gibraltar in the year 1727 has not been considered worthy of being inscribed on the colours of the regiments which fought so well under the veteran Lord Portmore. From February 22 to June 23 the garrison, barely 6,000 strong, withstood a close siege, repelling many assaults and suffering many casualties. Famine as well as disease stared them in the face. I have been unable to ascertain the complete details of the losses of individual regiments engaged, but from the accounts of contemporary writers who went through the siege it would appear that the Grenadier Guards alone lost upwards of 100, of whom nineteen were killed in one day. Surely "Gibraltar, 1727," might be added to the colours of the twelve regiments which held the fortress for England under Lord Portmore.

The story of the siege is not pleasant reading. It is an early exemplification of the manner in which the warnings of the "man on the spot" are almost invariably disregarded by the authorities at home, and how our soldiers are expected to make bricks without straw, and to undergo perils which with a little exercise of forethought might be avoided. In the month of August, 1726, the Acting Governor, Colonel Kane, reported the threatening attitude of the Spaniards, and that Malaga was being converted into a military base, where large quantities of war material were being collected. He further asked for the paltry sum of £3,000, in order to place the fortress in a better state of defence. One of the most pressing questions was the levelling of the earthworks constructed by the Spaniards during the last siege, which were still left standing, and which would afford shelter to the enemy in the event of the outbreak of hostilities. The troops were lodged in houses in the town; there were no barracks, and no casemates to the various outworks. His garrison consisted of but four weak battalions. On these representations one battalion was sent from Minorca. In December Kane reported the mobilization at Malaga of 5,000 Walloon Guards, of fourteen Spanish battalions, and eight regiments of cavalry. No doubt as to the intention of the Spaniards now remained. Orders had been published for the Governors of the four Andalusian provinces to raise 8,000 men, and in reporting this circumstance Kane drew attention to the fact that the artillery under his command consisted of three non-commissioned officers and fifteen gunners, whilst the infantry amounted to but 1,400 men. His lines of defences were three miles in extent, and the two works mounted no less than 150 guns, the large majority of which had long since been condemned. In the month of January the Spaniards openly commenced their siege-works, throwing up batteries within gunshot of the fortress; but it was not until the month of April that General Clayton arrived with the first reinforcements, but with no siege material. By the end of April the garrison had been increased to a total of 6,000 men, two only of the regiments being over 600 strong, whilst the reinforcements of artillery brought up the strength of the Royal Regiment to 127 of all ranks; and of these Lord Portmore wrote that the gunners "are the worst that ever were employed."[2] The want of fresh provisions told heavily on the men, and all ranks and all arms were busily employed in throwing up fresh defensive works. Complaints were rife as to the guns--large numbers burst--and the Governor reiterated his complaints that the Spanish guns were far superior in range and accuracy to our own. By the end of May the garrison was reduced to 4,427 effectives, the men rarely getting one night in three in bed. Still the stout old veteran answered shot for shot, warning the Government that the Spaniards were evidently determined on wresting the position from us, and that unless reinforcements were speedily sent the place was liable to be carried by assault, as his men were not sufficiently numerous to man the whole of the works. Fortunately for the garrison, diplomacy was at work, and by the end of July preliminaries of peace had been signed, and the safety of the fortress was assured.

When actual hostilities broke out, the garrison of Gibraltar, including the two regiments that had been sent from Ireland and Minorca, consisted of the 5th (Northumberland Fusiliers), 13th (Somerset Light Infantry), 18th (Royal Irish), 20th (Lancashire Fusiliers), and the 29th (Worcesters). Considerable delays occurred in despatching the reinforcements, and, as I have remarked, it was not until the month of April that these left England. The Governor, the veteran Lord Portmore, who was at home on leave, returned to his post, and at the same time a battalion of the Grenadier Guards, under Colonel Guise--a name which has ever been synonymous in the service with daring gallantry--the 14th (West Yorks), 25th (Scottish Borderers), 26th (Cameronians), 34th (Border Regiment), and 39th (Dorsets), were despatched under convoy of the fleet to Gibraltar.

There would appear to have been the same eagerness amongst the younger members of the House of Lords to see active service in those days as there was in the Crimea and in the Boer War. The Duke of Richmond, who was a Knight of the Garter and a member of the King's Household, applied for leave to join the army, and so did a son of the Duke of Devonshire. On the other hand, the Duke Wharton joined the Spanish forces, and was happily wounded very early in the siege, and so spared the shame of taking a prolonged share in the operations against his own fellow-countrymen.

I have experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining any records of the casualties, but the following list appears in a contemporary publication written by an officer who took part in the siege, and may, I think, be relied on as showing to a certain extent the losses incurred during a portion of the siege:

+-----------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | 1 | - | 11 | 16 | |Grenadier Gds. | - | - | 2 | 19 | |5th Fusiliers | - | - | 4 | 18 | |13th Somerset L.I. | - | - | 7 | 26 | |14th W. Yorks | - | - | 6 | 22 | |18th Roy. Irish | - | - | 8 | 17 | |20th Lanc. Fus. | 1 | - | 8 | 12 | |25th K.O. Scottish Borderers | 1 | - | 3 | 13 | |26th Cameronians | - | - | 6 | 28 | |29th Worcesters | - | - | 2 | 11 | |30th E. Lancs | - | - | 8 | 14 | |34th Border Reg. | - | - | 2 | 16 | |39th Dorsets | 1 | - | 6 | 13 | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

GIBRALTAR, 1779-1783.

(With Castle and Key and motto, "Montis Insignia Calpe.")

The regiments permitted to bear these distinctions are the

Suffolk. Dorset. Northampton. Essex. Highland Light Infantry.

In the month of June, 1779, Spain declared war against England, France having done so in the preceding year. There was no doubt as to the object of the Spaniards--the recapture of Minorca, Gibraltar, and the American Colonies lost to us in the preceding wars. Fortunately, we had in Gibraltar a soldier who knew his work. Though the name of Eliott will ever be associated with the Rock, soldiers may also like to know that the gallant defender of Gibraltar raised and trained that distinguished regiment the 15th Hussars. From the moment that he took over the command in 1777 Eliott set to work to strengthen the defences. On the declaration of war he had but 5,382 of all ranks in his garrison, including 458 gunners. His chief danger was starvation, for on the land side he was completely hemmed in, whilst on the sea the Spaniards instituted a close blockade, and brought pressure to bear on His Shereefian Majesty to forbid the exportation of fresh meat and vegetables to the garrison from Morocco. In November of that year Rodney defeated the blockading fleet, and threw in the 71st (Highland Light Infantry), a welcome reinforcement, and also stores sufficient to maintain the garrison for a year. The Spaniards now drew closer the blockade, and commenced to throw up elaborate siege-works; but it was not until April, 1781, that the blockade was converted into a siege in earnest, and it is said that between then and November upwards of 100,000 shot and shell were poured into the place. Our casualties were by no means heavy, nor did the fortifications suffer much, though the town itself was utterly destroyed. On the 27th of that month (November) Eliott attacked the Spaniards, destroyed and burnt their batteries, spiking a large number of guns, but though his losses in this sortie were slight, his men suffered much from scurvy and the incessant duty which was imposed on an all too scanty garrison. From time to time a vessel would elude the blockading fleet; and on one occasion Admiral Darby forced his way through with the 97th Regiment, and later still the King's Own Scottish Borderers and the 59th (East Lancashires) were also thrown in. In May, 1782, the Spaniards were reinforced by a strong French division, and the siege was continued with renewed vigour. Floating batteries, with massive timber roofs to protect the gunners, were built by the allies, and then on September 14, 1782, convoyed by forty-seven sail of the line, this formidable armada entered the bay, and opened a fresh bombardment from the sea. To this Eliott responded with red-hot shot, and once more the garrison was saved. In the following month Howe was enabled to convoy a fleet of transports under the Rock, and so relieved Eliott of his one dread--starvation. In February, 1783, peace was signed between Spain and England, and on the 6th of the month the gates of the fortress were thrown open, after a bombardment of thirteen months.

CASUALTIES AT THE DEFENCE OF GIBRALTAR, 1779-1783.

+-----------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | 2 | 8 | 29 | 121 | |Roy. Engineers | - | - | - | - | |12th Suffolks | 1 | 3 | 27 | 110 | |25th K.O. Scottish Borderers | - | - | 2 | 8 | |39th Dorsets | 2 | 3 | 27 | 60 | |56th Essex | - | 3 | 27 | 67 | |58th N'amptons | 1 | 2 | 18 | 74 | |59th E. Lancs. | - | - | 8 | 9 | |71st Highland L.I. | - | 6 | 42 | 115 | |72nd Seaforth Highlanders | - | 3 | 55 | 148 | |73rd Regt. | - | 6 | 44 | 115 | |97th Regt. | - | - | 13 | 41 | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

MAIDA, JULY 4, 1806.

This distinction is borne on the colours of the

Lancashire Fusiliers. Inniskilling Fusiliers. Royal Sussex. North Lancashire. Northamptons. Seaforth Highlanders. Gloucestershire Regiment.

It recognizes the gallant services of these regiments in the engagement fought in defence of our ally, the King of Naples, by the little force under the command of General Stuart against a superior body of French under General Regnier. In 1847, when the so-called Peninsular medal was issued, a special clasp, "Maida," was awarded to the survivors of the brilliant little action on the shores of the Straits of Messina. The Grenadier and Light Infantry battalions, which bulk so largely in the accompanying list of casualties, were composed of the flank companies of the five battalions engaged, supplemented by 250 men of the 35th (Royal Sussex) and a company of the 61st (Gloucesters), and so it comes about that, although the headquarters were not present, the old 35th and 61st were accorded the battle honour. The losses in this engagement were:

+--------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Grenadier batt. | 0 | 1 | 4 | 26 | |Lancs Fusiliers | - | - | 1 | 6 | |27th Inniskillings | - | - | 6 | 47 | |58th Northamptons | - | - | - | 2 | |Light Infantry battalion | 1 | 3 | 7 | 42 | |78th Seaforth Highlanders | - | 7 | 4 | 74 | |81st North Lancashire | - | 2 | 19 | 63 | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

MEDITERRANEAN.

This distinction was awarded to the following regiments of Militia for their services during the Crimean War of 1854-55, when they volunteered to perform garrison duty in order to set free line regiments for service at the front:

3rd Batt. the Buffs. 3rd Batt. the King's Own (Royal Lancaster). 5th Batt. Royal Fusiliers. 3rd Batt. South Stafford. 3rd Batt. West Yorkshire. 3rd Batt. Loyal North Lancashire. 3rd Batt. Oxford Light Infantry. 3rd Batt. Northamptons. 3rd Batt. Royal Berkshire. 3rd Batt. Wiltshire.

MEDITERRANEAN, 1901-02.

The above honour is borne on the colours of the following regiments, in recognition of their services in performing garrison duty in the Mediterranean during the South African War of 1899-1902. For these services they were also granted a medal.

3rd Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers. 5th Batt. Royal Fusiliers 3rd Loyal North Lancashire. 3rd Batt. West Yorkshire. 3rd Batt. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. 3rd Royal West Kent. 3rd Batt. Seaforth Highlanders. 5th Batt. Royal Munster Fusiliers.

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II. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN NORTHERN EUROPE, 1695-1709

Namur, 1695--Blenheim, 1704--Ramillies, 1706--Oudenarde, 1708--Malplaquet, 1709.

NAMUR, 1695.

In the month of February, 1910, an Army Order was published announcing that His Majesty King Edward VII. had been graciously pleased to approve of the following regiments being permitted to bear the honorary distinction "Namur, 1695" upon their colours, in recognition of services rendered during the siege and capture of that city, 215 years previously:

Grenadier Guards. Coldstream Guards. Scots Guards. Royal Scots. Queen's (Royal West Surrey). King's Own (Lancasters). Royal Warwicks. Royal Fusiliers. West Yorkshire. Bedfords. Leicesters. Royal Irish. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. King's Own Scottish Borderers.

Previously to this date the only regiment which in any way commemorated its association with the siege of Namur was the 18th (Royal Irish), which was entitled to bear on its colours the words "Virtutis Namurcensis præmium," and which had received the title of the "Royal Regiment of Ireland" from King William himself for its conduct at the storming of that fortress. There was no good reason why the Royal Irish should have been honoured above its fellows. The details of the operations at Namur were open to all the world, and the casualties suffered by other corps showed that they too had borne their fair share of the fighting.

Namur was one of the many fortified towns in Flanders which had fallen into the hands of the French during our struggles with that nation in the closing years of the seventeenth century. King William's military operations had not been attended with any marked degree of success. His troops, despite the gallantry of the English regiments, had been worsted at Steenkirk, Landen, and many other fights, and in the ranks of our own regiments there was a very decided feeling that our friends the Dutch were prone to throw the brunt of the hard work on us, and were not too eager to afford us that assistance in action which we had a right to expect. A glance at the casualty lists which follow the various actions--the names of which are inscribed on our colours--proves the truth of this statement. Whether at Namur, Dettingen, Emsdorff, in Flanders or in Spain, the British regiments were invariably expected to pull the chestnuts out of the fire for their allies.

The Siege of Namur commenced on July 3, 1695, and three days later King William determined to carry the outworks by assault. The Guards attacked on the right, the Royal Scots and Royal Fusiliers on the left. The assault was perfectly successful, but the loss was enormous, the Brigade of Guards losing thirty-two officers, the Royal Scots and Royal Fusiliers ten. A few days later, after the fire of the batteries had opened a practicable breach in the walls near the St. Nicholas Gateway, the British were again called upon to carry this work. This they did with a loss of 800 killed and wounded. Then came the final assault on the citadel, for which the Leicesters, the Royal Irish, and Mackay's and Buchan's Highlanders were told off. These two last are no longer with us. These four battalions lost 63 officers and 925 men killed and wounded. But the day was ours, and with the fall of the citadel Namur once more passed into the possession of the House of Orange.

Although the Army Order of February, 1910, only grants the distinction to infantry regiments, there were a number of British cavalry regiments employed in covering operations during the siege. There were the 1st and 2nd Life and the Royal Horse Guards, all seven regiments of Dragoon Guards, the Royal Dragoons, Scots Greys, 4th Hussars, 5th Lancers, and 7th Hussars. I regret I have not been able to ascertain the losses they suffered. Those of the infantry were as follows:

CASUALTIES AT THE SIEGE AND ASSAULT OF NAMUR, 1695.

+-----------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Grenadier Gds. | 6 | 12 | 152 | 298 | |Coldstream Gds. | 4 | 9 | 101 | 193 | |Scots Guards | 3 | 4 | 51 | 60 | |Royal Scots | 6 | 5 | 62 | 109 | |2nd Queens | 2 | 4 | 54 | 46 | |3rd Buffs | - | 1 | 8 | 47 | |4th K.O. (Lancaster Regt.) | 3 | 4 | 46 | 59 | |6th R. Warwick | 2 | 3 | 66 | 40 | |7th R. Fusiliers | 1 | 3 | 33 | 58 | |14th W. Yorks | 5 | 5 | 47 | 82 | |16th Bedfords | 2 | 2 | 56 | 77 | |17th Leicesters | 4 | 8 | 101 | 149 | |18th Roy. Irish | 12 | 13 | 86 | 185 | |19th Yorkshire | - | - | 8 | 11 | |23rd Roy. Welsh Fusiliers | 6 | 15 | 92 | 123 | |25th K.O. Scottish Borderers | 7 | 4 | 79 | 95 | |27th R. Innis. | - | 3 | 44 | 25 | |Mackay's Regt. | 2 | 15 | 73 | 126 | |Buchan's Regt. | 4 | 9 | 65 | 140 | |Collingwood's Regt. | 1 | 5 | 77 | 36 | |Saunderson's Regt. | - | 8 | 80 | 128 | |Seymour's Regt. | - | - | 49 | 71 | |Lauder's Regt. | 4 | 2 | 70 | 99 | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

NOTE.--I am indebted to the courtesy of the Army Council for the figures relating to the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards, as well as for the casualties amongst the commissioned ranks of all regiments. I am bound to observe that the figures given by the Army Council do not correspond with a return which I have seen at the Record Office, entitled "Liste des Soldats Morts et blessés devant Namur depuis le Commencement jusqu'à la fin du Siege," which may have been overlooked by the War Office.

THE WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION.

In the month of May, 1701, just two months after the death of William III., we found ourselves involved in war with France, in consequence of the quarrel as to the right of succession in Spain. One hundred and thirty years later a similar cause led to the Franco-German War. In those far-off days England was a Continental Power, and whatever affected the Low Countries affected also the United Kingdom. The Dutch provinces of Flanders lent themselves to attack, and as in the wars under William, so now once more they formed the theatre of war. We had no King to assume the command, and to Marlborough was confided the task of commanding our armies. The Spaniards were no longer our allies, and Spanish Flanders was in the hands of our enemies, adding considerably to the military difficulties. The Dutch, too, showed themselves no more favourably disposed to us than when William of Orange was on the throne, and the whole year of 1701 was wasted in fruitless wrangling. There was infinite jealousy between ourselves and the Prussians and Dutch as to Marlborough's position, and both nations seemed to forget that their troops were but mercenaries, maintained in the field to a very great extent by the subsidies voted by the English Parliament. In 1702 Marlborough found himself in nominal command of about 60,000 men, of whom 12,000 were British soldiers. His freedom of action was much hampered by Dutch Deputies and Prussian jealousies. That year, however, saw him victorious on three occasions: at Venloo, which, after a short siege, was carried by assault in the most gallant manner by the English, led by the noted fire-eater Cutts; at Maestricht, in August, where we lost 4 officers and 132 men killed, 7 officers and 134 men wounded; and at Liège, which was captured with a loss to us of 11 officers and 143 men killed, 20 officers and 360 men wounded. As was the custom in those days, the army went into winter-quarters, whilst the Commander-in-Chief returned to England to face Parliament and secure funds and reinforcements for the coming year.

In 1704 Marlborough determined to carry the war into his enemies' country, and by a masterly movement, worthy of Napoleon in his best days, transferred the scene of operations from the Valley of the Meuse to that of the Danube, and on June 21, 1704, gained a brilliant victory at Schellenberg, on the banks of that river--a name that might well be borne on the colours and appointments of the sixteen regiments which bore such a distinguished part in the fight. I append the casualty lists of the losses incurred in this now almost forgotten battle, which surely deserves recognition.

CASUALTIES AT SCHELLENBERG, JUNE 21, 1704.

+------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Scots Greys | 1 | 2 | 7 | 17 | |5th Lancers | - | 2 | 4 | 19 | |Grenadier Gds. | 4 | 8 | 82 | 135 | |Royal Scots | 5 | 25 | 115 | 302 | |Buffs | 2 | - | 3 | 37 | |King's Liverpool Regt. | 1 | 2 | 5 | 33 | |Lincolns | 1 | - | 13 | 39 | |East Yorkshire | - | 3 | 10 | 22 | |Bedfords | 2 | 3 | 30 | 34 | |Royal Irish | - | 4 | 12 | 36 | |Royal Scots Fusiliers | - | 3 | - | - | |Royal Welsh Fusiliers | 5 | 11 | 66 | 162 | |24th S. Wales Borderers | 1 | 4 | 29 | 44 | |26th Cameronians | - | 2 | 19 | 60 | |37th Hampshire | 4 | 10 | 17 | 61 | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Marlborough, in conjunction with the Prince Eugène of Savoy, now pushed up to the vicinity of Munich, and there is little doubt, had he been in possession of a sufficient artillery force, that the capital of Bavaria would have fallen into his hands. He had with him but thirty-five guns of the Royal Artillery, and he felt compelled to relinquish the attempt. Falling back, he attacked the Allies at Blenheim, where again the British troops covered themselves with glory.

BLENHEIM, AUGUST 2, 1704.

This battle honour has been conferred on the

King's Dragoon Guards. 3rd Dragoon Guards. 5th Dragoon Guards. Carabiniers. 7th Dragoon Guards. 5th Lancers. Royal Scots Greys. Royal Scots. Grenadier Guards. King's Liverpool Regiment. Buffs. East Yorkshire. Lincolns. Royal Irish. Bedfords. South Wales Borderers. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Hampshire. Cameronians.

A medal to commemorate this victory was struck by order of Queen Anne, but, unfortunately, no lists of the losses suffered by regiments as regards the rank and file have been preserved, or, if preserved, they have been lost sight of. We know from contemporary journals that there were eighteen squadrons and fourteen battalions of British troops engaged, and that the total casualties amounted to 51 officers and 625 men killed, 147 officers and 1,381 men wounded, the casualties amongst the officers being--

CASUALTIES AT BLENHEIM.

+------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |King's Dragoon Guards | - | - |} | | |3rd Dragoon Guards | 3 | 5 |} | | |5th Dragoon Guards | 1 | - |} 93 | 156 | |Carabiniers | 5 | 5 |} | | |7th Dragoon Guards | 3 | 3 |} | | | | | | | | |Royal Dragoons | - | - |} | | |Scots Greys | - | - |} | | |5th Lancers | - | - |} 10 | 22 | |Grenadier Gds. | 1 | 5 |} | | |Royal Scots | 3 | 8 |} | | | | | | | | |Buffs | 3 | 9 | - | - | |King's Liverpool | 1 | 3 | - | - | |Lincolns | 8 | 9 | - | - | |East Yorkshire | 5 | 13 | - | - | |Bedfords | 4 | 12 | - | - | |Royal Irish | 4 | 10 | 57 | 96 | |Royal Scots Fusiliers | 5 | 12 | - | - | |Royal Welsh Fusiliers | - | 9 | - | - | |South Wales Borderers | 3 | 9 | 84 | - | |Cameronians | 5 | 13 | - | - | |Hampshire | - | 3 | - | - | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Seldom has there been a victory more complete. Twenty-four battalions surrendered en bloc, the total number of prisoners aggregating upwards of 11,000, amongst them being two General officers; 124 guns and 109 stand of colours also fell into our hands. Ireland is now an integral portion of the British Empire, and Irish soldiers have in all our campaigns fought with stubborn determination on our side. So, too, the Royal Irish covered itself with glory on this day, as it has ever done when fighting for us. At the same time, it is worthy of note that the fiercest of our opponents at Blenheim were the regiments of the Irish Brigade in the pay of the King of France.

Marlborough now retraced his steps to the Low Countries, and once more prepared to oppose the French in the field and the Dutch in the Council. The whole of the following year was spent in futile attempts to organize a successful series of military movements in face of the persistent antagonism of our Dutch colleagues.

RAMILLIES, MAY 12, 1706.

A medal was struck to commemorate this victory, which is inscribed on the colours and appointments of the following regiments:

1st King's Dragoon Guards. 3rd Dragoon Guards. 5th Dragoon Guards. 6th Carabiniers. 7th Dragoon Guards. 5th R.I. Lancers. Royal Scots Greys. Grenadier Guards. Royal Scots. Buffs. Liverpool Regiment. Lincolns. East Yorkshire. Bedfords. Royal Irish. Royal Scots Fusiliers. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. South Wales Borderers. Cameronians. Gloucesters. Worcester. Hampshire.

Though inscribed on our colours, there were but few British troops actually under fire at the Battle of Ramillies. On the cavalry fell the task of converting a victory into a rout, and to this end the six regiments of British dragoons enumerated above were worthily employed, their trophies being 56 guns, 80 stand of colours, and 2,000 prisoners. No regimental lists of casualties have been preserved, but it would appear that the Cameronians lost two officers killed, and that the cavalry in the pursuit lost 384 of all ranks killed and wounded.

Ramillies was not the only success that attended our arms in Flanders during the year 1706, and it is difficult to understand why it alone should have been selected for recognition. The whole of Flanders in those days was studded with fortresses, under cover of which the French lay secure. To capture these was a necessity, and one by one they fell into our hands. In the months of August, Menin, after a siege of six weeks, was carried by assault, our loss being 32 officers and 551 men killed, 80 officers and 1,944 men wounded; the regiments which took part in the siege and assault being the Scots Greys, the 3rd and 5th Dragoon Guards, the King's, Liverpool Regiment, the Lincolns, the Royal Irish, and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the latter losing fifteen officers killed and wounded.

CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLE OF RAMILLIES.

+------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |King's Dragoon Guards | | | | | |3rd Dragoon Guards | | | | | |5th Dragoon Guards | | | | | |Carabiniers | | | | | |7th Dragoon Guards | | | | | |Grenadier Gds. | | | | | |Coldstream Gds. | | | | | |Royal Scots | | | | | |Buffs | | | | | |King's Liverpool Regt. | | | | | |Lincolns | | | | | |East Yorkshire | | | | | |Bedfords | | | | | |Royal Irish | - | - | 4 | 6 | |Royal Scots Fusiliers | | | | | |Royal Welsh Fusiliers | | | | | |24th S. Wales Borderers | | | | | |26th Cameronians | 2 | - | - | - | |28th Gloucester | | | | | |29th Worcester | | | | | |37th Hampshire | | | | | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

NOTE.--I have left the tables of casualties blank in the hope that some more diligent searcher after truth may be fortunate enough to find the missing details.

OUDENARDE, JUNE 30, 1708.

This, again, was one of those victories to commemorate which a medal was struck by order of Her Majesty Queen Anne, whilst a century and three-quarters later the name "Oudenarde" was inscribed on the colours and appointments of the following regiments, by order of Her Majesty Queen Victoria:

1st King's Dragoon Guards. 3rd Dragoon Guards. 5th Dragoon Guards. Carabiniers. 7th Dragoon Guards. Scots Greys. 5th Lancers. Grenadier Guards. Coldstream Guards. Royal Scots. King's Liverpool Regiment. Buffs. Lincolns. East Yorkshire. Bedfords. Royal Irish. Royal Scots Fusiliers. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Cameronians. South Wales Borderers. Hampshire Regiment.

The year 1707 was wasted, owing to the opposition of the Dutch and the treachery of the Austrians. The French were accordingly enabled by the early spring of 1708 to mass an army of 100,000 men in Flanders. To face them the Allies could bring but 80,000; but the weight of Marlborough's name and the few thousand British veteran troops in his army made up for this deficiency; and when, after a series of the most brilliant manœuvres, the Duke at last met the French at Oudenarde, he at any rate had no doubt as to the result.

At Oudenarde, as at Ramillies, the British troops were not heavily engaged, their losses numbering 4 officers and 41 men killed, 17 officers and 160 men wounded.

Lille, the capital of French Flanders, was Marlborough's next objective. The difficulties attendant on the siege were enormous, owing to the swampy nature of the neighbourhood and the strength of the fortifications. In spite of being some 10,000 men inferior to the French mobile army, Marlborough determined to essay the task, and from the month of August to October there were five British battalions actively employed in the siege, the rest of the army being engaged in covering the operations and holding in check 96,000 French who were endeavouring to find an opening to save the fortress. On October 11 the place was carried by assault, our losses during the operations having been 17 officers and 447 men killed, 82 officers and 1,093 men wounded. The Bedfords, Royal Irish, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and the South Wales Borderers, were the regiments which would be entitled to this distinction. To commemorate the capture of Lille, Queen Anne caused a medal to be struck, but the name is not on our colours.

CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLE OF OUDENARDE, JUNE 30, 1708.

+--------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |1st King's Dragoon Guards | | | | | |3rd Dragoon Guards | | | | | |5th Dragoon Guards | | | | | |6th Carabiniers | | | | | |7th Dragoon Guards | | | | | |Scots Greys | | | | | |5th Lancers | | | | | |Grenadier Gds. | 2 | - | - | - | |Coldstream Gds. | | | | | |Royal Artillery | | | | | |Royal Scots | | | | | |3rd Buffs | | | | | |8th Roy. Liverpool Regt. | | | | | |10th Lincoln | | | | | |15th E. Yorkshire | | | | | |16th Bedford | | | | | |18th Roy. Irish | 1 | - | 8 | 12 | |21st Roy. Scots Fusiliers | | | | | |23rd Roy. Welsh Fusiliers | | | | | |24th S. Wales Borderers | | | | | |26th Cameronians | | | | | |37th Hampshire | | | | | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

NOTE.--According to the published Diary of Private Deane, the Grenadier Guards lost 2 officers killed at Oudenarde, but no detailed list of casualties is forthcoming.

MALPLAQUET, SEPTEMBER 11, 1709.

A medal was struck by Queen Anne to commemorate this victory, and in the reign of Queen Victoria the regiments which were present were permitted to add the name "Malplaquet" to the other distinctions won in more recent battles:

1st King's Dragoon Guards. 3rd Dragoon Guards. 5th Dragoon Guards. Carabiniers. 7th Dragoon Guards. Royal Scots Greys. 5th Lancers. Grenadier Guards. Coldstream Guards. Royal Scots. Buffs. King's Liverpool Regiment. Lincolns. East Yorkshire. Bedfords. Royal Irish. Yorkshire Regiment. Royal Scots Fusiliers. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. South Wales Borderers. Cameronians. Hampshire Regiment.

Prior to the Battle of Malplaquet, the Royal Scots, the Buffs, and the Hampshires had been actively employed at the siege and capture of the Fortress of Tournay, in which they suffered heavily; but no distinction was awarded for this siege, save a medal struck by Queen Anne, the word "Tournay" borne by the West Yorkshire, the Hampshire, and the Shropshire, being granted for the action, which took place in the same neighbourhood in 1794, and which I have dealt with on page 94.

Leaving a force to level the fortifications of Tournay, which was looked upon as one of the masterpieces of the great master, Vauban, Marlborough moved towards Mons, where the French, under Marshal Villars, lay with 95,000 men. Their position was a most formidable one. From the forest of Laignieres to the wood of Blangier (a distance of three miles) a series of entrenchments had been thrown up, following the sinuosities of the ground. In advance of this position a number of formidable redans had been constructed, in some of which as many as twenty guns were placed. Fortune, however, favoured the allies in many ways. In front of the position, but out of cannon shot, were the woods of Sart, which enabled Marlborough to conceal his intended movements from the French; whilst the nature of the ground in rear of the French entrenchment prevented Marshal Villars from making any use of his cavalry in the early stages of the fight. On this occasion at any rate we had no reason to complain of the conduct of our allies. The Dutch, under the Duke of Orange, fought with unaccustomed gallantry, whilst the Germans showed that they were not disposed to allow the English to carry off all the honours of the day. Of the details of the battle but little is known, except that it was one of the bloodiest ever fought, scarcely exceeded even by the passage of the Beresina. Although we were the victors, there is no doubt that our losses were greater than those of the French. Sixteen guns and twenty colours remained in our hands. The twenty British battalions engaged lost 36 officers and 571 men killed, 66 officers and 1,281 men wounded.

There were many more occasions in which we crossed swords with the French in Flanders before peace was declared. At Douai, Bethune, and Bouchain, our troops suffered severely, but no honorary distinctions were granted for any of these fights, so they do not fall within the scope of this chapter.

Unfortunately, the lists of regimental losses of non-commissioned officers and men have not been preserved, and all it is possible to give, with any degree of accuracy, are the number of officers killed, and, to a certain extent, of men wounded at Malplaquet.

CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLE OF MALPLAQUET, SEPTEMBER 11, 1709.

+--------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |1st King's Dragoon Guards | 1 | - | - | - | |3rd Dragoon Guards | - | - | - | - | |5th Dragoon Guards | - | - | - | - | |6th Carabiniers | - | - | - | - | |7th Dragoon Guards | - | - | - | - | |Scots Greys | - | - | - | - | |5th Lancers | - | - | - | - | |Grenadier Gds. | 1 | 2 | - | - | |Coldstream Guards | 5 | 2 | - | - | |Royal Scots | 1 | 3 | - | - | |3rd Buffs | 6 | 9 | - | - | |King's Liverpool | 1 | 8 | - | - | |10th Lincoln | - | 2 | - | - | |15th East Yorks | 3 | - | 2 | 62 | |16th Bedford | - | 4 | - | 50 | |18th Roy. Irish | - | - | - | - | |19th Yorkshire Regiment | - | - | - | - | |21st Roy. Scots Fusiliers | 5 | 3 | - | - | |23rd Roy. Welsh Fusiliers | 3 | 7 | - | - | |24th S. Wales Borderers | - | - | - | - | |26th Cameronians | 4 | 3 | - | - | |37th Hampshire | 1 | - | - | - | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

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III. BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN NORTHERN EUROPE, 1743-1762

Dettingen--Minden--Emsdorff--Warburg--Wilhelmstahl.

DETTINGEN, JUNE 27, 1743.

This battle honour is now borne by the following regiments:

1st Life Guards. 2nd Life Guards. Royal Horse Guards. 1st King's Dragoon Guards. 7th Dragoon Guards. 1st Royal Dragoons. Scots Greys. 3rd Hussars. 4th Hussars. 6th Inniskillings. 7th Hussars. Grenadier Guards. Coldstream Guards. Scots Guards. Buffs. King's Liverpool Regiment. Devons. Suffolk. Somerset Light Infantry. Lancashire Fusiliers. Royal Scots Fusiliers. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. East Surrey. Cornwall Light Infantry. West Riding Regiment. Hampshire.

It commemorates the last battle in which a King of England was present in person, the last in which the Order of Knighthood was conferred on the field. The actual command was in the hands of the veteran Earl of Stair, a soldier who had learned the art of war under Marlborough. He had commanded a brigade at Ramillies, and served on the great commander's staff at Blenheim, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet.

We were fighting in support of the claims of Maria Theresa to the throne of Austria. France, on the other hand, was supporting those of the House of Bavaria. Side by side with our own men fought the armies of Austria and Hanover. The field of battle was on the banks of the Main, midway between Darmstadt and Frankfort, hard by the village of Aschaffenburg, where, in the "Seven Weeks' War," the Prussians gained one of their many successes over the Germans of the Southern States. At Dettingen the brunt of the fighting fell on the British, whose losses far exceeded the combined casualties of the allies, the principal sufferers being the 3rd Dragoons, all their officers but two, and more than half their men, being killed or wounded. The heroism of Trooper Brown of this regiment has been handed down to this day, and King George, recognizing his valour, dubbed him Knight-Banneret at the close of the fight, the Commander-in-Chief (the Earl of Stair), and the Honourable J. Campbell, Colonel of the Scots Greys, being similarly honoured. Brown's deed is recorded in the regimental history, but it is little known outside the ranks of what is now the 3rd King's Own Hussars. Three times did this gallant regiment charge into the French massed infantry, outnumbering them four to one; thrice did they overthrow the enemy's horse. Their standards had been torn to ribbons, the staves shot through and riddled. At the close of one charge a colour fell from a dead Cornet's hand and lay abandoned on the ground. Trooper Brown dismounted to recover it, and, as he regained the saddle, a French trooper with a sabre-cut disabled his bridle-hand. His horse bolted with him into the midst of the French army, when the colour was torn from his grasp and borne away by a gendarme. Wounded and faint, but with the lust of battle strong upon him, the dragoon rallied to his flag, cut down the triumphant captor, then, gripping the broken staff between knee and saddle, bore it in safety to the skeleton squadrons of his own corps. Historians ridicule the part played by King George on the field of Dettingen, but we may rely upon it that the British army appreciated the kingly action when, at the close of the day, veteran Field-Marshal and wounded dragoon alike received from their Sovereign the accolade of honour. In these prosaic days the prosperous tradesman receives the knighthood, the wounded dragoon is relegated to the workhouse.

CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLE OF DETTINGEN, JUNE 27, 1743.

+---------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |1st Life Guards | - | 3 | 3 | 4 | |2nd Life Guards | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | |Royal Horse Guards | - | 1 | 8 | 11 | |1st King's Dragoon Guards | 3 | 4 | 8 | 30 | |7th Dragoon Guards | - | 5 | 22 | 31 | |1st Royal Dragoons | - | - | 3 | 3 | |Scots Greys | - | 1 | - | - | |3rd Hussars | 1 | 6 | 41 | 100 | |4th Hussars | - | - | 4 | 5 | |6th Inniskillings | - | - | 2 | 1 | |7th Hussars | 2 | 2 | 2 | 15 | |Royal Artillery | 1 | - | 4 | 8 | |Grenadier Gds. | - | - | - | - | |Coldstream Gds. | - | - | - | - | |Scots Guards | - | - | - | - | |3rd Buffs | - | - | 3 | 3 | |8th King's Liverpool Regt. | 1 | 2 | 6 | 30 | |11th Devons | - | 2 | 11 | 28 | |12th Suffolk | 2 | 3 | 27 | 65 | |13th Somerset L.I. | - | 2 | 21 | 30 | |20th Lancashire Fusiliers | - | - | 1 | 2 | |21st Roy. Scots Fusiliers | 1 | 1 | 36 | 55 | |23rd Roy. Welsh Fusiliers | 1 | 1 | 15 | 27 | |31st E. Surrey | - | - | - | 1 | |32nd Cornwall L.I. | - | 1 | - | 3 | |33rd W. Riding Regt. | 4 | - | 26 | 50 | |37th Hampshire | - | 1 | 4 | 14 | +---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

The Brigade of Guards, though bearing the honour, were not actually engaged at Dettingen.

NOTE.--Lieutenant Shaw of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers was promoted to a Lieutenant-Colonelcy in the Marines for gallantry at Dettingen.

MINDEN, AUGUST 1, 1759.

The following six regiments bear this honour:

Suffolks. Lancashire Fusiliers. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. King's Own Scottish Borderers. Hampshire. King's Own Yorkshire L.I.

As at Dettingen, so at Minden, the British troops were acting in support of foreign allies. At the former we were supporting the cause of Austria against France, at the latter we were assisting Frederick the Great in his campaign against the combined forces of France and Austria. Our troops were under the command of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, whose rôle it was to prevent Hanover (then an appanage of the British Crown) from being overrun by the French. In addition to the above regiments, there were present fifteen squadrons of English cavalry under Lord George Sackville, and four batteries of artillery under Captains Foy, Phillips, Drummond, and MacBean. The fruits of the victory and the glory of the day were marred by the inaction of the British cavalry, due to the supineness or something worse of Lord George Sackville. The feature was the majestic advance of the British infantry under Brigadiers Waldegrave and Kingsley, and the magnificent manner in which the four batteries of artillery followed the retreating French, converting an orderly retirement into a disorderly rout.

CASUALTIES AT MINDEN.

+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | |Suffolk | 3 | 14 | 82 | 190 | |Lancs Fusiliers | 6 | 11 | 80 | 224 | |Royal Welsh Fusiliers | - | 10 | 35 | 161 | |K.O. Scottish Borderers | - | 7 | 19 | 119 | |37th Hampshire | 3 | 12 | 43 | 188 | |51st K.O. Yorkshire L.I. | 1 | 9 | 20 | 78 | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

On the morning after the battle Prince Ferdinand addressed a personal letter to Captain MacBean of the "Royal British Artillery," in which he said: "It is to you and your brigade that I am indebted for having silenced the fire of a battery of the enemy, which extremely galled the troops."

Still further to show his appreciation of the services of the Royal Artillery, the Prince ordered the Paymaster-General to hand 1,000 crowns to Captain Phillips, and 500 each to Captain MacBean, Drummond, Williams, and Foy, for distribution amongst their men.

Concerning the Marquis of Granby, he wrote: "Had he (Lord Granby) been at the head of the cavalry of the Royal King, his presence would, I am persuaded, have greatly contributed to have made our success more complete and more brilliant."

EMSDORFF, JULY 16, 1760.

This distinction is borne only by the

15th Hussars,

and commemorates their association with a body of German troops in Prince Ferdinand's campaign against the French, the opening action of which was Minden. A French division, consisting of six battalions with a regiment of hussars, was surprised by a force of similar strength under Prince Ferdinand, and by sundown the "King's" Hussars had gained for the Allies a glorious victory. It was to the 15th, and to the 15th alone, that the credit of the day was due. It was their baptême de feu, and well may they pride themselves on their conduct at Emsdorff. Their gallantry was the theme of the whole army, and the recollection of it has stood them in good stead on many a hard-fought field. As Fortescue so generously writes: "The traditions of charging home remained with the regiment, and doubtless remains with it to this day."

In his official despatch Prince Ferdinand bears high testimony to the very distinguished services rendered by the 15th. After describing the action and the conduct of the troops generally, the Prince wrote: "Particularly to Eliott's regiment, which was allowed by everybody present to have done wonders.

"H.S.H. the Prince could not enough commend to the Duke the bravery, good conduct, and good countenance, with which that regiment fought."

In addition to the 15th, a regiment of Hanoverian cavalry and five battalions of Hanoverian infantry were engaged at Emsdorff, their total casualties being 8 men killed, 2 officers and 52 men wounded. The total losses of the French were never ascertained, but that evening the prisoners numbered 2 Generals and 177 other officers, with 2,482 non-commissioned officers and men, whilst 9 stand of colours and 5 guns remained in our hands. The 15th have good reason to be proud of the battle honour "Emsdorff." Their casualties were 2 officers and 73 non-commissioned officers and men killed, 2 officers and 48 of other ranks wounded, their casualties in horses being 168 killed and wounded.

WARBURG, JULY 31, 1760.

It was not until the close of the year 1909, just 150 years after the battle, that the cavalry regiments which took part in this brilliant action were authorized to bear on their colours and appointments the battle honour "Warburg." Why the infantry regiments which bore the brunt of the fighting should be denied this distinction is not for me to tell. The regiments now honoured are the

Royal Horse Guards. King's Dragoon Guards. Queen's Bays. 3rd Dragoon Guards. Carabiniers. 7th Dragoon Guards. 1st Royal Dragoons. Scots Greys. Inniskillings. 7th Hussars. 10th Hussars. 11th Hussars.

At Emsdorff, just a fortnight previously, the 15th Hussars had nobly retrieved the slur which had been cast on the British cavalry owing to the unfortunate behaviour of Lord George Sackville at Minden. At Warburg the mass of the cavalry under Lord Granby had an opportunity of showing that they were by no means behind the 15th in dash or steadiness. De Muy, the French Commander, occupied a very strong position in a bend of the River Diemel. His right resting on the village of Warburg. The British infantry, consisting of one brigade of four battalions under the command of Colonel Beckwith of Kingsley's Regiment (now the Lancashire Fusiliers) attacked in two columns. The right, under Major Maxwell of the Lancashire Fusiliers, consisted of the Grenadier companies of the Suffolks, Lancashire Fusiliers, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Scottish Borderers, 37th (Hampshire), and 51st (King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry). On its outer flank was the Heavy Cavalry Brigade under Lord Granby. The left infantry column was under Major Daulhat of the West Riding Regiment; this comprised the flank companies of the Northumberland Fusiliers, the King's Liverpool Regiment, the Devons, the South Wales Borderers, the 33rd (West Riding Regiment), and the 50th (West Kent). On Daulhat's left were the light cavalry under General Mostyn, the 7th Hussars leading. In support came the two regiments of Highlanders, Keith's and Campbell's.[3] Between the two infantry columns were three troops of Horse Artillery, under Captains Phillips, MacBean, and Stephens; these earned Prince Ferdinand's highest praise for their dash and the accuracy of their fire. Some delay occurred in supporting the attack of the British infantry, who alone sustained the early stages of the action; and the Prince ordered Lord Granby to move round the rear of the columns and press home an attack on the French right rear. Granby was a different stamp of leader to Lord George Sackville. Two hours at the trot brought him within striking distance of the French. Then, forming his six regiments of heavy cavalry in two brigades, and supporting them with Mostyn's Light Dragoons, charged straight home. The French never waited the attack, save three squadrons which stood firm and which were cut to pieces. The main portion of the French cavalry turned and fled. Ordering Mostyn to follow these up, Granby (always well to the front) wheeled the heavies to the right, and threw himself on the right rear of De Muy's infantry. These, like the cavalry, broke, throwing down their arms and making for the ford across the Diemel in their rear. Our artillery now came up at the gallop, and effectually prevented any attempt at reforming on the part of the beaten foe. The loss in our cavalry was trifling. That of the French amounted to nearly 8,000 killed, wounded, and prisoners, whilst 12 guns remained in our hands as trophies of war at Warburg.

CASUALTIES AT WARBURG.

+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Horse Guards | - | 1 | 2 | 6 | |King's Dragoon Guards | - | 1 | 7 | 28 | |Queen's Bays | - | 3 | 12 | 11 | |3rd Dragoon G. | - | - | 1 | 5 | |Carabiniers | - | - | 3 | 3 | |7th Dragoon G. | - | 2 | 4 | 3 | |Royal Dragoons | - | - | 8 | 12 | |Scots Greys | - | - | 1 | - | |Inniskillings | - | - | 2 | 3 | |7th Hussars | - | - | 1 | - | |10th Hussars | 2 | - | 2 | 10 | |11th Hussars | - | - | 3 | 2 | |Royal Artillery | - | - | 2 | 7 | |Northumberland Fusiliers | - | 2 | 4 | 26 | |King's Liverpool Regt. | - | 1 | 4 | 13 | |Devons | - | - | 12 | 21 | |Suffolks | 1 | 1 | 15 | 35 | |Lancs. Fusiliers | - | 1 | 15 | 38 | |Royal Welsh Fusiliers | - | 2 | 12 | 19 | |24th S. Wales Borderers | 1 | 1 | - | - | |K.O. Scottish Borderers | - | 1 | 8 | 25 | |W. Kent Riding Regt. | - | - | 5 | 33 | |Hampshire | - | 2 | 10 | 20 | |Royal W. Kent | - | - | 4 | 14 | |K.O. Yorkshire L.I. | - | 1 | 9 | 23 | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

For his services at Minden, Major Daulhat was given the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 51st (King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry), and his battalion of Grenadiers was placed under Major Welsh, of the 11th (Devons), who commanded it at Wilhelmstahl.

In his official report of the action to King George, Prince Ferdinand wrote:

"The English artillery got up at a gallop and seconded the attack in the most spirited manner. All the troops have done well, and particularly the English."

* * * * *

"The loss on our side is very numerous, and falls chiefly upon the brave battalions of Maxwell's Grenadiers, which did wonders. Colonel Beckwith, who commanded the Brigade of English Grenadiers and Scotch Highlanders, distinguished himself greatly, and is badly wounded in the head. My Lord Granby with the English cavalry contributed extremely to the success of the day."

This casualty return exemplifies the lack of system in the method of distributing battle honours. The losses in the cavalry amounted to 129 killed and wounded, in the infantry to 376, yet the latter have no "distinction" to show the part they played at Warburg.

WILHELMSTAHL, JUNE 24, 1762.

The Northumberland Fusiliers

is the only regiment authorized to bear this honour; but here, as in so many other instances, it is difficult to understand why one regiment should be singled out for a battle honour to the exclusion of others which have borne an equally meritorious part in the same engagement.

Wilhelmstahl was one of the closing actions in Prince Ferdinand's campaigns. As at Warburg, the Valley of the Diemel was the scene of the fight, and, as at Warburg, the honours of the day rested with the English. The French, some 70,000 strong, had their right resting on the forest of Rheinhardswald, with their headquarters at the village of Wilhelmstahl. Ferdinand detached Generals Luckner and Sporcke to attack the flank of the enemy, whilst he with the ten battalions of English infantry--some Brunswickers and Hessians--supported by Lord Granby's cavalry, made a direct attack on their front. With the other columns I have no concern. That under the personal command of the Prince consisted of the three battalions of the Brigade of Guards--one of Grenadiers, one of the Coldstreams, and one of the Scots Guards; a brigade under Colonel Beckwith, of the 20th (Lancashire Fusiliers), comprising a composite battalion, made up of the flank companies of the Brigade of Guards, a second battalion of the grenadier companies of the Northumberland Fusiliers, the 8th (King's), 11th (Devons), 24th (South Wales Borderers), the 33rd (West Riding Regiment), and the 50th (Royal West Kent), commanded by Major Welsh, of the Devons. The third battalion in Beckwith's brigade was under Major Maxwell, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, and was made up of the flank companies of the Suffolks, Lancashire Fusiliers, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, King's Own Scottish Borderers, 37th (Hampshire Regiment), and the 51st (King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry). The 5th (Northumberland Fusiliers), 8th (King's Liverpool Regiment), and the two Highland regiments of Keith and Campbell (then the 87th and 88th), completed the English portion of Prince Ferdinand's column.

The combined movement was well executed. The central column was in presence of the enemy before they had the least apprehension of being attacked. Finding themselves threatened in front, flank, and rear, they struck their tents and fell back in some confusion. Prince Ferdinand, to quote an officer who was present, "pursued and pressed upon them as close as possible. They would have been entirely routed had not Monsieur de Stainville thrown himself forward with the Grenadiers of France, the Royal Grenadiers, and the Regiment of Aquitaine (the flower of the French infantry), to cover their retreat. His resolution cost him dear, his whole infantry having been either killed or dispersed after a very gallant defence. Two battalions only succeeded in escaping. Some of these troops surrendered to Lord Granby's cavalry, and when the infantry came up, the remainder, after one fire, laid down their arms to the 5th Fusiliers, having been driven out of the forest at the point of the bayonet by Beckwith's Grenadiers." Amongst the prisoners taken were 58 officers of the Grenadiers of France, 38 of the Royal Grenadiers, and 22 of the Regiment of Aquitaine, "the flower of the French army." In all 162 officers and 2,570 men.

In his official despatch Prince Ferdinand wrote:

"All the troops behaved exceedingly well, and showed great zeal and willingness, but particularly the battalions of Grenadiers belonging to Colonel Beckwith's brigade, which distinguished themselves exceedingly."

CASUALTIES AT WILHELMSTAHL.

+------------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Horse Guards | - | - | 1 | 5 | |15th Hussars | - | - | 2 | 3 | |Royal Artillery | 1 | - | 2 | 5 | |Grenadier Gds. | 1 | - | 8 | 28 | |Coldstream Gds. | - | - | 9 | 11 | |Scots Guards | - | - | 11 | 17 | |Grenadier Batt. of the Guards | - | 1 | 8 | 25 | |King's Liverpool | - | - | - | 1 | |Northumberland Fusiliers | 1 | - | 1 | 11 | |Welsh's Gren. | - | - | 3 | 41 | |Maxwell's Gren. | 2 | - | 3 | 58 | |Keith's Highlanders (87th) | - | - | 9 | 23 | |Campbell's Highlanders (88th) | - | - | 5 | 22 | |Fraser's Chasseurs | - | - | 1 | 12 | +------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

An artillery officer who was present wrote of the battle:

"They [the French] were fairly surprised, and our troops behaved with a bravery not to be paralleled in history, especially our Grenadiers and Highlanders, who sent prisoners, I dare say, more than double their own numbers out of the forest. The 5th Regiment behaved nobly, and took prisoners about twice their own number. We had the misfortune to lose Lieutenant Cock (an officer of our regiment, and as pretty an officer as any in the army) by a cannon-shot, which took off his head."

The casualties in the British regiments amounted to 54 killed and 249 wounded; those of the allies, only to 144 killed and wounded.

The surrender of the French Grenadiers to the old "Fighting Fifth" is commemorated by the Fusilier or, rather Grenadier, cap, which at one time was worn only by the Northumberland Fusiliers. Now, however, all Fusilier regiments share this honour with the Northumberlands.

Studying the above list in conjunction with Prince Ferdinand's despatch gives rise to the question, Why should the Northumberland Fusiliers alone bear the battle honour "Wilhelmstahl"?

NOTE.--During the years 1756-1762 the annual subsidies voted by the English Parliament to enable the Prussian armies to keep the field amounted to £670,000, aggregating £3,350,000. During the same period England paid for the upkeep of the armies of Hesse-Cassel £2,631,438.

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Chapter IV

BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, 1758-1814

Louisburg, 1758--Quebec, 1759--Monte Video, 1807--Detroit, August 12, 1812--Miami, April 23, 1813--Niagara, July 25, 1814--Bladensburg, October 24, 1814.

LOUISBURG, JULY 25, 1758.

The following regiments are authorized to bear this honour:

Royal Scots. East Yorkshire. Leicester. Cheshire. Gloucester. Royal Sussex. South Lancashire. Sherwood Foresters. North Lancashire. Northampton. King's Royal Rifles. Wiltshire.

It commemorates the siege and capture of the fortress of Louisburg (Cape Breton's Island, North America) from the French in July, 1758. The army, which was under the command of General the Lord Amherst, numbered 12,000 of all ranks, and was distributed as follows:

First Brigade--Brigadier Whitmore: 1st Royal Scots, 22nd (Cheshires), 40th (South Lancashire), 48th (Northampton), and 3rd Batt. 60th (King's Royal Rifles).

Second Brigade--Brigadier James Wolfe: 17th (Leicester), 35th (Royal Sussex), 47th (Loyal North Lancashire), and 2nd Batt. 60th (King's Royal Rifles).

Third Brigade--Brigadier Lawrence: 15th (East Yorkshire), 28th (Gloucester), 45th (Sherwood Foresters), and 58th (Northampton).

The grenadiers and light companies of the various regiments were, as was customary in those days, organized into separate battalions. The force, which was convoyed by twenty-three ships of the line, under Admiral Boscawen, on which the 62nd (Wiltshires) were serving as marines, arrived at Gabarus Bay, a little to the westward of the fortress, on June 8, 1758. The country was well known, for Commodore Sir R. Warren, with some colonial troops, had wrested it from the French in 1745. A reconnaissance revealed three possible landing-places, and, to make assurance trebly sure, Amherst determined to threaten all three, whilst the true attack should be made by Wolfe's brigade, with the grenadier and light infantry battalions, at Freshwater Cove, about three miles from the city.

CASUALTIES AT THE SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF LOUISBURG, JULY 25, 1758.

+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | - | 1 | 4 | 5 | |Royal Scots | 2 | 4 | 13 | 27 | |15th E. Yorks | 2 | 3 | 27 | 26 | |17th Leicester | 1 | 3 | 11 | 33 | |22nd Cheshire | - | 3 | 7 | 15 | |28th Gloucester | - | 1 | 12 | 25 | |35th R. Sussex | - | 4 | ? | ? | |40th S. Lancs | - | 1 | 8 | 21 | |45th Sherwood Foresters | - | - | 10 | 14 | |47th N. Lancs | - | - | 9 | 30 | |48th N'hampton | 1 | 1 | 8 | 17 | |58th N'hampton | - | 1 | 2 | 11 | |60th King's Royal Rifles | 1 | 1 | 24 | 57 | |78th[4] | 4 | 3 | 17 | 41 | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

The landing was stubbornly contested by the French, but, thanks to the gallantry of Major Scott, at the head of the light infantry battalion, Wolfe was enabled to effect his object with a loss of about 100 killed and wounded. Lawrence's brigade was immediately thrown ashore, and by nightfall Amherst had pitched his camp to the westward, and just out of the range of the guns of the fortress. The task of disembarking the siege material was exceedingly arduous, and Amherst, owing to the nature of the ground, was compelled to restrict the siege operations to the western face of the fortress. Wolfe, however, was detached to move round the city, and seize some works on the northern side of the harbour. This he effected with but slight loss, and was enabled by a daring coup de main to occupy a commanding position some 300 yards distant from the northernmost bastion. Thanks to the powerful and cordial co-operation of the fleet, Amherst carried on the bombardment with ceaseless vigour. By the end of July the walls were so battered that they could barely withstand the shock of their own guns, and on the 27th of that month the French General surrendered unconditionally, with 5,600 men.

QUEBEC, SEPTEMBER 12, 1759.

The following regiments are authorized to bear this honour:

Oxford Light Infantry. North Lancashire. Northampton. King's Royal Rifles. East Yorkshire. Royal Sussex. Gloucester.

It commemorates that glorious eleven weeks' campaign which culminated in the capture of Quebec and established British supremacy in Canada. It is doubly memorable owing to the fact that the two opposing commanders, Wolfe and Montcalm, fell in the hour of victory, and that vanquished as well as victor are held in veneration by friend and foe alike.

The capture of Louisburg and the successes over the French in West Africa, as well as on the continent of North America, determined Pitt to carry out the scheme formulated in the preceding year for the capture of Quebec. Wolfe, who had so distinguished himself at Louisburg, was, to the surprise of the army, nominated to the command, having under him three Brigadiers--Monckton, Townsend, and Murray. The former had as a regimental commander shown himself possessed of every capacity for high command. The force, which numbered about 8,000 men, was composed of ten battalions of the line: two of grenadiers, made up from the flank companies of all regiments in North America; two of light infantry; and a corps of local troops styled "Roger's Rangers," men inured to war and of proved capacity. The distribution of the force was as under:

First Brigade--Brigadier Murray: 35th (Royal Sussex), 48th (Northampton), and 3rd Battalion King's Royal Rifles.

Second Brigade--Brigadier Townsend: 28th (Gloucester), 47th (North Lancashire), and 2nd Battalion King's Royal Rifles.

Third Brigade--Brigadier Monckton: 15th (East Yorkshire), 43rd (Oxford Light Infantry), 58th (Northampton), and Fraser's Highlanders.

It was not until June 27 that Wolfe landed, without resistance, on the Island of Orleans, just below Quebec, and on the following day Monckton's brigade, with some heavy guns, was thrown across to the right bank of the St. Lawrence. Emboldened by the passive attitude of the French Commander, who seemed averse to adopt any offensive measures, Wolfe moved the brigades of Murray and Townsend to the left bank of the St. Lawrence, below the French entrenched camp, whilst he himself, still holding on to the Isle of Orleans, threw up batteries on the left bank below the city. This dissemination of his forces constituted a grave danger, but Montcalm took no advantage of such a palpable error. On July 31 a determined attempt to assault the city was repulsed, our loss being upwards of 500 killed and wounded, and the spirits of the besiegers sank to zero. The British Admiral pointed out to Wolfe that the proper course to pursue was to transfer his main force to a position on the right bank of the St. Lawrence, above Quebec, so as to prevent Montcalm from obtaining supplies or reinforcements from Montreal. This proposition was concurred in warmly by the General, and early in September Townsend and Murray took up their new position to the west of the citadel. On September 13 Wolfe, by a most daring midnight movement, scaled the Heights of Abraham, and so encompassed the fall of what was considered an impregnable city. Shot in the wrist early in the fight, the heroic young commander still led on his men, until, just as the French were falling back, he received a second ball in the groin, and finally fell at the head of the 28th (Gloucesters), at the moment of victory. The command now devolved on Townsend (Monckton having been disabled by a severe wound), and he pressed forward the siege with vigour. On September 18 General Ramesay, who had succeeded Montcalm in command of the French, signed the capitulation of a city which was little better than a mass of shapeless ruins. The praise for the capture of Quebec is due to Wolfe; but Quebec was but an incident in the long-drawn-out campaign which resulted in transferring Canada from the Bourbon to British rule, and the credit for this belongs to a General little remembered in these days--General the Lord Amherst.

CASUALTIES DURING THE OPERATIONS AT QUEBEC, 1759.

+-------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Staff | 1 | 5 | - | - | |Royal Artillery | - | - | 1 | 14 | |15th E. Yorks | 1 | 11 | 13 | 107 | |28th Gloucesters | 1 | 7 | 18 | 100 | |35th R. Sussex | 3 | 10 | 29 | 69 | |40th S. Lancashire | 1 | 7 | 1 | 29 | |43rd Oxford L.I. | - | 3 | 12 | 33 | |47th L.N. Lancashire | 1 | 3 | 16 | 49 | |48th N'hampton | 1 | 4 | 13 | 47 | |58th N'hampton | 1 | 8 | 17 | 129 | |60th King's Royal Rifles (3rd Batt.) | 4 | 13 | 22 | 176 | |60th King's Royal Rifles (4th Batt.) | - | 1 | 2 | 30 | |78th Seaforth Highlanders | 3 | 11 | 35 | 138 | |Grenadiers of Louisburg | 1 | 7 | 13 | 112 | |Roger's Rangers | 2 | 2 | 21 | 26 | |Royal Marines | - | - | 8 | 22 | +-------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

MONTE VIDEO, 1807.

A battle honour borne by the

South Staffords. South Lancashire. Royal Irish Fusiliers. Rifle Brigade.

The expedition to South America redounds little to the credit of our arms, and, as is well known, ended in disaster. A few words are necessary as to its inception. Prior to the expedition to the Cape of Good Hope in 1806, the Admiral, Sir Home Popham, who was in command of the naval forces in the South Atlantic, had been at some pains to impress upon Pitt, the Prime Minister, the immense advantages that would accrue to our trade by the conquest of the Spanish possessions in South America; and though it would appear that Popham was not entrusted with any mission in furtherance of his design, there is no doubt that Pitt did look with considerable favour on his proposals, and a force under General Crawford was actually despatched to make a descent on the western shore of the continent, and to occupy Chili or Peru. Popham, however, did not lose sight of his own scheme, which was the conquest of Buenos Ayres; and no sooner were we in possession of the Cape than he persuaded Sir David Baird to place General Beresford, with the 38th (South Staffords) and the 71st (Highland Light Infantry) at his disposal. With these and the St. Helena Regiment, which consisted of an infantry battalion and a company of artillery, Popham sailed across the Atlantic, and early in June appeared off the coast near Monte Video. After reconnoitring Mondanado, Popham decided that an attack on Monte Video was impracticable, and, overcoming the scruples of Beresford, proceeded to Buenos Ayres. The troops were landed a short distance from the city, and, after a short skirmish, the Spaniards, completely surprised, surrendered. The troops engaged at the first capture of Buenos Ayres were the 71st (Highland Light Infantry), a naval brigade, consisting of seamen and marines, and the St. Helena Regiment, the casualties only amounting to 4 men killed, an officer and 15 men wounded.

The Spaniards soon recovered from their surprise, and, realizing the weakness of our force, took measures for the recapture of the city. On August 12 a body of some 12,000 men appeared before Buenos Ayres, and at the end of the day, our men being entangled in the streets, and the 71st having lost 165 killed and wounded, Beresford felt himself obliged to surrender.

When the news of the disaster reached England, reinforcements were at once despatched to the coast, and Baird was ordered to send all troops he could spare from the Cape. The command of the new expedition was entrusted to Sir Samuel Auchmuty, whilst the naval forces were placed under Admiral Sterling, Popham being recalled for the purpose of undergoing trial by court-martial. On arriving at Mondanado, Auchmuty found the troops from the Cape. These were unprovided with artillery, and there was much difficulty in securing the necessary provisions. Meat there was in plenty, but for flour and other food-stuffs the troops were dependent on England. After consultation with the Admiral, it was decided to make an attack on Monte Video as a necessary preliminary to the recapture of Buenos Ayres, and the release of the troops in the hands of the Spaniards (close on 1,500 in number). On January 18, 1807, the force was successfully disembarked at Carretas, some seven miles to the eastward of Monte Video. A reconnaissance proved that the defences of the city were far more formidable than had been reported, and on the 19th the Spaniards made a sortie, in which they displayed a gallantry which our men had by no means anticipated. Heavy guns were landed from the fleet, and breaching batteries erected within 1,000 yards of the citadel. The Admiral also landed upwards of 1,400 seamen and marines to assist the troops. The General did not possess the means for a regular siege, and, risky though the experiment was, he determined to carry the place by storm so soon as a practicable breach was effected. On the night of January 24 Sir Samuel made the preparations for the assault. The storming column was composed of the Rifle Brigade, the light and grenadier companies of all the regiments of the force, with the 38th (South Staffords). The 40th (South Lancashire) and the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) were in immediate support, whilst the General held in reserve the 47th (North Lancashire), a company of the 71st (Highland Light Infantry), 700 seamen and marines, and the details of the 17th Lancers, 20th and 21st Light Dragoons. The night was very dark, and it was found that the Spaniards had repaired the breach with timber faced with damp hides, to avoid the contingency of their being set on fire; but the Rifle Brigade and light infantry battalion forced their way over all obstacles in the face of a very determined resistance, and by daybreak we were in possession of the town. The conduct of our men during the actual assault and during the occupation called forth the warmest praise of the General.

CASUALTIES DURING THE OPERATIONS AT MONTE VIDEO.

+----------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Navy | - | 2 | 6 | 32 | |17th Lancers (dismt. troop) | - | - | - | 4 | |20th Light Dragoons | - | - | 1 | 3 | |21st Light Dragoons | - | - | - | 4 | |Royal Artillery | - | 1 | 1 | 4 | |38th S. Staffs | 2 | 10 | 29 | 98 | |40th S. Lancs | 4 | 5 | 18 | 76 | |47th Loyal N. Lancashires | - | - | 3 | 16 | |72nd Seaforths | - | 1 | - | - | |83rd R. Irish Rifles | - | 1 | - | - | |87th R. Irish Fusiliers | 3 | 3 | 60 | 80 | |95th Rifle Brig. | 1 | 3 | 15 | 45 | |Light Infantry Battalion | 1 | 6 | 66 | 99 | +----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

In the month of March the troops, under General Crawford, which had been destined for the Chilian coast arrived at Monte Video, and General Whitelock assumed command. An advance was now made on Buenos Ayres, which resulted in the capitulation of our force and the trial of the Commander-in-Chief. This disaster cast no reflections either on the gallantry of our troops or the skill of Auchmuty. At the same time, it is impossible to think of this battle honour without recalling the unfortunate circumstances connected with the two attacks on Buenos Ayres.

NORTH AMERICA, 1812-1814.

The war in North America in the early years of the nineteenth century gave rise to much hard fighting, and though at the close of the campaign in the Iberian Peninsula we were enabled to send a number of our seasoned regiments as reinforcements, the operations were by no means creditable to our arms.

On the institution of the Land General Service Medal in 1847 (commonly called the Peninsular Medal), a certain number of engagements which had taken place in North America were included in the list of those for which the medal was granted, and clasps were issued for the following actions:

Fort Detroit, August, 1812. Châteaugay, October 26, 1813. Christler's Farm, November 11, 1813.

But in the distribution of battle honours the two last names were not authorized to be borne on the colours of the regiments engaged. In the case of Christler's Farm an application for permission to bear this honour on behalf of the 89th Regiment (now the 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers) met with a decided refusal. On the other hand, four battle honours were granted to regiments to commemorate engagements for which the medal was not issued--namely, Queenstown, Miami, Niagara, and Bladensburg.

DETROIT

is borne only on the colours of the Welsh Regiment, and commemorates the services of the old 41st Regiment at the affair which took place in the vicinity of Fort Detroit, on August 16, 1812, when its casualties amounted to 1 officer and 3 men killed, 1 officer and 10 men wounded.

QUEENSTOWN

records the services of the Welsh Regiment and the Berkshires in the affair of October 26, 1813, in which their casualties were--

+---------------------------------------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +---------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |41st Welsh | - | - | 2 | 18 | |49th Berkshire | - | 2 | 8 | 30 | +---------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

MIAMI

This, again, is an honour which was granted alone to the Welsh Regiment as a recognition of its services in the affair of April 23, 1813, when the casualties were 11 men killed, 1 officer and 38 men wounded.

NIAGARA

is borne on the colours and appointments of the

19th Hussars. Royal Scots. Royal Warwick. Welsh Regiment. King's Liverpool Regiment. Royal Canadians. Royal Irish Fusiliers. South Lancashire.

In the London Gazette of July 25, 1814, the above regiments, as well as the 103rd Regiment, were authorized to add this battle honour to their other distinctions. In November, 1815, the 104th Regiment were also awarded the honour.[5] The casualties at this engagement were--

LOSSES AT NIAGARA.

+------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |19th Hussars | - | - | - | 2 | |Royal Artillery | - | - | - | 15 | |Royal Scots | 1 | 3 | 15 | 112 | |8th King's Liverpool | - | 3 | 12 | 57 | |41st Welsh Regiment | - | - | 3 | 34 | |89th R. Irish Fusiliers | 2 | 11 | 27 | 177 | |100th Royal Canadians | - | - | - | - | |103rd Regiment | - | 1 | 6 | 46 | |104th Regiment | - | - | 1 | 5 | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

BLADENSBURG, AUGUST 24, 1814.

This honour is borne on the colours of the following regiments:

King's Own (Royal Lancaster). Royal Scots Fusiliers. Essex. Shropshire Light Infantry.

The campaign on the Canadian frontier had been waged with varying fortune: sometimes success attended our arms, at others we suffered considerable reverses. We were fighting, however, under many disadvantages. The bulk of our forces were employed in Spain, or in the abortive expedition to the Low Countries. The abdication of Napoleon, however, set free a portion of our troops, and a brigade was despatched, under the command of Major-General John Ross, from the South of France to North America. It consisted of the 4th (King's Own), the 41st (Welsh), and the 44th (Essex). On arrival at Bermuda it was met by the 21st (Royal Scots Fusiliers), and by Admiral Cochrane, commanding the naval forces on the station. The Admiral had been in the habit whilst blockading the coast of landing at the mouth of the Potomac River, and making incursions into the country, accompanied only by a few Marines. He pointed out to the General the feasibility of an attack on Washington, the young capital of the United States. On August 15 the General, accompanied by the Admiral, landed and made a lengthy reconnaissance up the Patuxent River, which runs parallel to the Potomac, and a short distance to the east. The landing presented no difficulties, and on the 20th the whole of the brigade, having arrived, were disembarked without opposition at a place called Benedict, on the right bank of the Patuxent, only fifty miles from Washington. On the following day the force moved to Nottingham in three columns. The right, under Colonel Brooke, of the 44th, consisted of the 4th (King's Own) and the 44th (Essex); the centre, commanded by Colonel Patterson, of the 21st (Royal Scots Fusiliers), comprised that corps and a strong naval brigade; whilst the left column, which was under Colonel Thornton, of the 85th (King's Light Infantry), was made up of that regiment and the light companies of the other three battalions, and was accompanied by the little artillery force, which consisted of but a couple of 3-pounders and a howitzer. On August 22 the brigade reached Marlborough, a small town sixteen miles from the capital, and here Ross learnt that a body of American troops, about 6,000 strong, was drawn up for the defence of Washington at Bladensburg, to the north of the city. Leaving some marines to guard his lines of communication at Marlborough, Ross pushed on, the left column, under his own personal command, leading, and on the morning of the 24th he found the enemy. The action was soon over, and by nightfall Ross entered Washington, having captured ten of the enemy's guns. Whether the subsequent burning of the Capitol was justified or not is a question that everyone will decide for himself. Suffice to say that public property to the extent of close on half a million sterling was destroyed, in addition to several ships on the stocks, and that we carried away 206 guns. Our losses were by no means heavy. In justice to the memory of the General, it should be put on record that a perfectly orderly entry into the city was effected, and that all firing had long since ceased when, as he and the Admiral were passing through the city, some shots were fired from a private house, and that by his orders that house was set on fire. The flames spread to neighbouring buildings, and before they could be stopped the Capitol was in flames.

The raid--for raid it was--was looked upon as a decided success, and Ross, who had succeeded in carrying off the greater part of the guns found in Washington, determined to carry out a similar raid on Baltimore. This, too, was successful, but it was achieved at the loss of the gallant General, who was one of the four officers who fell in the engagement outside Baltimore on September 12. The action of Bladensburg is commemorated not only on the colours of the four regiments which were present, but the family of the General were authorized by royal licence to add the word "Bladensburg" to their own name of Ross.

CASUALTIES AT BLADENSBURG.

+------------------------+-----------+-----+-----+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | - | - | - | 6 | |R. Engineers | - | - | 2 | - | |4th King's Own | 1 | 7 | 23 | 56 | |21st R. Scots Fusiliers | - | 2 | 2 | 11 | |44th Essex | - | - | 14 | 35 | |85th K. Shropshire L.I. | 2 | 11 | 12 | 53 | |Royal Marines | - | - | 6 | 1 | |6th West India | - | - | 1 | - | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

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V. INDIA, 1751-1764

Arcot--Plassey--Condore--Masulipatam--Badara--Wandewash--Pondicherry --Buxar.

The names at the head of the chapter commemorate a number of long-forgotten Indian campaigns, waged against desperate odds and extending over many years. The Colar Goldfields, Dindigul Cigars, and the Nundy Droog Mine are names of pleasant memories to the fortunate shareholders in those concerns. Little did soldier or sepoy think that those fields on which he shed his blood in order to maintain British supremacy in India would thus become familiarized to British speculators. For us, their successors, it is humiliating to feel that the heroic forging of the link which connects them with the military history of our Empire should have been long since forgotten. A few words in retrospect are necessary.

In the year 1600 a charter was granted by Parliament to the East India Company, and within ten years factories had been established at Surat, to the north of Bombay, and Petapolam, to the north of Madras. We were not the first-comers in the field, for both Dutch and Portuguese had been for many years engaged in commerce with the East. In 1612 our first troubles arose with the Portuguese, whom we defeated at Surat, and since then no question of their supremacy has arisen. Fifty years later the French had firmly established themselves at Masulipatam and Pondicherry, on the south-east coast, as well as at Chandernagore, a few miles above Calcutta, and for the next 150 years the rivalry between France and England was the cause of much strife. The policy of the French was to stand well in with the native rulers, to organize their armies on a European model, and so, with their aid, to drive the English out of India.

At the commencement of the eighteenth century Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras were our chief centres, the former with factories stretching to Patna, in the northwest. The influence of the Governor of Bombay extended from the settlement at Ahmedabad, in the north, to Calicut, on the west or Malabar coast, whilst Madras had under its rule all factories on the eastern coast from Vizagapatam to Cuddalore. The British East India Company of those days boasted of but little Government support; the French company was fast becoming a military rather than a commercial force. In 1750 the French had driven us out of Madras, and were virtually rulers of Southern India, and the bulk of our forces were besieged in Trichinopoly. Fortunately for England, even in her darkest hour a man has arisen to cope with and surmount her difficulties. Amongst the writers or clerks in the employ of the factory at Madras was one Robert Clive. He, with rare prescience, argued that, as the bulk of the French forces, aided by their ally, the ruler of the Carnatic, were employed in the reduction of Trichinopoly, therefore Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic, in all probability lay unguarded. Mr. Saunders, the Governor of Madras, cordially supported the plan advocated by the young writer, which was to carry the war into the enemy's country, and to seize Arcot, the capital, by a coup de main.

ARCOT, AUGUST 31, 1751.

This honour is alone borne by the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, the lineal descendants of the gallant band of Englishmen in the service of the East India Company at Madras, who in the year 1751, under the incomparable Clive, laid the foundation of our Indian Empire. In those days Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic, was a city of about 100,000 inhabitants, dominated by a fort almost in ruins. It lies some sixty miles south-west of Madras, and Clive determined not only to effect the relief of Trichinopoly, then besieged by the French, but also to strike at French supremacy by seizing the capital of their most powerful ally, the Sovereign of the Carnatic. He left Madras on September 6, 1751, in command of a small force of 200 Englishmen and 300 sepoys, with but three field-guns. Of his officers, eight in number, four, like him, were "writers" in the Company's factory. Five days later Clive had thrown himself into the half-ruined fort of Arcot, which had been hastily evacuated by its garrison, mounted the guns, which had been abandoned, repaired the defences, and made every preparation for a siege. A month later the siege commenced in earnest, 10,000 trained troops of the Nawab, aided by 300 French, drawing a close cordon round the fort, whilst a siege-train directed by Frenchmen opened fire on its walls. Macaulay, in his brilliant essay on Lord Clive, has borne eloquent testimony to the heroism both of the leader and the led (I have not the space to dwell on the details of the siege)--how the sepoys, with starvation staring them in the face, brought their rations of rice to their English comrades, with the remark that the water in which it was boiled was sustenance enough for them; and how, after being beleaguered for fifty days, in which he had lost one-third of his force, Clive repelled a final assault, and was enabled to assume the offensive against his disheartened and discomfited foes.

Arcot was a prelude to a campaign in which many gallant actions were fought--actions long since forgotten, and which are unrecorded on our colours. Trichinopoly and Covrepauk are no less worthy of emblazonment than Reshire or Koosh-ab. But, alas! no connection can now be traced between the sepoys who fought under Clive and the regiments of our native army, whilst the identity of the First Madras Europeans has for a whole generation been hidden under the title of "Royal Dublin Fusiliers."

Little by little public interest was now being centred on India. The desperate efforts of France to gain an ascendancy in the Peninsula of Hindoostan, and the gallant endeavour of the servants of the East India Company to thwart those efforts, had at last aroused our Ministers to the value of Indian commerce, and to the necessity of affording military assistance in the shape of trained regiments to the "Honourable Company of Merchants trading to the East." In 1754 a first step was made in this direction, and in that year the 39th Regiment (now the 1st Dorsets) landed in Madras, and, in memory of their connection with our early struggles in India, have been permitted to bear on their colours the legend "Primus in Indis." The following year a truce was signed between France and England, thus putting an end to active hostilities. No steps, however, were neglected by either party in order to secure a paramount influence with native rulers. In this, however, we were less successful than our rivals.

PLASSEY, JUNE 23, 1757.

The following regiments are entitled to bear this battle honour:

The Dorsetshire Regiment. Royal Munster Fusiliers. Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

Just as in the South of India the rulers of the Carnatic and of Mysore were the bitter foes of the English settlement at Madras, so at Calcutta we had against us Surajah Dowlah, the ruler of Bengal, Behar, and Orissa--a nominal Viceroy of the Mogul Emperor--straining every nerve to wrest from us the territories on which our factories were built. The tragedy of the Black Hole of Calcutta is familiar to every schoolboy. Fortunate indeed for England was it that, when the news of the fall of Calcutta reached Fort St. George an English fleet, under Admiral Watson, was lying in Madras Roads, and that men of action sat in the Madras Council. Two hundred Europeans were at once despatched to the Hooghly, and a force of 2,500 men hastily organized, consisting of 250 men of the 39th Regiment (1st Dorsets), 700 Madras Europeans, and 1,500 sepoys, for their support. This force was under the joint command of Admiral Watson and Robert Clive. Calcutta was relieved; and as war with France had again broken out, it was determined--now that all pressure on the part of Surajah Dowlah was removed--to attack the French settlement at Chandernagore. The fleet sailed up the Hooghly, and on March 23 the British flag was flying over the French fortress. I have been unable to ascertain the losses of Clive's troops on this occasion. Those of the Royal Navy amounted to 4 officers and 46 men killed, 9 officers and 156 men wounded. In the burial-ground of St. John's Church, Calcutta, may yet be seen two monuments recording thus daring feat of arms and of superb seamanship--the one raised in memory of the Admiral, the other of a midshipman. The former reads:

HERE LIES INTERRED THE BODY OF CHARLES WATSON, ESQ., VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE WHITE, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF HIS MAJESTY'S NAVAL FORCES IN THE EAST INDIES, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 16TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1757, IN THE 44TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.

Gheria taken, February 13th, 1756. Calcutta freed, January 11th, 1757. Chandernagore taken, March 23rd, 1757.

Exegit monumentum ore perennius.

On the boy's tomb is inscribed:

HERE LYES THE BODY OF WILLIAM SPEKE, AGED 16, SON OF HENRY SPEKE, ESQ., CAPTAIN OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP KENT. HE LOST HIS LEG AND LIFE IN THAT SHIP AT THE CAPTURE OF FORT ORLEANS, THE 24TH MARCH, ANNO 1757.

Having punished the French for their refusal to afford assistance to our beleaguered countrymen and countrywomen in Calcutta, Clive now determined to march against the Nawab Surajah Dowlah. On June 13, having received fresh reinforcements on this occasion from Bombay, he left Chandernagore at the head of 3,000 men, with ten guns. Of these about 1,000 were English--the 39th Foot, under Major Eyre Coote, some gunners of the Royal Artillery who had accompanied the 39th from England, and detachments of the Bengal, Madras, and Bombay European regiments. The Englishmen were conveyed in boats up the Hooghly; the sepoys marched along the banks. On June 23 Clive found himself face to face with Surajah Dowlah's army at Plassey, a town on the River Hooghly, about 100 miles due north of Calcutta. The odds were hopelessly unequal--Clive with 3,000 men and ten light field-guns on the one side; Surajah Dowlah with 55,000 men, of whom 15,000 were cavalry, and fifty guns of all calibres on the other. Had Englishmen ever been in the habit of counting the odds, the Indian Empire would never have been ours. Neither Clive nor Coote were men to quail before difficulties. From eight until eleven our infantry lay motionless, the field-guns only maintaining an unequal duel with the more numerous artillery of the enemy, which were being served--and very badly served--by some Frenchmen in the service of the Nawab. Plassey was the foundation-stone of British supremacy in Bengal, as Arcot was in Madras; yet the fight was, from the soldier's standpoint, a very hollow one. Dawn broke with the odds immeasurably in favour of the Mogul host. At sunset that host was in full retreat, and yet our total losses were but 11 English and 13 sepoys killed, the wounded being 22 and 21 respectively. Such was the price we paid for the establishment of British rule over what is known as the Province of Bengal.

CASUALTIES AT PLASSEY.

+------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Navy | - | 1 | - | 2 | |Royal Artillery | 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 | |39th Dorset | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | |Royal Munster Fusiliers | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | |1st R. Dublin Fusiliers | - | - | 1 | 3 | |2nd R. Dublins | - | - | - | 1 | |Bengal sepoys | - | - | 9 | 11 | |Madras sepoys | - | - | 4 | 10 | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

CONDORE, DECEMBER 9, 1758.

Royal Munster Fusiliers. Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

In the course of this year there was incessant fighting between our troops in Madras and the French and their allies; but the value of India was now becoming more thoroughly appreciated by the Cabinet, and a second regiment, then numbered the 79th, was sent out to Madras, under Colonel William Draper. The French, on their part, were not behindhand. The Count Lally and Admiral d'Ache arrived, with close on 3,000 French troops, and the British forts at Cuddalore and St. David were captured. Matters were looking serious indeed in Southern India, when Clive, still in Calcutta, determined to make a diversion. Eyre Coote, the Major of the 39th, who had shown such gallantry at Plassey, was in England busily employed in raising a regiment for service in India, and so was not available; but Clive detached Major Forde, of the 39th, with detachments of his own regiment and of the 1st Bengal Europeans (now the Munster Fusiliers), barely numbering 600 men, and some 2,000 sepoys, down the coast to Vizagapatam, which was being threatened by a French force, under Conflans. Despite the odds against him--for the French army outnumbered his by at least three to one--Forde pushed on, finally meeting Conflans near the mouth of the Godavery River.

CASUALTIES AT CONDORE.

+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiment. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Munster Fusiliers | | | | | | (1st Bengal Europeans) | 1 | 4 | 15 | 29 | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

There has been a long-standing dispute as to whether this honour can be rightly claimed by the Dublin Fusiliers as the representatives of the Madras and Bombay regiments which were sent to assist Clive in 1757. It appears certain that the men from Madras and Bombay were incorporated with the Bengal European Regiment in April, 1758, and that none but Bengal troops accompanied Forde to Vizagapatam. The India Office has therefore given its decision in favour of the Munsters for both Condore and Masulipatam.

MASULIPATAM, APRIL 8, 1759.

This honour is borne by the Royal Munster Fusiliers alone. In spite of many obstacles thrown in his way after the action of Condore by our native allies, Forde determined to follow up Conflans. It was not until March 6 that he arrived before Masulipatam, behind the fortifications of which the French were awaiting him. A fortnight was taken up in landing siege-guns from the fleet, which had followed the army down the coast, and a small number of bluejackets were disembarked to aid in the siege. On April 6 Forde learnt that a force of 40,000 natives, under Salabad Jung, was advancing to the relief of Conflans, and he determined on storming at once. His position was full of difficulty: in front a formidable work, with a garrison exceeding his own force in number, his land communications threatened by a Franco-native army 40,000 strong, and an empty treasure-chest. A weaker man would have taken advantage of the presence of the fleet, contented himself with his own marvellous success at Condore, and embarked his little army for Bengal. Not of such stuff was Forde, and fortunate for him and for England that he had with him men of like metal to himself. On April 8 Forde ordered the assault, and by nightfall Conflans, with 3,000 men, had unconditionally surrendered. Salabad Jung, the Viceroy of the Circars Province, now realizing that all power did not belong to the French, entered into a treaty with Forde, by which he ceded to the English eighty miles of coast-line, and entered into an agreement, not merely to dismiss all the French then in his service, but also never again to employ French troops or instructors. Forde was now free to return to Bengal, where his services were soon to be urgently needed.

CASUALTIES INCURRED DURING THE OPERATIONS AT MASULIPATAM, ENDING WITH THE ACTION OF APRIL 8, 1759.

+------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiment. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Munster Fusiliers | 2 | - | 22 | 62 | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

BADARA, NOVEMBER 25, 1759.

An honour borne by the Royal Munster Fusiliers only. The crushing defeats inflicted by Forde on Conflans had the effect of restoring our prestige in Madras. But in Bengal Clive was in no very enviable position. The Dutch, who had a settlement at Chinsura, on the Hooghly, had commenced open hostilities, and a Dutch fleet, with a considerable force on board, entered that river. Clive had at his disposal about 300 of the 1st Bengal Europeans, and until the return of Forde from Masulipatam matters at Calcutta were serious. As soon as Forde arrived, Clive, who believed only in the offensive, ordered the victor of Condore to attack the land force, whilst he determined to destroy the Dutch fleet with some armed East Indiamen at his disposal. On November 20 Forde marched to Chandernagore (the French settlement on the Hooghly, some miles above Calcutta), and on the following day moved on to Chinsura--only a few miles distant--where a small detachment of the Dutch were encamped. He was joined here by Knox (a Company's officer who had been under Forde at Condore), with a body of eighty volunteer cavalry, raised from the English residents in Calcutta, and a strong battalion of sepoys. He now learnt that the Dutch force was moving to attack him. Confident of victory, Forde wrote to Clive, asking for permission to forestall them. The story runs that Clive was playing cards when Forde's letter reached him. Laying down his hand, Clive scribbled on the back of the letter: "Dear Forde,--Fight them. I will send you the Order in Council to-morrow." Then, taking up his cards, went on with the game. On November 25 the two forces came into collision. Forde's handful of cavalry converted the check, which the steady fire of Knox's guns had inflicted on the Dutch, into a rout. Practically the entire Dutch force was either killed, wounded, or taken. The Government in Holland repudiated the action of the Governor of their Indian settlements, and paid compensation to the East India Company. But Forde's little fight at Badara is deserving of recognition, not merely because it was a gallant action fought against serious odds, but more especially because it put an end once and for all to all pretensions of the Dutch to supremacy in the East.

Unfortunately, no records exist showing the casualties we suffered at the action of Badara.

WANDEWASH, JANUARY 22, 1760.

An honour borne only by the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

The operations in Southern India had not been characterized by the same degree of success which had marked Forde's campaign against Conflans and the Dutch, but in the very month that we won the action of Badara Eyre Coote disembarked at Madras at the head of his newly-raised regiment, then numbered the 84th. At the same time some 300 recruits arrived for the Company's battalions, bringing the total force at the disposal of the Government of Madras to four battalions of infantry, 100 English troopers, and eighteen field-guns. With these Coote determined to resume the offensive, and on January 22 the two armies met at Wandewash, about 100 miles south-west of Madras. The forces were fairly equally matched. Hyder Ali, with his allies, the French, however, had a considerable preponderance in cavalry. When we reflect on the momentous issue decided by this and the preceding actions between the French and ourselves in India, and compare the number of the troops engaged with those we now mobilize for an Indian frontier campaign, it seems little short of marvellous that our Indian Empire should have been built up with such slender means.

The troops engaged, under the command of Eyre Coote, consisted of Draper's Regiment (then the 79th), his own (the 84th), and two English battalions in the Company's employ (now the Munster Fusiliers), 2,000 sepoys, 1,200 Indian cavalry, and one squadron of English horse, with sixteen guns. The brunt of the fighting fell on the British regiments, Draper's suffering the most heavily; but our total casualties--63 killed and 124 wounded--was a small price to pay for a victory which cost the French 600 killed and wounded and 24 guns.

Step by step Coote now undertook the reduction of all the French ports in Southern India. Arcot, Trincomalee, and finally Pondicherry, all fell into our hands, only to be restored, as was Chandernagore, to the French at the conclusion of peace in 1763--an act of generous imbecility which necessitated their recapture on the renewal of the war fifteen years later, at the cost of many hundred valuable British soldiers.

CASUALTIES AT WANDEWASH.

+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Draper's Regiment (79th) | 3 | 4 | 17 | 66 | |Coote's Regiment (84th) | 1 | 3 | 13 | 36 | |Royal Dublin Fusiliers | 1 | 1 | 3 | 29 | +-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

PONDICHERRY, 1761, 1778, 1793.

This battle honour is borne only by the Royal Dublin Fusiliers (at that time the 1st Madras European Regiment), and was conferred upon it by the Governor of Madras in recognition of its services at the three sieges of that fortress in the years 1761, 1778, and 1793. The operations were conducted by Sir Eyre Coote, an officer who had received his early training in the 39th (Dorsets), and who, on that regiment being recalled to England, undertook, as I have shown, to raise a battalion for service in India.

This corps, which was numbered the 84th, and which we have already seen at Wandewash, played an all-important part in the early campaigns waged in India; but as it was disbanded in the year 1788, the battle honours it gained are not to be found on the colours of any existing regiment. Coote laid siege to Pondicherry in the month of September, 1760, but it was not until the January following that the Governor surrendered. In accordance with our invariable custom, the fortress and neighbouring colony were restored to the French on the conclusion of peace in 1763. The regiments associated with the Dublin Fusiliers in the Siege of Pondicherry in 1760 were the 79th (Draper's Regiment), the 84th (Coote's), the 89th (Highlanders), under Major Hector Munro, and the 96th, under the Hon. G. Monson. None of these corps survive to bear the battle honour.

In the year 1778, on the renewal of the war with France, the reduction of Pondicherry once more became a matter of urgent necessity. On this occasion the Dublin Fusiliers were again to the fore in their capacity as the 1st Madras European Regiment (two of its battalions being present). With them were no less than ten battalions of sepoys. Many of these are still borne on the rolls of the Madras army. The distinction has not been conferred on the Indian corps for the operations in 1778; but if the losses suffered during a successful campaign constitute a claim to a battle honour, the words "Pondicherry, 1778," may well be accorded to the regiments who figure in the subjoined list of casualties.

CASUALTIES AT PONDICHERRY, 1778.

+-----------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Dublin Fus. (two battalions) | 1 | 8 | 45 | 92 | |Bengal Recruits | 1 | 1 | 4 | 12 | |62nd Punjabis (Natives) | - | 2 | 17 | 57 | |67th Punjabis (Natives) | - | 2 | 10 | 37 | |69th Punjabis (British) | 1 | - | - | - | |Do. (Natives) | - | 2 | 7 | 36 | |72nd Punjabis (British) | 1 | 1 | - | - | |Do. (Natives) | - | 1 | 6 | 43 | |73rd Carnatic Inf. (British) | - | 1 | 1 | - | |73rd Carnatic Inf. (Natives) | 1 | - | 6 | 14 | |74th Punjabis (Natives) | - | - | 21 | 34 | |75th Carnatic Inf. (British) | 1 | - | - | - | |Do. (Natives) | - | - | 23 | 44 | |76th Punjabis (Natives) | - | - | 8 | 29 | |79th Carnatic Inf. (British) | 1 | 1 | - | - | |Do. (Natives) | - | 1 | 5 | 12 | |80th Carnatic Inf. (British) | 1 | 1 | - | - | |Do. (Natives) | - | 2 | 8 | 35 | +-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

NOTE.--The total losses of the Company's troops at Pondicherry in 1778 were 148 sepoys killed and 482 wounded. For this success Hector Munro, who commanded, was made a K.B.

The Bengal Recruits alluded to above were a party of recruits on their way out to join what is now known as the Munster Fusiliers. They were detained by the Governor of Madras to swell the British element at the siege, and they well sustained the honour of the regiment now known as the Royal Munster Fusiliers.

In the year 1793 the reduction of Pondicherry became once more necessary. The fortress had been captured by Sir Eyre Coote and its works demolished in 1761. On its restoration to the French, the place was converted into an exceptionally strong fortification, and its capture by Sir Hector Munro in 1778 entailed a loss of upwards of 600 killed and wounded. In 1793 we found that our friends the French had once more--and very rightly, too--done their utmost to render the place impregnable, and that a very considerable force would be necessary for its reduction. Colonel Braithwaite, of the Madras army, was entrusted with its capture. The force at his disposal consisted of the following troops:

Cavalry Brigade--Colonel Floyd: 19th Hussars and 4th Madras Cavalry.

First Infantry Brigade--Colonel Nesbitt: 36th (Worcesters), 52nd (Oxford Light Infantry), and the battalion companies of the Dublin Fusiliers.

Second Infantry Brigade--Colonel David Baird: 71st (Highland Light Infantry), 73rd (Royal Highlanders), and the flank companies of the two battalions of the Madras European Regiment (Dublin Fusiliers), under Majors Petrie and Vigors.

Third Infantry Brigade--Colonel Bilcliffe: 61st Pioneers, 62nd Punjabis, and 63rd Light Infantry.

Fourth Brigade--Colonel Campbell: 66th Punjabis, 67th Punjabis, and the 8th Madras Infantry, which has ceased to exist.

Fifth Infantry Brigade--Colonel Trent: 69th Pioneers, and the old 17th and 19th Regiments of Madras Infantry, which have been merged in other corps.

Sixth Infantry Brigade--Colonel Cuppage: 23rd, 24th, and 25th Regiments of Madras Infantry.

The artillery consisted of 117 men of the Royal and 731 of the Madras Artillery, and there were 75 English sappers, together with that well-tried regiment which has fought so bravely on so many fields--the Madras Sappers and Miners.

I regret that I have been unable to trace the losses of all the native regiments; their total casualties amounted to 4 British officers and 135 native ranks killed and wounded.

CASUALTIES AT PONDICHERRY, 1793.

+------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | - | 2 | 12 | 17 | |Roy. Engineers | 1 | 4 | 5 | 18 | |36th Worcesters | - | - | 5 | 9 | |52nd Oxford L.I. | 1 | - | 2 | 5 | |71st Highl. L.I. | - | 1 | 8 | 14 | |73rd R. Highl. | 3 | - | 7 | 13 | |Petrie's batt. | - | 1 | 2 | 6 | |Vigor's batt. | - | 1 | 1 | 3 | |61st Pioneers | - | - | 2 | 8 | |62nd Punjabis | 1 | - | 6 | 12 | |66th Punjabis | - | - | 3 | 5 | |67th Punjabis | 1 | - | 9 | 16 | +------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Although no battle honours have been awarded to the Indian regiments which took part in the operations against Pondicherry in the years 1778 and 1793, I have been at some pains to give a brief account of the operations, both of which, with their accompanying loss of life, might have been avoided had the Home Government either insisted on the retention of the conquests we had made in the East, or, were that impracticable, refused to allow the rebuilding of fortifications in the French settlements in India. "Pondicherry, 1778 and 1793," might be added with propriety to the battle honours of regiments which took part in the sieges of those years.

BUXAR, OCTOBER 23, 1764.

Royal Munster Fusiliers. Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

In the interval between Eyre Coote's victory at Wandewash in January, 1760, and the Battle of Buxar in October, 1764, our troops in India had been continuously at war; yet the colours even of those regiments which still survive, and which were then in the service of the Company, bear no record of the many stubborn fights, the by no means inglorious victories achieved over our gallant foes. In the South, the Government of Madras had been carrying on campaign after campaign against the trained troops of France and the scarcely less formidable army of Mysore. In the North, Clive and his successor had found foemen no less worthy of their steel in the armies of the Emperor of Delhi and those of the ruler of Oude, under Surajah Doolah. History--even Greek history--affords no more striking episodes than those early struggles of our countrymen in India; and though the names of Beerpore, Sooty, and Oondna Nullah are forgotten, they deserve to stand side by side with other well-remembered names that are emblazoned on the colours of the old Company's regiments. The Battle of Buxar was the final episode in the long-fought campaign with the ruler of Oude.

Now that the two senior battalions of the old Company's army have been converted into the Royal Munster and Royal Dublin Fusiliers, they are the only regiments which bear on their colours a memento of one of the finest actions ever fought in India. The British force numbered between 6,000 and 7,000 men, with twenty-eight guns. It included, besides the two European regiments in the Company's employ, a composite battalion, just 167 strong, made up of detachments of the 84th, or Coote's Regiment, and volunteers from the disbanded 89th Regiment and 90th (Light Infantry); two companies of Royal Marines, under Captain Wemyss; a handful of seamen, with a midshipman, working some guns side by side with the Bengal Artillery; and a small troop of cavalry, the total being about 1,200 Englishmen. To these must be added 900 Mogul horse and 5,000 sepoys. This little army was under the command of Colonel Sir Hector Munro, of the 89th Regiment. The two Company's battalions were inured to Indian warfare, and the men of the 90th (then the only Light Infantry regiment in the British army), had learned their lesson at the capture of Belleisle, Martinique, and Havana, under their brave Colonel, James Stuart, who was destined to add to the laurels gained at the Moro a great reputation in Southern India.

The force opposed to Munro was a formidable one. It included eight battalions trained and commanded by French officers, two batteries of artillery manned by Europeans, 5,000 Afghan horse, and 40,000 men of Shah Shujah Daulah's own fairly trained army. The battle was stubbornly contested, but the victory was complete. Our weakness in cavalry, however, prevented Munro reaping the full benefits of his success. In addition to the losses of the British contingent, the sepoy battalions lost 257 killed and 435 wounded. Our trophies included 137 guns, whilst the enemy left upwards of 2,000 dead on the field.

CASUALTIES AT BUXAR.

+-----------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |Officers.| Men. | | Regiments. +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |R. Munster Fus. | - | 3 | 37 | 58 | |Composite batt. | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 | |Royal Artillery | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |Royal Dublin Fusiliers | - | - | 2 | 3 | |British cavalry | - | 1 | 2 | 4 | +-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Broome, in his admirable "History of the Bengal Army," states that the two officers who figure in the list of casualties in the composite battalion both belonged to the 90th Light Infantry. This is an error. On comparing the names of the officers with the Army Lists, I am convinced that they belonged to the 96th Regiment, and that the error has arisen in the transcription by a clerk at the War or India Office. I have come across many such errors. Perhaps the most amusing is in the Gazette recording the capture of Havana in 1762, where the 42nd is referred to in the casualty rolls as the "42nd Royal Hunters"!

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