FOOTNOTES:

[1] In the 14th year of the reign of Edward IV. a small force was established in Ireland by Parliament, consisting of 120 Archers on horseback, 40 Horsemen, and 40 Pages.

[2] Military Papers, State Paper Office.

[3] This Regiment was disbanded after the Peace in 1674.

[4] This appears to be the first introduction of bayonets into the English Army.

[5] State Paper Office.

[6] The first issue of carbines to the regular Horse appears to have taken place in 1678; the Life Guards, however, carried carbines from their formation in 1660.—Vide the 'Historical Record of the Life Guards.'

HISTORICAL RECORD
OF
THE FOURTH,
OR
ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT
OF
DRAGOON GUARDS.

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF

THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
IN 1685;

AND OF

ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
TO 1838.

ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES.

PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, ORME, AND CO.,

PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON;

AND BY MESSRS. CLOWES AND SONS;

AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS.

1839.

LONDON:
Printed by William Clowes and Sons,
Stamford Street.

FOURTH OR ROYAL IRISH
DRAGOON GUARDS.

Madeley, lith. 3, Wellington St. Strand.

CONTENTS.

AnnoPage
1685The Duke of Monmouth's rebellion[1]
——Six independent troops of horse raised[3]
——Constituted a regiment of Cuirassiers—
——Obtains rank as Sixth Regiment of Horse[4]
——Arms and equipment—
——Reviewed by King James II.[5]
1686Establishment, and names of officers[6]
——Reviewed by King James II.[7]
1687————, and employed on the King's duty—
1688The Revolution[8]
1689Accession of William III.[9]
——Employed on the King's duty[10]
1690Obtains rank as Fifth Regiment of Horse[11]
1691Proceeds on foreign service[12]
1692Battle of Steenkirk—
1693——— Landen[13]
1695Covering the siege of Namur[15]
1696Attack on a French outpost[16]
1697Peace of Ryswick—
——Returns to England[17]
1698Proceeds to Ireland—
1746Styled First Irish Horse[22]
1751Uniform, standards, &c.[23]
1788Reduced to the quality of Dragoons, and styled Fourth Dragoon Guards[31]
——Styled the Fourth, or Royal Irish Dragoon Guards[33]
1793Proceeds to England[34]
1795Returns to Ireland—
1796Disturbed state of Ireland[35]
——A French force arrives at Bantry Bay—
1797Alterations in the equipment, &c.[36]
1798Rebellion in Ireland[37]
——Action at Naas—
—————— Prosperous and Carlow[38]
—————— near Gorey[39]
—————— at Ovidstown, Goff's Bridge, and Arklow[40]
—————— Vinegar Hill[41]
—————— Gore's Bridge and Kildare[43]
1799Proceeds to England[44]
——Horses' tails docked—
1800Marches to Scotland—
1802Returns to Ireland—Alteration in the clothing[45]
1803Bonaparte's threat of invading England—
——Field officers released from the charge of troops[46]
1804Embarks for England—
1805St. Patrick's fund established in the regiment[47]
1806Proceeds to Scotland—Returns to England—
1808Riots at Manchester, &c.[48]
——Men's hair cut short, and powder discontinued[49]
1809Troop Quartermasters replaced by Troop Serjeant-Majors—
1810Riots in the Coal districts—
1811Six troops proceed to Portugal[50]
1812Covering the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo[51]
—————————— Badajoz—
——Skirmish at Llerena[52]
——Advances to Madrid—
——Retreats to Portugal—
1813Returns to England[54]
——Regimental school established—
1814Peace concluded—The establishment reduced[55]
1814Proceeds to Ireland—
1814Alteration in the uniform[56]
1815War proclaimed—The establishment augmented—
——Peace restored—The establishment reduced[57]
1818Embarks for England—
1819Alteration in the uniform[58]
1820Riots at Wakefield and Sheffield[59]
1821Marches to Scotland—
1822Embarks for Ireland[60]
1826————— England[61]
——Riots at Dudley, Wolverhampton, and Lichfield—
1827Alterations in the uniform[62]
1830Marches to Scotland[64]
——Lace changed from silver to gold—
1831Riots at elections in Scotland—
1832Embarks for Ireland[66]
——Riots in Ireland—
1834Ditto[71]
1835Embarks for England, and stationed at Brighton[74]
1837Riots at elections in England[77]
1838Attends the coronation of Queen Victoria[78]
——Her Majesty approves of the regiment bearing the Harp and Crown, in addition to the Star of the Order of St. Patrick[79]
——The conclusion—

SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.

AnnoPage
1685James Earl of Arran, K.T.[81]
1688Charles Earl of Selkirk[83]
——Charles Godfrey—
1693Francis Langston[84]
1713George Jocelyn[85]
1715Sherrington Davenport[86]
1719Owen Wynne—
1732Thomas Pearce[87]
1739James Lord Tyrawley[88]
1743John Brown[89]
1762James Johnston[90]
1775James Johnston—
1778George Warde[92]
1803Miles Staveley—
1814Sir Henry Fane, G.C.B.[93]
1827Sir George Anson, G.C.B.[94]

PLATES.

The Standard of the Regiment to follow the regimental[Title-page.]
Colonel Francis Langston at the battle of Landen to face[Page 14.]
The Uniform in 1838 to face[ " 80.]