Historical Record of the Tenth, or the North Lincolnshire, Regiment of Foot, / Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of its Subsequent Services to 1847

by Richard Cannon

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF

THE TENTH,

OR

THE NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE

REGIMENT OF FOOT.

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1661
to
1684

After the Restoration, when King Charles II. had disbanded the army of the commonwealth, a small military force was embodied under the title of "guards and garrisons;" one of the independent companies of infantry incorporated for garrison duty was commanded by that distinguished nobleman, John, Earl of Bath, who had evinced fidelity and attachment to the royal cause in the rebellion in the reign of King Charles I., and during the usurpations of Cromwell; this company was stationed in the fortress of Plymouth, of which the Earl of Bath was governor, and it was the nucleus of the regiment which forms the subject of this memoir.

1685

In June, 1685, when James, Duke of Monmouth, had landed in the West of England, with a band of armed followers from the Netherlands, and erected the standard of rebellion, commissions were issued, by King James II., for raising eleven companies of foot, of one hundred private soldiers each, which companies were united to the Plymouth independent garrison company, and constituted a regiment, of which the Earl of Bath was appointed colonel, by commission dated the 20th of June, 1685, and the corps thus formed now bears the title of "The Tenth Regiment of Foot."

These eleven companies were raised in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire; the town of Derby being the general rendezvous of the corps; and they were raised under the authority of royal warrants, bearing date the 20th of June, by the following gentlemen, who evinced their loyalty by coming forward to the support of the crown at that important crisis:—viz., Colonel, John, Earl of Bath; Lieut.-Colonel, Sir Nicholas Stannings; Major, Sir Charles Carney; Captains, Michael Bourk, Charles Powell, Sir Thomas Windham, Edward Scott, Bernard Strode, John Sydenham, Francis Vivian, and Sydney Godolphin.

After the suppression of this rebellion, many newly raised corps were disbanded, and the Earl of Bath's regiment was reduced to ten companies of fifty private soldiers each.

The regiment was armed with muskets and pikes; the uniform was blue, coats lined with red, red waistcoats, breeches, and stockings; round hats with broad brims, the brim turned up on one side and ornamented with red ribands; the pikemen wore red worsted sashes. This was the only infantry regiment clothed in blue coats; the other corps wore red coats; red had been generally worn by the English soldiers from the time of Queen Elizabeth; but several of Cromwell's regiments were clothed in blue, and King Charles II. clothed the royal regiment of horse guards in blue, and a regiment of marines, raised in his reign, in yellow. A few years after the revolution in 1688, the Tenth were clothed in red.

In August, 1685, the Earl of Bath's regiment marched from Derby to Hounslow, and encamped upon the heath, where it was reviewed by the King, and afterwards marched to Plymouth, to relieve the Queen Dowager's regiment, now second foot.

1686

The following statement of the numbers and rates of pay is copied from the establishment of the army, under the sign manual, dated the 1st of January, 1686.

	The Earl of Bath's Regiment.	Pay per day.
	Staff.	£.	s.	d.
1	Colonel, as Colonel	0	12	0
1	Lieut.-Colonel, as Lieut.-Colonel	0	7	0
1	Major, as Major	0	5	0
1	Chaplain	0	6	8
1	Chirurgeon, ivs. 1 Mate, iis. vid.	0	6	6
1	Adjutant	0	4	0
1	Quarter-Master and Marshal	0	4	0
	Total for Staff	2	5	2
	The Colonel's Company.
	The Colonel, as Captain	0	8	0
1	Lieutenant	0	4	0
1	Ensign	0	3	0
2	Serjeants, xviiid. each	0	3	0
3	Corporals, is. each	0	3	0
1	Drummer	0	1	0
50	Private Soldiers, at viiid. each	1	13	4
	Total for one Company	2	15	4
	Nine Companies more	24	18	0
	Total	29	18	6
	Per Annum, £10,922 12s. 6d.

Leaving Plymouth in March, 1686, the regiment occupied quarters at Guildford and Godalming until the 24th of May, when it pitched its tents on Hounslow-heath, where a numerous body of troops was assembled for exercise and review. At this camp the regiment had an independent company of grenadiers attached to it, and after the reviews it marched into garrison at Portsmouth.

1687

In 1687, the following officers were holding commissions in the regiment:—

Captains.	Lieutenants.	Ensigns.
Earl of Bath, (col.)	Maurice Roch.	James Mohun.
Sir Cha. Carney, (lt.-col.)	John Prideaux.	Richd. Nagle.
Sir Bev. Granville, (major)	D. Bradshaw.	Jas. Granville.
Sir Thomas Windham.	Cha. Harbine.	Jacob Breams.
Edward Scott.	Richard Scott.	James Steukly.
Sydney Godolphin.	Wm. Morgan.	Jno. Granville.
John, Lord Arundel.	Thos. Trevanion.	Edw. Chard.
Bernard Strode.	Thos. Lamb.	Thos. Cary.
Ranald Graham.	John Long.	Hercules Low.
John Sydenham.	Hy. Hook.	John Jacob.

John Granville.	{	Roger Elliott	}	Grenadier Co.
	{	Roger Evans	}
Chaplain, Thos. Nixon.		Adjutant, R. Elliott.
Chirurgeon, James Yong.		Quarter-Master, Jno. Freeman.

The regiment left Portsmouth, in April, 1687, for Winchester and Taunton; in June, it once more pitched its tents on Hounslow-heath, and in August marched into quarters in London. It did not remain long in the metropolis: and after several changes of quarters it was placed in garrison at Plymouth.

1688

When King James II., who was a zealous Roman Catholic, pursued the interests of papacy so far as to occasion much alarm among his Protestant subjects, the Earl of Bath stood aloof from the measures of the Court, and he was one of the noblemen who communicated privately with the Prince of Orange, to whom the nation looked for aid to oppose the arbitrary proceedings of the King. In November, 1688, when the Prince of Orange arrived with a Dutch armament, the Tenth and Thirteenth regiments were in garrison at Plymouth,—the Tenth occupying the citadel, and the two colonels were with their regiments. The Earl of Bath was in the interest of the Prince of Orange; but the Earl of Huntingdon adhered to King James: the lieut.-colonel of the Tenth, Sir Charles Carney, was a steadfast supporter of the Court, and the lieut.-colonel of the Thirteenth, Ferdinando Hastings, was a warm advocate for the Prince of Orange; thus the interest of the superior officers of the two regiments was equally divided. It appeared doubtful, for some time, to which party the garrison of Plymouth would devote itself; but eventually, the Earl of Bath, being the senior officer and governor of the fortress, ordered the Earl of Huntingdon to be arrested: he also ordered four Roman Catholic officers of the Thirteenth,—viz., Captain Owen Macarty, Lieutenants William Rhodesby, Talbot Lascelles, and Ensign Ambrose Jones, to be arrested; he then declared for the Prince of Orange, and induced the two regiments to engage in the same interest. The garrison having been settled in the name of the Prince of Orange, the Earl of Huntingdon and the Roman Catholic officers of his regiment were released.

The news of the loss of Plymouth, and of the two regiments having declared for the Prince of Orange, together with similar events taking place in other parts of the kingdom, proved to King James that his soldiers would not fight against the Protestant religion and the laws of the realm. His Majesty deprived the Earl of Bath of his commissions, and appointed Lieut.-Colonel Sir Charles Carney to the colonelcy of the Tenth foot by commission dated the 8th of December. The regiment had, however, engaged in the interest of the Prince of Orange, and this change in the colonel produced no alteration in the sentiments of the regiment. King James fled to France, and on the 31st of December the Prince restored the Earl of Bath to the colonelcy.

1689

The accession of the Prince and Princess of Orange to the throne was followed by a civil war in Scotland and Ireland; but the Tenth were intrusted with the charge of the citadel of Plymouth, and they were not employed in the field in 1689 or 1690; they, however, detached six companies to the islands of Jersey and Guernsey.

1690
1691

In 1690, the powerful efforts of the French monarch to reduce the Spanish provinces in the Netherlands under his dominion, occasioned the regiment to be called into active service. Embarking from Jersey, Guernsey, and Plymouth, the Tenth foot, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Sir Beville Granville, nephew of the Earl of Bath, sailed to Ostend, and landing at that port marched up the country, and joined the army commanded by King William III. The regiment enjoyed the confidence of the King to a great extent, and on joining the army, it was ordered to pitch its tents near His Majesty's quarters at Anderlecht. It was formed in brigade with the seventh, sixteenth, and Fitzpatrick's (afterwards disbanded), under Brigadier-General Churchill, and after taking part in several movements, went into winter-quarters.

J. M. Jopling del^t.

Madeley lith. 3 Wellington S^t. Strand.

1692

Quitting its cantonments among the Flemish peasantry, in May, 1692, the regiment again took the field, and was employed in several operations. In the beginning of August it was encamped at Halle, and, early on the morning of the 3rd of that month, it advanced at the head of the main body of the confederate army to attack the French in position at Steenkirk. After passing through some narrow defiles among trees, the Third and Tenth foot halted at the extremity of a wood, at the moment when the brigades forming the van of the army were severely engaged with very superior numbers. A short distance in front of the Tenth, and near the skirt of the wood a little to the left, a regiment of Lunenburgers, commanded by the Baron of Pibrack, was contending with two French battalions, and was nearly overpowered; it was falling back, fighting, and in some disorder; the French were gaining ground; and its colonel, the Baron of Pibrack, lay dangerously wounded a few yards in front of the muzzles of the enemy's muskets. Prince Casimir of Nassau galloped up to the Tenth, and requested them to advance to the aid of the Lunenburgers; when the regiment formed line, the pikemen in the centre, and the musketeers and grenadiers on each flank, and Lieut.-Colonel Sir Beville Granville led it forward with great gallantry. At that moment the Lunenburgers were overpowered, and the French were hurrying forward with shouts, and a heavy fire of musketry, when suddenly the Tenth, conspicuous by their blue coats, scarlet breeches and stockings, and three stand of scarlet colours floating in the breeze, were seen issuing from among the trees in firm array. So noble a line of combatants, separating itself from the broken sections of the retreating Lunenburgers, startled the enemy; the French artillery thundered against its flanks,—their musketry smote it in front,—yet the regiment bore sternly forward to close on its numerous enemies, when the French fell back. Two serjeants of the Tenth sprang forward and rescued the Baron of Pibrack, bearing him from among his enemies to the rear, and the regiment pressed forward, without firing a shot, until it gained a hollow way beyond the skirts of the wood, where it halted, and the musketeers, taking sure aim over the bank, soon cleared the ground in their front of opponents. Numerous narrow defiles and other obstructions prevented the main body of the British infantry from arriving in time to support the brigades in advance; King William ordered a retreat, and Prince Casimir of Nassau arrived with orders for the Tenth to withdraw from their post. The Prince highly commended the conduct of the regiment on that, the first occasion of its being engaged, and its bearing proved a presage of future renown.

The regiment had a number of private soldiers killed and wounded; also Captain Elliott, Lieutenants Thomas Granville and John Granville, wounded.

Towards the end of August, the Tenth were detached from the main army, and having joined a number of troops which had arrived from England under Lieut.-General the Duke of Leinster, they were employed in seizing and fortifying the towns of Furnes and Dixmude. On the 22nd of September, as working parties of the seventh and Tenth foot were enlarging the ditch of a bastion, they found a quantity of hidden treasure, consisting of old French coins, amounting to nearly five hundred pounds sterling, supposed (according to D'Auvergne's history of the campaign of 1692) to have been concealed there during the civil war in Flanders towards the close of the preceding century.

In the middle of October, the regiment marched to Damme, a little strong town, situated between Bruges and Sluys, where it passed the winter.

1693

The Tenth regiment of foot appears in the list of troops under King William III., at Parck camp near Louvain, in June, 1693, and they were ordered to pitch their tents in the fields adjoining the defiles of Berbeck, to guard that avenue to the camp. While the army was at this place, several skirmishes occurred; but the only loss sustained by the Tenth was on the 25th of June, when an outpost of a serjeant's party, covering a number of horses at grass, was attacked, and three men were severely wounded.

On the 1st of July, the regiment was detached from the main army, with other forces under the Duke of Wirtemberg, to attack the enemy's fortified lines between the rivers Scheldt and Lys. After a march of eight days, the troops arrived in front of the lines near D'Otignies, and on the following day the works were attacked at three points. The grenadiers formed the van of each attack; the right column was composed of Danes; the Argyle highlanders headed the centre column, and the Tenth foot took the lead of the column on the left. When the signal for the assault was given, the Tenth raised a loud shout and ran forward. The pikemen arrived at the little river Espiers, which ran in front of the lines, and cast a number of fascines into the water, but the stream carried them away. The grenadiers of the Tenth and other regiments, being anxious to signalize themselves, dashed into the current, at the same time the musketeers advanced to the bank and fired upon their opponents on the works. The river was so deep that many of the soldiers were up to the chin in water; but they gained the shore without serious loss,—sprang forward with astonishing rapidity,—forded the ditch,—pulled down the palisadoes,—and ascended the lines, sword in hand; the officers and grenadiers of the Tenth being the first that entered the works. As the soldiers climbed the entrenchments, shouting and flourishing their swords, the French fled, and the lines were carried with little loss. D'Auvergne states that the grenadiers of the Earl of Bath's regiment (Tenth) found a cask of brandy in one of the abandoned redoubts, which proved very welcome, as the soldiers had been exposed to a heavy rain for several days.

After forcing the lines, contributions were levied on the territory subject to France, as far as Lisle: and the Duke of Wirtemberg was so well pleased with the conduct of the Tenth, that he made a donation of a ducat to each man, and the same to the men of the other regiments engaged in forcing the lines.

While the Tenth were levying contributions, the main army under King William was defeated at Landen; after this disaster the regiment was ordered to join the army, but it was not engaged in any service of importance, and in October it marched into winter-quarters at Bruges.

On the 29th of October, the Earl of Bath was succeeded in the colonelcy by his nephew, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Beville Granville.

1694

Leaving Bruges in May, 1694, the regiment pitched its tents near Ghent. It served the campaign of that year in Brigadier-General Stewart's brigade, in the division commanded by Major-General Sir Henry Bellasis; and after taking part in several operations, and performing many long and toilsome marches, it proceeded into quarters at the pleasant town of Malines.

1695

Early in the spring of 1695, the French commenced some new works between the Lys and the Scheldt, when five hundred men of the Tenth were withdrawn from Malines in the expectation of taking part in an attempt to interrupt the enemy's proceedings; but this enterprise was laid aside, and the regiment encamped at Marykirk until the army took the field, when it was joined by the men left in quarters.

The Tenth were subsequently detached to Dixmude, in West Flanders; and they were one of the corps which pitched their tents before the Kenoque, a fortress at the junction of the Loo and Dixmude canals, where the French had a garrison.

On the 9th of June, the grenadiers of the Tenth were engaged in driving the French from the entrenchments and houses near the Loo canal. A redoubt was afterwards taken, and a lodgment effected on the works at the bridge; in which service the regiment had several men killed and wounded.

This enterprise was only designed as a diversion to favour the operations of the main army, and when King William had besieged the strong fortress of Namur, the regiment traversed the country to the banks of the Lys, and joined the covering army under the Prince of Vaudemont.

When Marshal Villeroy advanced, with a force of very superior numbers, to attack the covering army, the Prince of Vaudemont retreated to Ghent, and during this retrograde movement, the commanding officer of the Tenth, Lieut.-Colonel Sydney Godolphin, and a serjeant and twelve men, resting at a house on the road too long, were made prisoners.

The regiment was subsequently employed in several movements to protect the maritime and other towns of Flanders, and to cover the army carrying on the siege of Namur. In August it was encamped between Genappe and Waterloo, and after the surrender of the castle of Namur, it marched into quarters in the villages between Nieuport and Ostend.

1696

In the spring of 1696, Louis XIV. endeavoured to weaken the power of the confederate army in Flanders, by causing England to become the seat of civil war. The partisans of King James were excited to rise in arms; a plot was formed for the assassination of King William, and a French army approached the coast to embark with King James for England. The Tenth foot was one of the corps selected to return to England on this occasion, and the regiment, having embarked at Ostend, arrived at Gravesend in March. In the meantime the conspirators had been discovered; a British fleet was sent to blockade the French ports, and the designs of Louis XIV. were frustrated.

Several corps returned to Flanders; but the Tenth were selected to remain on home service.

The regiment landed at Gravesend, occupied quarters a short period in London, and afterwards marched into extensive cantonments in the counties of Suffolk and Essex.

1697

In May, 1697, the regiment was ordered to embark for the Netherlands, and it joined the army at the camp in front of Brussels in July; but in a few weeks afterwards the treaty of Ryswick gave peace to Europe.

During the winter, the regiment returned to England; it landed at Gravesend and Tilbury in December, and marched into quarters in Essex.

1698
1699
1700

Considerable reductions were made in the strength of the army, after the peace of Ryswick, and the Tenth regiment was one of the corps selected to proceed to Ireland; it embarked at Highlake in July, 1698, and was stationed in Ireland during the following two years.

1701

Pursuing his schemes for the aggrandizement of his family with unceasing assiduity, the King of France procured the accession of his grandson, Philip, Duke of Anjou, to the throne of Spain, and this open violation of existing treaties involved Europe in another war. Among the corps first ordered to proceed on foreign service to aid the continental powers in arresting the progress of French usurpations, was the Tenth regiment of foot. It embarked at Cork on the 15th of June, 1701, sailed to Holland, and was placed in one of the frontier garrisons of that country. In September it was encamped on Breda-heath, where it was reviewed, with the remainder of the British troops in Holland, by King William III., and afterwards returned to its former station in garrison.

1702

In the spring of 1702, the regiment took the field to serve as auxiliaries to the army of the Emperor of Germany, England not having declared war against France; and at the camp at Rosendael, news was received of the death of King William III. and of the accession of Queen Anne on the 8th of March. From Rosendael the Tenth marched to the Duchy of Cleves, and encamped at Cranenburg on the Lower Rhine, forming part of the covering army during the siege of Kayserswerth. In June a French force of superior numbers marched through the forest of Cleves and plains of Goch to cut off the allied army from Grave and Nimeguen; in consequence of this movement the British, Dutch, and Germans at Cranenburg, struck their tents a little before sunset on the 10th of June, and, by a forced march, arrived within a few miles of Nimeguen, about eight o'clock on the following morning, at which time the French columns appeared on both flanks and in the rear. Some sharp fighting occurred; the British corps forming the rear-guard evinced signal gallantry, and the Tenth regiment distinguished itself: the enemy was held in check until the army effected its retreat under the works of Nimeguen.

England declared war against France: additional troops arrived in Holland, and the Earl of Marlborough assumed the command. The Tenth were engaged in the movements by which the French were driven from their menacing position near the confines of Holland. The regiment also formed part of the covering army during the siege of Venloo,—a fortress on the east side of the river Maese, which surrendered on the 25th of September. The regiment was next engaged in covering the sieges of Ruremonde and Stevenswart, both of which places were captured in the early part of October. The army afterwards advanced to the city of Liege, which immediately opened its gates, but the citadel, and a detached fortress called the Chartreuse, held out. The Tenth regiment was employed in the siege of the citadel, and the grenadier company behaved with great gallantry at the capture of that fortress by storm on the 23rd of October. The citadel being carried by assault, the garrison was nearly annihilated; the garrison of the Chartreuse were eye-witnesses of this event, and surrendered immediately afterwards, from apprehension of a similar fate.

The city of Liege being rescued from the power of the enemy, the regiment marched back to Holland, and passed the winter in garrison at Breda.

1703

Sir Beville Granville having been appointed governor of Barbadoes, the colonelcy of the Tenth foot was conferred on William, Lord North and Grey, by commission dated the 15th of January, 1703.

Colonel Lord North and Grey proved a very gallant aspirant for military fame; serving at the head of his regiment, and distinguishing himself on numerous occasions. The Tenth left their winter-quarters towards the end of April, 1703; on the 6th of May, they arrived at Maeswyck, where they halted on the following day; but, information having been received of the approach of a powerful French army to cut off the detachments of the confederate forces, the regiment struck its tents at sunset, with several other corps, and, by a forced march, arrived at the city of Maestricht about noon on the following day. When the French army approached that city, the regiment was in position, being one of the corps stationed at Lonakin; some skirmishing and cannonading occurred, and the French withdrew without venturing a general engagement.

When the Duke of Marlborough advanced against the French at Tongres, the Tenth were formed in brigade with the second battalion of the royals, and the sixteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-sixth regiments, under Brigadier-General the Earl of Derby. The enemy took refuge behind an extensive line of works, and the English General besieged the strong fortress of Huy, situate on the Maese above Liege. The Tenth foot were employed at the siege; and, on the 18th of August, when the enemy had vacated that portion of the town which lay beyond the river, Colonel Lord North and Grey took possession of it with the Tenth: another corps was afterwards placed under his lordship's command, and the regiment held this post during the remainder of the siege.

Huy having been captured, the siege of the city of Limburg was next undertaken, and this fortress was surrendered before the end of September. Thus Spanish Guelderland was wrested from the power of France, and in October the regiment marched back to Holland, where it passed the winter.

1704

While the Duke of Marlborough was capturing fortress after fortress in the Netherlands, the French and Bavarians had great success in Germany; their united efforts threatened to overturn the imperial throne, and, in 1704, the British commander led his army from Holland to the Danube, to the succour of the Emperor Leopold. The Tenth foot, commanded by Colonel Lord North and Grey, had the honour of being employed in this splendid enterprise, which elevated the reputation of the British arms, and immortalized the name of Marlborough for the conception of the movement, and the secrecy and rapidity with which it was executed.

To engage in this undertaking, the regiment left its winter-quarters early in May, 1704, and directing its march to the Rhine, proceeded along the banks of that river to Coblentz, where it passed the Rhine and the Moselle on the 25th and 26th of that month. From Coblentz the army marched towards the Maine, and traversing the several states of Germany, arrived at the seat of war to co-operate with the forces of the empire.

On the 2nd of July, after a long march through a difficult country, the British approached the fortified post of Schellenberg, a commanding height on the left bank of the Danube, where a body of French and Bavarians were stationed under the Count d'Arco, and about six in the evening, a detachment from each British regiment, with the foot guards, royals, and twenty-third, under Brigadier-General Fergusson, and a Dutch force under General Goor, advanced to attack the entrenchments. A very spirited resistance was made by the enemy, and, eventually, the Tenth were led up the contested height to join in the attack. Firmly and steadily the soldiers of the Tenth moved up the steep ascent, which was strewed with killed and wounded; arriving within range of the enemy's fire, an iron tempest smote the ranks, and the firm order of the regiment was shaken: a short pause ensued. At that moment the British cavalry approached to support the infantry, and the Germans under the Margrave of Baden arrived to prolong the attack and assail the enemy in the rear. Encouraged by these circumstances, the British and Dutch infantry raised a loud shout, and, breaking with terrific violence into the entrenchments, overpowered all resistance. The Duke of Marlborough led the British cavalry forward, and completed the overthrow of the enemy.

The Tenth had Captain Crow and fifteen rank and file killed; three serjeants, and thirty-six rank and file wounded.

Crossing the Danube, and advancing into Bavaria, the regiment was engaged in various operations; it proceeded to the vicinity of the enemy's fortified camp at Augsburg, and afterwards returned to the Danube at Donawerth: in the meantime a numerous body of French troops had traversed the Black Forest and joined the enemy.

About ten o'clock on the night of the 11th of August, the army under the Duke of Marlborough joined the imperialists commanded by Prince Eugene of Savoy, at the village of Munster, near the bank of the Danube. On the following day the regiment was ordered forward to support the piquets, which were attacked by the enemy's hussars.

At daybreak, on the morning of the memorable 13th of August, the regiment was under arms, to engage in a battle which appeared to involve the fate of the Christian world: it formed, on this occasion, part of the brigade under Brigadier-General Row.

Advancing from the camp-ground, the soldiers arrived in front of the enemy's position, and the Tenth, commanded by their gallant young colonel, Lord North and Grey, were destined to attack the village of Blenheim, where the enemy had posted a numerous body of troops, thrown up entrenchments, and constructed palisades. Against this village, Brigadier-General Row's brigade advanced with great gallantry: the Tenth and Royal Scots Fusiliers led the attack, and were distinguished for their intrepid bearing; but all efforts to force the village against an enemy of so very superior numbers, and advantageously posted, proved ineffectual. As the brigade withdrew, it was charged by some French cavalry, who were repulsed by the fire of a Hessian brigade. Brigadier-General Fergusson led a brigade against the other side of the village; but without success. A sharp fire was afterwards kept up at this point, and the army deployed to engage the main body of the French and Bavarians. In the conflict which followed, British valour was conspicuous, and after a contest of several hours' duration, the French and Bavarian armies were overthrown and nearly annihilated; Marshal Tallard, and many officers and soldiers being made prisoners.

When the main body of their army was overthrown, the French troops in Blenheim were insulated; thrice they attempted to escape, but they were forced back. They took shelter behind the houses and enclosures; but they were soon surrounded, and twelve squadrons of cavalry, with twenty-four battalions of infantry, surrendered prisoners of war. Thus ended the mighty struggle of this eventful day, so glorious to the British arms!

The honours acquired by the regiment had been attended with the loss of many valuable lives. Captains Dawes, Sir John Sands, Cavendish, and Burton; Lieutenants Frazer and Wycks; Ensigns Breams and Dawson, were killed: Colonel Lord North and Grey lost his right hand; Major Granville; Captains Cunningham and Spotswood; Lieutenants Bulwer, Boylblanc, and Hornby; Ensigns Crow and Rossington, were wounded. The number of non-commissioned officers and private soldiers of the regiment, killed and wounded, has not been ascertained.

After passing the night on the field of battle, surrounded with the ensanguined trophies of victory, the Tenth were selected to guard the prisoners from Germany to Holland, in which service five British battalions were employed. The prisoners were marched to Mentz, where they were put on board of small vessels, and sailed to Holland. The regiment arrived at the Hague in October, and, having delivered up the prisoners, it was placed in garrison for the winter: its services are not, therefore, connected with the operations of the army in Germany after the victory at Blenheim.

1705

A numerous body of fine recruits arrived from England, in the spring of 1705, to replace the losses of the preceding campaign, and in May, 1705, when the regiment took the field, its appearance was admired. It was reviewed by the Duke of Marlborough, at the camp on the left bank of the Maese, and afterwards marched to Juliers. From Juliers the regiment marched through a mountainous country to the valley of the Moselle, and pitched its tents near the ancient city of Treves. The army being united, it passed the rivers Moselle and Saar on the 3rd of June, traversed the difficult defile of Tavernen, and encamped within seven miles of Syrk. At this place the army halted, waiting for the imperialists, whose tardy movements and inefficient state disappointed the expectations of the English commander, and rendered it necessary for him to hurry back to the Netherlands to arrest the progress of the French on the Maese.

In the forced march from Syrk to the Maese, the regiment lost many men from fatigue; and soon after its arrival, it was selected to take part in storming the enemy's fortified lines, which were protected by a numerous army. To render this great undertaking as certain as possible, these formidable barriers were menaced on the south of the Mehaigne, and the French troops being drawn in that direction, the point selected for the attack was thus weakened. On the evening of the 17th of July, the corps selected to commence the attack marched in the direction of Helixem and Neer-Hespen, the Tenth forming part of the leading brigade of infantry; and they were followed by the remainder of the army. About four o'clock on the following morning, they approached the lines and surprised the enemy's guards. Inspired with emulation, the soldiers soon cleared the villages of Neer-Winden and Neer-Hespen, seized the village and bridge of Helixem, and carried the castle of Wange with little loss; the enemy being surprised and confounded by the suddenness of the attack. Encouraged by this success, and stimulated by the noble example of several officers, the troops rushed through the enclosures and marshy grounds, forded the river Gheet, and crowded across the fortifications; the French retreating in a panic. Thus the lines were forced, and the soldiers of the Tenth stood triumphant on the captured works, where the cross of St. George, floating in the air, served as a beacon to impart a knowledge of this splendid success to the main body of the army, still at some distance. A numerous body of the enemy's cavalry and infantry hurried to the spot to drive back the troops which had passed the lines, when some sharp fighting occurred, which ended in the overthrow of the enemy, who made a precipitate retreat behind the river Dyle. This daring enterprise was thus achieved; and the talents of the Duke of Marlborough, with the intrepidity and valour of the British soldiers, were admired by all nations. The English commander stated in his despatch, that the troops acquitted themselves with a bravery surpassing all that could have been hoped of them.

The Tenth shared in the operations of the main army during the remainder of the campaign, but had no opportunity of distinguishing themselves in action: they passed the winter in garrison in Holland.

1706

Each successive victory had inspired the troops with additional confidence in their commander, and in their own prowess: to besiege a town, or fight a battle, and not conquer, when the Duke of Marlborough commanded, appeared impossible. With a bold assurance that fresh triumphs awaited them, the soldiers took the field in May, 1706, and the Tenth foot joined the camp near Tongres on the 19th of that month. On the 23rd of May, as the army was advancing in eight columns, information was received that the French, Spaniards, and Bavarians, commanded by Marshal Villeroy and the Elector of Bavaria, were taking up a position at Mont St. André, with their centre at the village of Ramilies, and the allies prepared for battle.

Diverging into the open plain, the allied army formed line and advanced against the enemy. The Tenth foot, being on the right of the line, proceeded, with a number of other corps, in the direction of the village of Autreglise, and made a demonstration of attacking the enemy's left. The French weakened their centre to support their left, and the British commander instantly seized the opportunity and attacked the weakened point. The Tenth foot were among the corps which, occupying some high ground on the right, were not engaged during the early part of the battle; but they had a full view of the conflict on the plain. At length a crisis arrived: the brigades on the right were ordered into action, when the Tenth evinced that intrepidity and firmness for which the regiment had been distinguished on former occasions, and another decisive victory exalted the fame of the British arms. The broken remains of the French, Spanish, and Bavarian legions were pursued for many miles, and an immense number of prisoners, cannon, standards, and colours was captured.

The effect of this surprising victory was the immediate surrender of Brussels, Ghent, and the principal towns of Brabant, and the intelligence of these events produced such an electric sensation throughout England, that the gallant exploits of the heroes of Ramilies became a general theme of conversation, and the subject of numerous addresses to the throne. Rewards were conferred on officers who had distinguished themselves, and the commanding officer of the Tenth, the gallant Lord North and Grey, was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, and placed at the head of three battalions of infantry.

Several towns in Flanders held out; and in June the Tenth marched to Arseele, and afterwards to Rouselaer, and formed part of the covering army during the siege of Ostend, which fortress was delivered up on the 8th of July.

After the surrender of Ostend, the regiment was selected to take part in the siege of Menin, a strong town pleasantly situated on the little river Lys. This fortress was accounted the key to the French conquests in the Netherlands, and one of the masterpieces of the celebrated Vauban: the siege therefore excited an unusual degree of interest. The town was invested on the 23rd of July; and the conduct of the Tenth during the progress of the siege, corresponded with the high character of the regiment. Considerable loss was sustained in carrying on the attacks, but the soldiers had the gratification of witnessing this place added to the numerous conquests made during this memorable campaign.

Dendermond and Aeth were afterwards captured; and in November the regiment took up its winter-quarters at Ghent.

1707

During the campaign of 1707, the regiment formed part of the brigade commanded by its colonel, Brigadier-General Lord North and Grey, and it was some time encamped near the village of Waterloo. The English commander was unable, this year, to bring his cautious opponents to a general engagement. In October, the regiment returned to Ghent.

1708

While the regiment was reposing in quarters at this city, the king of France fitted out a fleet, and embarked troops at Dunkirk, for the invasion of Great Britain, with a view of placing the Pretender on the throne. To repel the invaders, the Tenth regiment embarked for England in the middle of March, 1708, and arrived at Tynemouth on the 21st; but the French squadron, with the Pretender on board, was chased from the British coast by the English fleet, and the Tenth were ordered to Flanders: they landed at Ostend, and proceeded in boats to Ghent, where they arrived towards the end of April.

In May the regiment quitted Ghent, and was engaged in the operations of the main army; and soon afterwards the French, by treachery and stratagem, obtained possession of the two towns of Ghent and Bruges. They also invested Oudenarde, and this circumstance led to a general engagement, in which the Tenth gained new honours.

Passing the Scheldt on pontoon bridges near Oudenarde, on the 11th of July, the allied army encountered the legions of the enemy, commanded by his Royal Highness the Duke of Burgundy and the Duke of Vendome, in the fields beyond the river, and the battle immediately commenced. The Tenth, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Grove, passed the Scheldt by the bridge between Oudenarde and the abbey of Eename, and ascended the heights of Bevere. At this place they halted a short time, then descended into the plain, and engaged the French battalions in the grounds beyond the rivulet, near the village of Eyne. About five o'clock in the afternoon the regiment opened its fire, and it continued to gain ground upon its opponents, until the shades of evening gathered over the field of battle. The wings of the allied army gained upon the enemy, and the circling blaze of musketry enveloped the French troops, whose destruction appeared inevitable, but the darkness of the night soon rendered it impossible to distinguish friends from foes, and the Duke of Marlborough ordered his soldiers to cease firing, and to halt. The darkness favoured the escape of the enemy, and the wreck of the French army retreated in disorder towards Ghent.

This victory prepared the way for an undertaking of great magnitude,—viz., the siege of Lisle, the capital of French Flanders,—a fortress deemed almost impregnable, and garrisoned by fifteen thousand men, commanded by the veteran Marshal Boufflers. This enterprise put the abilities of the generals, and the courage and endurance of the troops, to a severe trial. The Tenth formed part of the covering army under the Duke of Marlborough, while the siege was carried on by the brigades under Prince Eugene of Savoy. The services of the Tenth were of a varied character,—escorting supplies,—furnishing out-posts,—confronting the French army which advanced to raise the siege; and eventually the grenadier company joined the besieging army, and took part in the attacks on the town.

When the Elector of Bavaria besieged Brussels, the Tenth formed part of the force which advanced to raise the siege. The enemy's strong positions on the Scheldt were forced on the 27th of November; and the Elector made a precipitate retreat from before Brussels.

The citadel of Lisle surrendered on the 9th of December, and, notwithstanding the lateness of the season, the soldiers of the Tenth were called upon to engage in another enterprise. They appeared before Ghent,—drove back the enemy's out-guards, and took part in opening the trenches between the Scheldt and the Lys, on the night of the 24th of December, on which occasion their colonel, Lord North and Grey, evinced signal gallantry, and he was rewarded, a few days afterwards, with the rank of major-general. On the 26th of December, ten companies of French grenadiers issued from the town to attack the besieging troops, and they put the first regiment they came in contact with in some confusion.

The Tenth were immediately led to the spot, and they engaged the French grenadiers with spirit. The commanding officer of the regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Grove, was made prisoner, and Brigadier-General Evans, who commanded the troops at that point, was also captured; but the enemy was soon driven back into the town. On the 2nd of January, 1709, the governor surrendered; and the Tenth took up their quarters for the winter in the captured town.

1709

From Ghent, the regiment marched, in the spring of 1709, to the plain of Lisle; and was afterwards encamped on the Upper Dyle. After menacing the enemy's lines, and causing Marshal Villars to draw all the troops out of the fortified towns, which could possibly be spared, to strengthen his army in the field, the allies suddenly invested Tournay. During the siege of the town the Tenth regiment formed part of the covering army, but when the citadel was attacked, this, with several other regiments, left the covering army, and marched to Tournay to take part in the siege.

The citadel of Tournay was situated on some high ground, with a gentle ascent from the town, and the siege proved a service of the most difficult character. The peculiarities arose not so much from the strength of the fortifications, as from the multiplicity of the subterraneous works, which were more numerous than those aboveground. The approaches were carried on by sinking pits several fathoms deep, and working from thence underground, until the troops arrived at the casements and mines. The soldiers engaged in these services frequently encountered parties of the enemy, and numerous combats occurred in these gloomy labyrinths. On some occasions the men at work underground were inundated with water; on another occasion three hundred men were suffocated with smoke, and a hundred men were buried by the explosion of a mine. A detachment of the eighteenth foot was blown into the air, and their limbs scattered to a distance; and a battalion of Germans was destroyed by another mine; the Tenth foot also lost a number of men in the mines. At length it became difficult to induce the soldiers to enter these dark caverns, and engage in so appalling a service; they were, however, persuaded to persevere, and the citadel surrendered in the beginning of September.

After the capture of Tournay, the allied army traversed the country with a view of besieging the city of Mons, the capital of the province of Hainault; but when on the march, the allies found the French army, under Marshals Villars and Boufflers, in position near Malplaquet, and resolved to hazard an engagement.

At three o'clock on the morning of the 11th of September, the Tenth were on parade in the meadow where they had passed the night, and the chaplain performed divine service. A thick mist concealed the opposing armies from each other, but the din of hostile preparation was heard, and the soldiers, having confidence in their leaders, were anxious to acquire new laurels under their favourite chiefs. They waited till the sun broke forth, and then the battle commenced.

Entrenchments, abatis de bois, and other defensive works, covered the front and flanks of the French, and the storming of these formidable works occasioned a greater loss of life, than occurred at the battles of Blenheim, Ramilies, and Oudenarde put together.

The Tenth were formed in brigade, on this occasion, with the foot guards, royals, and thirty-seventh, and were in the column commanded by General Count Lottum. To this column was allotted the task of storming the enemy's entrenchments in the wood of Taisniere, which proved a difficult service. The foot guards led the attack, and behaved with great gallantry, but they encountered such formidable opposition that they were repulsed. The royals seconded the foot guards, and the buffs, being at the head of the next brigade, prolonged the attack to the left. The Tenth penetrated between the royals and the buffs, and the whole rushing forward with determined resolution, forced the entrenchments, when the French fell back fighting, but halted and renewed the contest in the wood. The Tenth, and other corps at this point, penetrated among the trees, and a sharp fire of musketry was kept up. The foliage was thick, every tree was disputed, and the wood re-echoed the din of battle. In the meantime a severe contest was taking place at other parts of the field, and obstacles deemed insurmountable were overcome; but the carnage was dreadful. The enemy's centre was forced; the cavalry of the allied army triumphed over the French horsemen, and the Tenth, and other British regiments in the woods of Taisniere, gained ground on their opponents. Eventually the French legions were driven from the field, with the loss of many prisoners, colours, standards, and cannon. When the soldiers of the allied army gazed at the formidable entrenchments, and other difficulties they had overcome, they were astonished at their own success.

On this occasion the regiment did not sustain a very severe loss in killed and wounded: the only officers mentioned in the list are Lieutenants Fellowes and Elstead wounded.

After the victory of Malplaquet, the siege of Mons was undertaken, and the Tenth formed part of the covering army: the garrison surrendered on the 20th of October, and shortly afterwards the regiment marched into winter-quarters at Ghent.

1710

Leaving its winter-quarters in the middle of April, 1710, the regiment directed its march to the vicinity of Tournay, where the allied army assembled. The capture of the small post of Mortagne proved a prelude to another campaign in which several fortresses were wrested from the French monarch. By a forced march the enemy's lines were passed at Pont-à-Vendin, and the siege of Douay, a considerable fortress in the second line of defence which covered the frontiers of Artois, was undertaken. Douay is a town of antiquity, having been a place of note in the time of the first Counts of Flanders; the river Scarpe running through the town, the river Haine being near it, the works being also strong, numerous, and well garrisoned, the siege of this place was an important undertaking. The Tenth foot, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Henry Grove, had their post in the lines of circumvallation, but did not take part in the attacks upon the works. When the French army, under Marshal Villars, advanced to raise the siege, the regiment was in position to oppose the enemy, and it had several men killed and wounded by a heavy cannonade which occurred on that occasion. Marshal Villars did not hazard an engagement, and the governor of Douay, after a very gallant defence, surrendered on the 27th of June.

After this conquest the English general resolved to attack Bethune, a strong town formerly belonging to the Counts of Flanders; but having been taken by Gaston, Duke of Orleans, it was annexed to the French monarchy at the peace of the Pyrenees in 1659. During the siege of Bethune, the Tenth had their post in the covering army encamped at Villars-Brulin, where the regiment was stationed until the garrison surrendered on the 29th of August.

The next undertaking in which the army was engaged was the siege of Aire and St. Venant, which towns were so situated as to admit of a simultaneous investment, and as the capture of these fortresses would secure the navigation of the Lys, and open a water communication with Tournay, Lisle, and Ghent, the skill of the generals and the valour of the troops were called forth to insure their reduction. The Tenth were among the corps engaged in the siege of Aire, and as the governor of that place made a very vigorous defence, a severe loss was sustained in killed and wounded. The regiment was several times warmly engaged in carrying on the attacks and storming the out-works; on which occasions its gallant bearing called forth the commendations of the Prince of Anhalt, who commanded the troops employed in the siege. On the 9th of November, the garrison surrendered; but the possession of Aire was purchased at a serious loss of brave soldiers.

Thus, fortress after fortress fell before the superior skill of the commanders and the prowess of the troops composing the allied army. After the surrender of Aire, the Tenth marched to Courtray, a town of Hainault, situate on the river Lys, and defended by towers and a strong castle erected by Philip, Duke of Burgundy, in 1385: at this place the regiment passed the winter, and its losses were replaced by recruits from England.

1711

Towards the end of April, 1711, the regiment was again in the field; it was reviewed at the camp at Warde by the Duke of Marlborough, on the 8th of June, and commended for its appearance and discipline: it afterwards encamped on the plains of Lens. A new line of formidable entrenchments, defended by a powerful French army under the command of Marshal Villars, appeared as a barrier to arrest the victorious career of the allied army; but the British General, by menacing the enemy's left, and making ostentatious preparations for storming the works at that point, occasioned the French troops to be drawn to that quarter; in the meantime he had privately assembled a number of corps at Douay, and by a forced march these formidable works were passed at the unguarded post of Arleux. The Tenth regiment of foot had the honor to take part in forcing these lines, on which occasion the British General developed that sublimity of military talent which has justly stamped this campaign as peculiarly scientific and glorious. The regiment was afterwards engaged in the siege of Bouchain, a well-fortified town, situate on both sides of the river Scheldt: and in carrying on the attacks, and performing its turn of duty in the trenches, the regiment had several men killed and wounded. The garrison surrendered in September, and after the damaged works were repaired, the Tenth went into winter-quarters.

1712

The French monarch saw his generals overmatched, his soldiers beaten and dispirited, the barriers of his kingdom trampled down, and the great Duke of Marlborough ready to lead his victorious legions into the heart of France. Under these circumstances the ambitious Louis XIV. solicited peace. Negociations commenced before the Tenth foot took the field in April, 1712: the British troops were, however, assembled near Tournay, and the Duke of Ormond assumed the command in succession to the Duke of Marlborough.

According to the returns of this period, the regiment brought six hundred and twenty-three rank and file into the field.

From Tournay the regiment advanced to the vicinity of Bouchain; it subsequently formed part of the covering army, encamped at Cateau-Cambresis, during the siege of Quesnoy, which fortress surrendered on the 4th of July. Soon afterwards a suspension of arms was proclaimed between the British and French, preparatory to a treaty of peace, and the Duke of Ormond withdrew, with the troops under his orders, to Ghent, from whence several corps were detached to Dunkirk, to take possession of that fortress.

1713
1714

The Tenth regiment of foot was subsequently quartered at Ghent; it remained in Flanders while the negociations were being carried on at Utrecht, and, in April, 1714, it was in garrison at the strong maritime town of Nieuport.

While the regiment was in garrison at Nieuport, Queen Anne died (1st August), and was succeeded by King George I.; several corps were ordered home on this occasion, but the Tenth were selected to garrison one of the fortresses in Flanders during the negociations for the barrier treaty.

1715

In the summer of 1715, the adherents of the Stuart dynasty, who were numerous, particularly in Scotland, made active preparations for the elevation of the Pretender to the throne, and Lieut.-General Lord North and Grey, being known to entertain sentiments favourable to the Stuart family, was removed from the colonelcy of the Tenth foot, which was conferred on the Lieut.-Colonel, Brigadier-General Henry Grove (who had often signalized himself at the head of the regiment), by commission dated the 23rd of June, 1715.

King George I., supported by his parliament, adopted very energetic measures to oppose the designs of the Jacobites, and His Majesty, having great confidence in the zeal of Brigadier-General Grove, and in the attachment of the Tenth foot to the Protestant succession, gave directions for the regiment to return to England: it landed at the Tower-stairs, London, about the middle of August, and afterwards marched to Colchester.

The rebellion broke out in Scotland in September, and the Earl of Mar headed the insurgent bands; but it was found necessary to detain a number of corps in England, to overawe the disaffected; and the Tenth were ordered to march, in the beginning of October, to Hammersmith, Kensington, and Chelsea, to be near the court. After the victories gained by the King's troops at Dumblain and Preston, the regiment marched to Lichfield and Newcastle, in Staffordshire, where it remained during the winter and the following spring.

1716
1717

In the summer of 1716, the regiment was stationed in Warwickshire, and in 1717, in Lancashire.

1722

The regiment continued to occupy various quarters in England, until the summer of 1722, when it was encamped on Salisbury Plain, where it was reviewed with a number of other corps, on the 30th of August, by King George I. and his royal highness the Prince of Wales. After the review, the regiment proceeded to Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

1723
1724

During the summer of 1723, the regiment marched to Scotland, from whence it returned in 1724, and was stationed at Nottingham.

1727

On the prospect of hostilities taking place on the Continent, in the spring of 1727, between the Emperor of Germany and the Dutch, the regiment was held in readiness to proceed on foreign service; at the same time its colonel was promoted to the rank of major-general, but no embarkation took place.

On the 11th June, 1727, King George I. died, and King George II. was proclaimed Sovereign of Great Britain and Ireland on the following day.

1730

In June, 1730, the regiment marched to Portsmouth, where it embarked for Gibraltar, and formed part of the garrison of that important fortress during the following nineteen years.

1736
1737
1746

The decease of Lieut.-General Grove occurred on the 20th of November, 1736, and the colonelcy of the regiment remained vacant until June of the following year, when it was conferred on Major-General Francis Columbine, who commanded the regiment nine years, and was succeeded in December, 1746, by Lieut.-General James Lord Tyrawley, from the third troop of life guards, which King George II. had resolved to reduce, in order to diminish the public expenditure.

1749

On the conclusion of the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1749, the regiment was relieved from garrison duty at Gibraltar, and proceeded to Ireland.

General Lord Tyrawley was removed to the fourteenth dragoons, in July, 1749; and in August King George II. conferred the colonelcy of the Tenth foot on Colonel Edward Pole, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the twelfth dragoons.

1751

A royal warrant was issued on the 1st of July, 1751, in which the King's or first colour of the regiment was directed to be the great Union: the second colour to be of bright yellow silk, with the Union in the upper canton, and in the centre of the colour the rank of the regiment, in gold Roman characters, within a wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk.

The costume of the regiment at this period was,—Three-cornered cocked hats bound with white lace; scarlet coats faced and turned up with bright yellow, and ornamented with white lace; scarlet waistcoats and breeches; white linen gaiters reaching above the knee; white cravats; buff belts.

1757
1759
1762

Colonel Pole was promoted to the rank of major-general in 1757, and to that of lieut.-general in 1759. He commanded the regiment thirteen years, and died in the winter of 1762; when King George III. conferred the colonelcy on Major-General Edward Sandford, from the twenty-sixth regiment, by commission dated the 4th of January, 1763.

1763
1767
1768

The regiment was stationed in Ireland during the whole of the seven years' war, but when the disputes between Great Britain and her North American colonies began to assume a serious aspect, the Tenth was one of the first corps ordered to proceed across the Atlantic. The regiment embarked from Ireland in the spring of 1767, and after a short stay in Nova Scotia, it was ordered to Boston, where, in 1768, the conduct of the populace assumed so violent a character as to render the presence of a military force necessary.

1769

The policy pursued by the British government towards the North American provinces alienated the affections of the people from the mother-country, and the idea of these extensive colonies becoming a great and independent empire, having gained possession of many minds, the Americans became impatient of their condition. The events of each succeeding year appeared to mature the revolutionary designs of the colonists, and the determination to assert their independence became prevalent.

COLOURS OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.

1775

In the spring of 1775, General Gage, who commanded the British troops at Boston, ascertained that the Americans were collecting military stores at Concord, about eighteen miles from Boston, and the flank companies of the Tenth, and of several other corps, embarked in boats, at ten o'clock on the night of the 18th of April, under Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Smith of the Tenth, for the purpose of destroying the stores. Proceeding to the entrance of the Cambridge-river, the troops landed at Phipps's farm, and advanced upon Concord, while the Americans, by the ringing of bells and the firing of guns, spread an alarm over the country. About four o'clock on the morning of the 19th of April, the light company of the Tenth, being in advance, approached the village of Lexington, where a body of American militia was forming; they were called upon to lay down their arms, but instead of obeying the order, they attempted to take shelter behind a stone wall, and several of them fired at the King's troops, wounding a soldier of the Tenth, which was the first blood shed in this unhappy contest. The light infantry responded to this act of hostility with an irregular volley, which killed and wounded several Americans, and dispersed the remainder: the commencement of the American war thus took place.

After this rencounter, the flank companies continued their route to Concord, and Captain Parsons of the Tenth was detached with several companies to secure the bridge beyond the town, while the remainder of the detachment searched for and destroyed the military stores. The light companies of the fourth and Tenth regiments were posted on some heights near the bridge; crowds of armed men assembled on the high grounds near the town, and a party of Americans fired upon the soldiers at the bridge, killing three men and wounding several others, when the fire was returned, and the detached companies joined the main body in the town.

The military stores having been destroyed, the troops commenced their march back to Boston, when the country was found swarming with armed men, who commenced a sharp fire from behind walls, fences, trees, &c., and skirmish succeeded skirmish until the soldiers were exhausted, and had expended nearly all their ammunition. Arriving at Lexington, they were met by a brigade of infantry and two guns, under Colonel Earl Percy, who formed his men into a square, with the exhausted flank companies in the centre, and, after a short halt, continued the retreat to Charlestown, from whence he crossed the river by the ferry to Boston, having lost several men from the incessant fire which the Americans kept up from behind walls, trees, and other coverts on both sides of the road.

The regiment had two men killed; Lieut.-Colonel Francis Smith, Captain Lawrence Parsons, Lieutenant Waldron Kelly, Ensign Jeremiah Lester, and thirteen rank and file wounded.

Hostilities having thus commenced, the whole province of Massachusetts-bay was speedily in arms, and an immense number of men invested Boston, where the King's troops were stationed on the land side. The Americans commenced constructing works on Bunkers-hill, a high ground beyond the river, from which it was determined to dislodge them, and the flank companies of the Tenth formed part of the force selected for this service.

Embarking from Boston in boats, about noon on the 17th of June, the soldiers crossed the river, and landed on the opposite shore. The ships of war opened their fire upon the enemy's works, and the troops ascended the steep hill, which was covered with grass reaching to the knees, and intersected with walls and fences of various enclosures, and advanced to storm the works in the face of a well-directed fire. The difficulty of the ascent, the heat of the weather, and the enemy's superior numbers and incessant fire, combined to render this enterprise particularly arduous; twice the King's troops appeared to stagger; but recovering, they rushed forward with renewed ardour, and drove the Americans out of the works at the point of the bayonet; thus proving their superior bravery and discipline, by gaining a complete victory over an enemy three times as numerous as themselves and protected by entrenchments.

The flank companies of the Tenth were among the troops which distinguished themselves, and every officer was wounded. Their loss was two serjeants and five rank and file killed; Captains Parsons, Fitzgerald, Lieutenants Pittigrew, Verner, Hamilton, Kelly, one drummer, and thirty-nine rank and file wounded.

The valour of the British soldiers in North America excited the admiration of their sovereign and country; yet, the circumstances in which they were placed rendered it impossible for their prowess to be exercised with the prospect of ultimate success. The great superiority of the numbers of the enemy more than counter-balanced the advantages of superior skill and discipline, and the troops in Boston remained in a state of blockade; live cattle, vegetables, and even fuel, were sent for their use from England; many of the vessels were, however, wrecked, and others captured by the Americans, and great distress, sickness, and loss of life occurred.

1776

No advantage being likely to result from the possession of Boston under the circumstances in which the troops were placed, it was evacuated in the middle of March, 1776, and the Tenth were moved to Nova Scotia. They were stationed at Halifax until June, when they sailed with the expedition to Staten Island, to take part in an extensive plan of operations.

The regiment landed on Staten Island in the early part of July; reinforcements arrived from England, also a body of Hessians, and the Tenth, thirty-seventh, thirty-eighth, and fifty-second regiments, formed the third brigade of the army, under Major-General Jones, in the division commanded by Lieut.-General Earl Percy.

On the 22nd of August, a descent was made on the south-west end of Long Island, and on the night of the 26th, the Tenth advanced, in support of the leading division, to seize on a pass in the mountains. This pass was occupied without opposition; the troops crossed the hills, and directed their march towards the enemy's lines at Brooklyn. Arriving at Bedford, an attack was commenced on the American battalions which were quitting the woody heights to return to their lines, and the enthusiastic ardour of the royal forces overcame all opposition. Encouraged by their success, and inspired with lively anticipations of victory, the soldiers urged their way towards the lines to storm the works; but they were ordered to desist, to spare the unnecessary effusion of blood which an attack by storm would have occasioned. The conduct of the British troops on this occasion was highly commended in General Sir William Howe's despatch.

The Americans abandoned their lines, and retreated across the East River to New York. The Tenth having thus had the honour of taking part in the reduction of Long Island, crossed the river to New York Island, and were engaged in the movements by which the American army was driven from the city of New York.

In the second week of October, the regiment again embarked in boats, and proceeded up the river to the vicinity of West Chester, where it went ashore; but afterwards re-embarked and sailed to Pell's Point, where a sharp skirmish occurred. The regiment was also engaged in the movements by which the passage of the Brunx river was effected, and the American army forced to abandon its fortified lines on White Plains. In the action on the 28th of October, the Tenth lost two men.

From White Plains the army withdrew to engage in the siege of Forts Washington and Lee, which obstructed the navigation of the North River. Fort Washington was invested, and on the 16th of November, the Tenth were engaged, under Lieut.-General Earl Percy, in assaulting the right flank of the enemy's entrenchments; they took part in carrying an advanced work, and afterwards passed the lines, which were carried in a most gallant manner, and upwards of two thousand provincials surrendered prisoners of war. The loss of the regiment was limited to Captain Mackintosh and three rank and file killed; five rank and file wounded.

In the early part of December, the regiment was detached, with other troops, under Lieut.-Generals Clinton and Earl Percy, against Rhode Island, which was the principal station of the enemy's naval force, and from whence the Americans sent out privateers which interrupted the British commerce. The regiment sailed on this enterprise in the early part of December; a landing was effected on the morning of the 9th of that month, and the island was speedily reduced to submission to the British government.

1777

After passing several months on Rhode Island, the Tenth embarked for New Jersey, and formed part of the army which took the field, under General Sir William Howe, in the early part of June, 1777.

General Washington kept the American army in the mountain fastnesses, where he could not be attacked, except under great disadvantages, and the English general resolved on an expedition against Philadelphia.

Embarking on board the fleet, the regiment sailed for Chesapeak-bay, and from thence up the Elk River, to Elk Ferry, where it landed about the end of August: the fifth, Tenth, twenty-seventh, fortieth, and fifty-fifth regiments, formed the second brigade under Major-General Grant.

The American army took up a position at Brandywine Creek, to oppose the advance of the British on Philadelphia, and on the 11th of September the enemy's posts were attacked; the Tenth forming part of the force selected to attack the American troops posted at Chad's Ford. After a sharp cannonade, the troops rushed through the stream with fixed bayonets, the fourth foot taking the lead, and, overpowering all resistance, captured three brass field-pieces and a howitzer. The Americans were routed at all points, and they made a precipitate retreat. The Tenth had two rank and file killed, and six wounded, on this occasion.

The regiment passed the night on the field of battle, and marched on the following day to Concord; on the 13th of September it arrived at Ashtown, and on the 25th the troops pitched their tents at Germantown, about six miles from Philadelphia, which city was taken possession of by the grenadiers.

On the 29th of September, the Tenth and forty-second regiments were detached from the camp at Germantown, under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel Stirling, of the forty-second, to attack a strong redoubt erected by the Americans on the Jersey shore, at a place called Billing's-point, to prevent the removal of a sunken barrier across the river Delaware. The two regiments crossed the river from Chester on the 1st of October, and on approaching the redoubt, three hundred Americans in garrison fled; having first set fire to their barracks and spiked their cannon. The Tenth and forty-second pursued the Americans about two miles, but were unable to overtake them.

Billing's-point redoubt being thus captured, the obstructions to the navigation of the Delaware at that point were removed, and the Tenth and forty-second crossed the river to Chester, where they were joined by the twenty-third, and the three regiments escorted a large convoy of provisions to the camp at Germantown.

The British general having sent off several detachments, the Americans resolved to hazard another battle, and they attacked the position at Germantown at daybreak on the morning of the 4th of October; but were repulsed. The light company of the Tenth signalized itself on this occasion and had several men killed and wounded: the battalion companies of the regiment had their post on the right of the village, but they were not engaged.

In the middle of October, the army removed to the immediate vicinity of Philadelphia, and two forts on the river were reduced. In the early part of December, the British advanced towards the enemy's fortified camp at Whitemarsh; the Tenth took part in several movements and skirmishes, designed to bring on a general engagement, but the Americans kept close behind their entrenchments and abatis-de-bois, and the British returned to Philadelphia.

1778

The Tenth regiment passed the winter in comfortable quarters in the city of Philadelphia; but before the season for opening the campaign of 1778 arrived, the King of France concluded a treaty with, and agreed to aid, the Americans, which so completely changed the nature of the war, that it was deemed necessary to concentrate the army at New York.

Philadelphia was evacuated in the middle of June, and the Tenth took part in the difficult service of retreating through a wild and woody country, intersected by rivulets, the bridges over which had been destroyed. On the 28th of June, the regiment was in advance under Lieut.-General Knyphausen, and as the last division of the army descended from the heights above Freehold, in New Jersey, the American troops appeared in the rear and on both flanks, and some sharp fighting took place, which terminated in the repulse of the enemy. The grenadier company of the Tenth had an opportunity of distinguishing itself on this occasion; it had Major Gardiner wounded, and several private soldiers killed and wounded.

Having repulsed the enemy, the army continued its march, crossed the channel to Sandy Hook, and embarked from thence for New York.

The Tenth had lost many men, during the period they had been in America, from fatigue, privation, disease, and other casualties, besides those killed and disabled in action with the enemy, and soon after the regiment arrived at New York, it was selected to return to England. The men fit for service, who volunteered to remain in the country, were transferred to other corps, and the remainder embarked from New York towards the end of October; they arrived in England in December, and immediately commenced recruiting their numbers.

1781

After the decease of Lieut.-General Sandford, King George III. conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Major-General Sir R. Murray Keith, K.B., from the late eighty-seventh foot (which was disbanded at the peace in 1763), by commission dated the 10th of October, 1781.

1783
1784
1785

The American War having ceased in 1783, reductions took place in the military establishments, and the numbers of the Tenth Regiment were consequently diminished; in the autumn of 1783 the regiment embarked for Ireland, and it was stationed in that part of the United Kingdom during the years 1784 and 1785.

1786

On the 2nd of March, 1786, the regiment embarked from Ireland for Jamaica, to relieve the first battalion of the sixtieth foot, which was ordered to proceed to Nova Scotia.

1793
1794
1795

The regiment was stationed at Jamaica when the French Revolution occurred, which involved Europe in war and occasioned the West India islands to become the theatre of anarchy and devastation; the mulattoes and blacks imbibing the doctrine of equality, breaking the ties of subordination, and committing every description of crime. Active measures were adopted to rescue the French West India islands from republican domination; but the Tenth had sustained so serious a loss of men from disease during the nine years they had been at Jamaica, that they were ordered home to recruit: they arrived in England in August, 1795, and were stationed at Lincoln, from whence recruiting parties were sent out.

After the decease of Lieut.-General Sir R. Murray Keith, Major-General the Honorable Henry Edward Fox, was appointed colonel of the Tenth foot, from the 131st regiment, by commission dated the 23rd of June, 1795.

1796

The establishment was completed by drafts from other corps, and, in three months from the date of its arrival from Jamaica, the regiment was ordered to furnish seven companies to take part in completing the deliverance of the French West India Islands from the power of the republicans. The force designed for this service, under Major-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, sailed from Spithead in December, and the departure of the fleet, accompanied by a division of the royal navy under Admiral Christian, presented a most splendid spectacle; but this armament was overtaken by a storm, the fleet was dispersed, many vessels were wrecked, and others returned to Spithead. The ship containing the grenadier company of the Tenth, and several other corps, withstood the storm; but it had not been long at sea before the yellow fever broke out on board, when it returned to England, and the soldiers went into hospital at Plymouth, from whence the grenadiers of the Tenth marched to Chatham, where the regiment was assembled in 1796.

1797

From Chatham the regiment embarked on an expedition to the Continent, but was ordered to land at Lymington, from whence it proceeded to the Isle of Wight, and was stationed on that island and at Portsmouth until the winter of 1798.

1798

The Tenth, having been appointed to transfer their services from Europe to the British possessions in Hindoostan, embarked from Portsmouth during the winter, and arriving in the south of India, landed at the celebrated city and fortress of Madras, the capital of the British possessions in that quarter of the globe, on the 13th of April, 1799.

1799

At Madras the regiment remained nearly four months, and on the 6th of August, it embarked for the rich and extensive province of Bengal, where it arrived on the 26th of the same month.

1800

For fifteen months the Tenth were stationed in the Presidency of Bengal, in a country abounding in all that is essential to the comfort and even the luxury of man, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Richard Quarrell, and in November, 1800, they were sent down the river Ganges to be embarked for Egypt, which country was overrun by an army of French veterans, vauntingly designated the "Army of the East," and commanded by the celebrated General Buonaparte.

1801

To effect the expulsion of the French "Army of the East" from Egypt, a British force sailed from Europe under General Sir Ralph Abercromby, and about six thousand men from India and the Cape of Good Hope, under Major-General Baird, were appointed to co-operate. To engage in this service, the Tenth sailed from Kidgaree on the 5th of December, joined the expedition, under Major-General Baird, at Bombay, and sailed from thence for the Red Sea. The original design was to proceed to the port of Suez, at the head of the Red Sea, on the borders of Arabia; but the monsoon had commenced before the fleet entered the Red Sea in April, 1801, and Major-General Baird resolved to land at Cosseir, and brave the difficulties of the desert, in the hope of affording important aid to the troops which had landed in Egypt from Europe.

Eight companies of the Tenth arrived at Cosseir on the 15th of June, and the remainder of the regiment, having been separated by the monsoon gales, was some days later.[6] On landing, the country presented a frightfully desolate prospect, but the soldiers commenced their march through the desert with cheerful alacrity;[7] although suffering from excessive heat and dysentery, occasioned by bad water.

The march was made during the night. A little way from Cosseir the soldiers entered a ravine, which appeared to be the old bed of a river, along which they travelled three days, when it terminated at Moilah. From Moilah the desert had a hard gravelly soil, generally, until the troops arrived at Baromba, where the first habitable spot was met with after leaving Cosseir; not a single hut having previously been seen. The troops suffered greatly from thirst and oppressive heat, with an almost irresistible inclination to sleep; some soldiers straggling from the line of march, that they might lie down and sleep, lost their lives. The little town of Baromba lay on the borders of the desert, and the Arabs offered milk, eggs, and poultry for sale, in great abundance, and very cheap.

On arriving at Kenna, the regiment was ordered to proceed to Girgee, a large town of Upper Egypt, situate about a quarter of a mile from the river Nile. The regimental baggage was sent to Suez, but the "Cavera" transport foundered at sea, and all the baggage, books, &c. of the Tenth were lost.

In the meantime, the British army from Europe had triumphed over the French before Alexandria, where General Sir Ralph Abercromby was mortally wounded; the French troops at Cairo had also surrendered, and the siege of Alexandria was the next undertaking. The Tenth embarked from Girgee in dgerms, and proceeded down the Nile to the Island of Rhoda, where they encamped. On the 2nd of August they again embarked, and proceeded to Rosetta, a town celebrated for the beauty of its environs; beyond the Nile lay the richest parts of the Delta, the garden of Egypt. From Rosetta the regiment proceeded to El-Hamed, and joined the forces encamped at that place.

Alexandria surrendered in the beginning of September, and Egypt was thus delivered; the French "Army of the East" being forced to evacuate a country from whence Buonaparte had vainly imagined he should extend his conquests throughout Asia.

Lieut.-General (afterwards Lord) Hutchinson stated in his despatch:—"This arduous and important service has at length been brought to a conclusion. The exertions of individuals have been splendid and meritorious. The conduct of the troops of every description has been exemplary in the highest degree; there has been much to applaud, and nothing to reprehend; their ardour and regularity in camp having been as conspicuous as their courage in the field."

In this service, although the Tenth had not been brought into contact with the enemy, their conduct had been exemplary, and they had sustained a loss of thirty men from the climate, and other casualties incident to the service in which they were employed. They received, in common with the other regiments, the expression of the high approbation of their Sovereign, the thanks of Parliament, and the royal authority to bear on their colours the "Sphynx," with the word "Egypt," to commemorate this splendid event. The officers were also rewarded with gold medals, presented to them by the Grand Seignior, in commemoration of the important service rendered to the Ottoman empire.

The Tenth were selected to remain a short period in Egypt; they marched from El-Hamed on the 4th of December, arrived at Alexandria on the 5th, and encamped under the walls until the 18th, when they were removed into Fort Triangular.

1802

In the city of Alexandria, formerly celebrated as the seat of learning and commerce, the regiment was stationed for several months. On the 29th of April, 1802, an explosion took place in the fort which the Tenth occupied, by which they had four men killed and ten wounded; also two Indian followers killed and ten wounded.

The regiment was afterwards encamped near Alexandria; it was struck off the Indian establishment, and commenced receiving pay on the British on the 1st of May.

1803

While the Tenth were encamped near Alexandria, the plague broke out among the natives. The army suddenly embarked on the 5th of March, 1803, leaving its camp equipage standing, and on the 7th the regiment sailed out of the Western Harbour.

Arriving at Malta on the 27th of April, the regiment performed a quarantine of forty-two days, and afterwards sailed to Gibraltar, where it arrived on the 20th of June.

1804

A treaty of peace was concluded with the French republic while the Tenth were in Egypt; but hostilities had recommenced before the regiment arrived at Gibraltar, and in 1804 a second battalion was added to the establishment. The head-quarters of the second battalion were fixed at Maldon in Essex; it was formed of men raised in Essex, for limited service, under the Additional Force Act, passed 20th July, 1804, and was placed upon the establishment from the 25th of December, 1804.

1805
1806

The first battalion was stationed at Gibraltar during the years 1804, 1805, and 1806.

In the meantime numerous changes occurred among the states of Europe, and the great success which at this period attended the French arms, enabled Napoleon Buonaparte, who, in 1804, had been invested with the title of Emperor of the French, King of Italy, &c., to assume the position of a dictator: his conduct towards the royal family of Naples occasioned the history of that court to become connected with the services of the Tenth regiment of foot.

When war recommenced between Great Britain and France in 1803, Buonaparte occupied a portion of the Neapolitan territory with his troops. In 1805 a treaty of neutrality was concluded between the French Emperor and the King of Naples, by which the former engaged to withdraw his troops from the Neapolitan territory, and the latter was bound not to admit the fleets or armies of any of the states at war with France into his ports or territory. The conditions of this treaty were, however, violated by Ferdinand IV., who admitted an English and Russian armament into the Bay of Naples in November, 1805, and a body of British and Russian troops was landed at that city.

The conduct of the King of Naples excited the indignation of the French Emperor, who concluded that this little kingdom was united with his enemies, and on the morning after the signatures were affixed to the treaty of Presburg, Napoleon issued a proclamation declaring that "the Neapolitan dynasty had ceased to reign," and denouncing vengeance against the family he had thus resolved to dethrone, in terms which left no hope of accommodation. The Russians withdrew from Naples, leaving the court to its fate. The British, under General Sir James Craig, were too few in number to defend the Neapolitan state, but they took possession of the island of Sicily, which they preserved in the interest of King Ferdinand IV.

The armies of France, under Joseph Buonaparte, invaded the kingdom of Naples in the early part of 1806; the King and Queen fled to Sicily, which the British preserved as an asylum for their Majesties; they were accompanied and followed by part of the Neapolitan army, also by a number of persons connected with the court, and they took up their residence at the city of Palermo, situate in a bay on the northern coast of the island, where they received pecuniary aid from England.

When their country was invaded, the Neapolitans exhibited neither public spirit nor the love of freedom, but abandoned their sovereign to his fate, and submitted to the invaders. Persons of all ranks attached themselves to the French interest, and Napoleon issued a decree conferring the crown of Naples on his brother Joseph and his legitimate heirs male, without prejudice to the eventual claim of the throne of France, but with the proviso that the crown of France and that of Naples should never be united on the same head. The city of Naples was illuminated, and the nobles were eager to manifest their attachment to their new king. Insurrections occurred in several places, but the French arms were successful, and the provinces became tranquil under the Buonaparte dynasty.

It was important to England that Sicily should not fall under the dominion of France, and when the enemy made preparations for the invasion of the island, they were met in Calabria; the battle of Maida, on the 4th of July, 1806, proved the superiority of the British troops, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Calabria were restored to their legal sovereign.

1807

The services of the Tenth regiment of foot became connected with the interests of the exiled royal family of Naples in the autumn of 1807, when the regiment embarked from Gibraltar, and arrived on the 28th of September at Messina, a city on the north-east side of the island of Sicily. The Tenth did not land at Messina, but were ordered round to Augusta, where they disembarked on the 2nd of October, and occupied quarters in the citadel.

1808

On the 5th of April, 1808, Major J. Otto Beyer, five lieutenants, one ensign, six serjeants, and three hundred and sixty-two rank and file joined from England.

About this period the two flank companies were ordered to be completed to one hundred rank and file each, and to join the flank battalion formed on the island.

In June four companies were sent to reinforce the garrison of Syracuse, a fortified town situated on the south-east of the island, and celebrated in ancient times for its great population. These companies returned in August; but were again detached on the same services in October.

1809

On the 20th of March, 1809, the head-quarters marched from Augusta, and the detachment from Syracuse, for Catania. At this celebrated city, which is beautifully situated in the Val di Demona, on the east coast of the island, and on the borders of Val di Nota, the regiment remained ten days, and afterwards marched to the port of Melazzo, and joined the army encamped on the plains of that town. Meanwhile Joseph Buonaparte had been removed to the throne of Spain, and the French Emperor had placed Marshal Murat, his brother-in-law, on the throne of Naples.

In the beginning of June, General Sir John Stuart, Count of Maida, commanding the British troops in Sicily, embarked fifteen thousand men for the south of Italy, and for the capture of Naples, as a diversion in favour of the Austrians, who were once more at war with France. The Tenth regiment embarked on this enterprise, leaving two companies in garrison at Melazzo.

The first attack made by the main body of the expedition was on Ischia, a small island in the gulf of Naples, situate about six miles from the coast. The batteries for the defence of the shores of the island being turned by the British troops, were successively deserted by the enemy, and after a short resistance, the garrison of Ischia surrendered. The garrison of Procida, another island on the same coast, was also forced to surrender; and forty gun-boats were captured.

An attack was likewise made on the castle of Scylla, situate in a promontory in the straits of Messina, which separate Sicily from the Neapolitan territory. The Tenth regiment was selected to take part in this enterprise: having landed on the coast, it crossed the heights of Jovanni on the 14th of June, and proceeding through the mountains to the heights of Mela, immediately above the castle, bivouacked on the high grounds; at the same time the works were commenced for the attack. On the 29th of June a strong reinforcement of the enemy appeared, and the British troops were concentrated; but the French had so great an excess of numbers, that it was deemed necessary to withdraw. The stores were destroyed, the retreat effected, and the Tenth regiment was conveyed across the straits to the Messina side; having only sustained a loss of two men.

The diversion so far succeeded as to prevent Murat taking part in the war with Austria, and the troops returned to Sicily: the Tenth were stationed in the citadel of Messina until the 8th of July, when they were encamped along the coast near the Faro.

1810

During the summer of this year an expedition sailed from England against the coast of Holland, and Flushing, on the island of Walcheren, was captured. The second battalion of the Tenth embarked from Portsmouth on the 9th of November, and landed on the island of Walcheren on the 22nd of that month; but the climate proved very injurious to the health of the British soldiers, and the island was evacuated. The second battalion of the Tenth embarked from Flushing on the 10th of December, and on arriving in England it was ordered to Jersey, where it landed on the 17th of January, 1810.

From Jersey the second battalion embarked on the 10th of April, 1810, for Gibraltar, and arrived at that important fortress in eighteen days. The battalion remained at Gibraltar three months, then embarked for the island of Malta, and landed there on the 12th of August.

The first battalion remained on the coast of Sicily until November, when it marched into the citadel of Messina.

1811

After the decease of General the Honorable Henry Edward Fox, who held the command of the regiment sixteen years, the colonelcy was conferred on Major-General the Honorable Thomas Maitland, from the fourth West India regiment, by commission dated the 19th of July, 1811.

On the 22nd of August the second battalion embarked from Malta for the island of Sicily, and landed at Messina on the 27th of that month.

1812

In the meantime, the efforts made by Great Britain to enable the Spaniards and Portuguese to deliver themselves from the power of Napoleon, began to assume a favourable prospect, and sanguine hopes of final success were anticipated. To aid the cause of Spanish independence, a small army was sent from Sicily to the eastern coast of Spain, and the first battalion of the Tenth was destined to take part in this service. The battalion left Messina in January, 1812, embarked at Melazzo, for Palermo, and was in quarters in that part of Sicily until June, when it joined the expedition which sailed for Spain.

Approaching the coast of Spain towards the end of July, the armament appeared off Palamos, in Catalonia, but the town was too strong to be attached by so small a force, and the fleet sailed for Alicant, in Murcia, where it arrived at a critical moment, the Spanish troops in that quarter having been defeated by the French. The Anglo-Sicilian troops landed and advanced a few stages to Elda, but afterwards withdrew; the Tenth marching to Palermo, where they passed the winter, the soldiers being much disappointed at the state of inactivity in which they were detained.

In November, the grenadier company of the second battalion embarked from Sicily, and joined the army on the eastern coast of Spain.

1813

On the 16th of February, 1813, the second battalion embarked from Sicily, against the island of Ponzo, on the coast of Naples, which capitulated on the 26th of that month, when the battalion returned to Sicily.

In the spring of this year, the distresses of the Spanish troops near Alicant, which could only be relieved by enlarging their cantonments, induced the British commander, Lieut.-General Sir John Murray, to make a forward movement. The Tenth formed part of the fourth column, which advanced by Xixona upon Alcoy; some fighting occurred, and the cantonments were enlarged. On the 18th of March, the regiment crossed the mountains to Ibithe, and on the 20th went into cantonments at Castalla.

The French army under Marshal Suchet advanced in the early part of April, and attacked the outposts on the 12th, when Lieutenant Thompson of the Tenth regiment, deputy-assistant quartermaster-general, was killed by a cannon-shot. The Anglo-Sicilian army took up a position three miles from the pass of Biar; the Tenth having left their cantonments at Castalla, took post in the line.

On the 13th of April, the enemy cleared the pass of Biar, and the battle of Castalla was fought, when the French were repulsed and driven back through the pass: the Tenth did not sustain any loss on this occasion; on the day after the battle they marched to Alcoy, and, on the 19th of April, to Castalla.

About this period, the grenadier companies of the first and second battalions returned to Sicily.

The siege of Tarragona, a seaport of Catalonia, situate on a hill near the mouth of the river Francoli, having been resolved upon, the Tenth left Castalla on the 29th of May, embarked at Alicant on the 31st, and landed on the 3rd of June in the vicinity of Tarragona. Marshal Suchet advancing with an army of superior numbers, the siege was raised, and the troops were re-embarked, on the 8th of June, on which day the regiment had a man killed by a cannon-ball. On the following day the regiment landed at Balaguer, and remained a short time in Catalonia; it afterwards sailed for Alicant. During the voyage a violent tempest drove fourteen sail of transports on the sands off the mouth of the Ebro, and the "Alfred" transport, having two companies of the Tenth on board, was wrecked. After landing at Alicant, the regiment went into cantonments at Palermo.

Lieutenant-General Lord William Bentinck assumed the command of the army in the east of Spain, in succession to Lieutenant-General Sir John Murray, on the 18th June, 1813. The following General Order was issued by His Lordship, dated Alicant, 25th June, 1813:—

"The Commander of the Forces sees with the utmost gratification the military spirit, and the determination to conquer, which pervades the whole army. We are engaged in a glorious cause,—the cause of universal liberty! It is the cause of us all; of those who are free, and those who are not. To-day the contest is fought in Spain and Germany, to-morrow it will be in Italy. Brave Italians, once so great, once masters of the world, but now, though brave and enlightened as ever, the unwilling slaves of a French tyrant, it is for the interest of the whole, that the efforts should be made where the enemy is the weakest. Success in Spain is success in Germany, in England, and in Italy! We form a great brotherhood; we must emulate each other in affection, union, and courage, and Providence, in whose hands is victory, will bless our cause!"

Lieutenant-General Lord William Bentinck continued in command of this division of the army until the 23rd September, 1813, when his Lordship issued the following General Order, dated Tarragona, 23rd September, 1813:—

"The Commander of the Forces deeply laments that he is compelled to leave the army. It is a pleasing part of his duty to express his perfect satisfaction with the subordination and perseverance displayed by the troops upon all occasions.

"He only regrets that the part assigned to this army in the plan of the campaign has not permitted the troops to partake in those brilliant triumphs, which would have been the just recompense of their valour and discipline."

Lieutenant-General William Clinton succeeded Lord William Bentinck in the command of this division of the army on the 23rd September, 1813.

The battle of Vittoria, on the 21st June, gained by the army under the Marquis of Wellington, changed the aspect of affairs in Spain, and the French troops in Murcia made some retrograde movements. The Anglo-Sicilian army advanced; the Tenth left their cantonments on the 5th of July, and, advancing into Catalonia, they once more appeared before the fortress of Tarragona, which was again invested. While before Tarragona, Assistant-Surgeon Rolston lost a leg, and a private soldier lost both feet from cannon-shot. The opposing armies in Catalonia made several movements, and the regiment withdrew from before Tarragona and proceeded to Balaguer.

On the 22nd of August, five hundred men of the Tenth were sent into the interior to cut wood for the use of the army; during their absence a fire was accidentally kindled to the windward of the bivouac ground, and communicating rapidly to the dry grass and shrubs, the ground occupied by the Tenth regiment was soon enveloped in flame. The exertions of the few men of the regiment left in the lines were impeded by the explosions of the cartridges, and few of the arms and appointments of the corps were saved: four hundred stand of arms, and about the same number of sets of accoutrements, knapsacks, and suits of clothing were destroyed. By this accident the regiment was rendered unfit for the field; it embarked for Salo, and on arriving there, all the tailors and other mechanics were employed to refit it. Arms were also procured, and it was so speedily re-equipped, that it returned to the seat of war in the beginning of September: having landed at Villa Nova on the 5th of that month, it went into cantonments at Villa Franca.

On the evening of the 12th of September, the advanced corps of the Anglo-Sicilian army posted at Ordal were attached and overpowered by the superior numbers of the enemy. The Tenth were suddenly ordered out at two o'clock on the following morning, and they formed across the road, covering the retreat of the broken remains of the corps in advance. At daybreak the French cavalry appeared, advancing rapidly and in great force, when the regiment commenced retiring, and skirmishing with the enemy during the retrograde movement; the army falling back towards Tarragona. In the evening the regiment took post on a height near Vendrills, where it halted several hours, and afterwards continued its retreat to the vicinity of Tarragona.

On the 24th of September, the regiment marched into quarters at Valls, and in October it was removed to Vendrills.

The brilliant success of the allied army under the Marquis of Wellington, and the disasters of Napoleon in Germany, had a great effect upon the war in Catalonia, and the troops under Marshal Suchet withdrew from several posts. The Tenth marched, in February, 1814, to the vicinity of Barcelona, and formed part of the force employed in the blockade of that fortress.

1814

Hostilities were terminated in April by a treaty of peace; Buonaparte was removed from the throne of France, and the Bourbon family restored.[8] The Tenth withdrew from before Barcelona, marched to Tarragona, and embarked at that port on the 25th of April; on the 19th of May they landed at the beautiful city of Palermo, situate in a bay on the northern coast of Sicily, where they went into barracks.

In March, 1814, the second battalion embarked from Sicily, and landed on the island of Malta on the 24th of that month.

1815

The return of Napoleon Buonaparte to France from Elba, and the declaration of war against the usurper by the allied sovereigns, in the spring of 1815, occasioned the Tenth to be removed from Sicily. They proceeded, in the first instance, by sea, from Palermo to Melazzo, and were stationed in the castle; at the same time the grenadier and light companies joined the flank battalion formed at Melazzo. The battalion companies afterwards sailed for Naples, where they landed on the 25th of May; three days after landing they went on board of two Neapolitan line of battle ships, "Geochinria" and "Carpi," and proceeded to Malta, where they landed on the 9th of June, and occupied Fort St. Elmo barracks.

The battle of Waterloo was succeeded by the flight of Buonaparte from France, and his surrender to the captain of a British man-of-war. Three hundred men of the Tenth, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel J. O. Beyer were detached to Fort Emanoel, in charge of the Duke of Rovigo, Lieut.-General L'Allemand, and six other French officers who had belonged to the suite of Buonaparte: these officers had been sent to Malta as state prisoners.

1816

Peace being restored, the army was reduced; the two battalions of the Tenth regiment, at Malta, were incorporated, and the invalids and limited-service men were sent to England; this took place in January, 1816.

The good conduct of the regiment during the period it was employed on the eastern coast of Spain, in 1812, 1813, and 1814, was rewarded with the royal authority to bear the word "Peninsula" on its colours.

1817

In August, 1816, the regiment commenced embarking by detachments from Malta, for Corfu, where it was stationed until the end of August, 1817, when the head-quarters and five companies, under Colonel Travers, embarked for the islands of Cephalonia and Zante.

1818

On the 21st of March, 1818, five companies embarked from Corfu, under the orders of Major Trickey, for Malta, and occupied the barracks in the Cottonera district.

1819

In March, 1819, the head-quarters embarked from Cephalonia, and the detachment from Zante, for Malta, where the regiment was assembled, and occupied the lower St. Elmo barracks at Valetta, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Mathew Stewart, who was appointed from half-pay in succession to Colonel Travers, nominated an Inspecting Field-officer of Militia in the Ionian Islands.

1820

During the year 1820, the regiment occupied the barracks in the Cottonera district, with detachments at Floriana, forts Manvel and Tigni, and the island of Giza.

1821

From Malta, the regiment embarked, in April, 1821, for England, and landing at Portsmouth in June, was stationed at that fortress three months; it afterwards sailed to Plymouth, and occupied the citadel and Stonehouse barracks.

1822

In April, 1822, the regiment embarked from Plymouth for Deptford, and after several changes of quarters it was stationed at Chatham and Sheerness.

1823

On the 28th of May, 1823, the regiment embarked at Chatham, for Ireland; after landing at Cork, it proceeded to Fermoy, and in October it was removed to Rathkeale, with detachments at twelve other stations.

1824

On the decease of Lieut.-General the Honorable Sir Thomas Maitland, G.C.B. and G.C.H., King George IV. conferred the colonelcy of the Tenth on Major-General Sir John Lambert, K.C.B. by commission dated the 18th of January, 1824. On the 8th January, 1824, Colonel Sir Robert Travers, was reappointed, in succession to Lieut.-Colonel Stewart, who retired from the service.

1825

In April, the regiment was removed to Fermoy, and Lieut.-Colonel James Payler was appointed on the 2nd June, 1825, from the half-pay, unattached, in succession to Sir Robert Travers, promoted to the rank of Major-General. Lieut.-Colonel Payler assumed the command in June, 1825, and in September following the head-quarters were removed to Templemore.

1826

From Templemore, the regiment was removed, in February, 1826, to Castlebar, where a pair of new colours, bearing a "Sphinx," with the words "Egypt," and "Peninsula," was presented to it by Lieut.-Colonel Payler, the commanding officer, on the 19th of May.

After several changes of quarters, in the autumn of this year the regiment was formed into six service and four depôt companies, at Buttevant, from whence the service companies marched to Cork, where they embarked, in December, for Portugal, the government of which country had solicited British aid, in consequence of an apprehended insurrection, and an invasion from Spain, which threatened to oppose the introduction of a constitution conferring more liberty on the Portuguese people than they had previously possessed.

1827

The service companies, under Lieut.-Colonel Payler, landed at Lisbon, in January, 1827; they formed part of the first brigade under Major-General Sir Edward Blakeney, and advanced up the country to Coimbra. The apprehension of invasion and insurrection ceasing to exist, the regiment left Coimbra, and occupied the palace and convent at Mafra, during the winter.

1828

In March, 1828, the service companies embarked from Lisbon, for Corfu, where they landed on the 31st of that month, and were stationed at Port Raymond barracks. In December a detachment joined from the depôt in Ireland.

1829

During the summer of 1829, the regiment was removed from Corfu to Zante, with detachments at the islands of Cerigo and Paxo.

1830
1831
1832

The head-quarters remained at Zante during the years 1830 and 1831; in May, 1832, they were removed to Corfu, and in July to Vido; but returned to Corfu in December.

1833

Lieut.-Colonel John Henry Belli was appointed on the 17th May, 1833, in exchange with Lieut.-Colonel Payler; and Lieut.-Colonel William Gardner Freer was promoted by purchase on 24th May, in succession to Lieut.-Colonel Belli, who retired.

1836

Lieut.-Colonel W. G. Freer died at Corfu on the 2nd August, 1836, where he was in command of the regiment: he was succeeded by Brevet Lieut.-Colonel William Cochrane.[9]

1837

Lieut.-Colonel W. Cochrane was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General at head-quarters on the 16th June, 1837, and was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel Holman Custance from the half-pay.

1838

The head-quarters continued to be stationed at Corfu and Vido alternately, until November, 1837, when the service companies of the Tenth were relieved from duty in the Ionian Islands, and embarked for Ireland, where they arrived in December, 1837, and January, 1838, and landed at Cork.

1839

The regiment was stationed in Ireland until May, 1839, when it embarked at Dublin for England; it landed at Liverpool, and was afterwards quartered in Lancashire.

1840

During the year 1840 the regiment was stationed at Burnley and Manchester.

1841

The regiment proceeded to Newcastle-on-Tyne on the 25th June, 1841, and marched from thence to Scotland; it arrived at Edinburgh on the 21st, 24th, and 27th July, and proceeded to Glasgow on the 9th August following.

1842

On the 29th March, 1842, Colonel James Considine was appointed from the half-pay unattached, in succession to Colonel Custance, who was nominated to the command of the Depôt Battalion in the Isle of Wight.

In March, 1842, the regiment left Glasgow, and proceeded in divisions to Winchester. On the 1st April, it was augmented to the India establishment, preparatory to its embarkation for Bengal. It proceeded to Gravesend, and embarked in freight ships for Calcutta in April and May, 1842, under the command of Colonel Considine, K.H. The regiment disembarked at Calcutta in August and September of that year.

Lieut.-Colonel Gervas Power was promoted on the 8th April, 1842, on the augmentation of the regiment: he died at Calcutta on the 30th December following; and was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel John Luard, who was promoted from the twenty-first Royal North British Fusiliers on the 31st December.

1843
1844

The regiment remained at Fort William, Calcutta, until the 15th November, 1844, when it marched for Meerut under the command of Major Franks.

1845

The head-quarters arrived at Meerut on the 22nd February, 1845.

Lieut.-Colonel Luard exchanged to the half-pay on the 28th March, with Colonel Sir George Couper, Bart., who retired from the service, and Lieut.-Colonel Thomas H. Franks was promoted by purchase, on the 28th March, 1845. Colonel James Considine died at Meerut on the 4th September, from an attack of cholera, and was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel C. L. Strickland on the 5th September.

1846

The regiment marched from Meerut, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Franks, on the 16th December, 1845, and joined the Army of the Sutlej on the 8th January, 1846, both officers and men animated with the laudable desire to share the dangers, and to reap some of the laurels already acquired by the army in this brief but exciting campaign.

A month, however, passed without the main army being employed in any occurrence of note, the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief taking advantage of the interval to collect the munitions of war; while on the other hand, the Sikhs, having been strengthened by reinforcements, continued to hold strong positions on the banks of the Sutlej; and notwithstanding their defeat in the battles of Moodkee and Ferozeshah on the 18th, 21st, and 22nd December, 1845, they subsequently formed a strongly entrenched camp at Sobraon. Although the intelligence of the victory of Aliwal on the 28th January, 1846, and the sight of the numerous bodies which floated from the vicinity of that battle-field to the bridge of boats at Sobraon, apparently disheartened the enemy, and caused many of them to return to their homes, yet in a few days they appeared as confident as ever of being able in their entrenched position to defy the Anglo-Indian army, and to prevent the passage of the Sutlej.

The heavy ordnance having arrived on the 8th February, the day on which the forces under Major-General Sir Henry Smith, who had been detached to Loodiana, and had obtained a signal victory over the enemy at Aliwal, rejoined the main body of the army, it was determined on coming at once to a battle with the Sikhs, to storm their entrenchments, and finally to drive them out of Hindoostan. This was an undertaking of some magnitude. From observations made during the time the head-quarters of the army were stationed at the village of Nihalkee, it was ascertained that the position at Sobraon was covered with formidable entrenchments, and defended by thirty thousand of the élite of the Khalsa troops; besides being united by a good bridge to a reserve on the opposite bank of the river, on which was stationed a considerable camp, with artillery, which commanded and flanked the enemy's field-works on the British side of the Sutlej.

About daybreak on the 10th February, the mortars, battering guns, and field-artillery were disposed on the alluvial land, embracing within its fire the enemy's works. As soon as the sun's rays cleared the heavy mist which hung over the plain, the cannonade commenced, but notwithstanding the admirable manner in which the guns were served, it would have been visionary to expect that they could, within any limited time, silence the fire of seventy pieces of artillery behind well-constructed batteries, or dislodge troops so strongly entrenched. It soon became evident to the Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Hugh Gough, that musketry and the bayonet must ultimately decide the contest.

Accordingly the seventh brigade, in which was the Tenth foot, reinforced by the fifty-third regiment, and led by Brigadier Stacy, was ordered to head the attack, to turn the enemy's right, to encounter his fire before his numbers were thinned, or spirit broken, and (to use the soldier-like expression of the Commander-in-Chief General Sir Hugh Gough) "to take off the rough edge of the Sikhs in the fight." An opportunity was now afforded for the Tenth to distinguish itself, and the regiment nobly availed itself of this opportunity. At nine o'clock the brigade moved on to the attack over the sandy flat in admirable order, halting to correct, when necessary, any imperfections in its line. For some moments, notwithstanding the regularity and coolness of the assault, so hot was the fire of the Khalsa troops, that it seemed almost impracticable to gain the entrenchments. A brief halt ensued, the brigade again advanced, and persevering gallantry triumphed. The Tenth foot, under Lieutenant-Colonel Franks, now for the first time brought into serious contact with the enemy, greatly distinguished itself. With cool and steady courage, the regiment marched on with the precision of a field-day, and never fired a shot until within the works of the enemy[10]—a forbearance much to be commended, and worthy of constant imitation, to which the success of the first effort, and the small loss sustained by the regiment, may be attributed.[11]

Other brigades, at the moment of this successful onset, were ordered forward in support. The thunder of upwards of one hundred pieces of ordnance reverberated through the valley of the Sutlej, and it was soon perceived, that the weight of the whole force within the enemy's camp was likely to be thrown upon the two brigades (sixth and seventh) that had passed the trenches.[12] The Sikhs fought with the energy of desperation, and, even when some of their entrenchments were mastered with the bayonet, endeavoured to recover with the sword the positions they had lost. It was not until the weight of all three divisions of infantry, in addition to several regiments of cavalry, with the fire of every piece of field-artillery that could be sent to their aid, had been felt, that the enemy gave way. The Sikh regiments retreated at first in tolerable order, but the incessant volleys of the British soon caused them to take to a rapid and discomfited flight. Masses of them precipitated themselves on to their bridge, which being broken by the fire of the British, was incapable to sustain the multitude pressing forward, and the sudden rise of the Sutlej rendered the ford almost impassable, adding another obstacle to the escape of the enemy. A dreadful carnage ensued. The stream was red with the bodies of men and horses, the bridge in many places had given way, and it is considered, that, at least a third of the Sikh army perished in this battle; sixty-seven of their guns fell into the hands of the victors, together with two hundred small camel-swivels (zumboo-rucks), numerous standards, and vast munitions of war.

In this manner ended the Battle of Sobraon; at six in the morning it commenced; at nine it became a hand-to-hand conflict; and by eleven the victory was gained.

The Tenth regiment had Lieutenant Walter Yonge Beale, one serjeant, and twenty-eight rank and file killed. Lieutenants Henry R. Evans and Charles J. Lindam, two serjeants, and ninety-eight rank and file wounded.

Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to authorise the Tenth regiment to bear on its colours and appointments the word Sobraon, in commemoration of its gallantry in that battle; and Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Harte Franks was nominated a Companion of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath.

The regiment left Nihalkee on the 11th February, crossed the Sutlej on the 13th, and on the 20th of the same month arrived before Lahore, where it was present at the occupation of that city, and at the signing of the treaty, which, while it convinced the world of the moderation and justice of the paramount power of India, is calculated to add to the stability of the Anglo-Indian empire, and also to provide for the future tranquillity of the Punjaub, by maintaining a Sikh government at Lahore, capable of controlling its army, protecting its subjects, and securing the British frontier against similar acts of aggression.

On the 23rd of March, 1846, the regiment marched from Lahore, recrossed the Sutlej on the 26th of that month, and arrived at Meerut on the 15th of April following. It marched again from Meerut, en route to Ferozepore, on the 27th of October, 1846, and arrived in cantonments on the 20th of November, where it remained encamped until the 28th of December, when it again proceeded to Lahore, under the charge of Lieutenant-Colonel Strickland, with a body of troops under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Franks, and occupied quarters in the garrison of that city on the 2nd of January, 1847.

1847

The Tenth regiment continued in the occupation of Lahore, as a part of the garrison of that city, to the end of the year 1847, at which period this record is concluded.

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Notes to Pages 45 and 59.

[Page 45].—In 1783, the regular regiments of infantry were authorised to assume "County Titles," in order to promote the recruiting service, and the Tenth was directed to bear the title of North Lincolnshire Regiment in addition to the numerical title.

[Page 59].—Lieutenant-General Lord William Bentinck returned to Sicily in October, 1813, and in February, 1814, he proceeded with a body of English and Sicilian troops, amounting to 6,500 men, from that island to Leghorn, from whence he published a Proclamation, inviting the Italians to shake off the French yoke: he subsequently landed his combined troops, and after a few slight actions made himself master of Genoa, on the 18th April, 1814. On the termination of the War in 1814 His Lordship retired for some time to Rome.

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Madeley lith. 3 Wellington S^t. Strand.