Historical Record of the Twelfth, or the Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment of Lancers / Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1715, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1848.

by Richard Cannon

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The colonel and lieut.-colonel of the Twelfth Light Dragoons.

[2] Some of the officers proceeded to Rome, and had the honor of being introduced to the Pope, who received them in a very gracious manner, and taking a helmet into his hand, ejaculated a wish "that Heaven would enable the cause of truth and religion to triumph over injustice and infidelity," and he then placed it on Captain Browne's head.

[3] About three hundred men were mounted in the first instance, and three hundred more at a subsequent period.

[4] The following is a description of the Column erected by General R. Browne Clayton, K.C., D.C.L. and F.S.A. on the Rick of Carrig-a-Dagon, county of Wexford, Ireland, the estate of 3,000 statute acres, bestowed on him by his father in 1801.

Height of Column, 94 feet, 3 inches.

"This Column is to commemorate the conquest of Egypt, and the events of the Campaign under the command of General Sir Ralph Abercromby, K.B., in the year 1801, when General Browne Clayton (then Lieut.-Colonel) commanded the 12th Light Dragoons, and afterwards commanded the Cavalry in pursuit of the Enemy to Grand Cairo, taking, besides other Detachments, a Convoy in the Lybian Desert, composed of 600 French Cavalry, Infantry, and Artillery, commanded by Colonel Cavalier, together with Bonaparte's celebrated Dromedary Corps, one four-pounder, and one stand of colors, and capturing 300 horses and dromedaries, and 500 camels. The events of this Campaign are further to be commemorated by the appointment of Trustees, under the will of General B. Clayton, who shall annually at sun-rise on the morning of the 21st of March (when the French, under the command of General Menou, attacked the British Encampment, before Alexandria) raise the Standard on the Column, and hoist the tricolor French flag, which shall remain until the hour of ten o'clock, when the British Flag shall be hoisted and kept up until sunset, as a Memorial of the Defeat of the French, which event forms the prelude of Britannia's Triumphs, through a regular and unbroken series of Glory and Prosperity down to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815; and on the 28th March, annually, the British Flag shall be hoisted half-standard high, as a Memorial of the Death of the brave Commander-in-Chief Sir Ralph Abercromby, who died of the wounds which he received before Alexandria, on the 21st March, 1801."

[5] Colonel Ponsonby's groom, an old soldier, who was in the rear with a led horse, rushed forward, with tears in his eyes, and continued to search for his master, regardless of his own danger, until he was driven away by the French skirmishers.

[6] Hon. Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby, second son of Frederick third earl of Besborough, was appointed cornet in the Tenth Light Dragoons in 1800, and rose in 1803 to the rank of captain in the same corps, from which he exchanged to the Sixteenth Light Dragoons in 1806. In 1807 he was appointed major in the Twenty-third Light Dragoons, at the head of which corps he distinguished himself at the battle of Talavera in 1809; and in 1810 he was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the regiment. In 1811 he served under Lieutenant-General Graham, at Cadiz: and at the battle of Barossa, in March of that year, he attacked, with a squadron of German dragoons, the French cavalry covering the retreat, overthrew them, took two guns, and even attempted, though vainly, to sabre Rousseau's battalions. On the 11th of June, 1811, he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Twelfth Light Dragoons, at the head of which corps he served under Lord Wellington, and distinguished himself, in April, 1812, at Llerena, in one of the most brilliant cavalry actions during the war. At the battle of Salamanca he charged the French infantry, broke his sword in the fight, and his horse received several bayonet wounds. He repeatedly evinced great judgment, penetration, and resolution in out-post duty, and was wounded, in the retreat from Burgos, on the 13th of October, 1812. At the battle of Vittoria he again distinguished himself: his services at Tolosa, St. Sebastian, and Nive were also conspicuous; and, on the King's birth-day, in 1814, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in the army. He commanded the Twelfth Light Dragoons at the battle of Waterloo, where he led his regiment to the charge with signal intrepidity. His services were rewarded with the following marks of royal favour:—Knight companion of the order of the Bath,—Knight grand cross of the order of St. Michael and St. George,—Knight commander of the Hanoverian Guelphic order,—a cross,—a Waterloo medal,—Knight of the Tower and Sword of Portugal,—and Knight of Maria Theresa of Austria. In 1824 he was appointed inspecting field-officer in the Ionian islands; in 1825 he was promoted to the rank of major-general; he was removed to the staff at Malta, and retained the command of the troops in that island until May, 1835, in which year he obtained the colonelcy of the Eighty-sixth Regiment, from which he was removed to the Royal Dragoons, in 1836. He was an ornament to his profession. In him, great military talent was united with the most chivalrous bravery,—calm judgment,—cool decision,—resolute action,—and modest deportment. He died on the 11th of January, 1837.

[7] (Copy.)

Horse Guards, 28th December, 1839.

Sir,

I have the honor, by direction of the General Commanding-in-Chief, to acquaint you, that Her Majesty has been pleased to approve of Colonel His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge being attached to the Twelfth Royal Lancers, and permitted to wear the uniform of that regiment without holding a commission in it.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) JOHN MACDONALD,

Adjutant-General.

Officer Commanding Twelfth
Royal Lancers, Brighton.

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