After several changes of position, the Greys and other corps were ordered to be ready to march immediately after dark on the evening of July 17th; and the regiment was formed on this occasion as usual in brigade with the Royal Irish Dragoons under the command of Brigadier-General Lord John Hay. The French lines to be taken were very formidable, for besides the height of the rampart, and the largeness of the ditch, they were further defended by the difficulties of the ground over which they were to be approached; and by the river Geet, which could not be crossed without laying bridges over it, and which was near enough to the lines to be defended by the fire from the parapet. Our troops continued their march throughout the night, which was extremely dark, and at four in the morning surprised the French guards and took the position. Scarcely had the Greys and Irish Dragoons, with a few squadrons of horse, passed the lines, when the Marquis d'Allegre appeared with twenty battalions of infantry and fifty squadrons of cavalry. The Duke of Marlborough led his horse and dragoons forward, and by an impetuous charge, broke the enemy's ranks. A short but fiery conflict followed with varied success, and the Greys displayed their usual spirit. Finally the enemy's squadrons were dispersed, their standards and kettledrums were captured, and many officers and men were taken prisoners. The enemy's infantry also suffered severely; a few battalions however retired in a square in admirable order.
The campaign closed, and the Scots Greys marched to Dutch Brabant, where they spent the winter.
From the archives of the Regiment:—
"Early in 1705 the sheriff (i.e., Sir James Agnew) parted with his eldest son (Andrew), who at seventeen joined the army in Flanders as a volunteer. Pleased at the idea of the boy's winning his own spurs, he supplied him with a moderately well-filled purse, while his mother, along with her blessing, furnished him with an introduction to the Duke of Marlborough, as well as other letters of introduction. Thus furnished, the youth embarked, and reached the camp in February in safety, where he attached himself to the 'Royal Grey Dragoons.' At the mess of this distinguished corps he met many friends from Galloway. His brother-in-law, Colonel Agnew, was Major, whose brother Thomas was also a Captain in the regiment; and among the subs. were the young Laird of Mochrun, George Dunbar, as well as John Dunbar, his youngest brother. Within a few weeks of his arrival he received, to his no small gratification, a commission signed by the Duke of Marlborough in camp at Rastad on the 11th of May, 1705, appointing Andrew Agnew to be cornet of that troop in Her Majesty's Royal Regiment of Scotts Dragoons, commanded by the Right Honourable John Hay, whereof Major Andrew Agnew is Captain."
Then come three pages of the adventures of the Greys in the campaign in which the said Andrew took his part. He was afterwards the famous Sir Andrew who fought in the Rebellion of 1745, and specially noted for his defence of Blair Castle at that time.
"Lord Mahon's History of England, Vol. I., chapter 5, page 155, edition Murray, 1853.
"1715.
"Meanwhile the Duke of Argyle had arrived in Scotland about the middle of September, and hastened to the camp at Stirling. He had brought with him not a single battalion of troops, not one piece of artillery. He had found under his command no more than 1,000 foot, and a body of Dragoons, partly from that excellent regiment the Scots Greys, but altogether of only 500 men."
Sir Walter Scott, in his note on Sinclair's MS., page 304, wrote:—
"The Dragoons called the Scots Greys, for many years maintained a character greatly superior to that of an ordinary regiment. They never gave a bounty exceeding a crown, and were recruited from a class of persons greatly superior to those who usually enter the army, such as the sons of decent farmers and tradesmen, who felt a vocation for the army. No ignominious punishment was ever inflicted, and a criminal who had merited such was previously transferred to another regiment."