"Field Marshal John Dalrymple, Second Earl of Stair, K.T."
Born, 1673. Died, 1747.
From the Painting at Lochinch.
Early in May, 1706, they left their winter quarters, and after crossing the plains of Limburg and the rich valleys of Liege, they on May 20th joined the army encamped at Bilsen, and afterwards marched to Borchloen. On May 23rd a detachment of the Greys, and several squadrons of horse, were ordered to march towards Mont St. André, and were soon after followed by the army in eight columns. There was a thick fog, but the cavalry pushed on until they gained the heights near Mierdorp, when through the misty dawn they espied a few of the enemy's cavalry crossing the plains of St. André, and soon the fog lifting, the French army was discovered in position at Ramillies. Advancing into the plains of Tandrinœuil, the Allies prepared for action, the Queen's Horse, the Greys, and the Royal Irish Dragoons, with Churchill's and Mordaunt's regiments of infantry, being posted on the heights of Foulz on the right of the line. About 1·30 in the afternoon the Allies began heavy artillery fire, which was quickly answered by the enemy, and the action became general. For some time the troops on the heights on the right were only spectators, but Marlborough, seeing that an attack made by the Dutch and Danish cavalry on the French Household regiments, Gens D'Armes, Gardes du Corps, and others, was not succeeding, ordered his right wing to advance. Churchill's and Mordaunt's regiments descended first, and meeting three battalions of French infantry, drove them into a morass, where most of them were killed or captured. At the same time the Queen's Horse, the Greys, and the Irish Dragoons galloped through the morass, crossed the high ground beyond it, and attacking the enemy's left, routed the French cavalry, and cut several battalions of infantry to pieces. The Greys charged into the village of Autreglize, overthrew and sabred the infantry in the streets. Coming out of the village, they encountered the famous French regiment du Roi, which at once surrendered and delivered up its colours and arms to the victorious Dragoons.
The contemporary account in the "London Gazette" was as follows:
"The horse of their left wing seemed to make a stand to gain time for their foot to retire, but were charged so quickly and with so much bravery by the English, that they entirely abandoned the foot, and our Dragoons pushing into the village of Autreglize, made a terrible slaughter. The French King's Own regiment of foot called the regiment du Roi, begged for quarter, and delivered up their arms and colours to Lord John Hay's Dragoons (the Greys)."
In connection with the battle of Ramillies, some account must be given of a woman, Christian Davies, or Mother Ross, who served as a trooper in the Greys until, fighting at Ramillies, her skull was fractured, and her sex afterwards discovered.
In 1740 appeared a book of nearly 200 pages, purporting to record her life and adventures; also in 1893 she was included in a volume called "Women Adventurers," published by T. Fisher Unwin. The account of her given in the D. N. B. seems excellent. Presumably she was brave, but she seems to have been a very coarse woman. Born in Dublin in 1667, she married Richard Welsh. He, without her knowledge, was in some way forced to enlist in a foot regiment, and wrote letters to his wife which never reached her. At last she heard of his being in the army, and so disguised herself as a soldier to go in search of him.