Arthur Forbes, the eldest son of Sir Arthur Forbes, Bart., of Castle Forbes, Co. Longford, was born in 1623, and was a cavalry officer in the Royal Army during the rebellion in the reign of King Charles I. He attained the rank of Colonel in 1646, and held a command in Scotland under Montrose. Having zealously espoused the royal cause, he was, after the Restoration sworn a member of the Privy Council and appointed Marshal of the Army in Ireland. He was raised to the peerage of Ireland by patent, dated 22nd of November, 1675, as Baron Clanehugh and Viscount Granard. In 1684, the independent companies of foot in Ireland were formed into seven infantry regiments, and the Colonelcy of one of these corps was conferred upon Viscount Granard, who was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General. Lord Granard’s regiment, afterwards the 18th Royal Irish, and now The Royal Irish Regiment, is the only one of the regiments then formed which has continued in the service of the British crown. In December, 1684, Viscount Granard was created Earl of Granard. In 1686, he resigned the Colonelcy of his regiment in favour of his son, Arthur, Lord Forbes.
2. Arthur, Lord Forbes.
Lord Forbes served under Marshal Turenne, and took part in the battle of Saspach. He was present at the siege of Buda. He obtained the command of Lord Granard’s regiment on the 1st of March, 1686, and commanded it when it came to England at the time of the Revolution in 1688. The regiment marched from Chester to London, where it was quartered in the borough of Southwark. Soon after the abdication of King James II., Lord Forbes retired from the service.
3. Colonel Sir John Edgworth.
This officer was Captain of one of the independent companies of pikemen and musketeers in Ireland, and was promoted to be Major of the Earl of Granard’s regiment. On the retirement of Lord Forbes, the Colonelcy of the regiment was conferred on Sir John Edgworth by the Prince of Orange. In consequence of irregularities concerning the supply of clothing to recruits, Sir John was deprived of his commission in 1689.
4. Edward Brabazon, Earl of Meath.
The Hon. Edward Brabazon was originally Captain of one of the Irish independent companies. In 1684, he succeeded, on the death of his brother, to the dignity of Earl of Meath. He joined the Prince of Orange at the Revolution of 1688, and, in the following year, was appointed to the Colonelcy vacated by Sir John Edgworth. The regiment being selected for service in Ireland with Duke Schomberg’s army, he commanded it at the siege of Carrickfergus and at the battle of the Boyne. He showed great gallantry at the siege of Limerick, where he was wounded. At the close of the campaign in Ireland the Earl of Meath retired from the service.
5. Major-General Frederick Hamilton.
Frederick Hamilton commenced his military career in one of the companies of pikemen and musketeers which were incorporated in Lord Mountjoy’s regiment. In 1688, he was given a company in Lord Forbes’ regiment by King William III., and promoted to be Major. He served with the regiment through the campaign in Ireland, and, when Lieut.-Colonel Newcomb was mortally wounded at the storming of Limerick, he succeeded to the Lieut.-Colonelcy of the regiment, and commanded it at Athlone, Aughrim, and second siege of Limerick. In 1692, he succeeded the Earl of Meath in the Colonelcy. He commanded the regiment throughout the campaign of King William III. in Flanders, and was wounded at the memorable assault upon the castle of Namur. In 1702, Colonel Hamilton was promoted to be Brigadier-General in the Duke of Marlborough’s army, and his brigade, which included his own regiment, was engaged at the sieges of Venloo, Ruremonde, and Liege. Brigadier-General Hamilton again commanded a brigade during the campaigns of 1703 and 1704, and, as a Major-General, he took part in the battles of Schellenberg and Blenheim. In 1705, he received Queen Anne’s permission to sell the Colonelcy of his regiment.