1675
In 1675 the command of this regiment was conferred on Colonel John Fenwick, who had distinguished himself at the battle of Seneffe; at this period the regiment discontinued the designation of "Irish," and many English gentlemen received commissions in it.
After leaving its quarters at Bois-le-Duc in the spring of 1675, the regiment was encamped for a short time on one of the beautiful plains of Louvain, and it was subsequently employed in manœuvring near the frontiers of France and in the Principality of Liege. The progress of the campaign was impeded by the severe indisposition of the Prince of Orange; no engagement of importance occurred, and in the autumn the regiment marched to the Dutch Netherlands and passed the winter in garrison at Utrecht.
1676
In the summer of 1676 the regiment marched to Brabant, and was stationed at Bois-le-Duc, preparatory to some expedition of importance. This occurred in the early part of July, and the men were in high spirits, anticipating some splendid adventure. About two o'clock in the morning the drums beat "to arms;" the regiment immediately assembled at the alarm-post, and commenced its march for the province of Limburg, being joined by other corps every day. On the fifth day, the Prince of Orange appeared at the head of the troops, and, to the surprise of the enemy, the famous city of Maestricht was besieged. This city, which was well fortified with all the works which art could suggest, was defended by 8000 chosen men commanded by Monsieur Calvo, a resolute Catalonian. The Prince of Orange attended to the progress of the siege; and after the arrival of the battering train, the works were carried on with vigour.
The three English regiments[2] were formed in one Brigade, and they soon distinguished themselves, beating back the sallies of the garrison with great slaughter. On the 30th of July, a storming party of two hundred men, furnished in equal proportions by the three regiments, attacked the Dauphin Bastion, and after a severe contest effected a lodgment, but afterwards lost their ground: this proved a sanguinary affair, and 150 men were killed and wounded out of the two hundred. On the 2nd of August the Brigade was again on duty in the trenches, when Colonel Fenwick was wounded.
The Prince of Orange resolved to make a second attack on the Dauphin Bastion on the 4th of August, when a detachment from the Brigade, commanded by Captain Anthony Barnwell of Fenwick's regiment, with another from the Dutch Foot Guards, commanded by Baron Sparr, formed the storming party.[3] At three o'clock the Brigade was under arms with the storming party in front; and at five the gallant little band, advancing under a tempest of bullets, went cheering to the attack and carried the bastion in gallant style—the English, gaining the lead of the Dutch, first made a lodgment. Scarcely, however, had the soldiers gained a footing, when the French sprung a mine and blew many of the men into the air, and following this up with a fierce attack, regained possession of the works. The heroic English were, however, "resolute to win;"—they returned to the attack, and fighting with a strength and majesty which nothing could withstand, drove back the French, and re-established themselves on the bastion; but their commander, Captain Barnwell, was killed, and more than half the officers and men of the party were killed and wounded.
About five in the morning of the 6th of August a desperate sally was made by three hundred Swiss Infantry, and, owing to the neglect of a sentry, they surprised and made prisoners the English guard on the bastion; but a reinforcement from the Brigade came forward to their rescue, and, after saluting the assailants with a few volleys, and a shower of hand-grenades, made a furious charge, retaking the bastion and chasing the Swiss Infantry with prodigious slaughter to the palisadoes of the counterscarp, destroying the whole detachment, except about twenty men who escaped into the town. The Prince of Orange complimented the Brigade on its distinguished bravery, and made each of the three regiments a present of a fat ox and six sheep.[4]
On the 15th of August Colonel Fenwick's regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Wisely (the Colonel not having recovered from his wounds) was on duty in the trenches, when the enemy made another furious sally; but they were nobly received by the regiment; a fierce combat ensued, in which the strength and unconquerable spirit, of the English again excited the admiration of the Prince of Orange, and a reinforcement arriving, the French were driven back with great loss.
The progress of the siege had been marked by surprising energy, but it was prolonged by the resolute defence of the garrison; and when all things were ready for a general assault, a French army of overwhelming numbers, commanded by Marshal Schomberg, advanced to its relief. The Prince of Orange immediately raised the siege and retired; and the three English regiments, having sustained a severe loss, and having nearly half the number of the surviving officers and men wounded, were sent into quarters of refreshment in Holland. At the same time a misunderstanding occurred between Colonel (afterwards Sir John) Fenwick and the Prince, and the Colonel resigned his commission; when his Highness gave the Colonelcy of the regiment to the Lieutenant-Colonel, Henry Wisely.