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The loss of the regiment in this action has not been ascertained. Mention has, however, been made in history of two Captains, viz. Mackraken and Levingston, of the Royal Regiment, who were killed; and from the returns published at the time, the brigade to which the regiment belonged lost 6 field officers, 14 captains, 24 subalterns, and 507 men killed; and 6 field officers, 20 captains, 32 subalterns, and 608 men wounded[81]; and doubtless a number of these belonged to the Royal Regiment.
A few days after the battle, King William conferred the Colonelcy on Lord George Hamilton (afterwards Earl of Orkney) from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
On the 2nd of August, a detachment of the Royal Regiment, commanded by Captain Rowland Mackenzie, was engaged with a party of French troopers in a wood near the camp, and took twenty prisoners.[82] Towards the end of September the regiment marched from the camp to Bruges, from whence parties were detached to Scotland to procure recruits.
1693
Having passed the winter at Bruges, where the losses of the preceding campaign were replaced by recruits from Scotland, the regiment marched out of its quarters towards the end of April, 1693, and pitched its tents on the levels near the town, from whence it proceeded to the villages near Brussels, where it arrived on the 13th of May. On the 17th, it marched out of its village cantonments and joined the camp at Dieghem, from whence it subsequently marched to Parck camp in front of Louvaine, and had its post on the heights near Birbeck. Here it was stationed until the early part of July, when the army advanced, and, after several marches, the regiment was in position on the 18th of July, near the village of Neer-Winden, in South Brabant. The first battalion had its post in the village of Neer-Landen, near the left of the line, and its grenadier company occupied a strong building at the head of the village. The second battalion was stationed on the right of the village, where a slight entrenchment was made during the night.
On the morning of the 19th of July, when the first rays of light appeared, a French army, commanded by Marshal Luxembourg, of nearly double the numbers of the confederates under King William, was discovered in order of battle within cannon-shot of the position. The batteries instantly opened their fire, and, about eight o'clock, six French brigades attacked the post at Laér and Neer-Winden, but were repulsed. The enemy next attacked the village of Neer-Landen with four brigades,[83] and the first battalion of the Royal Regiment stood its ground manfully. The French came rushing to the attack with great fury, but the head of their column was pierced by a shower of musket balls, and the killed and wounded crowded the street, while the grenadiers of the Royal Regiment threw their grenades, with unerring aim, from the windows of the house they occupied. The French, however, pressed forward, and the battalion, being unable to resist the host of combatants which assailed it, was forced to retire; at the same time the house occupied by the grenadiers was set on fire. At this moment the Queen Dowager's Regiment (now 2nd Foot, or Queen's Royal) advanced to the assistance of the Royals, and the two battalions renewed the fight with great bravery. Prince Frederick's and Fagel's Dutch regiments also advanced to support the two British battalions; at the same time King William came galloping to that part of the field, and his presence inspired the combatants with new ardour. The French disputed the ground for some time, but after a fierce conflict of about two hours' duration, they gave way, and were driven through the defile into the plain; and the Royal and Queen Dowager's battalions, which had fought together at Tangier in Africa, stood triumphant at the end of the village, and were thanked for their gallantry by the King. Notwithstanding this success, the fortune of the day turned eventually in favour of the French, who carried the village of Neer-Winden, and broke into the King's camp, when their superiority of numbers gave them a decided advantage. The Royals were withdrawn from their post; and the King ordered a retreat, which was effected with difficulty, and was attended with great loss. The loss of the enemy was, however, so great, that he derived little advantage from this victory, excepting the power of besieging Charleroi, which was taken in the autumn. The loss of the Royal Regiment does not appear to have been great; the only officers of this corps mentioned by D'Auvergne amongst the killed and wounded are—Captain Young died of his wounds, with Captain Sir James Cockburn, Lieutenants Brown and Blake, and Ensign White wounded. In October the regiment marched to Bruges, and parties were again sent to Scotland to procure recruits to replace the loss sustained during this campaign.
1694
On the 18th of May, 1694, the first battalion marched out of its winter quarters, and on the following day encamped near Ghent; and, resuming its march on the 21st, proceeded to the general rendezvous of the army near Louvaine, where it arrived on the 28th of that month.
Meanwhile, the second battalion remained in garrison at Bruges, and in June it marched out of the town and encamped along the banks of the canal towards Ghent, where a small army of observation was assembled under the orders of the Spanish general, Count de Merode Thian.