The cavalry at Tangier now consisted of seven efficient troops of cuirassiers, who were engaged in a sally on the 12th of September, when the Moorish horsemen were driven from under the walls, and several outworks were recovered from the barbarians. Another sally was made on the 21st of the same month, and on the following day the English cuirassiers had a sharp skirmish with the Moorish lancers, and had eight men killed and twenty wounded. An attack was made on the enemy's lines on the 24th of September, when the governor, Sir Palmes Fairborne, was mortally wounded.
On the 27th of September, the garrison, amounting to about 4000 men, issued from the fortress and attacked the Moorish army of about 15,000 men in its intrenched camp with signal gallantry. So eager were the troopers to engage their adversaries that a dispute occurred between the English and Spanish horse, each claiming the honour of charging first: the subject was referred to the lieutenant-governor, Colonel Sackville, who gave the Spaniards the precedence on this occasion, because they fought as auxiliaries. The Moors, having a great superiority of numbers, stood their ground resolutely for some time; and the thunder of cannon, the roll of musketry, the clash of arms, the loud shouts of the British, the cries of the Africans, produced an awful scene of carnage and confusion. The English horse stood in column of troops until the first intrenchment was carried, and a space levelled for the cavalry to pass, when they filed through the aperture and rushed at speed upon the dark masses of barbarians, who were broken, trampled down, and pursued with a dreadful slaughter; while the musketeers, pikemen, and grenadiers followed, shouting as the dismayed Africans fell in succession beneath the sabres of the English and Spanish troopers. Many of the Moors faced about and confronted their pursuers; numerous single combats took place, and the vicinity of the camp was covered with slain. Captain Nedby's troop of English horse particularly distinguished itself, and captured a splendid Moorish colour of curious workmanship. The Spaniards also captured a colour, Dumbarton's Scots another, and a fourth was taken by a battalion of marines and seamen from the fleet.[14]
The Moorish legions, having been driven from before the town with severe loss, this victory was followed by a treaty of peace, and the troops of horse raised by the Earl of Ossory, Sir John Lanier, and Robert Pulteney, not having left England, were disbanded.
1682
1683
The improved military system introduced among the Moors by European renegades, having rendered it necessary to employ a much stronger garrison at Tangier than formerly, the subject was brought before parliament; but the question of a popish successor to the throne was agitating the people, and no grant was voted. The king, being unwilling to bear the expense of the fortifications and troops without pecuniary aid from parliament, resolved to destroy the works and mole, and to withdraw the garrison.
At this period the attention of King Charles II. was directed to the improvement of his army; and, resolving to retain the Tangier Horse in his service, he commissioned Colonel John Churchill (afterwards the great Duke of Marlborough) to raise a troop of dragoons at St. Alban's and its vicinity; and Viscount Cornbury (son of the Earl of Clarendon) to raise another troop of dragoons at Hertford; and His Majesty constituted these two troops, with the four troops of Tangier horse, a regiment, to which he gave the distinguished title of The King's Own Royal Regiment of Dragoons: the words "King's Own" were, however, discontinued soon afterwards, and the regiment was styled "The Royal Regiment of Dragoons."[15] The colonelcy was conferred on John Churchill, who was advanced to the peerage of Scotland by the title of Baron Churchill of Aymouth; and the lieutenant-colonelcy on Viscount Cornbury, by commission dated the 19th of November, 1683.
1684
The establishment was fixed by a warrant bearing date the 1st of January, 1684, from which the following is an extract:—
"Charles R.
"Charles the Second, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.