1743
1744
1745
The regiment was stationed in Great Britain during the years 1743 and 1744; and in 1745, when Charles Edward, eldest son of the Pretender, raised his father's standard in Scotland, it was ordered to Stirling. After Lieut.-General Sir John Cope had marched from Stirling with the infantry and some artillery, the Fourteenth dragoons proceeded to Leith, where they were stationed when the rebel army advanced towards Edinburgh. They were suddenly ordered to join Colonel Gardiner, who was retiring before the rebel army, with the thirteenth dragoons; they rode through Edinburgh at a brisk pace during public worship on Sunday, the 15th of September, when the congregations rushed out of the churches and chapels and filled the streets, and four hundred volunteers, with a thousand men of the trained bands, appeared in arms. The Fourteenth dragoons joined Colonel Gardiner at Carstorphin, from whence they fell back to Coltsbridge, where they were joined by the city guard and Edinburgh regiment. On a report of the approach of the rebel bands, the Edinburgh regiment and city guard withdrew within the walls, and the dragoons moved towards Haddington, the citizens refusing to admit them into the place; and while a tumultuary council was being held to decide about the mode of defending the city, the insurgents gained possession of one of the gates: thus Edinburgh fell into the hands of the young Pretender.
The Fourteenth dragoons were afterwards ordered to join Lieut.-General Sir John Cope, who had arrived at Dunbar with a small body of infantry, and he advanced towards Edinburgh, when the rebel army was put in motion to meet him. On the 20th of September the King's troops confronted the insurgents near Prestonpans and the night was passed in the field: the Fourteenth dragoons, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel William Wright, furnished videttes and patrols on the flanks of the army. Before day-break, on the following morning, a chosen band of Highlanders advanced through the thick atmosphere, and attacked the right of the King's troops; their sudden advance in the dark, their superior numbers, and peculiar mode of fighting, struck with consternation the few men who guarded the artillery, and who faced about and fled. The dragoons advanced to charge the Highlanders; but seeing the very superior numbers of their opponents, and being discouraged by the loss of their artillery, they made only a feeble effort to stem the torrent of battle, and afterwards retired from the field. Several officers, and a few private soldiers, however, behaved with great gallantry, and among others, Major Richard Bowles, of the Fourteenth dragoons, particularly distinguished himself; the few troopers, who rallied round him, had been cut down, and his own horse killed; but he continued to fight on foot; he was surrounded, and had received eleven wounds, when a rebel leader interposed and saved his life. When once troops are put into confusion, and are afterwards closely pressed by the enemy, no reserves being at hand for them to rally upon, the difficulty of restoring order becomes particularly great, and, in this instance, the loss of the battle was the result. The Fourteenth dragoons withdrew from the field, and afterwards marched to Berwick.
The regiment subsequently joined the army assembled under Field-Marshal Wade at Newcastle; when the rebels penetrated into Derbyshire, it was employed in covering Yorkshire; and when the young Pretender made a precipitate retreat to Scotland, the Fourteenth dragoons marched to Edinburgh, where a few regiments were assembled under Lieut.-General Hawley.
1746
On their return to Scotland, the rebels besieged Stirling Castle; and Lieut.-General Hawley put the King's troops in motion to raise the siege. The Fourteenth dragoons left Edinburgh on the 13th of January, 1746; they took part in driving a body of rebels out of Linlithgow, and were subsequently encamped near Falkirk.
On the 17th of January, as the soldiers were at dinner in the camp, the approach of the rebel army was descried, and the troops moved towards some high grounds on Falkirk-moor, where the insurgent bands were formed. The action was commenced by a charge of the cavalry; the enemy's first line was broken, and some execution done; but the second line of insurgents repulsed the dragoons. The infantry was, soon afterwards, brought into the fight; but a heavy storm of wind and rain beat so violently in the soldiers' faces, as nearly to blind them, and the wet prevented their muskets giving fire. Several regiments retired in some disorder; others maintained their ground and repulsed the Highlanders, and after dark the whole withdrew to Linlithgow and afterwards to Edinburgh.
The Duke of Cumberland subsequently took the command of the troops in Scotland, and advanced towards Stirling; when the rebels made a precipitate retreat. His Royal Highness pursued; but the Fourteenth dragoons were left behind, and were directed to patrol along the roads leading westward from Edinburgh, to prevent the rebels obtaining intelligence. At length the Highlanders were overpowered in the field of Culloden, and the rebellion was suppressed.
1747
In 1747 the regiment returned to Ireland, and was stationed in that country during the succeeding forty-eight years.