The regiment marched out of Malines in May 1694, and pitched its tents near the cloister of Terbank, where three English and thirty-six Dutch battalions were encamped. During the campaign of this year two magnificent armies manœuvred on the plains of Flanders and Brabant, but no general engagement occurred. In September the Queen's regiment of foot formed part of the covering army during the siege of Huy, which place was taken by capitulation, and the regiment subsequently marched to its former station at Malines.
1695
In 1695 the regiment again took the field, and was employed in the movements which preceded the siege of the important fortress of Namur. The attack of this city excited universal attention throughout Europe. The strength of the place both by nature and art,—the extent of the castle, situated on a rock, with the works by which it was surrounded,—the number of veteran troops in the town,—the character of their commander (Marshal Boufflers),—the fact that this was one of the most important of the French king's conquests, and consequently strenuous exertions would be used for its preservation,—with the immense armies employed in covering and carrying on the siege, or in attempting to relieve the garrison, gave an important character to this undertaking, which produced a lively feeling of interest throughout Christendom; and the Queen's was one of the regiments which had the honor of taking part in the enterprise.
When Namur was first invested, this regiment remained with the covering army under the veteran Prince of Vaudemont; but it formed part of the force detached on the 24th of June under Lord Cutts, and joined the besieging troops on the 1st of July. During the night of the 8th of that month a detachment from the grenadier company was engaged in storming the covered way which the enemy had constructed on the hill of Bouge, in which service Captain Selby was wounded, and several private men were killed and wounded.
The regiment was on duty in the trenches on the 9th, and also on the 13th of July; on the 17th the grenadiers were engaged in storming the counterscarp. The assaulting party of 500 grenadiers was commanded by Colonel Collingwood, with Major Carryle of the Queen's regiment second in command. The attack was made about five o'clock in the evening; the enemy defended their post with great bravery; every inch of ground was disputed; but the counterscarp was eventually carried. The regiment lost many men on this occasion; Captain Carter (son of Rear-Admiral Carter who was killed at Barfleur) was killed in the covered-way, and Major Carryle was wounded.
On the night of the 23rd of July a detachment of the regiment was engaged in extending the lodgement on the right of the bastion of St. Roche, and had Ensign Nuby killed; also Captain Mitchell and Lieutenant Cole wounded. On the succeeding day the batteries kept up an incessant fire, and preparations were made for a general assault; but this was prevented by the enemy agreeing to surrender the town, which they vacated on the 25th, and retired into the castle.
This regiment having sustained considerable loss during the siege of the town, marched from the lines of circumvallation on the 27th of July towards Brussels, forming part of the division under Lieut.-General Count Nassau, sent to reinforce the covering army under the Prince of Vaudemont, to enable him to oppose the immense French army commanded by Marshal Villeroy. The enemy advanced to Brussels and bombarded the city, and subsequently marched towards Namur; when this regiment was withdrawn from its camp between Genappe and Waterloo, and advanced to oppose the enemy's design of relieving the castle of Namur. The position which the army took up before Namur frustrated the purposes of the French marshal; and on the 20th of August, a detachment of the regiment was engaged under Lord Cutts in storming the counterscarp and breach of Terra Nova, in which service it had Lieutenant D'Arneau and several men killed. Preparations were subsequently made for a second assault on the castle; when Marshal Boufflers agreed to surrender on honourable terms, and thus this stupendous fortress was captured; the achievement reflected glory on the British arms and those of the several nations composing the army commanded by King William. The most brilliant feature in this enterprise, however, derived its lustre from the fact, that other monarchs had made conquests for themselves, to oppress their neighbours, or to raise a powerful monarchy out of the ruins of other states; but the King of England waged war for the good of Europe, and to establish liberty and peace upon a lasting foundation. After the damage done to the works of Namur had been repaired, the regiment returned to its former quarters at Malines.
1696
The King of France finding that not only had an effectual stop been given to his arms, but that he was likely to lose many of his conquests, endeavoured to weaken the confederates by causing England to become the theatre of civil war. A party favourable to the Stuart dynasty still remained in England; the Duke of Berwick and several French officers were sent across the Channel to persuade the friends of King James to rise in arms; at the same time a plot for the assassination of King William was formed; and a French army marched to the coast to be in readiness to embark with King James for England.