Early in April, 1707, the regiment joined the allied army under the Marquis das Minas and the Earl of Galway, and, after taking part in several operations, advanced, on the 25th of April, to attack the French and Spanish troops under the Duke of Berwick at Almanza. Fatigued by a long and difficult march, and exposed to a burning sun, the soldiers arrived in presence of their opponents, and prepared for battle. The sixth, SEVENTEENTH, thirty-third, and Lord Montjoy's regiments, were formed in brigade under Major-General Wade, and were posted on the flanks of a brigade of cavalry in the front line of the left wing. The battle was commenced by the British dragoons, who evinced great bravery, but many squadrons of Portuguese cavalry quitted the field in a panic. Major-General Wade's brigade was engaged with nine battalions of French and Spanish infantry, when it was joined by the ninth foot; the five British regiments disputed the ground with sanguinary obstinacy; but while the contest was raging, a body of fresh French and Spanish cavalry drove back the allied squadrons on the left. The sixth, ninth, SEVENTEENTH, thirty-third, and Lord Montjoy's regiments, were bravely contending with seven French and Spanish corps in their front, when they were attacked on the flank by two other of the enemy's battalions, broken, and driven from the field with great loss. The two battalions which attacked them in flank were cut to pieces by Harvey's horse, now second dragoon guards, who were in turn overpowered by the superior numbers of the enemy. The fight still raged in the centre; but the flanks being defeated, the enemy surrounded the centre and made great slaughter. The remains of the English regiments were collected into a body, and were united to some Dutch and Portuguese troops; the whole retreating to the woody hills of Caudete. The men were so exhausted with fatigue that they were unable to proceed, and they passed the night in the wood without food. On the following morning they were surrounded by the enemy; and being without ammunition, ignorant of the country, and destitute of provisions, they surrendered prisoners of war. Such were the results of a battle in which wearied and faint soldiers were hurried forward to fight superior numbers of fresh troops, commanded by a skilful general!
The SEVENTEENTH Regiment had Lieut.-Colonel Woollett, Lieut.-Colonel Withers, and Major Leech, killed; Captains Fitzgerald and Foncebrand, Lieutenants Rivesson, Ingram, and Blood, Ensigns Deaven, Callon, and Bruce, wounded and taken prisoners; Captains Dudley Cosby and Loftus Cosby, Lieutenants Martin, Brown, Brooks, and Tyrell, and Ensign Bland, prisoners.
The officers and soldiers of the regiment, who escaped from the field, joined the cavalry under the Earl of Galway, at Alcira, on the river Xucar; and the approach to the town being by almost inaccessible mountains, his lordship halted there a few days to reorganize the army. The SEVENTEENTH regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Wightman, was encamped some time on the banks of the Ebro above Tortosa, and was afterwards employed in operations for the protection of the province of Catalonia: it was joined by men from command and sick absent, also by several who escaped from prisoners of war, and it mustered two hundred and sixty-six officers and soldiers.
Major-General Blood died on the 19th of August, 1707, and Queen Anne conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on the Lieut.-Colonel, James Wightman, who had been promoted to the rank of brigadier-general a short time previously.
1708
During the period the regiment was in winter-quarters, it received drafts from several corps which were ordered to return to England to recruit: and in the spring of 1708, when it took the field, its appearance was admired. In a letter from the army, published at the time, it was stated: "We cannot yet give any certain account of the number of our forces, but those we have are the finest in the world: such are the regiments of Southwell (sixth), commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Hunt; that of Blood (SEVENTEENTH), commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Bourguet; and that of Mordaunt (twenty-eighth), commanded by Colonel Dalziel."[8]
The regiment was encamped some time on the river Francoli, between Monblanco and Tarragona, and afterwards at Constantino; and it took part in the operations of the army commanded by Marshal Count Guido de Staremberg, for the defence of Catalonia.
1709
After serving the campaign in Catalonia, the regiment received orders to transfer its men fit for duty to other corps, and return to England, where it arrived in 1709, and commenced recruiting its numbers.
1710