Quitting their cantonments in the spring of 1746, the Inniskilling dragoons were employed in the operations of the army commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir John Ligonier. In May they were encamped behind the Dyle: the French having a great superiority of numbers, the allies were forced to retire towards Antwerp; subsequently to Breda; and many fortified towns were captured by the enemy. In July, Prince Charles of Lorraine took the command of the army, and the British dragoons were employed in manœuvring and skirmishing with the French cavalry, in order to retard the operations of the adverse army.
During the forenoon of the 1st of October (O.S.), the allies were in position on the plain of Liege; several villages were occupied by the infantry, and the Inniskilling dragoons stood in line on some open ground near the village of Roucoux. About mid-day numerous columns of the enemy appeared advancing under Marshal Saxe; and being emboldened by their superior numbers, their artillery opened a tremendous cannonade, and about fifty battalions attacked three villages on the left of the allied army with great fury. Having carried the villages, the French infantry diverged upon the open ground, where the Greys, Inniskilling, and Seventh dragoons appeared in line, headed by the gallant Earls of Rothes and Crawford. As the enemy advanced in crowds, as if confident of success, the three regiments dashed forward, overthrew the opposing ranks, and chased the French musketeers to the hedges and thickets near the village in gallant style. A retreat having been ordered, the army withdrew across the river Maese, and encamped near Maestricht.
The regiment was commended in orders for its conduct on this occasion; it had three men wounded: and six horses killed and seven wounded: one horse fell into the hands of the enemy.
After encamping a short time in the province of Limburg, the regiment went into quarters in the country along the Lower Maese.
1747
During the campaign of 1747 the allied army was commanded by the Duke of Cumberland; and after encamping a short time near the banks of the Scheldt, the Inniskilling dragoons were employed in operations on the Great Nethe, and on the Demer. The 1st of July was passed in skirmishing near the frontiers of Liege; the two armies confronted each other, and on the following day a sharp action was fought, on which occasion the regiment acquired new laurels.
Under the cover of a heavy cannonade, the French infantry attacked the village of Val, which was occupied by four battalions (three British and one Hanoverian), and the Inniskilling dragoons were formed behind the houses. Eventually the village was captured, and the enemy broke the centre of the allied army. The cavalry of the left wing was led forward by Sir John Ligonier, and charged the French horsemen with signal intrepidity. The Greys particularly distinguished themselves. The Inniskilling dragoons, vying in heroism with the Scots troopers, overthrew and routed the squadrons opposed to them; and a sanguinary sword fight ensuing, the British horsemen made great havoc among the discomfited ranks of their opponents. Following up their first success, the Greys, Inniskilling, and other British dragoons, dashed forward; a volley from some French musketeers posted on the low grounds, and behind hedges, emptied several saddles; but the survivors rushed upon the infantry and chased them from behind the hedges and from the low grounds, with dreadful carnage. While pursuing the fugitives, a new line of combatants appeared; but, with ranks confused and blended together, the British dragoons galloped forward and dispersed these also. This astonishing gallantry of the British cavalry produced important results; but the enemy having broken the centre of the allied army, the Duke of Cumberland ordered a retreat.
When the Inniskilling, and other British dragoons, faced about to retire, the enemy came down upon them in crowds, and they sustained considerable loss. The army retreated to Maestricht, where it arrived in the evening.
The casualty-return of the regiment on this occasion exhibited a serious loss, viz., Lieutenant Armstrong, Quarter-master Seaman, forty men, and twenty-two horses wounded; Lieutenant Gordon, Cornet Hay, seventy-eight men, and ninety-eight horses killed and missing. The conduct of the British cavalry on this occasion, was highly commended in the accounts of the battle published at the time.