Advancing in four columns, on the 25th of April, over many miles of rugged ground, and exposed to a burning sun, the army entered a large plain, and about half-past two in the afternoon the advanced-guard arrived in front of the enemy's camp: at three, the soldiers, though faint, and their bodily strength exhausted with the march, advanced boldly to the attack.
The Sixth were formed in brigade with the seventeenth, thirty-third, and Lord Montjoy's regiments, under Major-General Wade, and were posted between two brigades of cavalry, in the left wing of the front line. The Earl of Galway commenced the action by leading the left brigade through a hollow way to attack the enemy's right: the British dragoons, after gaining some advantage, and ascending a height on which a battery was placed, were overpowered by superior numbers and forced to retire. The Sixth and thirty-third advanced to support the dragoons, and opening a sharp fire on the flank of the French horse and Spanish life-guards, put them in disorder; at the same time the English dragoons rallied and returned to the charge, and the enemy was driven back with great slaughter. The French and Spanish horsemen returned to the charge; but were again driven back by the fire of the Sixth and thirty-third regiments. Meanwhile the battle was extending along the line; the ground was contested with varied success; but the British and Dutch battalions, in the centre, obliged the enemy to give way. A few French squadrons advanced to charge the cavalry on the right; the Portuguese squadrons faced about and fled from the field without waiting to be attacked; and several battalions of Portuguese infantry followed the example.
Nine battalions of French and Spanish infantry advanced to that part of the field where the Sixth and thirty-third were engaged; the two regiments confronted the overwhelming numbers of the enemy nobly, and being joined by the ninth, seventeenth, and Lord Montjoy's regiments, disputed the ground with sanguinary obstinacy; but while the contest was still raging, a body of fresh French and Spanish cavalry overpowered and drove back the allied squadrons on the left. The five regiments (Sixth, ninth, seventeenth, thirty-third, and Lord Montjoy's) were thus left unsupported: they were attacked by nine battalions of the enemy, and, while bravely contending with the seven battalions which assailed them in front, they were charged in flank by the other two, broken, and driven from the field with great loss: a few only of the officers and men of the Sixth escaped being killed or taken prisoners. The two French battalions which attacked them in flank, pursuing with eagerness, 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 a great slaughter. Major-General Shrimpton, Brigadier-General Macartney, Colonels Britton and Hill, and several other officers, collected the broken remains of the English regiments, which fought in the centre, into a body, and united them with some of the Dutch and Portuguese, who had been rallied by Count de Dhona and Don Juan Emanuel, and formed a body of nearly four thousand men, who retreated two leagues; but were pursued by the enemy, whom they repeatedly repulsed. Arriving at the woody hills of Caudete, the men were so exhausted with fatigue that they were unable to proceed; they passed the night in the wood, where they were surrounded by the enemy; and on the following morning, being without ammunition, ignorant of the country, destitute of provisions, and without the hope of a supply, they surrendered prisoners of war. Such was the result of this unfortunate battle, where the faint and wearied soldiers were hurried forward to fight superior numbers of fresh troops, commanded by a renowned general: but, notwithstanding these disadvantages, the author of the Annals of Queen Anne observes:—"Had the Portuguese bravely seconded the English and Dutch, who, with unparalleled resolution and undauntedness broke the enemy's centre, it is the opinion of many that victory would have inclined to the confederate side; or, at least, that the latter might have made an honourable retreat, and, considering the vast disproportion of the forces, have gained the glory of the day."
The loss of the Sixth was very great: Lieutenant-Colonel M'Neal, Captains Columbine, Drake, Campbell, and Justiene, Lieutenants Harvey and Emmery, and Ensigns Sarracen and Watts were killed; Captains Bennett and Hussey were taken prisoners; and Lieutenants Beauford, Columbine, Babington, Magee, M'Neal, and Campbell, Ensigns Beckwith, Morgan, and Reynolds, Quarter-Master Begham, Surgeon Dilpach, and Surgeon's-Mate Macdonald, were wounded and taken prisoners.
The few officers and men of the regiment who escaped from the field of battle proceeded to Alcira, a strong town on the river Xucar, where they joined the cavalry with which the Earl of Galway had made good his retreat; and the approach to the town being by almost inaccessible mountains, they halted a few days to re-organise the army. On the advance of the French and Spanish forces commanded by the Duke of Orleans, the Earl of Galway placed a garrison in Alcira, and removed to Tortosa, and the Sixth were among the troops which encamped on the banks of the river Ebro, about two miles above the city. Meanwhile many of the men who had been taken prisoners, escaped and returned to their regiments; detachments were called in, and the troops took up a position beyond the Ebro. On the 22nd of May the French light cavalry appeared on the hills; on the following day their army encamped against the town, and the Sixth were engaged in the defence of a small village and tête de pont to the bridge of boats, which last post was held for several days. The enemy having passed the Ebro, the regiment was removed to Tarragona, and subsequently to Las Borgues.
The Duke of Orleans having besieged Lerida, some arrangements were made to attempt to relieve the garrison, and the army encamped within a few miles of the town; but a sufficient number of troops could not be assembled to enable the Earl of Galway to attack the besieging army with any hope of success. After the surrender of the castle, the regiment marched back to Tarragona for winter quarters, and its ranks were completed by drafts from the second foot and other regiments which were ordered to return to England to recruit.
1708