1701
Pursuing his schemes for the aggrandizement of his family with unceasing assiduity, the King of France procured the accession of his grandson, Philip, Duke of Anjou, to the throne of Spain, and this open violation of existing treaties involved Europe in another war. Among the corps first ordered to proceed on foreign service to aid the continental powers in arresting the progress of French usurpations, was the Tenth regiment of foot. It embarked at Cork on the 15th of June, 1701, sailed to Holland, and was placed in one of the frontier garrisons of that country. In September it was encamped on Breda-heath, where it was reviewed, with the remainder of the British troops in Holland, by King William III., and afterwards returned to its former station in garrison.
1702
In the spring of 1702, the regiment took the field to serve as auxiliaries to the army of the Emperor of Germany, England not having declared war against France; and at the camp at Rosendael, news was received of the death of King William III. and of the accession of Queen Anne on the 8th of March. From Rosendael the Tenth marched to the Duchy of Cleves, and encamped at Cranenburg on the Lower Rhine, forming part of the covering army during the siege of Kayserswerth. In June a French force of superior numbers marched through the forest of Cleves and plains of Goch to cut off the allied army from Grave and Nimeguen; in consequence of this movement the British, Dutch, and Germans at Cranenburg, struck their tents a little before sunset on the 10th of June, and, by a forced march, arrived within a few miles of Nimeguen, about eight o'clock on the following morning, at which time the French columns appeared on both flanks and in the rear. Some sharp fighting occurred; the British corps forming the rear-guard evinced signal gallantry, and the Tenth regiment distinguished itself: the enemy was held in check until the army effected its retreat under the works of Nimeguen.
England declared war against France: additional troops arrived in Holland, and the Earl of Marlborough assumed the command. The Tenth were engaged in the movements by which the French were driven from their menacing position near the confines of Holland. The regiment also formed part of the covering army during the siege of Venloo,—a fortress on the east side of the river Maese, which surrendered on the 25th of September. The regiment was next engaged in covering the sieges of Ruremonde and Stevenswart, both of which places were captured in the early part of October. The army afterwards advanced to the city of Liege, which immediately opened its gates, but the citadel, and a detached fortress called the Chartreuse, held out. The Tenth regiment was employed in the siege of the citadel, and the grenadier company behaved with great gallantry at the capture of that fortress by storm on the 23rd of October. The citadel being carried by assault, the garrison was nearly annihilated; the garrison of the Chartreuse were eye-witnesses of this event, and surrendered immediately afterwards, from apprehension of a similar fate.
The city of Liege being rescued from the power of the enemy, the regiment marched back to Holland, and passed the winter in garrison at Breda.
1703
Sir Beville Granville having been appointed governor of Barbadoes, the colonelcy of the Tenth foot was conferred on William, Lord North and Grey, by commission dated the 15th of January, 1703.
Colonel Lord North and Grey proved a very gallant aspirant for military fame; serving at the head of his regiment, and distinguishing himself on numerous occasions. The Tenth left their winter-quarters towards the end of April, 1703; on the 6th of May, they arrived at Maeswyck, where they halted on the following day; but, information having been received of the approach of a powerful French army to cut off the detachments of the confederate forces, the regiment struck its tents at sunset, with several other corps, and, by a forced march, arrived at the city of Maestricht about noon on the following day. When the French army approached that city, the regiment was in position, being one of the corps stationed at Lonakin; some skirmishing and cannonading occurred, and the French withdrew without venturing a general engagement.
When the Duke of Marlborough advanced against the French at Tongres, the Tenth were formed in brigade with the second battalion of the royals, and the sixteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-sixth regiments, under Brigadier-General the Earl of Derby. The enemy took refuge behind an extensive line of works, and the English General besieged the strong fortress of Huy, situate on the Maese above Liege. The Tenth foot were employed at the siege; and, on the 18th of August, when the enemy had vacated that portion of the town which lay beyond the river, Colonel Lord North and Grey took possession of it with the Tenth: another corps was afterwards placed under his lordship's command, and the regiment held this post during the remainder of the siege.