Each successive victory had inspired the troops with additional confidence in their commander, and in their own prowess: to besiege a town, or fight a battle, and not conquer, when the Duke of Marlborough commanded, appeared impossible. With a bold assurance that fresh triumphs awaited them, the soldiers took the field in May, 1706, and the Tenth foot joined the camp near Tongres on the 19th of that month. On the 23rd of May, as the army was advancing in eight columns, information was received that the French, Spaniards, and Bavarians, commanded by Marshal Villeroy and the Elector of Bavaria, were taking up a position at Mont St. André, with their centre at the village of Ramilies, and the allies prepared for battle.
Diverging into the open plain, the allied army formed line and advanced against the enemy. The Tenth foot, being on the right of the line, proceeded, with a number of other corps, in the direction of the village of Autreglise, and made a demonstration of attacking the enemy's left. The French weakened their centre to support their left, and the British commander instantly seized the opportunity and attacked the weakened point. The Tenth foot were among the corps which, occupying some high ground on the right, were not engaged during the early part of the battle; but they had a full view of the conflict on the plain. At length a crisis arrived: the brigades on the right were ordered into action, when the Tenth evinced that intrepidity and firmness for which the regiment had been distinguished on former occasions, and another decisive victory exalted the fame of the British arms. The broken remains of the French, Spanish, and Bavarian legions were pursued for many miles, and an immense number of prisoners, cannon, standards, and colours was captured.
The effect of this surprising victory was the immediate surrender of Brussels, Ghent, and the principal towns of Brabant, and the intelligence of these events produced such an electric sensation throughout England, that the gallant exploits of the heroes of Ramilies became a general theme of conversation, and the subject of numerous addresses to the throne. Rewards were conferred on officers who had distinguished themselves, and the commanding officer of the Tenth, the gallant Lord North and Grey, was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, and placed at the head of three battalions of infantry.
Several towns in Flanders held out; and in June the Tenth marched to Arseele, and afterwards to Rouselaer, and formed part of the covering army during the siege of Ostend, which fortress was delivered up on the 8th of July.
After the surrender of Ostend, the regiment was selected to take part in the siege of Menin, a strong town pleasantly situated on the little river Lys. This fortress was accounted the key to the French conquests in the Netherlands, and one of the masterpieces of the celebrated Vauban: the siege therefore excited an unusual degree of interest. The town was invested on the 23rd of July; and the conduct of the Tenth during the progress of the siege, corresponded with the high character of the regiment. Considerable loss was sustained in carrying on the attacks, but the soldiers had the gratification of witnessing this place added to the numerous conquests made during this memorable campaign.
Dendermond and Aeth were afterwards captured; and in November the regiment took up its winter-quarters at Ghent.
1707
During the campaign of 1707, the regiment formed part of the brigade commanded by its colonel, Brigadier-General Lord North and Grey, and it was some time encamped near the village of Waterloo. The English commander was unable, this year, to bring his cautious opponents to a general engagement. In October, the regiment returned to Ghent.
1708
While the regiment was reposing in quarters at this city, the king of France fitted out a fleet, and embarked troops at Dunkirk, for the invasion of Great Britain, with a view of placing the Pretender on the throne. To repel the invaders, the Tenth regiment embarked for England in the middle of March, 1708, and arrived at Tynemouth on the 21st; but the French squadron, with the Pretender on board, was chased from the British coast by the English fleet, and the Tenth were ordered to Flanders: they landed at Ostend, and proceeded in boats to Ghent, where they arrived towards the end of April.