The Historical Record of The Twelfth Royal Lancers, as given in the preceding pages, which is confirmed by the testimony of the highest military commanders, under whom the regiment has served, sufficiently proves the value of this corps to the crown, and that it has, on all occasions, either in conflict with a foreign enemy, or in patient endurance, when domestic disturbances have required its services, fulfilled its duties with honor, and with advantage to the country.
The distinguished conduct of the regiment in Egypt; its gallant bearing and esprit de corps during the Peninsular War; the noble and daring charge made by the corps, on a column of French infantry, at the battle of Waterloo, on the 18th of June, 1815, with the heroic manner in which it led the attack of the right wing, at the close of the action, have established the character of the regiment, and proved its merit of the honors which have been conferred on it by royal authority.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The colonel and lieut.-colonel of the Twelfth Light Dragoons.
[2] Some of the officers proceeded to Rome, and had the honor of being introduced to the Pope, who received them in a very gracious manner, and taking a helmet into his hand, ejaculated a wish "that Heaven would enable the cause of truth and religion to triumph over injustice and infidelity," and he then placed it on Captain Browne's head.
[3] About three hundred men were mounted in the first instance, and three hundred more at a subsequent period.
[4] The following is a description of the Column erected by General R. Browne Clayton, K.C., D.C.L. and F.S.A. on the Rick of Carrig-a-Dagon, county of Wexford, Ireland, the estate of 3,000 statute acres, bestowed on him by his father in 1801.
Height of Column, 94 feet, 3 inches.
"This Column is to commemorate the conquest of Egypt, and the events of the Campaign under the command of General Sir Ralph Abercromby, K.B., in the year 1801, when General Browne Clayton (then Lieut.-Colonel) commanded the 12th Light Dragoons, and afterwards commanded the Cavalry in pursuit of the Enemy to Grand Cairo, taking, besides other Detachments, a Convoy in the Lybian Desert, composed of 600 French Cavalry, Infantry, and Artillery, commanded by Colonel Cavalier, together with Bonaparte's celebrated Dromedary Corps, one four-pounder, and one stand of colors, and capturing 300 horses and dromedaries, and 500 camels. The events of this Campaign are further to be commemorated by the appointment of Trustees, under the will of General B. Clayton, who shall annually at sun-rise on the morning of the 21st of March (when the French, under the command of General Menou, attacked the British Encampment, before Alexandria) raise the Standard on the Column, and hoist the tricolor French flag, which shall remain until the hour of ten o'clock, when the British Flag shall be hoisted and kept up until sunset, as a Memorial of the Defeat of the French, which event forms the prelude of Britannia's Triumphs, through a regular and unbroken series of Glory and Prosperity down to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815; and on the 28th March, annually, the British Flag shall be hoisted half-standard high, as a Memorial of the Death of the brave Commander-in-Chief Sir Ralph Abercromby, who died of the wounds which he received before Alexandria, on the 21st March, 1801."