Again taking the field in the summer of 1693, the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were formed in brigade with the regiments of Leven (twenty-fifth), Monro (twenty-sixth), Mackay, and Lander (afterwards disbanded), under the command of Brigadier-General Ramsay, and, after taking part in several manœuvres, were engaged at the battle of Landen on the 29th of July. At sunrise on the morning of that day, a French force of very superior numbers, commanded by the Duke of Luxembourg, appeared before the position occupied by the confederate army under King William III., when the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS, and other regiments of their brigade, were ordered to occupy some hedges and narrow roads, beyond the village of Laer, on the right of the line. This village, and the ground occupied by General Ramsay's brigade, being attacked by a numerous body of the enemy, the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were engaged in a sharp musketry battle in the fields and open grounds. At length the Third foot, and other corps in the village of Laer, were forced to retire; but they rallied, and, being joined by Brigadier-General Ramsay's brigade, the whole charged, and by a gallant effort recaptured the village; the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS distinguished themselves on the occasion. The French afterwards carried the village of Neer-Winden, and forced the position; the regiments at Laer then became separated from the main body of the confederate army; they gallantly defended their post some time, and eventually retired, fighting, to the Gheet, forded that river, and joined several corps which had crossed the bridge of Neer-Hespen. The army was retreating, and the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS accompanied King William to the vicinity of Tirlemont. The regiment had Captains Campbell and Strayton, Lieutenants Douglas and Dunbar, and Adjutant Walle wounded; Captain Paterson taken prisoner; also a number of soldiers killed, wounded, and prisoners.
At the end of the campaign, the regiment was placed in garrison at Bruges.
1694
During the summer of 1694, the regiment performed many long marches in Brabant and Flanders; but was not engaged with the enemy, and in the autumn it marched to Deinse.
This year the King commanded a board of General Officers to assemble and decide upon the rank of the several corps of the army. This board gave precedence to the English regiments, and gave the Scots and Irish regiments rank in the English army from the date of their first arrival in England, or from the date when they were first placed on the English establishment. The NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS, not having entered England until the Revolution in 1688, received rank as TWENTY-FIRST regiment. Numerical titles were not generally used until the reign of King George II.
1695
When the army took the field to serve the campaign of 1695, the TWENTY-FIRST were left in garrison at Deinse, where some stores of provision were formed. King William undertook the siege of Namur, and the regiment was directed to join the covering army under the Prince of Vaudemont; but it subsequently returned to Deinse, of which place its colonel, Brigadier-General O'Farrell, was commandant.
The French commander, Marshal Villeroy, detached a strong body of troops, under the Marquis of Feuqueres, to reduce the town of Deinse where the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were stationed. This town was situate on the river Lys; it was only slightly fortified, and in many places there was only an entrenchment and some palisades as defensive works; eight pieces of cannon were the only ordnance in the town. Under these circumstances Brigadier-General O'Farrell considered it impossible to make a successful defence of the place, and he surrendered on the 21st of July without having fired a shot. The FUSILIERS became prisoners of war on this occasion.
Brigadier-General O'Farrell was afterwards tried by a general court-martial, and cashiered: and King William conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Colonel Robert Mackay, from a Scots corps, which was afterwards disbanded.