Quitting its winter-quarters in April, 1703, the regiment marched towards Maestricht, where the allied army was assembled, and the second battalion of the Royals, with the Tenth, Sixteenth, TWENTY-FIRST, and Twenty-Sixth regiments, were formed in brigade, under Brigadier-General the Earl of Derby.
The regiment took part in the operations of the campaign, and its services were connected with the reduction of Huy, a strong fortress on the Maese, above the city of Liege, which was besieged and captured in ten days. The regiment was afterwards detached from the main army, to take part in the capture of Limburg, a city of the Spanish Netherlands, situate on a pleasant eminence near the banks of the Wesdet. The siege of this place was commenced on the 10th of September, and the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were employed in carrying on the approaches, and in making the attacks; and in seventeen days the garrison surrendered at discretion.
1704
In October the regiment marched back to Holland, where it was stationed during the winter.
From Holland the regiment marched, in the months of May and June, 1704, to the interior of Germany, to arrest the progress of the French and Bavarians, who had gained considerable advantage over the Imperialists. A junction was formed with the Germans under the Margrave of Baden; and on the 2nd of July the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS took part in the attack of the enemy's position on the lofty heights of Schellenberg on the north bank of the Danube; when the entrenchments were carried, and the French and Bavarians, commanded by the Count d'Arco, were driven from their post with severe loss.
The regiment had a few private soldiers killed and wounded; also Captain Kygoe, Lieutenants Johnston and John Campbell, wounded.
After this victory the regiment penetrated the Electorate of Bavaria to the vicinity of the enemy's fortified camp at Augsburg, which was found too strong to be attacked with any prospect of success, and the army retired a few stages to undertake the siege of Ingoldstadt. At the same time a numerous reinforcement of French troops arrived at the theatre of war.
These events were followed by the battle of Blenheim, on the 13th of August, when the French and Bavarians, commanded by Marshal Tallard and the Elector of Bavaria, were overpowered by the allies under the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy, and a victory was gained which reflected lustre on the British arms. The NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were selected to lead the attack against the French troops in the village of Blenheim, and their colonel, Brigadier-General Row, placed himself at the head of his regiment, which was followed by four other corps. In the Annals of Queen Anne it is stated—"The five English battalions, led on by Brigadier-General Row, who charged on foot at the head of his own regiment with unparalleled intrepidity, assaulted the village of Blenheim, advancing to the very muzzles of the enemy's muskets, and some of the officers exchanged thrusts of swords through the palisades;"—but the avenues of the village were found strongly fortified, and defended by a force of superior numbers. Brigadier-General Row led the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS up to the palisades before he gave the word "fire," and the next moment he fell mortally wounded; Lieut.-Colonel Dalyel and Major Campbell, being both on the spot, stepped forward to raise their colonel, and were both instantly pierced by musket-balls; the soldiers, exasperated at seeing the three field officers of the regiment fall, made a gallant effort to force their way into the village, but this was found impossible, and the regiment was ordered to retire. The moment the soldiers faced about, thirteen squadrons of French cavalry galloped forward to charge them, and one of the colours of the regiment was captured by the enemy; but the French horsemen were repulsed by the fire of a brigade of Hessians, and the colour was recovered.