After the death of Brigadier-General de Lalo, Viscount Mordaunt was re-appointed on the 4th of September to the colonelcy of the NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS, from the Twenty-eighth regiment.
The regiment was afterwards employed in covering the siege of Mons, which was terminated by the surrender of the garrison on the 20th of October; when the regiment marched into quarters.
1710
On the 14th of April, 1710, the regiment marched out of its winter-quarters towards the frontiers of France, and was engaged in the movements by which the French lines were passed at Pont-à-Vendin: it was afterwards selected to take part in the siege of Douay, where it performed much severe service. It was employed in carrying on the approaches, in storming the outworks, and other duties connected with the siege, and sustained considerable loss in killed and wounded. The garrison beat a parley on the 25th of June, and afterwards surrendered the fortress.
After the capture of Douay, the regiment was employed in covering the siege of Bethune, which place was surrendered in August. The regiment was also with the covering army during the sieges of St. Venant and Aire; the former place surrendered on the 30th of September, and the latter on the 9th of November.
Viscount Mordaunt died this year, and was succeeded in the colonelcy by Major-General Meredith, from the Thirty-seventh regiment. This officer was succeeded, in December, by Major-General the Earl of Orrery, from a newly-raised regiment, which was afterwards disbanded.
1711
After passing the winter in quarters at Dendermond, the regiment joined the army in May, 1711, and it took part in the movements by which the boasted impregnable French lines were passed at Arleux on the 5th of August. The regiment was afterwards employed in the siege of Bouchain, in which service obstacles of the greatest magnitude had to be overcome, and the abilities of the commanders, with the valour of the troops, were put to a severe test. These qualities were found in the besieging army; on more than one occasion the soldiers fought up to their middle in water, and by a gallant perseverance, which reflected honor on all the corps engaged in the siege, every difficulty was overcome; and the garrison surrendered on the 13th of September.
1712