TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources.

More detail can be found at [the end of the book.]

BY COMMAND OF His late Majesty WILLIAM THE IV^TH.
and under the Patronage of
Her Majesty the Queen
HISTORICAL RECORDS,
OF THE
British Army
Comprising the
History of every Regiment
IN HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE.
By Richard Cannon Esq^re.
Adjutant Generals Office, Horse Guards.
London
Printed by Authority:
1837.
Silvester & C^o. 27 Strand.

HISTORICAL RECORDS

OF THE

BRITISH ARMY.

PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE
ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

THE FOURTH,

OR

ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT OF DRAGOON GUARDS.

LONDON:
Printed by William Clowes and Sons,
14, Charing Cross.

GENERAL ORDERS.

HORSE-GUARDS,

1st January, 1836.

His Majesty has been pleased to command, that, with a view of doing the fullest justice to Regiments, as well as to Individuals who have distinguished themselves by their Bravery in Action with the Enemy, an Account of the Services of every Regiment in the British Army shall be published under the superintendence and direction of the Adjutant-General; and that this Account shall contain the following particulars: viz.,

—— The Period and Circumstances of the Original Formation of the Regiment; The Stations at which it has been from time to time employed; The Battles, Sieges, and other Military Operations, in which it has been engaged, particularly specifying any Achievement it may have performed, and the Colours, Trophies, &c., it may have captured from the Enemy.

—— The Names of the Officers and the number of Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates, Killed or Wounded by the Enemy, specifying the Place and Date of the Action.

—— The Names of those Officers, who, in consideration of their Gallant Services and Meritorious Conduct in Engagements with the Enemy, have been distinguished with Titles, Medals, or other Marks of His Majesty's gracious favour.

—— The Names of all such Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates as may have specially signalized themselves in Action.

And,

—— The Badges and Devices which the Regiment may have been permitted to bear, and the Causes on account of which such Badges or Devices, or any other Marks of Distinction, have been granted.

By Command of the Right Honourable

GENERAL LORD HILL,

Commanding-in-Chief.

John Macdonald,

Adjutant-General.

PREFACE.

The character and credit of the British Army must chiefly depend upon the zeal and ardour, by which all who enter into its service are animated, and consequently it is of the highest importance that any measure calculated to excite the spirit of emulation, by which alone great and gallant actions are achieved, should be adopted.

Nothing can more fully tend to the accomplishment of this desirable object, than a full display of the noble deeds with which the Military History of our country abounds. To hold forth these bright examples to the imitation of the youthful soldier, and thus to incite him to emulate the meritorious conduct of those who have preceded him in their honourable career, are among the motives that have given rise to the present publication.

The operations of the British Troops are, indeed, announced in the 'London Gazette,' from whence they are transferred into the public prints: the achievements of our armies are thus made known at the time of their occurrence, and receive the tribute of praise and admiration to which they are entitled. On extraordinary occasions, the Houses of Parliament have been in the habit of conferring on the Commanders, and the Officers and Troops acting under their orders, expressions of approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery, and these testimonials, confirmed by the high honour of their Sovereign's Approbation, constitute the reward which the soldier most highly prizes.

It has not, however, until late years, been the practice (which appears to have long prevailed in some of the Continental armies) for British Regiments to keep regular records of their services and achievements. Hence some difficulty has been experienced in obtaining, particularly from the old Regiments, an authentic account of their origin and subsequent services.

This defect will now be remedied, in consequence of His Majesty having been pleased to command, that every Regiment shall in future keep a full and ample record of its services at home and abroad.

From the materials thus collected, the country will henceforth derive information as to the difficulties and privations which chequer the career of those who embrace the military profession. In Great Britain, where so large a number of persons are devoted to the active concerns of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, and where these pursuits have, for so long a period, been undisturbed by the presence of war, which few other countries have escaped, comparatively little is known of the vicissitudes of active service, and of the casualties of climate, to which, even during peace, the British Troops are exposed in every part of the globe, with little or no interval of repose.

In their tranquil enjoyment of the blessings which the country derives from the industry and the enterprise of the agriculturist and the trader, its happy inhabitants may be supposed not often to reflect on the perilous duties of the soldier and the sailor,—on their sufferings,—and on the sacrifice of valuable life, by which so many national benefits are obtained and preserved.

The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endurance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying difficulties; and their character has been established in Continental warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected debarkations in spite of the most formidable opposition, and by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have maintained their advantages against superior numbers.

In the official Reports made by the respective Commanders, ample justice has generally been done to the gallant exertions of the Corps employed; but the details of their services, and of acts of individual bravery, can only be fully given in the Annals of the various Regiments.

These Records are now preparing for publication, under His Majesty's special authority, by Mr. Richard Cannon, Principal Clerk of the Adjutant-General's Office; and while the perusal of them cannot fail to be useful and interesting to military men of every rank, it is considered that they will also afford entertainment and information to the general reader, particularly to those who may have served in the Army, or who have relatives in the Service.

There exists in the breasts of most of those who have served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit de Corps—an attachment to every thing belonging to their Regiment; to such persons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot fail to prove interesting. Authentic accounts of the actions of the great,—the valiant,—the loyal, have always been of paramount interest with a brave and civilised people. Great Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in moments of danger and terror, have stood, "firm as the rocks of their native shore;" and when half the World has been arrayed against them, they have fought the battles of their Country with unshaken fortitude. It is presumed that a record of achievements in war,—victories so complete and surprising, gained by our countrymen,—our brothers—our fellow-citizens in arms,—a record which revives the memory of the brave, and brings their gallant deeds before us, will certainly prove acceptable to the public.

Biographical memoirs of the Colonels and other distinguished Officers, will be introduced in the Records of their respective Regiments, and the Honorary Distinctions which have, from time to time, been conferred upon each Regiment, as testifying the value and importance of its services, will be faithfully set forth.

As a convenient mode of Publication, the Record of each Regiment will be printed in a distinct number, so that when the whole shall be completed, the Parts may be bound up in numerical succession.

INTRODUCTION.

The ancient Armies of England were composed of Horse and Foot; but the feudal troops established by William the Conqueror in 1086, consisted almost entirely of Horse. Under the feudal system, every holder of land amounting to what was termed a "knight's fee," was required to provide a charger, a coat of mail, a helmet, a shield, and a lance, and to serve the Crown a period of forty days in each year at his own expense; and the great landholders had to provide armed men in proportion to the extent of their estates; consequently the ranks of the feudal Cavalry were completed with men of property, and the vassals and tenants of the great barons, who led their dependents to the field in person.

In the succeeding reigns the Cavalry of the Army was composed of Knights (or men at arms) and Hobiliers (or horsemen of inferior degree); and the Infantry of spear and battle-axe men, cross-bowmen, and archers. The Knights wore armour on every part of the body, and their weapons were a lance, a sword, and a small dagger. The Hobiliers were accoutred and armed for the light and less important services of war, and were not considered qualified for a charge in line. Mounted Archers[1] were also introduced, and the English nation eventually became pre-eminent in the use of the bow.

About the time of Queen Mary the appellation of "Men at Arms" was changed to that of "Spears and Launces." The introduction of fire-arms ultimately occasioned the lance to fall into disuse, and the title of the Horsemen of the first degree was changed to "Cuirassiers." The Cuirassiers were armed cap-à-pié, and their weapons were a sword with a straight narrow blade and sharp point, and a pair of large pistols, called petrenels; and the Hobiliers carried carbines. The Infantry carried pikes, matchlocks, and swords. The introduction of fire-arms occasioned the formation of regiments armed and equipped as infantry, but mounted on small horses for the sake of expedition of movement, and these were styled "Dragoons;" a small portion of the military force of the kingdom, however, consisted of this description of troops.

The formation of the present Army commenced after the Restoration in 1660, with the establishment of regular corps of Horse and Foot; the Horsemen were cuirassiers, but only wore armour on the head and body; and the Foot were pikemen and musketeers. The arms which each description of force carried, are described in the following extract from the "Regulations of King Charles II.," dated 5th May, 1663:—

"Each Horseman to have for his defensive armes, back, breast, and pot; and for his offensive armes, a sword, and a case of pistolls, the barrels whereof are not to be und^r. foorteen inches in length; and each Trooper of Our Guards to have a carbine, besides the aforesaid armes. And the Foote to have each souldier a sword, and each pikeman a pike of 16 foote long and not und^r.; and each musqueteer a musquet, with a collar of bandaliers, the barrels of which musquet to be about foor foote long, and to conteine a bullet, foorteen of which shall weigh a pound weight[2]."

The ranks of the Troops of Horse were at this period composed of men of some property—generally the sons of substantial yeomen: the young men received as recruits provided their own horses, and they were placed on a rate of pay sufficient to give them a respectable station in society.

On the breaking out of the war with Holland, in the spring of 1672, a Regiment of Dragoons was raised[3]; the Dragoons were placed on a lower rate of pay than the Horse; and the Regiment was armed similar to the Infantry, excepting that a limited number of the men carried halberds instead of pikes, and the others muskets and bayonets; and a few men in each Troop had pistols; as appears by a warrant dated the 2nd of April, 1672, of which the following is an extract:—

"Charles R.

"Our will and pleasure is, that a Regiment of Dragoones which we have established and ordered to be raised, in twelve Troopes of fourscore in each beside officers, who are to be under the command of Our most deare and most intirely beloved Cousin Prince Rupert, shall be armed out of Our stoares remaining within Our office of the Ordinance, as followeth; that is to say, three corporalls, two serjeants, the gentlemen at armes, and twelve souldiers of each of the said twelve Troopes, are to have and carry each of them one halbard, and one case of pistolls with holsters; and the rest of the souldiers of the several Troopes aforesaid, are to have and to carry each of them one matchlocke musquet, with a collar of bandaliers, and also to have and to carry one bayonet[4], or great knife. That each lieutenant have and carry one partizan; and that two drums be delivered out for each Troope of the said Regiment[5]."

Several regiments of Horse and Dragoons were raised in the first year of the reign of King James II.; and the horsemen carried a short carbine[6] in addition to the sword and pair of pistols: and in a Regulation dated the 21st of February, 1687, the arms of the Dragoons at that period are commanded to be as follow:—

"The Dragoons to have snaphanse musquets, strapt, with bright barrels of three foote eight inches long, cartouch-boxes, bayonetts, granado pouches, bucketts, and hammer-hatchetts."

After several years' experience, little advantage was found to accrue from having Cavalry Regiments formed almost exclusively for engaging the enemy on foot; and, the Horse having laid aside their armour, the arms and equipment of Horse and Dragoons were so nearly assimilated, that there remained little distinction besides the name and rate of pay. The introduction of improvements into the mounting, arming, and equipment of Dragoons rendered them competent to the performance of every description of service required of Cavalry; and, while the long musket and bayonet were retained, to enable them to act as Infantry, if necessary, they were found to be equally efficient, and of equal value to the nation, as Cavalry, with the Regiments of Horse.

In the several augmentations made to the regular Army after the early part of the reign of Queen Anne, no new Regiments of Horse were raised for permanent service; and in 1746 King George II. reduced three of the old Regiments of Horse to the quality and pay of Dragoons; at the same time, His Majesty gave them the title of First, Second, and Third Regiments of Dragoon Guards: and in 1788 the same alteration was made in the remaining four Regiments of Horse, which then became the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Regiments of Dragoon Guards.

At present there are only three Regiments which are styled Horse in the British Army, namely, the two Regiments of Life Guards, and the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, to whom cuirasses have recently been restored. The other Cavalry Regiments consist of Dragoon Guards, Heavy and Light Dragoons, Hussars, and Lancers; and although the long musket and bayonet have been laid aside by the whole of the Cavalry, and the Regiments are armed and equipped on the principle of the old Horse (excepting the cuirass), they continue to be styled Dragoons.

The old Regiments of Horse formed a highly respectable and efficient portion of the Army, and it is found, on perusing the histories of the various campaigns in which they have been engaged, that they have, on all occasions, maintained a high character for steadiness and discipline, as well as for bravery in action. They were formerly mounted on horses of superior weight and physical power, and few troops could withstand a well-directed charge of the celebrated British Horse. The records of these corps embrace a period of 150 years—a period eventful in history, and abounding in instances of heroism displayed by the British troops when danger has threatened the nation,—a period in which these Regiments have numbered in their ranks men of loyalty, valour, and good conduct, worthy of imitation.

Since the Regiments of Horse were formed into Dragoon Guards, additional improvements have been introduced into the constitution of the several corps; and the superior description of horses now bred in the United Kingdom enables the commanding officers to remount their regiments with such excellent horses, that, whilst sufficient weight has been retained for a powerful charge in line, a lightness has been acquired which renders them available for every description of service incident to modern warfare.

The orderly conduct of these Regiments in quarters has gained the confidence and esteem of the respectable inhabitants of the various parts of the United Kingdom in which they have been stationed; their promptitude and alacrity in attending to the requisitions of the magistrates in periods of excitement, and the temper, patience, and forbearance which they have evinced when subjected to great provocation, insult, and violence from the misguided populace, prove the value of these troops to the Crown, and to the Government of the country, and justify the reliance which is reposed on them.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] In the 14th year of the reign of Edward IV. a small force was established in Ireland by Parliament, consisting of 120 Archers on horseback, 40 Horsemen, and 40 Pages.

[2] Military Papers, State Paper Office.

[3] This Regiment was disbanded after the Peace in 1674.

[4] This appears to be the first introduction of bayonets into the English Army.

[5] State Paper Office.

[6] The first issue of carbines to the regular Horse appears to have taken place in 1678; the Life Guards, however, carried carbines from their formation in 1660.—Vide the 'Historical Record of the Life Guards.'

HISTORICAL RECORD
OF
THE FOURTH,
OR
ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT
OF
DRAGOON GUARDS.

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF

THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
IN 1685;

AND OF

ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
TO 1838.

ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES.

PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, ORME, AND CO.,

PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON;

AND BY MESSRS. CLOWES AND SONS;

AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS.

1839.

LONDON:
Printed by William Clowes and Sons,
Stamford Street.

FOURTH OR ROYAL IRISH
DRAGOON GUARDS.

Madeley, lith. 3, Wellington St. Strand.

CONTENTS.

SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.

PLATES.

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF THE

FOURTH, OR ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT

OF

DRAGOON GUARDS.

1685

The Regiment, which forms the subject of the following memoir, is one of the seventeen corps, now in the British army, which derive their origin from the commotions in England during the first year of the reign of King James II.

The origin of these commotions may be traced to the pernicious councils adopted by King Charles I., which were followed by a flame of puritanical zeal and of democratical fury and outrage in the country, which deprived the monarch of life, and forced the royal family to reside for several years in exile on the continent, where King Charles II. and his brother, James Duke of York, imbibed the doctrines of the Church of Rome. After the Restoration, in 1660, the King concealed his religion from his Protestant subjects; but the Duke of York openly avowed the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church, which rendered him exceedingly unpopular. King Charles II. having no legitimate issue, his eldest illegitimate son, James Duke of Monmouth, an officer of some merit, who had espoused the Protestant cause with great warmth, and had become very popular, aspired to the throne. In a few months after the accession of James II., this nobleman arrived from Holland (11th June, 1685) with a band of armed followers, and erecting his standard in the west of England, called upon the people to aid him in gaining the sovereign power.

Although a deep feeling of anxiety was general in the kingdom at this period, yet the King had declared his determination to support the Protestant religion, as by law established, and his designs against the constitution had not been manifested; hence loyalty to the sovereign, a principle so genial to the innate feelings of the British people, prevailed over every other consideration. A number of Mendip miners and other disaffected persons joined the Duke of Monmouth; but men of all ranks arrayed themselves under the banners of royalty.

To officers and soldiers imbued with a laudable esprit de corps, the particulars relating to the origin and services of their regiment are of intense interest, and the circumstances which gave rise to the formation of their corps are of themselves an era. To encourage such feelings is one of the objects of the present undertaking, and, although the general reader may think the narrative tedious, the officers and men of the Royal Irish Dragoon Guards will feel gratified at learning by whom, and where, each troop, of which their regiment was originally composed, was raised. This information has been procured from public documents, in which it is recorded that, in the midst of the hostile preparations which the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion occasioned in every part of the kingdom, a troop of horse was raised by James Earl of Arran, eldest son of William Duke of Hamilton, a nobleman distinguished alike for loyalty and attachment to the Protestant religion; a second troop was raised, in the vicinity of London, by Captain John Parker, Lieutenant of the Horse Grenadier Guards attached to the King's Own troop of Life Guards (now First Regiment of Life Guards); a third at Lichfield, by William Baggott, Esq.; a fourth at Grantham, by Thomas Harrington, Esq.; a fifth at Durham, by John Fetherstonhalgh, Esq.; and the sixth at Morpeth, by William Ogle, Esq.; and that, after the decisive battle of Sedgemoor had destroyed the hopes of the invader, these six troops were ordered to march to the south of England, and were incorporated into a regiment of Cuirassiers, which is now the Fourth or Royal Irish Regiment of Dragoon Guards. The Colonelcy was conferred on the Earl of Arran, by commission, dated the 28th of July, 1685; the Lieutenant-Colonelcy on Captain Charles Nedby,[7] from the Queen's regiment of horse; and the commission of Major on Captain John Parker.

At the formation of this regiment it ranked as Sixth Horse, but was distinguished by the name of its Colonel, the practice of using numerical titles not having been introduced into the British army until the reign of King George II. This corps being composed of the sons of substantial yeomen and tradesmen, who provided their own horses, it was held in high estimation in the country, and the men were placed on a rate of pay (2s. 6d. per day) which gave them a respectable station in society. Few nations in Europe possessed a body of troops which could vie with the English horse in all the qualities of good soldiers, and, in the reigns of King William III. and Queen Anne, this arme acquired a celebrity for gallantry and good conduct; and these qualities, whether evinced by bravery in the field, or by steadiness and temperate behaviour when their services have been required on home duties, have proved their usefulness, and have rendered them valuable corps during succeeding reigns.

The Earl of Arran's Regiment was armed and equipped, in common with the other regiments of Cuirassiers, with long swords, a pair of long pistols, and short carbines; the men wore hats, with broad brims bound with narrow lace, turned up on one side, and ornamented with ribands; large boots; and gauntlet gloves; their defensive armour was steel cuirasses, and head-pieces. This regiment was distinguished by white ribands, white linings to the coat, white waistcoats and breeches, white horse-furniture, the carbine belts covered with white cloth, and ornamented with lace, and the officers wore white silk sashes;—each regiment had a distinguishing colour, which was then called its livery, and which is now called facing, and the distinguishing colour of the Earl of Arran's Regiment was WHITE.[8]

On their arrival in the south of England, Arran's Cuirassiers proceeded to the vicinity of Hounslow, and on the 20th of August passed in review before King James II. and his court on the heath. In order to make a display of his power and to overawe the disaffected in the kingdom, His Majesty ordered an army of eight thousand men to encamp on Hounslow Heath, of which this regiment formed a part; and on the 22nd of August the King reviewed twenty squadrons of horse, one of horse-grenadier guards, one of dragoons, and ten battalions of foot on the heath. After the review Arran's Cuirassiers marched into quarters at Winchester and Andover, where they arrived on the 5th of September.

1686

In these quarters the regiment passed the succeeding winter; and on the 1st of January, 1686, its establishment was fixed by a warrant under the sign manual, from which the following is an extract:—

At this period the following officers were holding commissions in the regiment:—

Arran's Cuirassiers were called from their cantonments in Hampshire in June, and again pitched their tents on Hounslow Heath, where they were reviewed several times by the King; and afterwards marched into quarters at Leicester, Ashby de la Zouch, Loughborough, and Melton Mowbray; and while in these quarters their Lieutenant-Colonel retired, and was succeeded by Major John Parker.

1687

In the following summer they were withdrawn from Leicestershire, and proceeding to the metropolis, occupied quarters for a short time at Chelsea and Knightsbridge, from whence they proceeded to Hounslow, and again pitched their tents on the heath. After having been reviewed by the King, they marched (9th August) to Windsor and adjacent villages, and furnished a guard for the royal family at Windsor Castle; also a guard for the Princess Anne (afterwards Queen Anne) at Hampton Court Palace, and one troop was stationed at London to assist the Life Guards in their attendance on the Court.

On the 31st of August the regiment marched to London, and was quartered in Holborn, Gray's Inn Lane, and the vicinity of Smithfield, in order to take part in the duties of the court and metropolis; and in September it furnished a detachment to protect a large sum of money from London to Portsmouth.

1688

Having been relieved from the King's duty, Arran's Cuirassiers marched to Richmond and adjacent villages in May, 1688; and in July they once more encamped on Hounslow Heath. After taking part in several reviews, mock-battles, and splendid military spectacles, which were exhibited on the Heath by a numerous army, they proceeded to Cambridge, Peterborough, and St. Ives, and afterwards to Ipswich, where they were stationed a short time under Major-General Sir John Lanier, but were suddenly ordered to march to London in the beginning of November.

The circumstances in which the loyal officers and soldiers of the King's army were placed were of a most painful character. The King had been making rapid advances towards the subversion of the established religion and laws of the kingdom; and loyalty to the sovereign,—a distinguished feature in the character of the British soldier, and the love of the best interests of their native country,—which is inherent in men, were become so opposed to each other, that it appeared necessary for one to be sacrificed. Arran's Cuirassiers were, however, spared this painful ordeal by the circumstances which occurred. The King had resolved to remodel his army in England by the dismissal of Protestants and the introduction of Papists, as he had already done in Ireland; but the arrival of the Prince of Orange, with a Dutch army to aid the English nobility in opposing the proceedings of the Court, overturned the King's measures. The loyalty and attachment to the King evinced by the Earl of Arran occasioned him to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, and his regiment was considered one of the corps on which dependence could be placed. It had completed an augmentation of ten men per troop ordered in September, and was selected to remain as a guard near the Queen and the infant Prince of Wales, who was afterwards known as the Pretender: but a defection appearing in the army, the infant Prince was sent to Portsmouth; and the regiment, having been released from its duty of attendance on the Queen, was ordered to march to Salisbury.

Many officers and soldiers joined the Prince of Orange, and amongst others, Lord Churchill, Colonel of the third troop of Life Guards; the King gave the Duke of Berwick the command of the third troop of Life Guards; removed the Earl of Arran to the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards; and conferred the Colonelcy of the Sixth Horse on the Earl's brother, Charles Earl of Selkirk, from Guidon and Major in the fourth troop of Life Guards, his commission bearing date the 20th of November, 1688.

The desertions which took place alarmed the King and Queen; Her Majesty fled with the infant Prince to France, and was followed by the King. The Prince of Orange assumed the reins of government, and the Earl of Selkirk's regiment was ordered to march to Stamford in Lincolnshire.

On the 31st of December, 1688, the Prince of Orange conferred the Colonelcy of the regiment on Colonel Charles Godfrey, who had previously held a commission in the Duke of Monmouth's regiment of horse.

1689

The Prince and Princess of Orange having ascended the throne while the regiment was quartered in Lincolnshire, it took part in the solemnity of the proclamation of their Majesty's accession at Stamford, on the 16th of February, 1689, on which occasion three troops, with the trumpets and kettle drums, paraded the town, and, 'after firing several volleys, partook of a substantial repast, with abundance of wine, and drank their Majesties' health amidst reiterated acclamations.'

In the middle of March three troops proceeded to the Isle of Wight, where 1500 Irish Roman Catholics were detained in the custody of a military force. These men had entered the service of King James in Ireland, and had been ordered to England to support the arbitrary proceedings of the Court; at the Revolution they were deprived of their arms and sent prisoners to the Isle of Wight, from whence they were eventually transported to Hamburgh, to be disposed of in the service of the Emperor of Germany.

Thirty men and horses of the regiment were transferred, in April, to the Blues, to complete the establishment of that corps previous to its embarkation for Holland.

During the summer three troops of the Sixth Horse were encamped on Hounslow Heath. King William had reasons to suspect that several old corps were not well affected towards his interests; but His Majesty appears to have placed entire confidence in the attachment of the officers and men of this regiment to his person and government; and in August a strong detachment left the camp at Hounslow, to take part in the duties of the Court and metropolis. The remainder of the three troops of the Sixth Horse, encamped on the heath, proceeded into quarters at Croydon and Mitcham; and in December, the three troops in the Isle of Wight were removed to Salisbury.

1690

The detachment having been relieved from the King's duty in London, the regiment was removed in February, 1690, into quarters at Oxford and Abingdon. In the following month it received orders to embark for Ireland, to serve under King William, against the French and the Irish Roman Catholics under King James. This order was, however, countermanded, and when the King proceeded with three troops of Life Guards to Ireland, this regiment marched into quarters in the villages near London, in order to take part in the duties of the Court. Having been relieved from this duty by the Fourth Horse (now 3rd Dragoon Guards), the regiment marched into quarters at Portsmouth and Isle of Wight, and subsequently to Salisbury and Winchester.

During the winter, the Fifth Regiment of Horse[9] was disbanded in Ireland; and the Sixth Horse obtained rank as Fifth Horse from this period.

1691

From Salisbury and Winchester the regiment, now taking rank as Fifth Horse, was withdrawn in May, 1691, and proceeded to Hertford, Dartford, and Romford, and one troop furnished the guard at Windsor for the Queen Dowager, Catherine, consort of the late King Charles II. In June one troop was in attendance on the Princess Anne at Tunbridge; and in the autumn the regiment furnished a relay of escorts to attend the King from Harwich to London, when His Majesty returned from the Netherlands.

The conquest of Ireland having been achieved, the King was enabled to augment his army in the Low Countries; and, soon after His Majesty's arrival in England, Godfrey's Horse were selected to proceed on foreign service. The regiment was, accordingly, embarked in transports on the river Thames on the 27th of November, and sailed on the following day. After its arrival in Flanders it went into quarters at Ghent.

1692

In the spring of the following year, the Fifth Regiment of Horse took the field to serve its first campaign with the army under King William III. in person, who was fighting for the preservation of the Protestant religion and the balance of power in Europe, against the forces of Louis XIV. of France. After several movements, King William attacked the French army, commanded by Marshal Luxembourg, at its position near Steenkirk, on the 24th of July, 1692. The Fifth Horse supported the attacking column, and when the infantry deployed, it drew up on the right skirts of a wood, through which the main body of the army had to pass. The leading corps behaved with signal gallantry, but were repulsed, and the main body of the army was too far in the rear to give the required support. An immense body of French cavalry menacing the British infantry, the Fifth Horse were ordered to advance, and they succeeded in checking the enemy's squadrons. Lord Mountjoy[10], a young nobleman of great promise, who was serving as a volunteer, was killed by a cannon ball at the head of the regiment. It soon afterwards received orders to retire, and this movement was covered by a squadron of Horse Grenadier Guards. The regiment was subsequently engaged in several movements, and in the autumn it proceeded into winter-quarters.

1693

Shortly after the battle of Steenkirk, the Princess Anne of Denmark's regiment of horse,[11] which had lost many men and horses in the action, was disbanded; and on the 7th of March, 1693, its Colonel, Francis Langston, was appointed to the command of the Fifth Horse, vice Colonel Charles Godfrey, who retired.

In the ensuing campaign the regiment was again engaged for several weeks in marches, manœuvring, and occupying positions on the rich plains of the Netherlands, to defeat the designs of the enemy; and on the 19th of July it was engaged in the hard-contested battle of Landen, where it had an opportunity of distinguishing itself. It was formed, during the early part of the action, near the village of Neer-Landen, to support the infantry on the left, and sustained some loss from a heavy cannonade to which it was exposed. At length Marshal Luxembourg, by means of an immense superiority of numbers, carried the village of Neer-Winden, forced the position occupied by his opponents, and his numerous cavalry overpowered the squadrons in the right wing of the confederate army. King William instantly ordered the English horse on the left to oppose the victorious career of the enemy; and Langston's Regiment, galloping to the scene of conflict, charged the French horsemen with signal gallantry. The right squadron of this regiment, led by its Colonel, Francis Langston, broke the French squadron to which it was opposed, and made great slaughter; and the heroic Langston, an officer remarkable for prowess and valour, who had served against the Moors in Africa, and at the battles of the Boyne, Aghrim, and Steenkirk, was seen using his broadsword with terrible execution, but he was eventually surrounded, severely wounded, and taken prisoner. Fresh squadrons of French cavalry, flushed with the prospect of victory, renewed the fight, and, notwithstanding the bravery evinced by the English horse, superiority of numbers prevailed. King William ordered a retreat, which, having to be made across bridges and by narrow defiles, was not executed without much confusion and loss. His Majesty remained on the ground until nearly surrounded by the enemy; but he was rescued by a party of his Life Guards and a troop of Horse.

COLONEL FRANCIS LANGSTON, FIFTH HORSE
At the Battle of Landen 19^th July, 1693

After retiring from the field, the regiment proceeded to Tirlemont; it was subsequently engaged in several movements, and on the 5th of August it was reviewed by King William, with the remainder of the cavalry, near Wemmel. In November it marched into quarters at Ghent.

1694

Having been joined by a body of recruits and remount horses from England, to replace the losses of the preceding campaign, the regiment marched out of Ghent in May, 1694, to cantonments in the villages between Brussels and Dendermond. The campaign of this year was remarkable for the long and fatiguing marches performed by the troops; but no general engagement occurred. After traversing Flanders and Brabant in various directions, and experiencing much privation from the country having so long been the seat of war, the regiment returned to its former quarters.

1695

The services of the regiment during the campaign of 1695 were limited to covering the siege of Namur, one of the strongest fortresses in Europe, and garrisoned by 15,000 men, commanded by a Marshal of France (Boufflers). When the siege was formed, the regiment was detached to graze the horses between Charleroi and Mons; it was subsequently engaged in manœuvring to protect the besieging forces from the attacks of the French army. In the beginning of August the regiment was encamped at Waterloo, and subsequently in the immediate vicinity of Namur. This fortress was eventually captured, and this event was considered the brightest feature in King William's military history, and one upon which he was often heard to declare his satisfaction.

1696

After passing the winter in Ghent, the regiment was brigaded with the regiments of Lumley and Schomberg (now 1st and 7th Dragoon Guards), and was reviewed by the King on the 30th of May, 1696, "and made a very noble appearance." It served the campaign of this year under the Prince of Vaudemont in Flanders; and was encamped—first at Marykirk, and subsequently along the canal between Ghent and Bruges, to protect these places, with Nieuport, and the other maritime towns of Flanders, from the attacks of the enemy. A French army was encamped on the opposite side of the canal, and several skirmishes occurred, but no general engagement took place.

On the night of the 20th of September, Colonel Langston crossed the canal with a squadron of this regiment and a party of dragoons, and attacking one of the French outposts, defeated the guard and took thirty prisoners. The Prince of Vaudemont reviewed the regiment a few days after this event, and on the 5th of October it left the camp for winter-quarters in Ghent.

1697

The regiment having been selected to form part of the army of Brabant during the campaign of 1697, it marched out of its winter-quarters in the early part of May, and pitched its tents at St. Quintin Linneck on the 16th of that month, and was formed in brigade with Leveson's, Windham's, and Galway's regiments (2nd and 6th Dragoon Guards, and a regiment of French Protestants.) It took part in several manœuvres, and during the night of the 12th of June it retired with the army through the forest of Soigne, and took post before Brussels, to protect that city from a siege. The regiment was subsequently encamped near Wavre, where it remained until peace was restored by the Treaty of Ryswick[12], which was signed in September. It afterwards marched to Ghent, and during the winter embarked for England.

1698

After its return from foreign service the regiment was quartered at Northampton, Banbury, and Wellingborough; and, the House of Commons having voted that only 10,000 regular troops should be kept in pay in England, it was ordered, in February, 1698, to march to Highlake, in Cheshire, and to embark for Ireland.

Having landed at Dublin on the 31st of March, the regiment was placed on the Irish establishment, and the rates of pay of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers were reduced; the troops in Ireland being on a lower rate of pay than those in England.

1699

The establishment of the regiment was fixed by a warrant under the sign-manual, bearing date the 1st of May, 1699, at the following numbers:—

In the same year His Majesty issued an order—'That whatever regiment, troop, or company shall be on duty in Dublin, there is to be allowed unto each private horseman 3d. per diem, and to each private foot soldier 1d. per diem, over and above what is otherwise established[13].' The troopers of this regiment were the first to derive the advantages given by this order, as they were on Dublin duty at the time it was issued.

1701
1702

The decease of King James having taken place at St. Germains, in September, 1701, the King of France (Louis XIV.) proclaimed the pretended Prince of Wales King of Great Britain by the style and title of James III.: this event, with the elevation of the Duke of Anjou to the throne of Spain in violation of the most solemn engagements, was followed by a sanguinary war with France and Spain, and a British force proceeded to the Netherlands. This regiment was not, however, employed on foreign service during the war; the proclamation of the Pretender, with the death of King William III., which occurred in March, 1702, had revived the hopes of the Papists; and the partisans of the Stuart dynasty were conspiring to effect the elevation of the Pretender to the throne of these kingdoms. Queen Anne, therefore, deemed it expedient to detain in Ireland a few trusty corps of approved devotion to the Protestant interest, and Brigadier-General Langston's Regiment of Horse was selected to remain in that kingdom. This honourable distinction necessarily prevented the regiment sharing in the many glorious victories gained by the forces under the great Duke of Marlborough, where five regiments of British horse (now the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Dragoon Guards) acquired never-fading laurels.

1703

In 1703 the regiment was again employed on Dublin duty, and on the 24th of July it was reviewed near that city by his grace the Duke of Ormond, the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, who expressed his admiration of its appearance and discipline.

1704

For many years subsequent to this period there was little diversity in the services of the regiment: it was usually stationed at or near Dublin, occasionally occupying dispersed cantonments in more remote parts of the kingdom.

1706
1709
1710

During the summer of 1706 the regiment was encamped on the Curragh of Kildare. On the 21st of April, 1709, two troops attended the Earl of Wharton, the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, at his public entry into Dublin; and on the 7th of May, 1710, two troops escorted his lordship into Dublin, on his return from England.

1713

Lieutenant-General Francis Langston having retired from the service, the Colonelcy of the regiment was conferred, through the interest of James Duke of Ormond, on Brigadier-General George Jocelyn, from the Second Troop (now Second Regiment) of Life Guards, by commission dated the 20th of October, 1713.

1714
1715

After the accession of King George I. in 1714, the Duke of Ormond being removed from the command of the army, Brigadier-General Jocelyn sold his commission and quitted the service; and was succeeded in the Colonelcy of the Fifth Horse by Major-General Sherrington Davenport, from the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the First Troop (now First Regiment) of Life Guards, his commission bearing date the 9th of February, 1715.

About this period the distinguishing colour, or facing, of the regiment was changed from white to light blue.

1716

When the rebellion of the Earl of Mar, in favour of the Pretender, broke out in Scotland, the Fifth Horse were directed to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to England on the shortest notice; but the rebellion was suppressed by the forces under the Duke of Argyle, without the aid of this corps being required.

1718

Tranquillity having been restored, the establishment of the regiment was reduced to 24 private men per troop.

1719
1732

The decease of Major-General Davenport occurred on the 2nd of July, 1719; and on the 6th of that month King George I. conferred the Colonelcy of the Fifth Horse on Major-General Owen Wynne, from a Regiment of Dragoons, now 9th Lancers: this officer commanded the regiment upwards of thirteen years, and was removed, in August, 1732, to the Royal Irish (late Fifth) Regiment of Dragoons.

In September, 1732, King George II. appointed Lieutenant-General Thomas Pearce to the Colonelcy of the Fifth Horse, from the 5th Regiment of Foot.

1739

Lieutenant-General Pearce commanded the regiment seven years, and, dying in the summer of 1739, was succeeded in the Colonelcy by Major-General James Lord Tyrawley, from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, his commission bearing date the 26th of August, 1739.

On the 27th of the following month the regiment formed part of a splendid cavalcade which attended his grace the Duke of Devonshire on his arrival at Dublin as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, from the water-side to the castle.

1740

The decease of Charles VI., Emperor of Germany, having been followed by a contest between his daughter, the Archduchess Maria-Theresa and the Elector of Bavaria, respecting the sovereignty of Bohemia and Hungaria, King George II. resolved to support the house of Austria;—the strength of the army was augmented, and 10 men and horses were added in 1740 to each troop of the Fifth Regiment of Horse.

During the summer of this year (1740) the populace of Dublin broke out into open riot, committing many acts of violence and outrage, in consequence of a scarcity of corn, and Tyrawley's Horse were ordered out and directed to patrole the streets night and day.

1741
1742
1743

In April of the following year a further augmentation of nine men per troop was made to the establishment; and in 1742 a British army was sent to Flanders to support the pretensions of the Archduchess Maria-Theresa, as Queen of Hungaria, against the power of France and the Elector of Bavaria; but this regiment was detained in Ireland. In the beginning of 1743 the regiment furnished a draft of ten men and horses per troop to join the regiments of horse on foreign service.

Lieutenant-General Lord Tyrawley, after commanding the regiment nearly four years, was removed to the Colonelcy of the Second Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards, and the command of the Fifth Horse was conferred on Colonel John Brown from the Ninth Dragoons, his commission bearing date the 1st of April, 1743.

1744

In the beginning of the following year another draft of men and horses was sent on foreign service.

1745

In April, 1745, the regiment was reviewed at Maryborough by Major-General de Grangues; and after the rebellion headed by Charles Edward, eldest son of the Pretender, broke out in Scotland, this regiment was ordered to Dublin, and the army in Ireland was placed in dispersed cantonments near the coast to resist any descent which might be attempted upon the island.

1746

After the suppression of the rebellion in Scotland, three of the four regiments of Horse in England were reduced to the quality of Dragoons (25th December, 1746), and styled Dragoon Guards, and this regiment obtained the designation of the First Irish Horse. The regiments of horse on the Irish establishment (now the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Dragoon Guards) were frequently designated by the colour of their facings; the First being frequently called the Blue Horse; the Second the Green Horse; the Third, the Carabiniers; and the Fourth the Black Horse.

1748

A treaty of peace was concluded with France and Bavaria at Aix-la-Chapelle in the winter of 1748-9; and, while the negociations were in progress, the establishment of the First Irish Horse (with that of all other regiments of horse and dragoons in Ireland) was reduced to twenty-one private men per troop.

1751

On the 1st of July, 1751, a warrant was issued under the sign-manual, regulating the uniform, colours, and standards of the regiments of the line, from which the following particulars are extracted respecting the First Irish Horse.

Hats—Ornamented with silver lace, and a black cockade.

Coats—Scarlet, faced and lappelled with pale blue, button-holes worked with white, white metal buttons set on two and two, and a long slash pocket in each skirt.

Waistcoats and Breeches—Pale blue.

Cloaks—Red, lined with pale blue, and the buttons set on two and two, on white frogs, or loops.

Horse Furniture—Pale blue, with a border of broad white mohair lace, having a scarlet stripe down the centre, and I H embroidered on a red ground, within a wreath of roses and thistles, on each holster-cap and on each corner of the housing.

Standards—The King's, or First Standard, to be of crimson damask, embroidered and fringed with gold and silver; in the centre the rose and thistle conjoined and crown over them, and the motto Dieu et mon Droit underneath; the white horse in a compartment in the first and fourth corners, and I H in silver character on a pale blue ground in a compartment in the second and third corners. The second and third Standard to be of pale blue damask; in the centre the rank of the regiment in silver Roman characters, on a crimson ground, within a wreath of roses and thistles; the white horse on a red ground in the first and fourth compartments, and the rose and thistle conjoined upon a red ground in the second and third compartments.

Officers—Distinguished by silver lace, coats bound with silver embroidery, the button-holes worked with silver, and a crimson silk sash worn over the left shoulder.

Quartermasters—To wear a crimson sash round the waist.

Corporals—To have narrow silver lace on the lappels, cuffs, pockets, and shoulder-strops.

Kettle-Drummers and Trumpeters—Clothed in pale blue, faced and turned up with red, with long hanging sleeves fastened at the waist; red waistcoats and breeches; and the lace to be white with a red stripe.

1753
1754

In May, 1753, the regiment was reviewed by Major-General Blyth at Carlow, and immediately afterwards marched to Dublin; in 1754 it was reviewed by the Earl of Rothes at Philipstown.

1756

During the summer of 1756 detachments from the regiments of horse and dragoons in Ireland, with the whole of the Second and Third Regiments of Horse, were encamped at Kilkenny, with the view of establishing a uniform system of drill and manœuvre in the cavalry.

1759

Another war having commenced with France, some preparations were made in 1759 to resist a menaced descent in Ireland by 28,000 French under the Duke of Aguillion, and the First Irish Horse were directed to hold themselves in readiness to march on the shortest notice.

In the early part of December of this year the regiment was employed in suppressing riots in Dublin, occasioned by a supposition that an union with England was in contemplation. The rioters broke into the House of Lords, and committed other outrages, but were eventually suppressed.

1760
1762

The regiment furnished a draft of twelve men and horses, in February, 1760, to complete the Third and Fourth Horse to forty-nine men per troop, previous to their embarkation for Germany; and another draft of twenty-two men was ordered in the spring of 1762. During the latter year the regiment was directed to recruit in Ireland, the cavalry corps having, previously to this period, usually procured recruits from England. In a few years afterwards the ranks of the First Irish Horse were composed almost exclusively of Irishmen.

Lieut.-General Brown died in the summer of this year, and was succeeded in the Colonelcy of the regiment by Colonel James Johnston, from the Lieut-Colonelcy of the Royal Horse Guards, by commission dated the 3rd of August, 1762.

1763

At this period commotions and tumults prevailed in various parts of Ireland to a most alarming extent; and in the beginning of 1763 the troops were employed in assisting the high sheriffs and magistrates in dispersing and securing bands of rioters known by the name of levellers. The head-quarters of the First Horse were at Carlow, and detachments were furnished to assist the civil power. In May, 1763, the regiment proceded to Dublin; in July it was ordered to march to the county of Monaghan to form escorts for the judges in their circuits; and subsequently Lieutenant-Colonel Roberts (commanding the regiment at Monaghan) was directed to furnish such detachments as Charles Coote, Esq., justice of the peace, should require to suppress riots, the county of Cavan being in a very disturbed state.

A treaty of peace having been concluded with France, the two regiments of horse returned from Germany, and the establishment of this regiment was reduced to twenty private men per troop.

1764

The regiment was again employed on Dublin duty in 1764,[14] and while there, orders were received for all the regiments of horse and dragoons, excepting the light dragoons, to be mounted on long-tailed horses; all the English horse and dragoons were originally mounted on long-tailed horses, but the fashion of the short dock was introduced about the close of the seventeenth and beginning of the eighteenth centuries.[15] The regiment was also directed to discontinue the white lace on the button-holes of the waistcoat.

1765
1766

The regiment having been relieved from Dublin duty, its head-quarters were established in January, 1765, at Tullamore, from whence it marched in July to Birr, Maryborough, and Mount Mellick. In December of this year a ration of forage was fixed at 28 lbs. of hay, 7 lbs. of oats, and 6 lbs. of straw. During the following year the establishment of the regiment was reduced to 19 private men per troop.

1767

In January 1767 the First Horse were again stationed at Dublin; and were reviewed in the fifteen-acres in Phœnix Park on the 22nd of that month, by the Earl of Granard, who was pleased to express his approbation of their appearance and discipline. They were withdrawn from Dublin in May, and proceeded to Carlow, but returned in the following month; and in December marched to Philipstown. Sword-belts suspended across the right shoulder, which had been used by the horse more than half a century, were this year adopted by the dragoons.

1768

From Philipstown the regiment removed to Tullamore, where its head-quarters were established in the beginning of 1768. In a return of the distinctions of the regiment in Ireland, dated in February of this year, the First Horse are stated to have deep blue facings, buff waistcoats and breeches, white lace, and white metal buttons.[16]

On the 24th of May the regiment was reviewed by Major-General Lambert; and in June the head-quarters were removed from Tullamore to Maryborough, where the regiment was reviewed on the 9th of June, 1769, by the Earl of Drogheda.

1769

Some alterations were this year (1769) made in the uniform of the regiment;—the coats were made with half-lappels, a red stripe was introduced into the lace, and the colour of the horse-furniture was changed from light to dark blue. The cavalry officers were directed to wear their sashes with the fringe upon the right side, and the infantry officers upon the left, and the officers of the regiments of horse were directed to wear their sword-belts across the right shoulder, over the waistcoat and under the coat.

1770

A change of cantonments, took place during the winter, and in January, 1770, the head-quarters of the regiment were at Kilkenny; but they were again established at Maryborough in July.

1771
1772
1773
1774
1775

In the summer of 1771 the regiment marched to Dublin, and was reviewed by the Lord-Lieutenant in July, in the Phœnix Park.[17] After performing duty at the capital until December, it marched into country quarters, and occupied for short periods Tullamore, Philipstown, Carlow, and Maryborough, during the three succeeding years; and in the summer of 1775 was again stationed at Dublin.

Major-General Johnston having been removed to the 11th Dragoons, His Majesty conferred the Colonelcy of the First Horse on Major-General James Johnston (cousin of the former colonel of the same name), from the Ninth Dragoons, by commission dated the 27th of April, 1775.

1776

The British colonies in North America having rebelled against the mother-country, the regiment furnished in February, 1776, a draft of sixteen troop-horses to be sent to North America and employed in that country as the service required; 180 horses were sent from the cavalry corps in Ireland, and 16 guineas were allowed to the regiment for each horse. In July an augmentation of one corporal and 10 private men per troop was made to the establishment; parties of mounted men were sent out to enlist recruits, and directions were given that none but Protestants be engaged.

1777
1778

In the beginning of 1777 the regiment was again in cantonments in the country, the head-quarters being at Castlebar, from whence they were removed in June to Roscommon, &c., but returned to Castlebar in the winter, and in May, 1778, proceeded to Birr, where the regiment was reviewed, on the 24th of that month, by Major-General De Burgh. While at this station the officers were ordered to provide themselves with tents, and to be in constant readiness to take the field. In June the head-quarters were removed to Belfast, in July to Armagh, and in September returned to Belfast.

In April, 1778, Lieutenant-General James Johnston was removed to the Enniskillen Dragoons, and was succeeded in the command of the First Horse by Major-General George Warde, from the 14th Dragoons.

1779
1780
1781

On the 1st of June, 1779, the regiment marched to Lisburn, and in July the head-quarters were established at Belturbet. At this station they appear to have remained until July, 1781, when they were removed to Athlone, where the regiment was reviewed by Major-General Massey on the 2nd of August, and soon afterwards proceeded to Dublin, but in November returned to Athlone.

1782
1783

The regiment was again reviewed by Major-General Massey, on the 21st of June, 1782, at Athlone, from whence it marched, in a few days afterwards, to Mount Mellick, and, in January of the following year, to Dublin.

1784

From Dublin the regiment proceeded, in July, 1784, to Tullamore. Its establishment, at this period, was 21 officers, 174 non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, and 133 troop-horses; but the American war having been terminated by acknowledging the independence of the United States, the numbers of the regiment were reduced 10 men per troop.

1785

Major-General Sir Henry Calder reviewed the regiment at Tullamore on the 4th of June, 1785, and on the 9th it marched to Nenagh, from whence a detachment of one corporal and six private men was sent to Dublin, where parties from every cavalry regiment in Ireland were assembled to establish an uniform system of horsemanship.

1786
1787

After remaining upwards of a year at Nenagh, the regiment marched, in July, 1786, to Carlow, where it passed the succeeding twelve months, and in July, 1787, proceeded to Longford.

1788

While at this station, His Majesty's commands were conveyed to the regiment for converting it from a corps of Horse into a corps of Dragoons, with the title of Dragoon Guards. The following is a copy of the order for this change:—

'GENERAL ORDER.

'Adjutant-General's Office, Dublin,

'14th Feb., 1788.

First Horse
to
Fourth Dragoon Guards,
Second Horse
to
Fifth Dragoon Guards,
Third Horse
to
Sixth Dragoon Guards,
and
Fourth Horse
to
Seventh Dragoon Guards.

'It is His Majesty's pleasure that the four regiments of Horse on this establishment be converted to Dragoon Guards, according to the number specified in the margin: this regulation to take effect from the 1st of April next inclusive; and, in consequence of the alteration of the establishment of the regiments of horse, His Majesty has been pleased to direct that compensation shall be made to every officer of the four regiments of horse, for the reduced pay of each, of which a proper scheme shall be made known as soon as the same can be digested. His Majesty has also been pleased to signify, that, in the change now proposed, it is not intended that any injury shall be sustained by the Colonels of the regiments, and that a compensation will be made to them for any reduction of pay or emolument they may suffer by the change; and also, that they will be reimbursed such reasonable extra expense as will be necessary for altering their present accoutrements, as likewise for the clothes, accoutrements, &c., of the augmented numbers, proper estimates of which will be immediately delivered to the Commander-in-Chief, to be laid before his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant.

'Such men of the regiments of horse as choose to re-enlist will receive a bounty of two guineas, excepting such corporals as shall be made serjeants, and, in consequence, have their pay advanced. I am to inform you that in all other respects the regiments of Dragoon Guards are to conform to all His Majesty's regulations relative to the regiments of Dragoons.

'William Fawcett,

'Adjutant-General.'

The compensation granted to the Colonel of the Fourth Dragoon Guards was 150l. per annum for life, with 180l. 10s. for the alterations in the equipment; the Lieut.-Colonel received 575l.; Major, 525l.; Captains, each 475l.; Captain-Lieutenant and Lieutenants, 350l.; and the Cornets each 250l.

The establishment of the regiment was fixed at 1 colonel and captain, 1 lieutenant-colonel and captain, 1 major and captain, 3 captains, 6 lieutenants, 6 cornets, 1 chaplain, 1 adjutant, 1 surgeon, 6 quarter-masters, 6 serjeants, 12 corporals, 6 trumpeters, 114 private men, and 6 dismounted men. The carbines were cut shorter; the width of the belts was reduced from 4½ to 3 inches; and the officers were directed to wear their sword-belts over their coats when on duty, and when off duty over their waistcoats. The standard for recruits was fixed at from 5 feet 8½ inches, to 5 feet 11 inches.

The necessary alterations having been completed, and the regiment constituted the Fourth Dragoon Guards, its head-quarters were established at Belturbet; and on the 18th of April His Majesty was graciously pleased to approve of its bearing the title of the Royal Irish Regiment of Dragoon Guards, in consideration of its long and faithful services in Ireland[18].

1790
1791
1792

From Belturbet the regiment marched on the 1st of May, 1790, for Dublin, where it was reviewed on the 20th of August by Major-General Lyon, and in August, 1791, by Major-General White, and again by the same officer in May, 1792. In July of the latter year it marched from Dublin to Carlow.

1793

During the period the regiment lay at Carlow, the violent republicans of France, who had previously overturned the ancient form of government in that country, were guilty of the atrocious conduct of beheading their King and Queen, and of involving the kingdom in scenes of outrage, massacre, and devastation. These proceedings were followed by a war between Great Britain and the regicide Government of France; and the establishment of the Royal Irish Dragoon Guards was augmented in August, 1793, to 334 non-commissioned officers and privates, and 276 troop horses.

In the meantime, a British army, commanded by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, had proceeded to the Netherlands, and the Royal Irish Dragoon Guards marched on the 10th of August, 1793, for Dublin, where they embarked in October for England, in the expectation of proceeding to join the Duke of York's army in Flanders.

1794
1795
1796

After its arrival in England, the regiment was stationed at Nottingham, and its establishment was further augmented to nine troops of 56 men per troop. The order for its proceeding on foreign service was, however, rescinded, and it was directed to return to Ireland. It accordingly marched from Nottingham to Liverpool, where it embarked in the winter of 1795, and after landing at Dublin, halted a short time in that city, and afterwards proceeded into cantonments in the country, the head-quarters being established at Belturbet. While stationed at this place, the establishment was augmented (1st April, 1796) to 65 rank and file per troop, making a total of 612 officers and soldiers.

The Roman Catholics of Ireland had, for some years past, been combining against the British government, forming secret associations, and committing numerous acts of outrage and murder upon the Protestants, and at this period they were preparing for open resistance; a military organization was secretly taking place in several counties,—fire-arms were procured, and pikes manufactured. Several Irishmen of property, who had been implicated in treasonable practices, had fled to France, through whose agency application was made, by the disaffected in Ireland, to the French Government, for a force to assist them in breaking their connection with England, and in establishing their independence as a republic. The French Directory cherished a decided antipathy to the British, as a people from whose firm determination, constancy of purpose, and immense resources the towering expectations of their republic were likely to be brought down. The proposal from Ireland was consequently acceded to, and an armament was prepared at Brest, with transport for 25,000 men, to be commanded by General Hoche. The assemblage of shipping and troops at Brest, with the agitated state of Ireland, occasioned the army in that kingdom to be augmented; and the country to be divided into five military districts. On the 24th of December the French fleet appeared in Bantry Bay. The Royal Irish Dragoon Guards were immediately despatched to oppose the enemy, and had a most harassing march from Belturbet to Bantry in severe and inclement weather.

Some misunderstanding appears to have occurred between the French Directory and Irish malcontents, respecting the period when the troops were to arrive; the Irish were not prepared to rise at this time, and they were overawed by the number of the King's troops near the coast. The French fleet was partly dispersed by a storm, and the remainder of the force, alarmed at the preparations made to oppose their landing, returned to France. After the departure of the hostile fleet the Fourth Dragoon Guards marched back to their former quarters, and occupied Belturbet and the adjacent towns.

1797