blue; slit sleeves turned up with light blue; the button-holes worked
with narrow yellow lace; the buttons of yellow metal, set on three
and three; a long slash pocket in each skirt, and a yellow worsted
aiguillette on the right shoulder.
WAISTCOATS and BREECHES--light blue.
HATS--bound with gold lace, and ornamented with a yellow metal loop,
and a black cockade.
BOOTS--of jacked leather.
CLOAKS--of scarlet cloth, with a light blue collar, and lined with
light blue shalloon; the buttons set on three and three upon yellow
frogs or loops, with a light blue stripe down the centre.
HORSE FURNITURE--of light blue cloth; the holster-caps and housings
having a border of royal lace, with a red stripe down the centre; the
white horse within the garter, embroidered on each corner of the
housing; and on the holster-caps, the King's cipher and crown, with
III.D underneath.
OFFICERS--distinguished by gold lace; their coats and waistcoats bound
with gold embroidery; the button-holes worked with gold; and a crimson
silk sash worn across the left shoulder.
QUARTER-MASTERS--to wear a crimson sash round the waist.
SERJEANTS--to have narrow gold lace on the cuffs, pockets and
shoulder-straps; gold shoulder-knots or aiguillettes, and yellow and
light blue worsted sashes tied round the waist.
DRUMMERS and HAUTBOYS--clothed in scarlet coats lined with light blue,
and ornamented with royal lace with a blue stripe down the centre;
their waistcoats and breeches of blue cloth.
GUIDONS--The first or King's guidon to be of crimson silk, embroidered
and fringed with gold and silver; in the centre the rose and thistle
conjoined, and crown over them, with the motto _Dieu et mon Droit_
underneath: the white horse in a compartment in the first and fourth
corners, and III.D in gold characters on a light blue ground in a
compartment in the second and third corners. The second and third
guidons to be of light blue silk, in the centre the white horse within
the garter on a crimson ground, and motto _Nec aspera terrent_: the
white horse on a scarlet ground in the first and fourth compartments,
and III.D within a wreath of roses and thistles upon a scarlet ground
in the second and third compartments.
[Sidenote: 1752]
In 1752 Lieut.-General Bland was removed to the King's dragoon guards,
and His Majesty conferred the colonelcy of HIS OWN DRAGOONS on James
Lord Tyrawley from the fourteenth dragoons.
[Sidenote: 1753]
[Sidenote: 1754]
In 1753 the KING'S OWN lay at Colchester, and in 1754 at Croydon. In
December of this year it was broken up into half troops, and employed
on coast duty: being scattered along the sea coast, from Shoreham to
the Isle of Wight.
[Sidenote: 1755]
In April, 1755, Lord Tyrawley was removed to the second foot guards,
and King George II. conferred the colonelcy of HIS OWN DRAGOONS on
GEORGE, EARL OF ALBEMARLE, from the twentieth foot.
[Sidenote: 1756]
In June, of the same year, the whole regiment assembled at Lewes, where
it remained till July, 1756. At this time the KING'S OWN, in common
with the other regiments of dragoons, received the addition, novel to
the British service, of a _light troop_. In July it marched to Reading,
and in December of the same year, to Northampton.
[Sidenote: 1757]
[Sidenote: 1758]
The regiment marched to Henley, Amersham, and High Wycombe in June,
1757; and war having been declared against France in May, 1758, the
light troop, then commanded by Captain St. Leger, was ordered into camp
on South Sea Common, for the purpose of forming, with the light troops
of eight other regiments, part of the force intended for a descent on
the coast of France, the whole forming a brigade, under Colonel Eliott,
afterwards Lord Heathfield. The troops embarked May 19th, sailed June
the 1st, and arrived on the French coast so as to land in Cancalle Bay
on the 5th. On the 7th the army moved on St. Maloes, the light troops
forming the advance guard, and encamping about a mile from the town.
As soon as night fell, the piquets and light dragoons were detached
against the harbour and the suburbs of St. Servan, being ordered,
if possible, to destroy the stores. This object they effected with
equal judgment and determination, setting fire to the storehouses and
vessels in the harbour, together with the magazines of tar, pitch,
rope, &c., so completely performing their work, as totally to ruin the
whole of the marine stores, and to destroy one man-of-war of 50 guns,
one of 36, and all the privateers, some of 30 guns each; the vessels
destroyed amounting to upwards of 100 sail, and the fire continuing
to rage all night. The light dragoons afterwards advanced to the town
of Dol, where, in several slight affairs, they showed great zeal and
activity. On the 11th, they re-embarked, and the fleet sailed on the
16th, remaining, however, some time longer on the coast of France, and
watching another opportunity to land. This being rendered impracticable
by the weather, the fleet returned, and arrived at Spithead on the
first of July. The light troops remained at Portsmouth for some time,
and many experiments were made with boats of different constructions,
in order to ascertain the practicability of landing men and horses in
rough weather.
[Sidenote: 1759]
In August the brigade of light dragoons proceeded on a second
expedition, and a landing having been effected in the Bay des Marées,
_Cherbourg_ was taken, and the fortifications, and vessels in the
harbour were destroyed. A descent was afterwards effected in the Bay
of St. Lunar, and an incursion made into the adjacent country; but on
re-embarking, the rear guard was attacked, and it sustained some loss.
In December, the light troops landed and went into quarters, the light
troop of the KING'S OWN being quartered at Maidenhead. So completely
had these troops answered the expectations entertained of them, that,
in the next year, the first English regiment of light dragoons (the
present fifteenth hussars) was raised under Brigadier-General Eliott;
and in June, 1759, each light troop received an augmentation of one
lieutenant, one serjeant, and twenty-nine privates. On the 7th of
November, the KING'S OWN marched to Hounslow and Brentford, relieving
the royals, who proceeded to Essex.
[Sidenote: 1760]
[Sidenote: 1761]
[Sidenote: 1762]
On the 21st of June, 1760[26], the regiment received orders to prepare
for embarkation for Germany, to join the army of Prince Ferdinand.
These orders were, however, countermanded, and in 1761 and 1762 the
regiment was successively quartered at Romford, Colchester, Uxbridge,
and Chelmsford.
[Sidenote: 1763]
Peace having been restored by the treaty of Fontainbleau; in April,
1763, the light troop was disbanded at Putney; but a few men of each
troop were afterwards equipped as light dragoons.
[Sidenote: 1764]
In June the KING'S OWN lay at York, and remained there till the spring
of 1764, when they marched to Scotland, and occupied Dalkeith, Leith,
Haddington, Musselburgh, and Linlithgow; and orders were received for
remounting with _long-tailed_ horses.[27]
[Sidenote: 1765]
[Sidenote: 1766]
In 1765, the regiment lay at Coventry and Warwick, and in the next
year passed the summer at Reading, where it was reviewed on the 10th
of May, afterwards taking up winter quarters at Dorchester, Blandford,
and Sherbourne. At the same time the drummers on the establishment were
ordered to be replaced by trumpeters.
[Sidenote: 1767]
[Sidenote: 1768]
The KING'S OWN were employed on coast duty in 1767 and 1768; in the
first year in Kent and Sussex, head quarters at Lewes; and the second
in Suffolk and Essex, head quarters at Ipswich.
[Sidenote: 1769]
[Sidenote: 1770]
Five troops lay at York and one at Hull in 1769, and in the next year
the regiment marched to Scotland, head quarters, with three troops,
being stationed at Hamilton, and detachments at Linlithgow, Irvine, and
Kilmarnock.
[Sidenote: 1771]
[Sidenote: 1772]
In the year 1771, the KING'S OWN lay at Preston, Blackburn, Wigan,
and Warrington; and in 1772 at Worcester, Pershore, and Bromsgrove.
In October of this year the colonelcy was conferred on the Honourable
Charles Fitzroy (afterwards Lord Southampton)[28], from the fourteenth
dragoons, in succession to the Earl of Albemarle, deceased.
[Sidenote: 1773]
[Sidenote: 1774]
[Sidenote: 1775]
[Sidenote: 1776]
In June, 1773, we find the regiment employed in aid of the revenue
service on the coast of Kent, with its head-quarters at Canterbury. The
year 1774 was spent at Northampton, and in April, 1775, the regiment
was again marched to Scotland, being at East Retford in August, and in
the autumn taking up quarters at Haddington, Dalkeith, and Musselburgh.
In December of the same year, one troop was detached as far as
Wakefield, and in the spring of 1776, the whole regiment followed to
the south, and was quartered at Coventry, Lichfield, and Birmingham.
[Sidenote: 1777]
[Sidenote: 1778]
In 1777, the KING'S OWN were reviewed at Newbury, and thence took up
winter quarters at Blandford, Dorchester and Sherbourne. Early in
1778 they were ordered to Salisbury, there to be reviewed, and thence
proceeded to Suffolk, and were encamped on Culford Heath, under the
command of Lieutenant-General Warde, finally going into winter quarters
in Sussex, and being employed there on coast duty during the remainder
of the year. The regiment had, for many years, been in possession
of a pair of KETTLE DRUMS, in consequence of having taken them from
the enemy, and on the 25th of December, 1778, an additional man and
horse was placed upon the establishment, which gave the regiment its
complement of Trumpeters besides the kettle drummer; being granted by
His Majesty in compliance with a memorial from the Colonel[29].
[Sidenote: 1779]
In the spring of 1779, the men of the regiment equipped as light
dragoons, were incorporated, with detachments from other corps, into a
regiment, which was numbered the twenty-first light dragoons.
[Sidenote: 1780]
In consequence of the alarming riots in London in 1780, the regiment
was ordered thither, and was quartered about Islington, furnishing the
piquets in Portman Square during the trial of Lord George Gordon, and
having a party stationed in Apsley House, then the property of Lord
Chancellor Bathurst.
[Sidenote: 1781]
[Sidenote: 1782]
[Sidenote: 1783]
In 1781, having been reviewed by His Majesty in Hyde Park, the
KING'S OWN marched into Suffolk; and in 1782, were quartered at
Derby, Leicester, and Nottingham, thence proceeding to Manchester
in the autumn. In 1783, after the spring review they marched to
Newcastle-on-Tyne and Durham, assembled at the latter place for
inspection in September, and then returned to their old quarters for
the winter.
[Sidenote: 1784]
[Sidenote: 1785]
[Sidenote: 1786]
The KING'S OWN, for the third time in fourteen years, entered Scotland
in 1784, and took up their old quarters at Dalkeith, Leith, and
Haddington. Here they were inspected by Major-General Mackay, and soon
after detached a troop to Dumfries. In July, 1785, the six troops
were at Manchester, and thence, in 1786, proceeded to Worcester, then
a general place of inspection for cavalry. At this station they were
inspected by Major-General Philipson, and, after a stay of about six
weeks, went into winter quarters at Hereford, Ludlow, and Leominster.
[Sidenote: 1787]
[Sidenote: 1788]
In May, 1787, the regiment assembled at Hereford to be reviewed by
Major-General Douglas. It was ordered, on the rumour of a Russian
armament, to hold itself in readiness to join any force that might be
assembled; but, nothing taking place, it went into winter quarters at
Dorchester, Blandford, and Poole. In 1788, it moved to Salisbury, was
there reviewed, and then quartered at Winchester.
[Sidenote: 1789]
[Sidenote: 1790]
Early in 1789, the regiment marched to Reading. It was there reviewed
by His Majesty, George III., on Ashford Common, and marched to
Ipswich, where it remained until 1790, and, being then reviewed at
Stamford, took up winter quarters at York and Lincoln.
[Sidenote: 1791]
[Sidenote: 1792]
At York all the troops assembled for inspection in the spring of
1791, and, for the fourth time marched to Scotland and were for two
years quartered at Dumfries, being in that period twice inspected by
Major-General Leslie.
[Sidenote: 1793]
[Sidenote: 1794]
In the spring of 1793, the KING'S OWN received an order to augment
three troops, and, after a short halt at Manchester, proceeded
to Birmingham. From this place, four troops, under the command
of Lieutenant-Colonel Waller, were detached back to Scotland, in
consequence of serious riots in that part of the kingdom. In 1794 the
regiment was ordered to furnish one hundred men, towards forming a
regiment of cavalry for service in the West Indies; the newly-formed
regiment was numbered the twenty-sixth light dragoons, and afterwards,
on a reduction of regiments taking place, the twenty-third. In the same
year a squadron from the troops in England, and one troop from those in
Scotland, were ordered to embark to join the troops on the continent.
The troop in Scotland marched a day or two, and was then recalled in
consequence of the disturbed state of the country; and the squadron
embarked at Blackwall, and was actually at sea, when it was recalled by
a king's cutter, landed, and sent to Watford.
[Sidenote: 1795]
[Sidenote: 1796]
In 1795, the troops returned from Scotland, having had most harassing
duty for two winters; and in the spring of 1796, the whole regiment
assembled at Salisbury under Lord Cathcart, thence proceeding to the
camp at Weymouth, and finally taking up winter quarters in Exeter.
[Sidenote: 1797]
The colonelcy of the KING'S OWN DRAGOONS was conferred in March 1797 on
Major-General Francis Lascelles from the eighth dragoons, in succession
to Lord Southampton, deceased.
During the summer, the KING'S OWN were again encamped at Weymouth; and
on the breaking up of the camp, marched to Northampton, where the ninth
troop was reduced.
[Sidenote: 1798]
In May, 1798, the regiment marched to Nottingham, where an entire
change took place in the arms and clothing; the long skirt was
abolished, and instead of the musket and brace of large pistols before
used, the men received the carbine and single pistol.
[Sidenote: 1799]
On the 10th of June, 1799, the regiment marched to form part of
the cavalry camp on Swinley Downs, near Windsor, at which place it
received orders to join the armament under Lieut.-General Sir Ralph
Abercromby, then about to proceed to the Helder. These orders, however,
were countermanded; and, at the breaking up of the camp, the regiment
marched to Reading. During the time of encampment, Lt.-Colonel
Callow[30] being appointed deputy governor of Quebec, was succeeded by
Lt.-Colonel Waller, and on the 4th of September, General Sir Charles
Grey from the eighth dragoons succeeded General Lascelles as colonel.
At this period the tails of the horses were again shortened, having
been worn of the natural length since 1764.
[Sidenote: 1800]
[Sidenote: 1801]
In February, 1800, the KING'S OWN marched to Trowbridge, but only
remained there a few weeks, and then proceeded to Chester to be
reviewed. At this place an augmentation of two troops took place,
making a total of ten; and on the 22nd of September, the whole
regiment marched to Lancashire, thence to Carlisle, and, in December,
to Scotland, the head-quarters being established at Hamilton; three
troops, under the command of Major Wade, being detached to Carlisle
and Penrith. At Hamilton, the regiment was reviewed by Major-Generals
Erskine and Vyse, and the present system of casting horses annually
first introduced; and as it was considered the peculiar privilege of
the regiment to have _black horses_ exclusively, those that had the
slightest shade of brown, were sent to the fourth dragoon guards, none
but black horses being retained, with the exception of one white for
the kettle-drums.
[Sidenote: 1802]
[Sidenote: 1803]
[Sidenote: 1804]
After the peace of Amiens in 1802, two troops were reduced; the number
of men in the others being also reduced from 100 to 64; and, on the
11th of August, the KING'S OWN embarked at Port-Patrick for Ireland,
proceeded to Dundalk, and in the spring of 1803 marched to Belturbet.
Here they were reviewed by Major-General Sir James Afleck, and were
actively employed in patrolling the country during the excitement
caused by the disturbances in Dublin, to which place they proceeded in
March, 1804, and were quartered in the royal barracks.[31]
[Sidenote: 1805]
[Sidenote: 1806]
On the 5th of April, 1805, the first division, immediately followed by
the others, embarked for Liverpool, and marched to Nottingham, where
the regiment remained for two years; the second year's halt being
at the express request of the magistrates of Nottingham and Louth.
The war having been resumed, two additional troops were added to the
establishment.
[Sidenote: 1807]
The regiment marched to Chichester in May 1807, and being there
reviewed by Major-General Hugonin, proceeded to Brighton, and was
encamped on the hills above the present barracks, for the purpose of
being reviewed, in conjunction with the first dragoon guards, by His
Royal Highness the Duke of York. On the breaking up of the camp, the
THIRD marched to Chichester, but were shortly ordered to Canterbury,
where a brigade was formed, consisting of the second dragoon guards,
and third and fourth dragoons.
[Sidenote: 1809]
In January, 1809, the regiment received orders to embark at Portsmouth,
for the purpose of joining the army in Spain, under Lieut.-General Sir
John Moore, and had advanced some days' march, when it was recalled, on
the arrival of the news of the retreat of the British troops to Corunna.
On the 20th of July, the regiment received orders to march to
Ramsgate, and was immediately embarked for Holland under the command
of Lieut.-Colonel Mundy, forming part of an expedition designed to
effect the destruction of the French shipping and arsenal on the
Scheldt. After remaining in the Downs for six days, the fleet sailed,
and arrived off Walcheren on the 29th, remaining there upwards of a
fortnight; and after the capture of Flushing, proceeded up the Scheldt
as far as Fort-Batz. The enemy's shipping had, in the meantime, been
removed higher up the river, and an immense force assembled to oppose
the British armament; at the same time an epidemic disease broke out
among the English soldiers. The fleet consequently retired down the
river, and sailed for England; the KING'S OWN disembarked at Ramsgate
in September following, and proceeded to occupy Canterbury, as before
the expedition.
[Sidenote: 1810]
In April, 1810, in consequence of the riots in London, occasioned by
the House of Commons having ordered Sir Francis Burdett to be lodged
in custody in the Tower, the regiment was hastily ordered thither,
marching all night, and arriving in Southwark at 7 A. M. The men were
billeted on the south side of the Thames; an hotel near Westminster
Bridge being the head quarters, and the Obelisk the alarm post. After
the suppression of the riots, the regiment was ordered to Guildford,
where it was reviewed by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, who
was pleased to express his entire approbation of its appearance and
discipline. On the release of Sir Francis Burdett from the Tower, the
regiment was again sent to London, but remained there a few nights
only, and then returned to Guildford.
[Sidenote: 1811]
Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France, having conquered Portugal,
had placed his brother Joseph on the throne of Spain, supported by a
French army. The efforts of the Spaniards and Portuguese to regain
their liberty, which commenced in 1808, were continued to be aided by
the British government, and a force, amounting at this time to nearly
sixty thousand men, had been assembled in Portugal under the command of
Lieutenant-General the Viscount Wellington.
In June, 1811, the KING'S OWN DRAGOONS, having been reviewed on
Wimbledon Common by His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, were, on
their return to Guildford, completed to the field establishment by a
draft of a hundred horses[32] from the second dragoon guards, and
ordered forthwith to proceed to the Peninsula. On the 25th and 27th
of July the regiment embarked at Portsmouth, landed in the following
month at Lisbon, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Mundy, and having
met with favourable weather during the voyage, the Lieutenant-Colonel
commanding was enabled to cause particular attention to be paid to the
horses in regard to cleanliness, exercise, &c. The mode adopted for
this purpose was as follows: three or four horses were backed into the
hold, where they were walked round for a quarter of an hour; their feet
washed, and hand-rubbed; and they were shod, if necessary; by these
means their state of health and efficiency, on their disembarkation at
Lisbon, were such, that upon landing they were capable of undertaking
immediate service.
The regiment was reviewed at Belem by Major-General Le Marchant, and
mustered as follows:--1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 Major, 6 Captains,
9 Lieutenants, 1 Cornet, 1 Surgeon, 1 Assistant Surgeon, 5 Troop
Quarter-Masters, 1 Regimental Serjeant-Major, 1 Paymaster Serjeant,
1 Troop Serjeant-Major, 24 Serjeants, 24 Corporals, 6 Trumpeters, 6
Farriers, 480 Privates, and 518 Troop Horses.
The KING'S OWN left Belem on the 19th of September, under the command
of Major Clowes, (the Lieutenant Colonel having been compelled by
sickness to remain at Lisbon,) and marching through Villa Franca and
Santarem, arrived at Abrantes in Portuguese Estremadura on the 27th.
Here they remained until the 15th October, and then advanced through
Niza and Villa Velha to Castello Branco in the province of Beira, where
they were reviewed on the 7th of December, by Lieutenant-General Sir
Stapleton Cotton, who expressed his satisfaction at the very effective
state of the men and horses.
[Sidenote: 1812]
In consequence of the extreme difficulty of procuring forage, the
centre squadron moved, on the 21st of December, to Idanha a Nova on the
frontiers of Spain, and in these quarters the regiment remained till
the beginning of 1812, when it was ordered to the front to form part
of the army covering the siege of _Ciudad Rodrigo_, being quartered at
Aldea de Ponte and Fundao, and experiencing great inconvenience from
the scarcity of forage.
In February, Lord Wellington having resolved on the siege of Badajoz,
the capital of Spanish Estremadura, the KING'S OWN marched south with
their brigade (the fifth dragoon guards, and fourth dragoons,) and
arrived at Borba in the Alemtejo on the 5th of March. On the 16th, a
pontoon bridge was thrown over the Guadiana, and Badajoz was invested;
the day previous to which the brigade moved from Borba, and crossing
the bridge, formed the advance guard of the covering army, which
continued to advance till it arrived at the foot of an extensive chain
of mountains called the Sierra Morena. On the 26th, the KING'S OWN
marched at sunset from Medina to Campo, and at midnight joined a force
under Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Graham, destined to surprise three
battalions of French infantry and two regiments of cavalry lying in
Llerena. Owing to a mistake on the part of the Chasseurs Britanniques
(who formed the advance of the infantry column), the projected surprise
failed, and the French retired into the mountains during the night,
and took post at Azuaga, a town nine miles to the south of Llerena.
On the 29th of March, after a sharp affair, the French were driven
from Azuaga, and the head quarters of the BRIGADE were established
there. The authorities of this town gave a superb entertainment to Sir
Stapleton Cotton.