George of Denmark, and a number of noblemen; the eyes of all Europe
were fixed on that country, where two kings were to contend for a
crown on a public theatre, and the singular spectacle was exhibited
of two princes (the Prince of Orange and the Prince of Denmark)
fighting against the father of their wives (King James), and of a
nephew at the head of an army against his uncle; it was, however,
a contest between liberty and slavery,--between constitutional
freedom and despotism. King William headed his army of English,
Dutch, Brandenburgers, Danes, and French; and King James took up
a position behind the river _Boyne_, with his own forces, and six
thousand French and Swiss troops, furnished by Louis XIV.
On the 1st of July a general engagement took place, when the
INNISKILLING dragoons had the honour of distinguishing themselves
under the eye of their sovereign. On this occasion, the right wing
of the English army, under the Count de Schomberg, and the centre
under the Duke Schomberg, had forced the passage of the river, and
were engaged, when King William drew his sword, and placing himself
at the head of four troops of the INNISKILLING cavalry, told them,
that having heard a great deal of their bravery, he had no doubt
of witnessing it, and he led them towards the river, followed by
several other corps of cavalry and infantry. The four captains
requested His Majesty not to expose his person by crossing the
river within shot of the enemy, but his reply was, "I will see you
over." When in the middle of the stream, a volley from a regiment
of the enemy's dragoons brought down one man, killed Captain
Blashford's horse, and one bullet struck one of His Majesty's
pistols[10]. Arriving on the opposite bank, the King threw off the
bandage from his shoulder, which had been wounded on the preceding
day, and brandishing his sword, led the INNISKILLING men, and other
troops which had passed the river with him, against a body of
King James's soldiers, three times more numerous than themselves,
who were advancing towards him with fury. Intimidated by the
dauntless bearing of the soldiers with King William, the enemy
halted, faced about, and fled towards Donore; and the INNISKILLING
cavalry rushed forward, sword in hand, with great intrepidity.
The other corps which had followed His Majesty, pursued the enemy
as far as Donore, where they were charged by superior numbers,
and forced back. The King again placed himself at the head of
the brave INNISKILLING soldiers, and while leading them forward,
sustained a volley of musketry, from which several men and horses
fell; he then turned to his left to enable his men to charge; this
was mistaken for a signal for them also to wheel to the left, and
they fell back a short distance; but quickly discovering their
error, they confronted their adversaries, and dashing forward
with distinguished gallantry, overthrew the opposing ranks. The
battle exhibited all the horrors of civil war; English fought with
English, Irish with Irish, and French against French; at the same
time Dutch, Danes, Swiss, and Brandenburgers were mingled in the
fray,--the colours and standards of various nations floating over
the scene of combat. The Duke of Berwick's horse was killed, and
he was trampled upon by the combatants. King William was in the
hottest of the fight, encouraging his men, and the INNISKILLING
dragoons were seen bravely contending for the victory.
Scarcely had SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM'S dragoons (now SIXTH) reformed
their ranks after the charge, when General de Ginkell, and a party
of Dutch dragoons, were seen retreating in disorder along a narrow
lane, followed by crowds of the enemy, shouting and brandishing
their swords; part of the INNISKILLING regiment instantly
dismounted, also a detachment of Leveson's (now Third) dragoons,
and throwing themselves into an old house, and lining the hedge of
the lane, opened such a brisk fire, that the pursuing Irish faced
about and fled. The cavalry returned to the charge; the adverse
army sustained a decisive overthrow, and fled from the field.
Story observes of this action, "Those of our English forces that
were engaged, and had opportunity to show themselves, gave signal
demonstrations of their courage and bravery; the INNISKILLINERS
and French (protestants in King William's service), both horse
and foot, did good service; and the Dutch guards deserve no small
honour for their conduct on that day[11]."
No return of the loss of the regiment on this occasion has been met
with; but at the muster at Finglas, seven days after the battle,
it brought three hundred private dragoons into the field, which is
nearly one hundred less than the establishment.
King James fled to Dublin, and immediately afterwards embarked
for France; and King William, directing his march to the capital,
gained possession of that city without loss. After this success,
the SIXTH dragoons formed part of a body of troops detached under
Lieutenant-General Douglas against _Athlone_. Arriving before the
town, a summons to surrender was sent to the governor, the veteran
Colonel Grace, who fired a pistol at the messenger and declared
his determination to defend the place. Not having artillery and
ammunition sufficient to prosecute the siege, the troops withdrew
from before the town, and rejoined the army.
The regiment was subsequently employed before _Limerick_, which
city was besieged by the English army. On the 11th of August, as
the regiment lay encamped near Limerick, information arrived of the
destruction of the battering train on its march to join the army by
a numerous body of Irish cavalry under Brigadier-General Sarsfield
(formerly an officer of the English life guards); SIR ALBERT
CUNNINGHAM instantly issued from the camp with two squadrons of his
dragoons, and dashing across the country, intercepted one of the
enemy's detachments, which he charged with signal gallantry, slew
one major, one captain, and twenty men; but their main body escaped.
When King William raised the siege of Limerick and returned to
England, CUNNINGHAM'S dragoons were ordered into winter quarters;
but were suddenly recalled in consequence of Brigadier-General
Sarsfield having invested the castle of _Birr_, in the King's
County:--after the flight of the enemy from before this post, they
remained encamped near Birr, while additional fortifications were
being raised, and subsequently went into quarters.
[Sidenote: 1691]
In the month of May, 1691, several ships arrived at Dublin from
England with men and provisions, and great diligence was used in
preparing for an early and vigorous campaign: the INNISKILLING
dragoons took the field this summer, and joined the army commanded
by Lieutenant-General de Ginkell, on the 6th of June, on its
march towards _Ballymore_, which place was captured after a short
resistance. _Athlone_ was also taken, and the army advanced against
the French and Irish forces under General St. Ruth, in position
near _Aghrim_, in the county of Galway, about three miles beyond
Ballinasloe.
Arriving in front of the enemy about mid-day on the 12th of July,
the English and Dutch regiments of horse guards, and a squadron
of CUNNINGHAM'S dragoons, were sent forward to force the enemy
from a pass in the middle of a bog which lay in front of the Irish
army, in which service they succeeded; and two hundred men of the
regiment drove the enemy from a ford on the right of the opposing
army in gallant style, and from the pass of Urachree. St. Ruth
sent forward fresh troops, and the INNISKILLING dragoons being
also supported, a considerable body of troops was soon engaged
at this point, and the enemy was eventually driven back. The
English generals met, and after some deliberation, resolved on a
general engagement, and between four and five in the afternoon
the battle began. After several hours' sharp fighting, in which
the INNISKILLING men gave fresh proofs of their innate bravery
and contempt of danger, the adverse army sustained a decisive
overthrow, and was chased from the field of battle until the
darkness of the night and a thick misty rain put an end to the
pursuit. During the action, the French general, St. Ruth, was
killed by a cannon ball, as he rode down Kilcommoden hill, and his
fall so dismayed King James's army that it was soon thrown into
confusion and routed.
CUNNINGHAM'S INNISKILLING dragoons had one lieutenant, one cornet,
and forty-one non-commissioned officers and private soldiers
killed; one captain, one lieutenant, and twenty-seven men wounded
on this occasion.
After the victory at Aghrim, the army advanced to _Galway_, and the
INNISKILLING dragoons were employed before this fortress during the
siege, which was terminated on the 21st of July, by the surrender
of the place. The English forces subsequently moved towards
Limerick, where the wreck of King James's army was assembled; but
SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM was left with his regiment of dragoons in the
county of Galway.
_Sligo_ was subsequently invested by a circular chain of posts at a
distance from the town, and one troop of the INNISKILLING dragoons
was stationed at the abbey of Ashro, near Ballyshannon, and the
remainder at Loughrea, Hedford, and Shrewl. The governor of Sligo,
Sir Teague O'Regan, proposed conditions for surrendering the town;
but afterwards receded, when a closer blockade of the place was
resolved upon.
At the same time SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM was directed to proceed
with his regiment to Castlebar, to join the Irish forces under Sir
Baldearg O'Donnel, who had agreed to abandon the interests of King
James, and to join the English army with his brigade.
This Baldearg, or Balderick, O'Donnel, was descended from one of
the branches of the Tyrconnel family; his ancestors having fled
to Spain after the rebellion of 1607, he was born and educated in
that country. The Irish, with their characteristic superstition,
cherished an idle prophecy, that a descendant of that old family,
who would be distinguished by a red mark, as this man was, would
free their country from the English yoke. The coincidence of his
family and name,--Derg, or Darg, signifying red, induced them to
send for him from Spain, and he arrived at Limerick in September,
1690, when thousands flocked to him; but he disappointed their
expectations, and achieved nothing worthy of record. After the
battle of Aghrim, he was so alarmed, that he kept, with his
followers, in the mountains in the county of Mayo for some time,
and at length tendered his submission to the government of King
William, and promised to bring a considerable number of men over
with him, for a stipulated reward.
When the INNISKILLING dragoons arrived at Castlebar, O'Donnel's men
were found in a state of mutiny, many of them resolving to adhere
to the interest of King James; but the commotion was eventually
appeased, and they arrayed themselves under King William's banners.
On the 4th of September SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM took post with part
of his regiment at _Coloony_, five miles south of Sligo, intending
to join O'Donnel on the following day, and approach nearer the
besieged town. During the night seven hundred select men of King
James's army, commanded by Colonel Scott, issued from Sligo, and,
being favoured by a foggy morning, surprised the detachment of
INNISKILLING dragoons in their camp near Coloony, at day-break on
the following morning. The troopers finding themselves suddenly
assailed by superior numbers, mounted their horses and galloped
to Abbey Royle, in the county of Roscommon. The enemy killed about
twenty men, took SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM prisoner, and captured the
tents, cloaks, and baggage belonging to the dragoons.
After the brave and humane SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM was made prisoner,
an Irish serjeant approached him and said, 'Albert is your name,
and by an H--albert you shall die,' and instantly speared him on
the spot. 'Thus fell SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM, as gallant and worthy
an officer as any in the King's service[12].'
Part of O'Donnel's brigade arriving on the following day, the
enemy was driven back into Sligo, and all the baggage, &c., was
recaptured.
After the death of SIR ALBERT CUNNINGHAM the Regiment was
commanded, until King William's pleasure was made known, by the
lieutenant-colonel, ROBERT ECHLIN.
A body of troops was assembled for the reduction of _Sligo_,
and placed under the orders of the Earl of Granard, and Colonel
Mitchelburne, to whom this fortress was delivered up on the 13th of
September.
In the meantime the army commanded by General De Ginkell had
besieged _Limerick_, and the surrender of that city, and of all
other forts and garrisons, in September, terminated the war in
Ireland; the champions of constitutional liberty having triumphed
over all opposition.
Thus the gallant INNISKILLING men, who composed the SIXTH regiment
of dragoons, had the satisfaction of witnessing the deliverance
of their country from the continued effects of civil war, and
the blessings of peace once more diffusing themselves over the
land. They had purchased these advantages with their swords, many
of them had toiled, and fought, and bled in the cause of civil
and religious liberty, and they had the proud distinction of
receiving the expressions of their Sovereign's approbation and
their country's gratitude. King William also rewarded the services
of their lieutenant-colonel, ROBERT ECHLIN, with the colonelcy of
the regiment, by commission dated the 30th of December, 1691. The
thanks of Parliament were communicated to Lieutenant-General De
Ginkell, and the officers and soldiers who served under his orders,
and the lieutenant-general was afterwards created EARL OF ATHLONE,
Viscount Aghrim, and Baron of Ballymore.
[Sidenote: 1692]
Although the war in Ireland was terminated, yet the known hostile
spirit of a great portion of the inhabitants to the established
government, and the attempts made from time to time by Louis XIV.
to replace King James on the throne, rendered the presence of a
considerable number of troops, in whom the utmost reliance could
be placed, necessary in that country; and ECHLIN'S Inniskilling
dragoons, having proved their attachment and fidelity to King
William, their devotion to the principles of the Revolution, and
their usefulness in every description of service, were employed in
Ireland during the remainder of His Majesty's reign.
[Sidenote: 1694]
The first of the two regiments of Inniskilling dragoons, commanded
by Colonel James Wynne, served under King William in Flanders,
and obtained the title of 'THE ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT OF DRAGOONS;'
Colonel ECHLIN'S regiment received no change of designation; but
has retained its title of "INNISKILLING DRAGOONS" to the present
time; it was numbered the "SIXTH DRAGOONS" in the reign of George
II.
[Sidenote: 1702]
[Sidenote: 1703]
During the early part of the reign of Queen Anne the INNISKILLING
DRAGOONS remained in Ireland; they were reviewed at Athlone, in
July, 1703, by the lord-lieutenant, General the Duke of Ormond,
who was pleased to compliment the commanding officer on their
appearance and discipline.
[Sidenote: 1706]
In the summer of 1706, the regiment was encamped on the Kurragh of
Kildare.
[Sidenote: 1708]
The King of France having made preparations, in the spring of 1708,
for landing the Pretender with a body of troops in Scotland, to
aid him in his projected attempt to ascend the British throne,
the INNISKILLING dragoons were held in readiness to embark for
Scotland; but the French fleet having been chased from the British
shores, the regiment remained in Ireland until the following
autumn, when it landed on the English coast, and was stationed,
during the winter, in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
[Sidenote: 1709]
[Sidenote: 1710]
[Sidenote: 1711]
[Sidenote: 1712]
The regiment was withdrawn from its cantonments in the early part
of 1709, and proceeded to Scotland, where it remained during the
three following years.
[Sidenote: 1713]
Returning to England after the peace of Utrecht, the regiment was
stationed in Cumberland.
[Sidenote: 1714]
In September, 1714, the regiment again occupied quarters in
Scotland, and the officers, with those of Brigadier-General Hans
Hamilton's (now Sixteenth foot), celebrated at Stirling the arrival
of King George I. from Hanover, with public rejoicings.
[Sidenote: 1715]
Lieut.-General Echlin retired from the regiment in March, 1715, and
was succeeded by JOHN EARL OF STAIR, who had been removed from the
Scots Greys, by Queen Anne's ministry, in April of the preceding
year.
The regiment was stationed in Lancashire in the spring of 1715,
and in June one squadron was employed in suppressing riots at
Manchester. Soon afterwards the Regiment marched to Scotland, and
in the autumn, it was encamped at Stirling, under Major-General
Wightman.
Encouraged by promises of aid from the Continent, the Earl of
Mar raised the standard of the Pretender in the Highlands, and
assembled an army of ten thousand men. The camp at Stirling was
afterwards augmented by additional forces, and the Duke of Argyle
assumed the command; but the rebels exceeded in numbers the king's
troops.
Ten thousand rebels, headed by the Earl of Mar, were on the march
to cross the Forth and penetrate towards England, when the Duke
of Argyle quitted the camp at Stirling, with a body of troops
of less than four thousand men, to oppose the progress of the
rebels, and on the morning of Sunday the 13th of November the two
armies confronted each other on _Sheriffmuir_ near _Dumblain_.
The Inniskilling dragoons formed two strong squadrons; the first
squadron was posted, with the Royal North British (second) and
Evans' (fourth) dragoons, on the right of the king's army; and the
second squadron, with Carpenter's (third) and Kerr's (seventh)
dragoons, was stationed on the left. The rebels attempting to
turn the right, the dragoons on that flank dashed forward sword
in hand, and commenced the action by a furious charge on the left
wing of the rebel army. A sharp conflict ensued; but soon the clash
of swords and report of pistols ceased, and the insurgent bands
were seen falling back in confusion; while the Greys, Evans',
and INNISKILLING dragoons, resolute men on powerful horses, rode
onward, sabring the astonished Highlanders, who fled in dismay,
and the Buffs (third foot) and other infantry corps on the right,
followed the victorious dragoons in their triumphant career. The
rebels, having great superiority of numbers, attempted to rally
several times; but the dragoons galloped forward with admirable
courage, and breaking through every opposition, pursued their
adversaries to the banks of the river Allan, where they were
ordered to halt.
In the mean time the left wing of the King's army had been
defeated; six hundred Highlanders surprised the infantry in the
act of forming, and put them into confusion; but Carpenter's,
Kerr's, and the squadron of INNISKILLING dragoons on the left
flank, charged and defeated the rebel horsemen opposed to them, and
captured a standard. The infantry of this wing being in disorder,
the advantage gained by the dragoons was not pursued any further.
Both armies claimed the victory, each having a wing victorious and
a wing defeated; but the King's forces succeeded in preventing the
march of the rebels southwards, and consequently the advantage was
on the side of the Royal army.
The INNISKILLING dragoons had seven men and twelve horses killed;
six men and fifteen horses wounded. In some of the numerous
accounts of this battle which were published at the time, the
INNISKILLING dragoons are styled the _black dragoons_, from which
it is presumed they were mounted on black horses exclusively.
[Sidenote: 1716]
Returning to Stirling with the army, the INNISKILLING dragoons
resumed their former station in the camp near that city, where
they remained until January, 1716, when, additional forces having
arrived, they advanced through snow and over ice to Perth. The
rebel army dispersed, and the leaders in the rebellion fled to
France.
[Sidenote: 1717]
After the suppression of this commotion, the regiment was quartered
at Aberdeen, from whence it marched southwards, and was stationed
in Cumberland; but returned to Scotland in June, 1717; and in the
autumn of that year occupied cantonments near Glasgow. At the same
time the establishment was fixed at six troops, of three officers,
one quarter-master, and forty-five non-commissioned officers and
soldiers each.
[Sidenote: 1718]
[Sidenote: 1725]
[Sidenote: 1726]
The regiment appears to have passed the succeeding ten years in
Scotland. In July, 1725, it was employed in suppressing riots at
Glasgow, and was encamped near that city; and in October, 1726,
the Greys and INNISKILLING dragoons were reviewed in brigade at
Musselburgh by Lieutenant-General Wade.
[Sidenote: 1728]
Leaving Scotland in the spring of 1728, the regiment proceeded
to Carlisle, Penrith, and Kendal, where it halted a week, and
afterwards continued its march southwards, and was quartered in
Berkshire. On the 3rd of June it was reviewed on Datchet Common by
King George II., who expressed his approbation of its appearance
and discipline.
[Sidenote: 1729]
[Sidenote: 1730]
[Sidenote: 1731]
[Sidenote: 1732]
After the review the INNISKILLING dragoons marched back to
Lancashire; in December their quarters were extended to
Northumberland; and in March, 1729, they were ordered to return to
Scotland, where they passed the succeeding three years.
[Sidenote: 1733]
In the spring of 1733, the regiment was ordered to march for
England, and in June furnished detachments on coast duty in Essex,
on which service it was employed during the following year.
[Sidenote: 1734]
The Earl of Stair having joined the opposition against Sir Robert
Walpole was removed from the regiment, and was succeeded in
the colonelcy by Charles Lord Cadogan from the Fourth foot, by
commission dated the 19th of June, 1734.
[Sidenote: 1735]
[Sidenote: 1736]
[Sidenote: 1737]
[Sidenote: 1738]
The regiment remained in the south of England, and was employed on
coast duty during the years 1735 and 1736; in May, 1737, it marched
to Nottingham and Derby; and in April, 1738, into Lincolnshire, and
furnished detachments for the prevention of smuggling along the
coast.
[Sidenote: 1739]
At this period the establishment was six troops of three officers,
one quarter-master, two sergeants, three corporals, two drummers,
one hautboy, and forty-nine private men per troop; but on the
breaking out of the war with Spain, in 1739, an augmentation of one
sergeant and ten men per troop was ordered, making a total of four
hundred and thirty-five officers and men, including the staff.
[Sidenote: 1740]
The regiment continued to occupy quarters in Lincolnshire in 1740.
[Sidenote: 1741]
In the summer of 1741, when the Elector of Bavaria, aided by the
French monarch, attempted to deprive the Archduchess Maria Theresa,
of Hungary and Bohemia, the INNISKILLING dragoons were directed
to hold themselves in readiness to proceed on foreign service,
and were encamped on Lexden Heath, with six other regiments of
cavalry and seven of infantry; but no embarkation took place, and
in the autumn they went into quarters.
[Illustration: Sixth (Inniskilling) Dragoons, 1742.
[To face page 39.]
[Sidenote: 1742]
In 1742 King George II. sent sixteen thousand men to Flanders,
under Field-Marshal the Earl of Stair, to support the interests of
the house of Austria; and the INNISKILLING dragoons were selected
for this service. After landing at Ostend, the regiment marched
to Ghent, where it was quartered several weeks, and subsequently
proceeded to Brussels.
[Sidenote: 1743]
From Brabant, the INNISKILLING dragoons marched, in the beginning
of 1743, for Germany, and in May they formed, with the Third
dragoons, three battalions of foot guards, and two regiments of the
line, a detached camp below the town of Hochst.
While in Germany, the lieutenant-colonel, JAMES GARDINER, was
promoted to the colonelcy of the Thirteenth dragoons[13].
Lord Cadogan, having been removed to the second troop (now second
regiment) of life guards, was succeeded in the colonelcy by
Field-marshal the Earl of Stair, by commission dated the 25th of
April, 1743.