“The warrior boy to the field hath gone,
And left his home behind him;
His father’s sword he hath girded on—
In the ranks of death you’ll find him.”
ORIGIN—EARLY SERVICES—CIVIL WARS—WARS OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION—WARS OF
THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION—1678–1748.
Success is too commonly esteemed, by a short-sighted public, to be the
criterion of excellence. It remains, however, to each of us, an exercise
of faith and duty to confute this popular fallacy, inasmuch as it has
wronged, foully wronged, many a brave heart who, battling with several
and powerful foes, struggling manfully, yet desperately, for the very
life, has as yet failed to rise beyond the surface; and hence the man
bowed down by adversity, as yet unrewarded by a better success—regarded
as nothing beyond the common—this deceitful, false world cannot
recognise the heroic soul in the martyr to circumstances. Thus it is
that the gallant regiment, whose history we are now about to narrate, is
in danger of being done injustice to, since its history is not always
garnished with splendid success, nor its path to honour strewn with the
glittering distinctions of victory, nor its heroism illustrated by a
long series of triumphs, which gild many a page of our national history.
This regiment claims an origin co-eval with that of the Scots Greys and
Scots Foot Guards. It was regimented and commanded by Charles, Earl of
Mar, at a time when the rampant bigotry of the King—oppressing the
consciences of the people, had exiled many of the bravest and best, or
driven them to desperate measures—induced them to draw together for
defence of their liberty and lives. Such was the state of things in
Scotland in 1678 when our Fusiliers were raised to hunt down our
covenanting forefathers, who, for conscience sake, branded as heretics,
endured the cruel ban of the Church of Rome; who, “not ashamed to own
their Lord,” freely resigned life and property for His sake. The history
of the regiment is one with that of the Scots Greys and Scots Foot
Guards, already in our previous chapters alluded to, where it may almost
be traced page by page; it is therefore needless for us to repeat the
incidents which marked their early history. They were present at the
battle of Bothwell Bridge, where the Covenanters were signally defeated,
and were afterwards engaged in repressing the Rebellion of Argyll in
1685. At length the day of retribution arrived, when the voice of the
people declared the sovereignty of the House of Stuart to be an
intolerant burden no longer to be submitted to,—by a general rising
decreed its overthrow, and by an almost universal welcome hailed the
advent of a better state of things under the healthier government of the
House of Orange. Amid these changes our Fusiliers remained faithful to
James II. Having marched into England with a strength of 744 men, under
Colonel Buchan, they were stationed in the Tower Hamlets. The flight of
the King rendering all resistance to the advancing forces of William
futile and needless, the regiment submitted to the victorious party of
William and Mary. Removed to Oxfordshire, the command was conferred on
Colonel O’Farrell. Colonel Buchan, adhering to the fallen fortunes of
James, followed him into exile. His name has acquired a melancholy
interest as the chief who, a few years later, after the death of Dundee
at Killiecrankie, headed the rebel forces in a vain attempt to restore
the dominion of the Stuarts. Subsequently, in 1689, the regiment
embarked at Gravesend for Flanders, where, under Marlborough, it formed
part of the British division which, with the Dutch, strove to check the
aggressions of the French. In the early part of the campaign they were
associated with their countrymen of the Third, or Scots Foot Guards, and
the First, or Royal Scots Regiment, besides other British troops. These
shared the glory of the victory of Walcourt, where an attack of the
French under D’Humieres was repulsed. In 1690 the ill success of the
allied general, Prince Waldeck, yielded to the enemy many and important
advantages, especially in the disastrous battle of Fleurus. In the
following year the Scots brigade was further augmented by the addition
of the regiments of Mackay and Ramsay, known to fame as the Old Scots
Brigade in the Dutch service, or as the Ninety-Fourth in later times in
the British service. To these were added the Earl of Angus’s regiment of
Cameronians, now the Twenty-sixth, and subsequently the Earl of Leven’s
regiment of King’s Own Borderers, the present Twenty-fifth. The arrival
of King William, who in person assumed the command, as it set at rest
the national jealousies which hitherto prevailed among the troops, and
hushed the petty contests for precedence on the part of their leaders,
infused at the same time new life and vigour into the movements of the
Allies. In a vain attempt to surprise the fortress of Mons, Colonel Sir
Robert Douglas of the Royals, and Colonel O’Farrell of our Fusiliers,
were taken prisoners by the French, but released on payment of the
customary ransom. Both were destined for very different fates. The
former, as narrated in a previous chapter, fell, gallantly fighting at
the head of his regiment, at the battle of Steenkirk; the latter,
surviving that bloody day, was reserved to be the unlucky commander who
surrendered the fortress of Deinse, garrisoned by his regiment, to the
enemy without striking a blow in its defence. This denial of the courage
of our Fusiliers under his command, who, with able hands and ready
hearts, might have successfully challenged the attempts of a numerous
foe—whilst they were delivered over to be prisoners of war—justly
received the severe censure of the King; and, tried by court martial,
Brigadier-General O’Farrell was cashiered, and his command conferred on
Colonel Robert Mackay. Meanwhile, three years previously, the battle of
Steenkirk had been fought, and the superior numbers of the French,
directed by the ability of the Duke de Luxembourg, had triumphed,
notwithstanding the desperate valour of the British. Our Fusiliers, with
the Royals, formed part of the advanced guard of our army, and fiercely
assailed the French, who, strongly posted behind a series of thick
hedges, poured in a deadly fire into our ranks. Successively they were
driven from their strong position, but only to take a new position,
equally defensible, behind a second hedge. A third and a fourth position
was assumed and bravely defended, yet nothing could withstand the onset
of our troops. Every obstacle was overcome, and victory was within our
grasp, when disasters in other parts of the field compelled the
abandonment of all these hard-earned advantages. D’Auvergne says: “Our
vanguard behaved in this engagement to such wonder and admiration, that
though they received the charge of several battalions of the enemy, one
after the other, yet they made them retreat almost to their very camp;”
and the _London Gazette_ records: “The bravery of our men was
extraordinary, and admired by all; ten battalions of ours having engaged
above thirty of the French at one time.” At the battle of Landen in
1693, brigaded with the Twenty-fifth, the Twenty-sixth, and the
regiments of the Old Scots Brigade, separated from the army by the
prevailing efforts of the French, they most heroically maintained
themselves, until overwhelming numbers compelled them to retire. With
difficulty they effected their retreat, without disorder, by fording the
river Gheet, and so succeeded in rejoining the main army. The
ignominious surrender of Deinse, and the consequent dismissal of Colonel
O’Farrell, occurring in 1695, have been already alluded to. Nothing of
importance falls to be recorded in the history of our Fusiliers during
the remainder of the war, which was terminated in 1697 by the peace of
Ryswick. Returning to Scotland, the rest they enjoyed was but of short
duration. Once again the rude blast of war lashed into fury the ambition
of princes. Would that princes acted out the words of the ballad writer—
“Oh, were I Queen of France, or still better, Pope of Rome,
I would have no fighting men abroad, or weeping maids at home.
All the world should be at peace, or if kings would show their might,
I’d have those that make the quarrels be the only ones to fight.”
[Illustration: BLENHEIM. DRAWN FROM NATURE BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL
MʻNIVEN.]
Unhappily, it is not so, and perhaps, however beautiful the idea, it is
better it should be otherwise. In 1702 the war of the Spanish Succession
broke out, which was destined to witness the splendid successes of a
renowned soldier—the Duke of Marlborough. Brigaded with the second
battalion of the Royals, the Tenth, the Sixteenth, and the Twenty-sixth
regiments, our Fusiliers were present at the siege of Huy, and, detached
from the army, took part in the enterprise which resulted in the capture
of Limburg. But these events, however glorious, sink into insignificance
when compared with the marvellous achievements which shed a flood of
glory upon our national history, as recorded in the memorable year of
1704. Then the plains of Germany for the first time owned the tread not
of a mere band of island adventurers, as in the ancient days of our
veteran Royals, but now these plains resounded with the martial tramp of
a British army. In the attack upon the heights of Schellenberg our
Fusiliers bore an honourable part, but that was but the prelude to the
grander victory of Blenheim, wherein the confederate might of France and
Bavaria succumbed before the allied arms of Britain and Germany. But
this signal triumph was not accomplished save by the most desperate
bravery. “Brigadier-General Row, (Colonel of the Royal North British
Fusiliers,) who charged on foot at the head of his own regiment with
unparalleled intrepidity, assaulted the village of Blenheim, advancing
to the very muzzles of the enemy’s muskets, and some of the officers
exchanged thrusts of swords through the palisades; but the avenues of
the village were found strongly fortified, and defended by a force of
superior numbers. Brigadier-General Row led the North British Fusiliers
up to the palisades before he gave the word ‘Fire,’ and the next moment
he fell mortally wounded; Lieutenant-Colonel Dalyel and Major Campbell,
being on the spot, stepped forward to raise their colonel, and were both
instantly pierced by musket-balls; the soldiers, exasperated at seeing
the three field-officers of the regiment fall, made a gallant effort to
force their way into the village, but this was found impossible, and the
regiment was ordered to retire. The moment the soldiers faced about,
thirteen squadrons of French cavalry galloped forward to charge them,
and one of the colours of the regiment was captured by the enemy; but
the French horsemen were repulsed by the fire of a brigade of Hessians,
and the colour was recovered.” A second assault failed likewise, so
resolute was the defence of the enemy, but a third attempt, with
additional forces, was crowned with success; the French being driven out
of the village with great loss. There is no more treasured illustration
of the worth of our British soldiers than is recorded in this famous
battle, and no more distinguished honour than belongs to the regiments
who have won a title, by their presence and brave deeds on the occasion,
to share its glory or bear upon their colours the proud and envied word
“Blenheim.” But this mode of commemorating battles was not adopted until
a later period,—MINDEN, borne by the Twenty-fifth King’s Own Borderers,
and other corps,—being the earliest instance of a battle thus
emblazoned.[A] Throughout the remaining years of the war, graced by the
victories of Ramilies, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet, and the capture of
many of the strong fortresses of the Netherlands, our Fusiliers
maintained their character for bravery and steadiness, proving
themselves in every way worthy the honours their valour had hitherto
won. During this period they were successively commanded by Viscount
Mordaunt, Brigadier-General De Lalo—a distinguished French Protestant
officer, who fell whilst gallantly leading his regiment at the battle of
Malplaquet—Major-General Meredith, and the Earl of Orrery. Peace at
length terminated the struggle, and our heroes returned home in 1714.
Shortly afterwards a rebellion broke out in Scotland, under the Earl of
Mar, son of the Earl of Mar who first commanded our Fusiliers. Supported
largely by the clans, presenting a formidable array, he advanced into
the Lowlands, proclaiming the Pretender—the son of James II.—to be the
rightful sovereign. His vacillating policy—notwithstanding the uncertain
issues of the battle of Sheriffmuir, where the royal troops, including
our Fusiliers, led by the Duke of Argyle, encountered the rebels—ruined
the cause he had assumed to maintain; so that when the Pretender joined
his partizans, he found them reduced to such desperate straits, that
whilst prudence counselled, cowardice sought the earliest opportunity to
effect an escape, leaving his friends to suffer alone the vengeance of
the Government. The clans dispersing or submitting, the rebellion died
out in 1716.
Footnote A:
Vide “Curiosities of War,” page 225.
In 1743 the war of the Austrian Succession once more stirred up the
wrathful passions of man, and plunged the European continent into all
the horrors of war. The combatants were much the same as on previous
occasions—France and Bavaria pitted against Austria and Britain. The
Scots Greys, the Third or Scots Foot Guards, (first battalion,) the
First or Royal Scots, (first battalion,) the Twenty-first or Royal North
British Fusiliers, the Twenty-fifth or King’s Own Borderers, and the
Forty-second or Royal Highlanders, formed the Scottish regiments
embraced in the British army. Under the eye of their chivalric monarch,
George II., who in person commanded, our Fusiliers were greatly
distinguished by their good conduct, especially at the victory of
Dettingen. Subsequently, under Marshal Wade, the regiment was with the
army which penetrated into France in 1744. In the following year, under
the Duke of Cumberland, present at the disastrous battle of Fontenoy,
the regiment lost 285 officers and men. The valour of our troops, and
the successes they had achieved, were negatived, and the battle lost, by
the failure of the Dutch in other parts of the field. So severe had been
the losses of our Fusiliers on this occasion, that, for the sake of
being recruited, the regiment was removed from the army to garrison
Ostend, where, assailed by a very superior French force, it was
compelled to surrender. At this crisis in our country’s history, the
King of France, aiding and abetting the Jacobites, succeeded but too
well in inciting the clans to rebellion under Prince Charles Edward.
These troubles at home occasioned the recall of the major part of the
British army, and amongst others, our Fusiliers, who, advancing from
Edinburgh, were engaged in the pursuit and ultimate overthrow of the
rebels at Culloden. Thereafter returning to the continent, the regiment
was engaged at the unavailing battle of Val in 1747, which led to the
peace of Aix-la-Chapelle.