DURING THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR.
AT this time the Regiment well deserved the motto it now bears,
"Ubique." The feeling uppermost in the mind of one who has been studying
its records between 1756 and 1763 is one of astonishment and admiration.
Only forty years before, the Royal Artillery was represented by two
companies at Woolwich; now we find it serving in the East and West
Indies, in North America, in the Mediterranean, in Germany, in
Belleisle, and in Britain, and yet it was by no means a large Regiment.
In 1756 it contained eighteen companies, and by the end of the war it
had increased to thirty, exclusive of the cadets; but when we reflect on
the detached nature of their service, we cannot but marvel at the work
they did. If England must always look back with pride to the annals of
this war, so also must the Royal Artilleryman look back to this period
of his Regimental History with amazement and satisfaction. It was a
wonderful time,—a time bristling with ubiquitous victories,—a time
teeming with chivalrous memories—Clive in the East, and Wolfe in the
West—British soldiers conquering under Prince Ferdinand at Minden, under
Lord Albemarle at the Havannah, under Amherst at Louisbourg, and under
Hodgson at Belleisle,—English Artillerymen winning honours and promotion
from a foreign prince in Portugal; and at the end, when the Peace of
Paris allowed the nations to cast up the columns in their balance-sheet,
England, finding Canada all her own, Minorca restored to her, and
nineteen-twentieths of India acknowledging her sovereignty. It was a
golden time: who can paint it? Who can select enough of its episodes to
satisfy the reader, and yet not weary him with glut of triumph? And
shall it be by continents that the deeds of our soldiers shall be
watched? or on account of popular leaders? or by value of results?
With much thought and hesitation it has been resolved in this work to
choose subjects for complex reasons. Who can think of England's Field
Artillery without thinking, at such a time as this was, of Minden?—of
her siege Artillery, without remembering Belleisle? And yet what would
the History of the Regiment at such a period in England's annals be, if
the names of Phillips, Macbean, and Desaguliers were unspoken?
Happy coincidence that enables the historian to combine both,—that bids
him, as he writes of Minden, write also of Phillips, who was the head,
and Macbean, who was the hand, of the corps on that proud day; and as he
tells of the wet and miserable trenches at Belleisle, with the boom of
its incessant bombardment, tell also of him, the brave, the learned
Desaguliers, wounded, yet ever at his post! But is this all? The Seven
Years' War, without America having a chapter given—America, which was
the cradle of the war, as it was the scene of its greatest triumphs!
Where shall we turn to choose on that continent some scene which shall
be noble and pleasant to tell, and shall not wander from the purpose of
this work? The mind clings instinctively to Wolfe, eager to narrate
something of the Regiment's story over which his presence shall shed a
lustre, in memory as in life. Quebec is eagerly studied, reluctantly
laid aside, for on that sad and glorious day only a handful of
Artillerymen mustered on the Plains of Abraham. So the student wanders
backward from that closing scene, and on the shores of that bay in Cape
Breton where Louisbourg once stood in arms, he finds a theme in which
Wolfe and this Regiment, whose history he fain would write, were joint
and worthy actors. And what prouder comrade could one have than he who
was the Washington of England in bravery, in gentleness, in the
adoration of his men?
These three episodes of the war, therefore, have been selected for
separate mention. In the present chapter the general outline of the war
will be glanced at, and domestic occurrences in the Regiment described.
The Seven Years' War owed its immediate origin to the quarrels in
America between England and France. Under the impression that the time
was favourable for recovering Silesia, which had been awarded to Prussia
at the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, Austria secured Russia, Saxony, and
Sweden as allies, and ultimately France; while Prussia obtained the
alliance of England. The commencement of the war was unfavourable to
England. Minorca and Hanover fell into the hands of the French, and
remained so until the end of the war. But they were avenged by the
victories of the British troops under Prince Ferdinand at Crevelt and
Minden; and by the victories of the King of Prussia over the Austrians
at Prague and Rosbach. The capture of Belleisle by the English
compensated, to a certain extent, for the loss of Minorca. The capture
of Louisbourg, Quebec, Montreal, and ultimately the whole of Canada,
added lustre to the English arms in the West, as that of Pondicherry did
in the East; while even Africa contributed its share to English triumph,
in the capture of Senegal from the French.
It was not until 1758 that the first Artillery was sent to Germany. It
was increased in the following year, and a further reinforcement was
sent in 1760, increasing the whole to five companies. Two companies were
sent to America in 1757, to swell the Artillery force already there,
with a view to the reduction of Louisbourg and the subjugation of
Canada. Two, besides a number of detachments, were at Belleisle in 1761;
the company at Gibraltar was increased by another; two companies were
sent to Portugal after France had formed the Treaty known as the Family
Compact; four were in the East Indies; two companies, besides a number
of detachments, accompanied Lord Albemarle to the Havannah; and a
detachment went to Senegal. This summary—not including the numerous
detachments on board the bomb-vessels—is sufficient to give some idea of
the ubiquitous duties performed by the Regiment during this time.
The increase in the number of companies which took place during the
Seven Years' War was accompanied by the formation of another Battalion
(the Third), whose history will therefore, be given in proper
chronological place.
Although three episodes have been selected for more detailed mention
than the others, it would not be just to omit all notice of the other
events which occurred in the Regiment's history at this time. Turning to
the East, there are many pages in the old records which speak
eloquently, though quaintly, of service done at this time by the corps
in India. A mixed force, under the command of Captain Richard Maitland,
R.A., was ordered by the Governor of Bombay to proceed, in February,
1759, against the City and Castle of Surat. Captain Maitland's and
Captain Northall's companies were present with the force, but the last-
named officer died of sunstroke on the march. "The first attack," writes
Captain Maitland, "that we made was against the French garden, where the
enemy (Seydees) had lodged a number of men. Them we drove out, after a
very smart firing on both sides for about four hours, our number lost
consisting of about twenty men killed and as many wounded. After we had
got possession of the French garden, I thought it necessary to order the
Engineer to pitch upon a proper place to erect a battery, which he did,
and completed it in two days. On the battery were mounted two 24-
pounders and a 13-inch mortar, which I ordered to fire against the wall,
&c., as brisk as possible. After three days' bombarding from the
batteries and the armed vessels, I formed a general attack, driving the
enemy from their batteries, and carrying the outer town, with its
fortifications. The same evening I commenced firing from the 13 and 10-
inch mortars on the inner town and castle, distant 500 and 700 yards.
The continual firing of our batteries caused such consternation, and the
impossibility of supporting themselves caused the Governor to open the
gates of the town, and offering to give up the castle if I would allow
him and his people to march out with their effects. We got possession
without further molestation." Captain Maitland, who seems to have been
more proficient with his sword than his pen, died in India in 1763.
The scene changes to Manilla; and on a faded page the student reads how
a company of Artillery arrived off that island on the 23rd September,
1762, with General Draper's force, and made good their landing next
morning with three field-guns and one howitzer. By the 26th the
batteries were ready for heavier ordnance; and eight 24-pounders were
placed in one, and 10 and 13-inch mortars in another. And here the dim
page is illumined by a sentence dear to the student's heart:—"The
officers of Artillery and Engineers exercising themselves in a manner
that nothing but their zeal for the public service could have inspired."
On the 5th October, so violent had been the fire of the Artillery, that
the breach appeared practicable; and at daylight on the morning of the
6th, after a general discharge from all the batteries, the troops rushed
to the assault. The Governor and principal officers retired to the
citadel, and surrendered themselves prisoners at discretion.
Again the scene changes. On the 5th March, 1762, Lord Albemarle's
expedition left Portsmouth for the Havannah. The Royal Artillery
consisted of Captain Buchanan's and Captain Anderson's companies, with
Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonels Leith[20] and Cleveland, Captain-Lieutenant
Williamson as a Volunteer, and Lieutenants Lee, Lemoine, and Blomefield
for duty on board the bomb-vessels. On reaching Barbadoes news is
received of the capitulation of Martinique to General Monckton's force,
and the fleet steers for that island. Here large reinforcements from
America meet them, including Captain Strachey's company, which brings
the strength of the Artillery up to 377 of all ranks. On the 6th June
the expedition reaches Havannah, and a landing is effected six miles to
the eastward of the Moro, which it is resolved to besiege first. And
here the story becomes a purely Artillery matter. Two batteries were
opened—one against the Moro, at 192 yards distance, called the grand
battery, and one for howitzers, to annoy the shipping. Repeated and
unsuccessful sallies were made by the enemy; and still battery after
battery was made and opened by the English. On the 1st July four
batteries opened fire—from twelve 24-pounders, six 13-inch, three 10-
inch, and 26 Royal mortars. On the 3rd July another was completed; and
on the 16th sixteen additional guns were brought into play and so well
served that the besieged were reduced to six guns. But there were other
enemies than man to contend with. Twice the Grand Battery took fire, and
the second time it was entirely consumed. Fresh provisions became
scarce, and water equally so. No words can paint what followed better
than the short sentence which meets the student's eye:—"The scanty
supply of water exhausted their strength, and, joined to the anguish of
dreadful thirst, put an end to the existence of many. Five thousand
soldiers and three thousand sailors were laid up with various
distempers."[21] On the 22nd,—a lodgment having been effected on the
glacis,—it was found necessary to have recourse to mining; and on the
30th the mines were sprung and the place carried by storm. Fresh
batteries were now formed, and the guns of the Moro turned against the
town. On the 11th August forty-five guns and eight mortars opened on the
town with such fury, that flags of truce were soon hung up all round the
town, and on the following day the articles of capitulation were signed;
the principal gates of the town were taken possession of; the English
colours were hoisted; and Captain Duncan took possession of the men-of-
war in the harbour.[22]
The death vacancies in the Artillery, which were very numerous, had been
filled up on the spot by Lord Albemarle, who not merely gave the
promotions, but also made first appointments as Lieutenant-Fireworkers
from among the cadets and non-commissioned officers present with the
companies. The whole of these promotions were ratified by the Board in
the following year; but an opportunity was taken at the same time of
informing the Regiment that "Lieutenant-Colonel Cleveland's brevet is
not to allow of his ranking otherwise than as Major in the Regiment,"
although his pay would be that of the higher rank.
Yet again and again, from east to west and west to east, do the scenes
in the Regimental drama at this time change. From Newfoundland we hear
of a gallant band of fifty-eight Artillerymen under Captain Ferguson,
with a train of no less than twenty-nine pieces, being present with
Colonel Amherst at the recapture of that island, after its brief
occupation by the French. And from Portugal comes a letter from Lord
London in October, 1762: "In the action of Villa Vella, Major Macbean,
with four field-pieces, joined, having used the greatest diligence in
his march. The force retiring, Major Macbean's guns formed part of the
rear-guard, which he conducted so effectually, that hardly any shot was
fired that did not take place among the enemy.... Major Macbean of the
Artillery is an officer whose zeal and ability, upon this and every
other occasion, justly entitle him to the warmest recommendations I can
possibly give him."
In the mean time, what was going on in England?
An unsuccessful expedition was ordered in July, 1757, to Rochfort, in
which Captain James's company was engaged. On its return in October the
Company was sent to Scarborough.
On the 5th June, 1758, we find 400 Artillerymen with sixty guns forming
part of an expedition against St. Malo under Charles, Duke of
Marlborough; but little was done except destroying a large number of
French vessels. The subsequent attack and capture of Cherbourg was more
successful, and the number of guns taken from the enemy enabled the
Government to get up a display in London—utterly out of proportion to
the actual danger and loss incurred by the troops, but intended to
gratify the populace—which may be described in a few words. "The cannon
and mortars taken at Cherbourg passed by His Majesty, set out from Hyde
Park and came through the City in grand procession, guarded by a company
of matrosses, with drums beating and fifes playing all the way to the
Tower, where they arrived at four o'clock in the afternoon. There were
twenty-three carriages drawn by 229 horses, with a postilion and driver
to each carriage in the following manner:—The first, drawn by fifteen
grey horses, with the English colours and the French underneath; seven
ditto, drawn by thirteen horses each; nine ditto by nine horses each;
three ditto by seven horses each; one ditto by five horses; then the two
mortars, by nine horses each."
And at Woolwich, what was going on? Promotion was brisk, with death so
busy all over the world; officers got their commissions when very young;
and the age of the cadets fell in proportion. Hence we feel no surprise
that the legislation for these young gentlemen occupies a considerable
part of the order-books of the period. But the remaining orders are not
destitute of interest. One, dated 1st October, 1758, introduces a name
which has been familiar to the Regiment ever since in the same capacity:
"R. Cox, Esq., is appointed Paymaster to the Royal Regiment of
Artillery." The division of the Regiment into Battalions rendered many
orders necessary. It was now for the first time laid down that the
quartermasters were responsible for the clothing and equipment until
handed over to the captains. A separate roster was kept for detachments,
which, however, was not to interfere with officers accompanying their
own men, when the whole company moved. Promotion from matross to gunner
was ordered never to be made without submitting the case to the
Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, in the same manner as the promotion
of non-commissioned officers. No non-commissioned officer was to be
recommended for promotion who had not written in full for the
examination of his Captain the names and different parts of guns and
mortars, their carriages and beds, and also a full description of a gyn.
And at every parade the Captain of the week was to take care that the
men were made acquainted with the names of all the different parts of a
gun and carriage, and of a gyn, and once a day to mount and dismount a
gun. Every man was supplied with three rounds of ball-cartridge, without
which he was never to go on duty; when discharged, an English gunner
received a fortnight's pay; a Scotchman received a month's, provided he
had been enlisted in Scotland; no Irishman was on any account allowed at
this time to be enlisted for the Royal Artillery; no recruit was
permitted leave of absence until he had been dismissed drill; no man on
guard was to "extort money from any prisoner on any pretence
whatsoever;" no man was to pull off his clothes or accoutrements during
the hours of exercise; no pay-sergeant was allowed to pay the men in a
public-house; the drummers and fifers were, when on duty, always to wear
their swords; any pay-sergeant lending money _at a premium_ to any of
the men was to be tried and reduced to the rank of matross, and any man
consenting to be imposed upon in this respect would receive no further
advancement in the Regiment. No men were allowed to enter the Laboratory
in their new clothing. Every recruit for the Regiment at this time
received a guinea and a crown as bounty, provided he were medically fit,
5 feet 9 inches in height, and not over 25 years of age.
Many of the orders would lose their quaintness, if curtailed.
November 19, 1758. "Complaint having been made of the Greenwich guard
for milking the cows belonging to Combe Farm, the Sergeant of that guard
to be answerable for such theft, who will be broke and punished if he
suffer it for the future, and does not take care to prevent it."
Jan. 6, 1759. "The Paymasters of each company are to clear with the
nurse of the hospital once a week. No man is to be allowed within the
nurse's apartment."
March 19, 1759. "The sentries to load with a running ball, and when the
Officer of the Guard goes his rounds, they are to drop the muzzles of
their pieces to show him that they are properly loaded."
June 14, 1758. "In drilling with the Battalion guns the man who loads
the gun is to give the word 'Fire,' as it is natural to believe he will
not do it till he believes himself safe; and he who gives the word
'Fire' is not to attempt to sponge until he hears the report of the
gun."
With regard to officers, the order-books at this time divided their
attention pretty equally between the Surgeon and his mate, who had a
playful habit of being out of the way when wanted, and that favourite
theme, the young officers. Much fatherly advice, which in more modern
times would be given verbally, was given then through the channel of the
Regimental order-book. Nor was the system more successful, if one may
judge from the frequent repetitions of neglected orders. Various orders
as to dress were given, from which we learn that boots for the officers
and black spatterdashes for the men were the ordinary covering for their
extremities on parade—white spatterdashes with their six-and-thirty
buttons being reserved for grand occasions. It was a very serious crime
to wear a black stock,—white being the orthodox colour—and the lace from
the officers' scarlet waistcoats was removed at this period. Very great
attention was paid at this time to perfecting the officers, old and
young, in the knowledge of laboratory duties, nor was any exemption
allowed. From the order-books of this date, also, we learn that
officers' servants were chosen from among the matrosses; and that, on a
man becoming a gunner, he ceased to be a servant. Nor was a matross
allowed to be made gunner until a recruit was found to fill his vacancy
in the lower grade. As now, the practice prevailed then, whenever a man
in debt was transferred from one company to another, of making the
Captain who received the man reimburse the Captain who handed him over,
repaying himself by stoppages from the man's pay.
With this general glance at the Regiment during the Seven Years' War,
the History will now proceed to a somewhat fuller examination of the
three important episodes in that War, which have been selected.
_N.B._—Good service was rendered at Guadaloupe in 1759 by a Company
under Major S. Cleaveland, and at Martinique in 1762 by two
Companies under Lieutenant-Colonel Ord.
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Footnote 20:
Lieutenant-Colonel Leith was killed subsequently at the bombardment of
Havannah, while in command of the Artillery.
Footnote 21:
Cleaveland's MSS.
Footnote 22:
Afterwards Lord Camperdown.