and brother of John, first Duke of Roxburgh, served with reputation
on the continent, under the celebrated John, Duke of Marlborough.
In 1709 he was rewarded with the command of a regiment of dragoons,
now SEVENTH HUSSARS, and on the accession of King George I. he
was appointed groom of the bedchamber to the Prince of Wales. He
highly distinguished himself at the battle of Dumblain, on the 13th
of November, 1715, where, according to the accounts published at
the time, he had three horses killed under him, was wounded in
the thigh, and had his coat torn by a pistol bullet. The care and
attention which he paid to the interests of his corps, procured
him the affection and esteem of the officers and soldiers. He was
promoted to the rank of brigadier-general in 1727, to that of
major-general in 1735, and to that of lieut.-general in 1739. He
died in 1741, after commanding the regiment nearly thirty-two years.
JOHN COPE.
_Appointed 12th August, 1741._
JOHN COPE entered the army in March, 1707, and speedily rose
to the lieut.-colonelcy in the second or Scots troop of horse
grenadier guards. He obtained the rank of colonel in the army in
1711. In 1730 he was promoted from the horse grenadier guards
to the colonelcy of the thirty-ninth foot, from which he was
removed to the fifth foot, in 1732. He was promoted to the rank
of brigadier-general in 1735; was removed to the ninth dragoons
in 1737; and advanced to the rank of major-general two years
afterwards. He served several years on the staff of Ireland,
obtained the colonelcy of the SEVENTH dragoons in 1741, and
proceeded, in the summer of 1742, to Flanders with the army
commanded by Field-Marshal the Earl of Stair. In the beginning of
the following year he was promoted to the rank of lieut.-general,
and having signalized himself, under the eye of his sovereign, at
the head of the second line of cavalry, at the battle of Dettingen,
he was constituted a knight of the Bath.
SIR JOHN COPE was commander-in-chief in Scotland when the rebellion
of 1745 broke out in the Highlands, and a small body of troops,
under his immediate command, was defeated by the clans under the
young Pretender, at Preston Pans, which unfortunate circumstance
enabled the rebels to penetrate into England. He died in 1760.
JOHN MOSTYN.
_Appointed 18th August, 1760._
JOHN MOSTYN served in the thirty-first foot, in which corps
he rose to the rank of captain, and in 1742 he was appointed
captain-lieutenant in the second foot guards. Having joined his
company on foreign service, he was engaged at the battle of
Fontenoy, where the foot guards highly distinguished themselves,
and he was wounded. In December, 1747, he was promoted to the
rank of colonel, and appointed aide-de-camp to King George II.;
and in 1751 he obtained the colonelcy of the seventh foot, from
which he was removed to the thirteenth dragoons in 1754. In 1757
he was promoted to the rank of major-general; he was removed to
the fifth dragoons in 1758, and to the SEVENTH dragoons in 1760.
He commanded a brigade of infantry under the Duke of Marlborough
in the expedition to the coast of France in 1758; in 1759 he was
promoted to the rank of lieut.-general, and serving in Germany
under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, he distinguished himself on
several occasions. At the conclusion of the war he was removed to
the first dragoon guards, and was promoted in 1772, to the rank of
general. He died in March, 1779.
SIR GEORGE HOWARD, K.B.
_Appointed 13th May, 1763._
GEORGE HOWARD entered the army in the reign of King George I.,
and after serving the crown a period of nineteen years, he
obtained the lieut.-colonelcy of the third foot on the 2nd of
April, 1744. He commanded the regiment at the battles of Fontenoy,
Falkirk, Culloden, and Val; and in 1749 he succeeded his father
in the colonelcy of the corps. He served with distinction in
Germany during the seven years' war; was promoted to the rank of
major-general in 1758, and to that of lieut.-general in 1760: and
at the conclusion of the peace in 1763, he was removed to the
SEVENTH dragoons, and advanced to the dignity of a knight of the
Bath. In 1777 he was promoted to the rank of general; in April,
1779, he was removed to the first dragoon guards; and was promoted
to the rank of field-marshal in October 1793; he was also a member
of the privy council, and governor of Jersey. He died on the 16th
of July, 1796.
SIR HENRY CLINTON, K.B.
_Appointed 21st April, 1779._
HENRY CLINTON, grandson of Francis, sixth Earl of Lincoln, held
a commission in an independent company of foot at New York, from
which he was removed in 1751, to a lieutenancy in the second
foot guards, and in 1758 he was promoted to the rank of captain
and lieut.-colonel in the first foot guards. Having gained great
credit for his conduct during the seven years' war, in which the
foot guards had several opportunities of acquiring distinction,
he was promoted, in 1762, to the rank of colonel in the army;
and in November, 1766, King George III. rewarded him with the
colonelcy of the twelfth regiment of foot, then at Gibraltar; he
was promoted to the rank of major-general in 1772. On the breaking
out of hostilities in America, in 1775, this distinguished officer
was sent with reinforcements to General Gage, at Boston, with
the local rank of lieut.-general, and signalized himself at the
battle of Bunker's Hill. In January, 1776, he was promoted to the
local rank of general in America; he proceeded to North Carolina,
and commanded the troops which made an unsuccessful attempt on
Charlestown; and afterwards commanded a division of the army,
under General Sir William Howe, in the descent on Long Island.
In the action at Brooklyn he evinced ardour and ability; also in
the skirmish at White Plains, and in the capture of Rhode Island,
in December, the same year. In 1777, he commanded the troops at
New York, and captured forts Clinton and Montgomery, and was
rewarded with the order of the Bath. In 1778 he was appointed
commander-in-chief in North America; in May he joined the army at
Philadelphia from whence he withdrew to New York, and while on
the march he repulsed an attack of the Americans at Freehold. He
subsequently had success in several affairs of minor importance;
and while engaged in these services, he was appointed to the
colonelcy of the SEVENTH dragoons. In December, 1779, he embarked
with a large force for South Carolina, and, after overcoming
numerous difficulties, he captured Charlestown, for which he
received the thanks of parliament. He sustained the character
of a brave, zealous, and accomplished officer; but he was so
circumstanced in America, that he was unable to add much to his
reputation by the energetic and gallant efforts which he made in
that country; and after experiencing pain and mortification from
numerous causes, he returned to England in June, 1782, having been
succeeded by General Carleton, afterwards Lord Dorchester.
The rank of general in the army was conferred on SIR HENRY CLINTON
in 1793; he held the government of Limerick; and in 1795 he was
appointed governor of Gibraltar. He was many years a member of
parliament; and was also groom of the bedchamber to the Duke of
Gloucester. His decease occurred on the 23rd of December, 1795.
DAVID DUNDAS.
_Appointed 26th December, 1795._
DAVID DUNDAS was one of the most distinguished officers of the age
in which he lived, for his perfect knowledge of the principles of
military tactics. He commenced his military education at the age
of thirteen in the academy at Woolwich, and at fifteen he assisted
in a survey of Scotland; in 1756 obtained a commission in the
fifty-sixth regiment. In 1758 he proceeded with the expedition
to the coast of France as an assistant quarter-master-general;
and in the following year obtained the command of a troop in a
newly-raised regiment of light dragoons (Eliott's light horse), now
the fifteenth, or King's hussars. He served with his regiment in
Germany in 1760 and 1761; in the following summer he accompanied
an expedition to Cuba, as aide-de-camp to Major-General Eliott,
and was actively employed in the reduction of the Havannah. After
the peace he resumed his post in his regiment, in which he rose
to the rank of major; and, urged by an ardent desire to acquire a
perfect knowledge of every branch of his profession, he obtained
permission to proceed to the continent, to observe the practice
of the French and Austrian armies. In 1775 he procured the
lieut.-colonelcy of the twelfth light dragoons, joined the regiment
in Ireland shortly afterwards, and in 1778 obtained the appointment
of quarter-master-general in that country. In 1782 he was removed
to the lieut.-colonelcy of the second Irish horse, now the fifth
dragoon guards. In 1785 he again proceeded to the continent,
attended the exercises of the Prussian troops during three summers,
and after his return he presented His Majesty with a detailed
account of their evolutions.
Colonel Dundas, having become a proficient tactician, produced,
in 1788, a highly useful work on the principles of military
movements, which became the basis of our army regulations for
field exercises. His abilities obtained for him the favour and
attention of King George III., who appointed him adjutant-general
in Ireland, for the purpose of introducing his system of tactics
into the army of that country. In 1790 Colonel Dundas was promoted
to the rank of major-general. In 1791 he obtained the colonelcy
of the twenty-second foot, and in the same year was placed on the
Irish staff, but he resigned that appointment in 1793 to engage in
service of actual warfare. After the commencement of hostilities
with the French republic, Major-General Dundas was employed on a
military mission to the island of Jersey, and was subsequently
sent to the continent to confer with the Duke of York respecting
the siege of Dunkirk. From Flanders he proceeded to Toulon, which
had recently been taken possession of by a British armament; and
his services there, although he was ultimately obliged to evacuate
the place, called forth the approbation of his sovereign and of
the British nation. After abandoning Toulon, he made a descent
on Corsica, which island was reduced and annexed to the British
dominions; but shortly afterwards he received directions to proceed
to Flanders, where he arrived in the spring of 1794, and commanded
a brigade of cavalry at the battle of Tournay on the 22d of May,
1794. Major-General Dundas was actively employed in the retreat
through Holland, and the corps under his immediate command gained
considerable advantage over the enemy in two successive actions
near Gelder-Malsen; he highly distinguished himself also in an
attack upon the French post at Thuyl, in December of the same year.
He continued with the British troops in Germany during the summer
of 1795, and in December was appointed colonel of the SEVENTH
Light Dragoons. After his return to England he was appointed
quarter-master-general to the army; and he composed the celebrated
regulations for the field exercises and movements for the cavalry,
which were approved by his Royal Highness the Duke of York and by
King George III., and ordered to be exclusively adopted throughout
the cavalry.
In 1799 Lieut.-General Dundas commanded a division of the allied
army under the Duke of York, in the expedition to Holland; he
distinguished himself in several actions with the enemy, and was
highly commended by His Royal Highness in his public despatches.
In 1801 he was appointed colonel of the second, or Royal North
British dragoons, and was constituted governor of Fort George.
In 1802 he was promoted to the rank of general; and in the
following year, when the French were preparing to invade England,
he was placed in command of the troops in the southern district,
which comprised the counties of Kent and Sussex. In 1804 he was
appointed governor of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, and created
a Knight of the Bath. On the 18th of March, 1809, His Majesty was
pleased to confer on this distinguished veteran the appointment of
commander-in-chief of the army, on the resignation of Field-Marshal
His Royal Highness the Duke of York, which appointment he
held until the 25th of May, 1811, when His Royal Highness was
re-appointed. He was also appointed colonel-in-chief of the rifle
brigade on the 31st of August, 1809. He was promoted to the
colonelcy of the King's dragoon guards on the 27th of January,
1813. He died in 1820, after a distinguished service of upwards of
sixty years.
HENRY W., LORD PAGET,
NOW
MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY, KG., GCB., K.ST.P., GCH.
_Appointed 16th May, 1801._
SUCCESSION OF LIEUTENANT-COLONELS
OF THE
SEVENTH, OR QUEEN'S OWN, REGIMENT OF HUSSARS.
+----------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
| Name. | Date of | Remarks. |
| | Appointment. | |
+----------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
| William Forbes | Dec. 30, 1690 | Removed in 1697. |
| | | |
| Hon. Patrick Hume, } | March 30, 1697 | { Appointed colonel of the |
| afterwards Lord } | | { regiment, April 28, 1707. |
| Polwarth } | | { |
| | | |
| Sir John Johnston | April 28, 1707 | Removed in 1711. |
| | | |
| Archibald Lord } | Oct. 30, 1711 | { Promoted to the colonelcy of |
| Wandale, } | | { the third foot, April 4, |
| afterwards Earl } | | { 1713.--Died of wounds |
| of Forfar } | | { received at the battle of |
| | | { Dumblain in 1715. |
| | | |
| James Lord Torphichen| April 4, 1713 | { Distinguished himself at the |
| Re-appointed | Jan. 31, 1715 | { battle of Dumblain.--Retired |
| | | { in 1722. |
| | | |
| | | { Promoted to the colonelcy of |
| Thomas Fowke | June 25, 1722 | { the 54th foot (afterwards |
| | | { disbanded) in 1741. |
| | | |
| William Erskine | Jan. 21, 1741 | Retired in 1751. |
| | | |
| John Guerin | March 3, 1751 | Removed in 1757. |
| | | |
| George Lawson Hall | May 14, 1757 | Retired in 1761. |
| | | |
| John Litchfield | Oct. 14, 1761 | Removed in 1765. |
| | | |
| | | { Retired from the regiment in |
| Thomas Hay | June 14, 1765 | { 1771, but retained his rank |
| | | { in the army. |
| | | |
| | | { Promoted to the colonelcy of |
| Thomas Bland | Feb. 27, 1771 | { the fifth dragoon guards in |
| | | { 1790. |
| | | |
| | | { Removed to the |
| John William Egerton | Nov. 18, 1790 | { lieut.-colonelcy dragoons |
| | | { of the fourteenth light in |
| | | { 1797. |
| | | |
| William Osborne | March 1, 1794 | { Exchanged to sixteenth light |
| | | { dragoons in 1797. |
| | | |
| Henry W. Lord } | | |
| Paget, now Marquis } | April 6, 1797 | { Promoted to the colonelcy of |
| of Anglesey, K.G., } | | { the regiment in 1801. |
| &c. } | | |
| | | |
| John G. Le Marchant | June 1, 1797 | { Removed to second dragoon |
| | | { guards in 1801. |
| | | |
| Michael Barne | July 19, 1799 | Retired in 1805. |
| | | |
| John Walhause | May 16, 1801 | { Exchanged to twenty-fifth |
| | | { light dragoons in 1804. |
| | | |
| Richard Hussey | Dec. 28, 1804 | Promoted major-general in 1814.|
| Vivian | | |
| | | |
| Edward Kerrison | April 4, 1805 | Ditto ditto 1819.|
| | | |
| William Thornhill | Aug. 12, 1819 | Retired in 1826. |
| | | |
| James John Fraser | Sept. 28, 1826 | Retired on half-pay in 1830. |
| | | |
| Edward Keane | June 15, 1830 | { Exchanged to half-pay |
| | | { unattached in 1833. |
| | | |
| Charles John Hill | April 5, 1833 | To half-pay unattached in 1837.|
| | | |
| John James Whyte | Oct. 21, 1837 | |
+----------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
SUCCESSION OF MAJORS
OF THE
SEVENTH, OR QUEEN'S OWN, REGIMENT OF HUSSARS.
+----------------------------+----------------+
| | Date of |
| Name. | Appointment. |
+----------------------------+----------------+
| George Wishart. | Dec. 30, 1690 |
| | |
| Patrick Hume, afterwards } | 1694 |
| Lord Polwarth } | |
| | |
| John Johnston | March 30, 1697 |
| | |
| George Douglas | April 28, 1707 |
| | |
| Archibald Lord Wandale | Sept. 22, 1711 |
| | |
| --------- Preston | Oct. 30, 1711 |
| | |
| James Lord Torphichen | Feb. 15, 1712 |
| | |
| James Nasmyth | April 15, 1714 |
| | |
| Matthew Stewart | Jan. 31, 1715 |
| | |
| James Agnew | April 4, 1733 |
| | |
| John Guerin | July 23, 1748 |
| | |
| Edward Harvey | March 8, 1751 |
| | |
| James Wharton | Jan. 5, 1754 |
| | |
| George Lawson Hall | April 8, 1755 |
| | |
| James Shipley | May 14, 1757 |
| | |
| John Litchfield | Feb. 10, 1758 |
| | |
| Thomas Hay | Oct. 14, 1761 |
| | |
| Thomas Bland | June 14, 1765 |
| | |
| Robert Lawrie | Feb. 27, 1771 |
| | |
| Thomas Warburton | April 26, 1779 |
| | |
| William Osborne | March 7, 1787 |
| | |
| Richard Watson | March 1, 1794 |
| | |
| Michael Barne | March 1, 1794 |
| | |
| John Walhouse | Oct. 18, 1798 |
| | |
| William Calcraft | July 19, 1799 |
| | |
| Charles Taylor | May 16, 1801 |
| | |
| Richard Hussey Vivian | March 9, 1803 |
| | |
| Edward Kerrison | May 12, 1803 |
| | |
| James Stuart | Sept. 28, 1804 |
| | |
| Hon. Berkeley Paget | April 4, 1805 |
| | |
| William Tuyll | Jan. 1, 1807 |
| | |
| Hon. G. H. C. Cavendish | June 23, 1808 |
| | |
| Charles Denshire | Feb. 23, 1809 |
| | |
| George Cholmley | April 27, 1809 |
| | |
| Edward Hodge | May 7, 1812 |
| | |
| William Thornhill | April 8, 1813 |
| | |
| William Verner | June 17, 1815 |
| | |
| Thomas William Robins | Dec. 24, 1818 |
| | |
| Edward Keane | Dec. 16, 1819 |
| | |
| James Hamlyn Williams | Oct. 24, 1821 |
| | |
| James John Fraser | Feb. 27, 1823 |
| | |
| William Shirley | June 17, 1824 |
| | |
| Hon. George Berkeley } | Sept. 28, 1826 |
| Molyneux } | |
| | |
| Charles John Hill | Dec. 31, 1827 |
| | |
| Philip Dundas | Dec. 3, 1830 |
| | |
| John James Whyte | April 5, 1833 |
| | |
| Arthur William Biggs | Oct. 21, 1837 |
| | |
| Thos. Edmund Campbell | Nov. 4, 1840 |
+----------------------------+----------------+
FOOTNOTES:
[1] These two troops have, by several authors, been erroneously
styled "regiments."
[2] See the Historical Record of the Third Foot, or the Buffs, from
page 63 to 66.
[3] The following speculative account of the regiment is extracted
from Mc Pherson's Secret History of England; edition of 1775,
vol. 2, page 7; Mr. Scott's relation, "An Account of the State of
Scotland, in July, 1706."
"The Earl of Lothian's regiment of dragoons (as I remember)
consists of six companys, each company, including serjeants
corporals, and drummers, is thirty men. The colonel's character
is already given. The lieut.-colonel is son to Polwarth, now
called Earl of Marchmont. When the late Earl of Hume listed, this
lieut.-colonel was thought well-affected, and very much under the
influence of Hume; but what to say of him now I know not. The major
of the regiment, John Johnston of Westraw, is reported to have
loyal inclinations, being much managed that way by his very loyal
lady, whom few of any side must trust."
[4] See the Record of the First, or Royal Regiment of Dragoons,
pages 52 and 53.
[5]
_Whitehall, 1st August, 1715._
"GENTLEMEN,
"His Majesty having been pleased to declare the regiment of
dragoons whereof the Honorable William Kerr is colonel, to be
'HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES' OWN ROYAL REGIMENT OF
DRAGOONS,' I am desired you will acquaint the Right Honorable the
Lord Townshend therewith, that a commission may be accordingly
prepared, constituting the said William Kerr, Esq. colonel of the
said regiment.
"I am, &c.,
"WILLIAM PULTENEY,"
(_Secretary at War_.)
_The Secretaries to
The Lord Townshend._
[6] An instance of ardent attachment and zeal was exemplified by a
detachment of the SEVENTH light dragoons, who, having been informed
that Lieut.-Colonel Osborne had been made prisoner, rushed forward
among the enemy and rescued him.
[7] An instance again occurred of gallantry in a detachment having
pressed forward in consequence of a report that Colonel Lord Paget
had been taken prisoner: the report proved incorrect, but the zeal
of the men of the SEVENTH and their attachment to their officers
was on this, as on other occasions, strongly manifested; and
although His Lordship felt it necessary to restrain this excess of
ardour, he could not withhold an expression of his feeling of the
good intentions of his brave corps.
[8] Macky, in his characters of the Scottish nobility, speaking
of the Marquis of Lothian, observes--"He hath abundance of fire,
and may prove a man of business when he applies himself that way;
laughs at all revealed religion, yet sets up for a pillar of
presbytery, being very zealous, though not devout. He is brave in
his person; loves his country and his bottle; a thorough libertine;
very handsome; hair black; with a fine eye; 45 years old."
LONDON:
HARRISON AND CO., PRINTERS,
ST. MARTIN'S LANE.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within
the text and consultation of external sources.
Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text,
and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. For example,
rencounters; devotedness; impracticability; Field-Marshal,
Field Marshal; re-called, recalled; honorable, honourable.
Pg 29, '1720, the the regiment' replaced by '1720, the regiment'.
Pg 39, 'without lappels' replaced by 'without lapels'.
Pg 44, 'dragoons of Price-schenik' retained, but perhaps meant to be
'dragoons of Prince Friedrich'.
Pg 44, 'was advanceing' replaced by 'was advancing'.
Pg 101, 'Lord Torpichen' replaced by 'Lord Torphichen'.