in the reign of James VI., was the succession of Henry of Navarre, a
Protestant prince, to the throne of France, in 1589, by the title of
Henry IV., when a sanguinary war commenced between him and the combined
Roman Catholic princes and nobles, called the Leaguers, who opposed
his accession to the throne with all their power and influence. Queen
Elizabeth furnished the French monarch with auxiliary English forces;
the King of Scotland permitted his subjects to aid the Protestant
cause, and several companies of Scottish foot were raised and sent
to France. The British troops highly distinguished themselves under
the Lord Willoughby, Sir John Norris, Sir Roger Williams, and other
commanders. The English afterwards quitted France, but Henry IV.,
having discovered the value of these companies of hardy and valiant
Scots, retained them in his service.
[Sidenote: 1609]
[Sidenote: 1610]
In 1609, and the early part of 1610, Henry IV. made preparations for
engaging in a war with the House of Austria; but he was murdered in
the streets of Paris on the 14th of May, 1610; and, after his death,
his son, Louis XIII., being a minor, the preparations for war were
discontinued, and part of the army was disbanded.
Leaving the Scots companies in France, where they appear to have been
employed in garrison duty for many years, the Record commences the
narrative of the services of another body of Scots, under the King of
Sweden, of which the ROYAL REGIMENT is also the representative.
[Sidenote: 1611]
[Sidenote: 1613]
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS, _King of Sweden_, who was designated "_the lion of
the north_," succeeded to the throne in 1611, and he soon began to take
an important part in the affairs of Europe. Having heard of the valour
of the Scots, he procured, in 1613, a number of companies from Scotland
and from the Netherlands,[13] and formed two Scots regiments. He also
hired fifteen ships from the Scots nation, which took the town and
district of Drontheim, and sailed afterwards to the southernmost shores
of Sweden.[14]
[Sidenote: 1615]
[Sidenote: 1616]
A peace was soon afterwards concluded between Sweden and Denmark;
but Gustavus retained his Scots veterans in his service; and in 1615
he commenced a war with Russia. He soon rendered himself master of
the province of Ingria,--took by storm the strong fort of _Kexholm_,
and besieged _Plesko_; but he was induced to desist from further
enterprises by the pacific interposition of King James I. of England,
and a cessation of hostilities took place.
[Sidenote: 1617]
[Sidenote: 1619]
The Scots in the service of Gustavus were, however, allowed but a short
period of repose before they were again called upon to take the field.
In 1617 Gustavus invaded Poland; and his troops were engaged in various
actions until 1619, when a truce was agreed upon by the contending
powers.
[Sidenote: 1620]
[Sidenote: 1621]
In 1620 the King of Sweden renewed the war; and the Scots, under
Colonels Ruthven and Seaton, distinguished themselves at the siege and
capture of _Riga_, the capital city of Livonia. The towns of _Dunamond_
and _Mittau_ were also captured soon afterwards; and these successes
were followed by another truce.
Meanwhile events had transpired which gave rise to the formation of
another body of Scots, with whose services the ROYAL Regiment is also
connected. The Protestants of Bohemia having revolted from the dominion
of Austria, elected to the throne the Count Palatine, who was assisted
by an English regiment under Sir Horace Hore; and had also in his
service a regiment of English and Scots, under Colonel GRAY; and one of
the Scots companies was commanded by JOHN HEPBURN, who was the first
Colonel of the ROYAL Regiment. GRAY'S regiment was employed in 1620 to
guard the King of Bohemia's person; but after the loss of the battle
of _Prague_ in 1621, His Majesty fled to Holland. GRAY'S regiment
formed part of the force rallied by the Earl of Mansfield; after many
enterprises, it retreated to the Palatinate, and was employed in Alsace
and Germany.
[Sidenote: 1622]
[Sidenote: 1625]
After the Princes of the Union had made peace with the Emperor, it
retreated through Alsace and Lorraine, and along the borders of France
to the Netherlands, and was engaged with a Spanish force near _Fleurus_
(30th August, 1622), when Sir James Ramsay and Captains HEPBURN and
Hume evinced signal gallantry. The army afterwards proceeded to
Holland, and was disbanded; when HEPBURN and his company entered the
service of the King of Sweden. About the year 1625, Gustavus Adolphus
appointed JOHN HEPBURN Colonel of a Scots regiment, of which the ROYAL
REGIMENT OF FOOT is the representative.
The King of Sweden renewed hostilities with Poland in 1625, and
conquered _Selburg_, _Duneberg_, _Nidorp_, and _Dorpat_; and defeated
the Polish army on the plains of _Semigallia_.
[Sidenote: 1626]
During the succeeding year he captured several places belonging to
the Elector of Brandenburg; and in a short time afterwards gained
possession of Polish Prussia.
Historians have omitted to state the part which the Scots regiments
took in these services; but it is recorded that at the relief of _Mew_,
a town near the conflux of the river Versa into the Vistula, COLONEL
JOHN HEPBURN'S Scots soldiers highly distinguished themselves. These
veterans being sent upon a desperate service, climbed a steep and
difficult eminence with surprising alacrity to attack the Poles.
"When Thurn and Hepburn had gained the summit, which lay near the
banks of the Vistula, they found the Polish soldiers entrenching
themselves, and fell on them with incredible fury. But as the Poles
poured in fresh troops every moment, the fight was maintained for two
hours with surprising obstinacy. During this interval Gustavus threw
a supply of men and ammunition into the town. And here, once more, it
appeared that infantry were able to resist an equal or superior body
of cavalry, for the fire of Thurn's soldiers was irresistible, and the
pikemen stood immovable, like a wall of brass."[15] The Poles, dismayed
at the desperate resolution of their opponents, raised the siege, and
Gustavus entered the town on the same evening.
[Sidenote: 1627]
The King of Sweden made his appearance in Prussia in 1627, at the
head of a brave and well-appointed army, of which COLONEL HEPBURN'S
regiment formed a part; he took _Kesmark_ by assault, and defeated, on
the same day, a division of Polish troops marching to its relief. He
afterwards besieged and captured _Marienberg_; and defeated the Poles
at _Dirschan_.
[Sidenote: 1628]
The army was joined in 1628 by nine thousand Scots and English
soldiers, and from this period the British troops took an important
part in the military operations of the Swedish monarch, who was now
at the head of 2,000 cavalry, 24,000 infantry, and 3,000 archers. He
repulsed the Poles in a sharp skirmish, and captured four field-pieces
and fourteen colours; and he subsequently besieged _Dantzic_, but he
afterwards relinquished his design on this place, and captured, by
surrender, _Newburg_, _Strasberg_, and _Dribentz_, and took _Sweitz_
and _Massovia_ by storm.
This year _Stralsund_ was besieged by the Imperialists, and two Scots
regiments in the service of the King of Denmark, with a detachment
from the King of Sweden's army, under the Scots Colonel, Sir Alexander
Lesley, assisted in the defence of the town; after a siege of
three months, the Emperor's General, Albert Count Walstein, having
half-ruined a numerous army, retired from before the place.
[Sidenote: 1629]
In the succeeding year the Emperor Ferdinand II. commenced measures
for the extirpation of the protestant religion in Germany, where it
had taken deep root for about a century; he also sent troops to the
assistance of the Poles in their war with Sweden; but Gustavus was
enabled to oppose the united armies, and to hold them in check. In a
partial action between the advance-guards, a few miles from _Thorn_,
Gustavus's hat was knocked off in a personal encounter with one of
the enemy's officers named Sirot, who afterwards wore the hat without
knowing to whom it belonged. On the succeeding day, two prisoners
(one a Scots officer named Hume) seeing Sirot wearing the King, their
master's, hat, wept exceedingly, and with exclamations of sorrow,
desired to be informed if the King was dead. Sirot, being thus made
acquainted with the quality of his antagonist in the preceding day's
skirmish, related the manner in which he became possessed of the hat,
upon which they recovered a little from their anxiety and surprise.
Soon afterwards the King of Poland, having nearly exhausted his
resources, became disposed to enter into pacific relations with Sweden,
and a treaty was concluded in the summer of this year.
This peace gave the King of Sweden an opportunity of executing his
design of interposing in behalf of the persecuted protestants of
Germany, in which he was abetted by England, France, and Holland, and
the Scots in his service had the honour of taking part in this glorious
enterprise.
[Sidenote: 1630]
Preparations were made for this great undertaking with perseverance
and judgment. It is recorded in history that the King of Sweden had in
his service ten thousand English and Scots soldiers, well nurtured and
experienced in war, in whom "he always principally confided, conferring
on them the glory of every critical and trying adventure." Amongst
these forces, COLONEL JOHN HEPBURN'S SCOTS REGIMENT appears to have
held a distinguished character for gallantry on all occasions; and no
troops appear to have been found better calculated for this important
enterprise than the Scots, who proved brave, hardy, patient of fatigue
and privation, frugal, obedient, and sober soldiers. In addition to
the British troops already in his service, Gustavus afterwards entered
into a treaty with the Marquis of Hamilton, who engaged to raise eight
thousand English and Scots for the service of the Swedish monarch.
When the King sailed with his main army for Pomerania, where he arrived
towards the end of June, 1630, COLONEL HEPBURN'S REGIMENT was stationed
under the renowned Chancellor Oxenstiern in Polish Prussia; but it
was soon afterwards engaged in operations in Outer Pomerania; and was
subsequently again stationed in Prussia, from whence it was suddenly
ordered to _Rugenwald_, in consequence of the following extraordinary
occurrence.
One of the Scots regiments[16] in the service of Sweden, commanded by
Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monro, having embarked from Pillau in the
middle of August, in order to join the main army, was shipwrecked a
short distance from _Rugenwald_ in Pomerania, which place was occupied
by a garrison of Imperialists. These brave Scots, being cast ashore,
drenched with wet, without ammunition, and having only their pikes and
swords, and a few wet muskets, found themselves surrounded by garrisons
of the enemy, and at a distance of eighty miles from the king and
his army; yet, with astonishing resolution and courage, under such
disadvantageous circumstances, they concealed themselves near the shore
until night, and, having secretly procured a few dry muskets and some
ammunition from a Pomeranian officer, they took the town by a midnight
assault, and maintained themselves, fighting and skirmishing with
the enemy, until COLONEL HEPBURN arrived with his regiment to their
relief.[17]
A Swedish army of eight thousand men was soon afterwards assembled near
Rugenwald, and COLONEL HEPBURN'S REGIMENT, having been relieved from
garrison duty, advanced to _Colberg_, and was engaged in the blockade
of the town; a detachment of the regiment was also sharply engaged with
a body of Imperialists which was advancing to relieve the place, but
was defeated.[18]
[Sidenote: 1631]
During the winter the regiment marched to the vicinity of Stettin,
the capital of Pomerania: it was subsequently employed in several
operations; and in March, 1631, it was encamped at Schwedt, in the
province of Brandenburg, where it was formed in brigade with three
other Scots regiments, viz.--Mackay's, Lumsdell's, and Stargate's.
This brigade was commanded by Colonel Hepburn, whose regiment took
the right, and was designated HEPBURN'S SCOTS BRIGADE or the _Green
Brigade_: other brigades were also formed and designated the _Yellow
Brigade_, the _Blue Brigade_, and the _White Brigade_.[19]
Advancing from Schwedt on the 24th of March, the regiment proceeded
with the main army, commanded by Gustavus in person, to _Frankfort_ on
the Oder, and was employed in the attack on the town. The army arrived
before the town during the afternoon preceding Palm Sunday, and the
regiment was posted opposite Gubengate. On the following day, after
divine service had been twice performed, the King sent Captain Guntier
of the regiment, with a serjeant and twelve private men, to ascertain
if a body of troops could be lodged between the outer and inner walls;
and this little party having, with fine courage, waded the ditch and
ascended the mud wall, gained the required information, and returned
without sustaining any loss; the King immediately afterwards commanded
the town to be attacked by storm; HEPBURN'S SCOTS BRIGADE was ordered
to commence the assault, and a select body of pikemen, with Sir John
Hepburn at their head, took the lead in this splendid enterprise.
The fascines and scaling ladders being ready, the King called Colonels
Hepburn and Lumsdell, and said, _My valiant Scots, remember your
countrymen slain at Old Brandenburg_.[20] The next moment the cannon
fired a volley, and the storming party rushing through the smoke
instantly attacked the town. Colonel Hepburn and his gallant pikemen
waded the ditch, in doing which they were waist deep in mud and water,
and carried the outer wall in gallant style. The enemy fled from the
wall towards a great sallyport, followed by Hepburn and his valiant
pikemen in full career; but when within a few paces of the port,
Hepburn was wounded in the leg and forced to halt; his place was
instantly supplied by the Major of his regiment, who was shot dead the
next moment; many of the pikemen also fell, and the remainder shrank
back before the tempest of bullets which assailed them. But in a few
moments the pikemen, led by Colonel Lumsdell and Lieutenant-Colonel
Monro, returned to the charge, and forced the sallyport; the enemy,
being confounded by the fury of the onset, omitted to let down the
portcullis. Having gained the streets, the pikemen formed up, and a
division of musketeers formed on each flank; the musketeers opened
their fire, the pikemen charged along the street, and the enemy was
routed, when a dreadful slaughter ensued, for during the fury of the
assault no quarter was given. Lieutenant-Colonel Masten, with a party
of musketeers of HEPBURN'S BRIGADE, followed the pikemen into the town,
and joining in the charge, augmented the confusion and slaughter of
the enemy. Meanwhile Major John Sinclair and Lieutenant George Heatly,
with another party of fifty musketeers of HEPBURN'S BRIGADE, scaled the
walls with ladders and drove their opponents into the town; but were
immediately afterwards charged by a troop of Imperial cuirassiers. The
brave Scots retired a few paces, and placing their backs to the wall,
kept up such a sharp fire that they forced the cuirassiers to retreat.
While HEPBURN'S SCOTS BRIGADE was thus carrying all before it, the
Yellow and Blue Brigades attacked another part of the town, where they
were warmly received by an Irish Regiment in the Emperor's service,
and were twice repulsed. The Irish behaved to admiration, but being
eventually overpowered, nearly every man was killed; and their Colonel,
Walter Butler, being shot through the arm, and pierced through the
thigh with a pike, was taken prisoner.
The slaughter continued for some time. The Imperialists beat a parley
twice, but the noise and tumult of the conflict was so great that the
drum was not heard; and they eventually fled over the bridge, leaving
nearly two thousand men and fifty colours behind them, besides stores,
treasure, and much valuable property, which fell into the hands of the
victors. The leading division of pikemen of HEPBURN'S BRIGADE, which,
after he was wounded, was commanded by Colonel Lumsdell, captured
EIGHTEEN COLOURS. This officer highly distinguished himself; and after
the town was taken, the King bid him ask what he pleased and his
request should be granted.[21]
Frankfort being thus gallantly won, a Scots officer, Major-General
Lesley, was appointed governor of this important acquisition; and on
the 5th of April, the King, placing himself at the head of a select
body of men from each brigade, commanded by Colonel Hepburn, proceeded
in the direction of _Landsberg_, and while on the march, the advance
guard defeated a regiment of Croatians. On the 8th of April a strong
fort in front of the town was attacked. The King, having through the
invention of a floating-bridge, and the ingenuity of a blacksmith,
surprised an out-guard and gained some advantage, the fort surrendered,
and the town soon afterwards followed this example. It was a remarkable
circumstance that the garrison exceeded in numbers the besieging army;
but the valour of Gustavus's troops, and the high state of discipline
which prevailed in his army, enabled him to perform astonishing
exploits. Colonel Hepburn and Lieutenant-Colonel Monro acquired great
credit by their conduct on this occasion.
After placing a garrison in Landsberg, the detachment commenced its
march on the 18th of April, back to Frankfort; and HEPBURN'S REGIMENT
proceeded soon afterwards to the vicinity of Berlin. Attempts were
made to induce the Duke of Brandenburg to join with the Swedes, and
when persuasion proved unavailing, the city of Berlin was invested.
The Duke, alarmed at this hostile proceeding, sent his Duchess and the
ladies of the court to entreat Gustavus to forbear; but the Swedish
monarch proved inexorable, and the Duke of Brandenburg was forced to
comply.
In July the regiment proceeded to Old Brandenburg, and on its arrival,
a pestilential disease raging in the city, the regiment was ordered to
encamp in the fields. During the same month the Marquis of Hamilton
arrived in Germany with six thousand British troops, which had been
raised for the service of the King of Sweden.
The regiment was subsequently engaged in several operations. It
encamped a short time near the banks of the Elbe, in the vicinity of
_Werben_, where an entrenched camp was formed, which was attacked
several times by the Imperialists without success.
The Saxons at length united their force with the Swedes; at the same
time the Imperialists, under the Count de Tilly, invaded Saxony, and
captured several towns, including _Leipsic_. The Swedish and Saxon
armies advanced against the invaders, and this movement was followed by
the decisive battle of _Leipsic_, in which COLONEL HEPBURN'S REGIMENT
took an important part.[22]
Having passed the night in order of battle, at day-break, on the
morning of the memorable 7th of September, 1631, divine service was
performed in the Swedish army, and the troops afterwards advanced
against the enemy. The Swedes took the right, and the Saxons the left.
The advance guard was composed of three regiments, two Scots and one
Dutch, led by three Scots colonels; and HEPBURN'S SCOTS BRIGADE formed
part of the reserve, which was commanded by Colonel Hepburn. The
engagement commenced about mid-day; and after a tremendous cannonade,
the cavalry of both armies advanced and engaged in a series of charges,
in which the Swedish and Finland horse had the advantage; and the King
was enabled to change his position so as to avoid the evil effects of
a high wind and clouds of dust which nearly blinded his soldiers. At
length the enemy attacked the Saxons on the left with great fury, and
drove them out of the field. The Imperialists then directed their main
force against the Swedes, and a detachment from the Scots regiments
highly distinguished itself in a conflict with the enemy's cavalry.[23]
During the heat of the conflict HEPBURN'S SCOTS BRIGADE was moved from
the rear of the centre to the left flank, which had become exposed by
the flight of the Saxons. Immediately afterwards two columns of the
enemy were seen coming down upon the left of the Swedish army, and the
King ordered HEPBURN'S SCOTS BRIGADE to wheel to the left and confront
the enemy. Before this movement was executed, the Imperialists were
within musket shot; in a moment the artillery on both sides opened
a tremendous cannonade; this was followed by two volleys from the
musketeers, and the next moment HEPBURN'S pikemen went cheering to the
charge with distinguished bravery, and, breaking in upon the front of
the first column, drove it back with terrible confusion and slaughter.
Meanwhile HEPBURN'S right wing of musketeers, commanded by Colonel
Monro, fell with great fury upon the enemy's troops which protected
the cannon and captured the guns. The slaughter would have been great,
but the ground where the battle was fought being very dry, and newly
ploughed, and the wind high, the clouds of dust favoured the escape
of the enemy.[24] When HEPBURN'S BRIGADE was attacking the enemy's
columns, the King sent the Blue Brigade and a body of musketeers to
its assistance; but before the arrival of these reinforcements the
Scots were triumphant. The Imperial columns being broken, the Swedish
horsemen pursued the fugitives until dark and made great slaughter.
Success having attended the Swedish arms in other parts of the field,
the victory was complete; but the conquerors had the misfortune to lose
their baggage, which was plundered by their friends, the runaway Saxons.
The Scots gained great honour in this action, particularly the brigade
of which HEPBURN'S regiment formed part. Colonel Monro, who commanded
the right wing of musketeers, writes--"The victory and credit of the
day was ascribed to our brigade; we were thanked by his Majesty for
our service in a public audience, and in view of the whole army, and
we were promised to be rewarded." In another place the same author
observes--"His Majesty did principally, under God, ascribe the glory
of the victory to the Swedish and Finland horsemen, who were led by
the valorous Velt-Marshal Horne; for though the Dutch horsemen did
behave themselves valorously divers times that day, yet it was not
their fortune to make the charge which did put the enemy to flight;
and though there were brave brigades of Swedes and Dutch in the field,
yet it was the SCOTS brigades' fortune to gain the praise for the foot
service, and not without cause, for they behaved themselves well, being
led and conducted by an expert and fortunate cavalier, the valiant
HEPBURN."[25]
The pursuit was continued until the Imperial army was literally cut
to pieces, excepting a few regiments, which, being favoured by the
clouds of dust and smoke, escaped. The Imperial camp was left standing,
and the Swedish troops passed the night in their enemy's tents. The
Imperial cannon, the greater part of the baggage, and many standards
and colours, were captured by the victorious Gustavus. Such were the
results of the famous battle of _Leipsic_,--the most important action
which had been fought for more than half a century,--and where the
regiment, which is now represented by the FIRST, or ROYAL REGIMENT, in
the British line, acquired great honour.
After passing the night on the field of battle the army assembled in
column, and divine service was again performed; after which the King
of Sweden addressed the several regiments on the subject of their
exploits on the preceding day, and again returned thanks to HEPBURN'S
SCOTS BRIGADE for its distinguished gallantry.[26] From the field of
battle the army advanced to _Leipsic_, and invested the town, but
the recapturing of this place was left to the Saxons. Meanwhile part
of HEPBURN'S BRIGADE proceeded to _Halle_, and captured the town and
castle on the 11th of September. While the army lay near this place
several protestant Princes, with the Elector of Saxony at their head,
visited the King, on which occasion his Majesty passed many encomiums
on the Scottish nation, and beckoning to Colonel Hepburn, who stood in
another part of the room, recommended him, Lumsdell, and Monro, to the
Elector's more immediate notice.[27]