1828, when the British troops were withdrawn from Portugal; the
six companies having received the expressions of the approbation
of Major-General Sir Edward Blakeney in brigade orders, for their
exemplary conduct, embarked from Belem stairs on the 31st of March,
and on their arrival at Portsmouth, they were ordered to proceed to
Scotland: they landed at Leith on the 26th and 29th of April, and
proceeded to Edinburgh Castle, where the remainder of the regiment
had previously arrived.
The regiment marched in July to Glasgow, where it received a
new pair of splendid regimental colours, which cost £150, with
belts which cost £21, and a richly-mounted staff, &c., for the
drum-major; which were presented by the colonel, General the Earl
of Chatham.
[Sidenote: 1829]
From Glasgow, the regiment embarked, in July, 1829, in
steam-vessels for Ireland, and after landing at Belfast in the
early part of August, marched to Newry, with detached companies at
Cavan and Clones.
[Sidenote: 1830]
In June, 1830, the regiment marched to Dublin, and occupied
Richmond-barracks; in September it embarked from Dublin, and
having landed at Liverpool, the two flank companies remained
there a short time to attend on the occasion of the opening of
the railroad from that town to Manchester, while the battalion
companies proceeded to Stockport, Bolton, and Oldham; the flank
companies arrived at Stockport on the 18th of September.
[Sidenote: 1831]
In January, 1831, the head-quarters were at Ashton-under-Lyne; in
March at Northampton; and in April at Chatham.
Part of the regiment embarked in this year for New South Wales, in
detachments, as guards to convict-ships.
[Sidenote: 1832]
The head-quarters, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel M'Kenzie,
embarked for the same destination at Deptford, on board the Clyde,
on the 14th of April, 1832, and arrived on the 30th of August.
[Sidenote: 1833]
[Sidenote: 1834]
The regiment remained at New South Wales five years; its
head-quarters being established at Paramatta until June, 1833, when
they were removed to Sydney; but returned to Paramatta in June,
1834; where they remained upwards of twenty months.
[Sidenote: 1835]
On the decease of General the Earl of Chatham the colonelcy of
the KING'S OWN was conferred on Lieut.-General John Hodgson, by
commission dated the 30th of September, 1835.
[Sidenote: 1836]
[Sidenote: 1837]
In March, 1836, the head-quarters were again removed to Sydney; and
in August of the following year two divisions embarked for the East
Indies. One division landed at Madras on the 30th of September,
1837; the head-quarters arrived on the 7th of October, and were
stationed at Fort St. George.
[Sidenote: 1838]
The third and last division embarked from New South Wales on the
26th of December, 1837, and arrived at Madras on the 9th of April,
1838.
[Sidenote: 1839]
Thus, after serving a period of nearly one hundred and sixty years,
in every quarter of the globe, this celebrated corps, which has so
often triumphed over foreign enemies in fields of conflict, has
been appointed to guard the colonial possessions of its country in
the distant clime of India, where it has remained to the beginning
of 1839, which brings this record to a conclusion.
1839
[Illustration: Fourth (or King's Own) Regiment of Foot.
[To face page 141.
]
FOOTNOTES:
[6] Piercy Kirke held the commission of captain-lieutenant of the
Earl of Oxford's troop in the royal regiment of horse guards, at
the time he was appointed lieut.-colonel of this regiment, and for
several months afterwards.
[7] The _first Tangier regiment_ was raised in 1661, and is now the
second, or queen's royal regiment of foot.
[8] The expense of equipping the regiment was estimated at the
following rates.
CLOTHING. APPOINTMENTS.
£. _s. d._ | £. _s. d._
Coat and breeches 1 16 0 | Waist belts 0 4 6
Serjeant's ditto 4 10 0 | Swords 0 4 6
Hats 0 7 0 | Pikemen's Swords 0 5 0
Serjeant's ditto 0 15 0 | Grenadier hangers 0 6 6
Grenadier caps 0 9 6 | Serjeant's Swords 0 10 0
Neckcloths 0 1 0 | Collars or Bandaliers 0 5 6
Serjeant's ditto 0 2 0 | Cartouch boxes 0 2 6
Shirts 0 3 6 | Match boxes 0 1 0
Serjeant's shirt 0 6 0 | Grenade bags 0 6 0
Shoes, per pair 0 4 6 | Knapsacks 0 1 6
Stockings, per pair 0 2 0 |
Serjeant's ditto 0 6 0 |
Sashes for the Pikemen 0 2 6 |
[9] The usual charge for regimental colours, was from £6 to £10
each.
[10]
JAMES R.
For £206 5_s._ 6_d._ to
Thomas Holford for
Ten Colours for The
Queen's Regiment of
Foot.
"Our will and pleasure is, That out of such moneys as shall come
into your hands for the pay and contingent uses of Our guards and
garrisons, you pay to Thomas Holford the sum of Two Hundred and
Six Pounds Five Shillings and Six Pence, for Ten Colours made and
provided by him for Our dearest Consort, The Queen's Regiment of
Foot, and for so doing this, together with the acquittance of the
said Thomas Holford, shall be your warrant and discharge.
"Given at Our Court at Windsor this 21st day of August 1686.
"By His Majesty's command,
"To Our Trusty and well-beloved }
Cousin and Councillor Richard }
Earl of Ranelagh, Our Paymaster-General, } "W. BLATHWAYT."
&c. &c. &c. }
[11]
Third troop of life guards; disbanded in 1746.
Queen's horse; now first dragoon guards.
M. G. Warden's horse; disbanded in 1690.
Queen's dragoons; now third light dragoons.
Royals; now first foot.
Queen Dowager's; now second foot.
Queen Consort's; now fourth foot.
[12] The following corps were sent to England on this occasion:--
First troop of life guards; now first regiment of life guards.
Count De Schomberg's horse; now seventh dragoon guards.
Royal Dragoons; now first, or royal dragoons.
The Queen's regiment of foot; now fourth, or King's Own.
Hastings'; now thirteenth foot.
[13] The Earl of Marlborough's force consisted of the following
corps:--
The Queen's regiment; now fourth, or King's Own.
Royal fusiliers; now seventh foot.
Princess Anne's; now eighth foot.
Hastings'; now thirteenth foot.
Hales's, afterwards disbanded.
Sir David Collier's, ditto.
Fitz-patrick's, ditto.
100 men of the Duke of Bolton's, ditto.
200 of the Earl of Monmouth's, ditto.
Lord Torrington's marine regiment, ditto.
Lord Pembroke's, ditto.
[14] On the accession of Queen Anne, the eighth foot, which had
been designated the Princess Anne's regiment from the time of its
formation in 1685, obtained the title of the _Queen's regiment_,
the Fourth also continued to be distinguished by the same title;
and during this reign _two_ regiments were designated _Queen's
regiments_.
[15] Vide the Historical Record of the Third Foot, or Buffs.
[16] The embarkation return of the regiment is preserved among the
Harleian MSS. No. 7025.
[17] The six regiments of marines were:--
Colonel Thomas Saunderson's; now thirtieth foot.
Colonel George Villiers'; now thirty-first foot.
Colonel Edward Fox's; now thirty-second foot.
Colonel Harry Mordaunt's; disbanded.
Colonel Henry Holt's; disbanded.
Colonel Viscount Shannon's; disbanded.
The six regiments of foot for sea service were:--
Colonel Ventris Columbine's; now sixth foot.
Colonel Thomas Earl's; now nineteenth foot.
Colonel Gustavus Hamilton's; now twentieth foot.
Colonel Lord Lucas's; now thirty-fourth foot.
Colonel Earl of Donegal's; now thirty-fifth foot.
Colonel Lord Charlemont's; now thirty-sixth foot.
[18] The grenadiers, on their institution in 1678, wore fur caps
with high crowns; these were soon afterwards replaced by leather
caps covered with cloth and ornamented with regimental devices,
which were continued until the adoption of bear skin caps in the
reign of George III.
[19] Boyer's Annals of Queen Anne.
[20] In some accounts this officer's name is stated to be Fish, in
others Fisher.
[21] The following regiments were employed on this expedition,
viz.:--
Kirke's regiment, now second foot.
The Queen's " " fourth foot.
Hill's " " eleventh foot.
Desney's " " thirty-sixth foot.
Windress's " " thirty-seventh foot.
Clayton's " disbanded in 1712.
Kane's " " 1713.
Churchill's Marines "
Walton's } North American militia, joined the expedition
Vetch's } at Boston.
[22] "The behaviour of the officers in general was very brave,
nor are some regiments unworthy of great praise; viz., Barrell's
(KING'S OWN), Price's, and some others."--_General Advertizer._
"The regiments which distinguished themselves were Barrell's
(KING'S OWN) and Ligonier's foot."--_Ibid._
[23] "General Barrell's regiment (the KING'S OWN) gained the
greatest reputation imaginable at the late engagement, the best of
the clans having made their strongest efforts to break them, but
without effect; for the old Tangiereenes bravely repulsed those
boasters with a dreadful slaughter, and convinced them that their
broad sword and target are unequal to the musket and bayonet when
in the hands of veterans who are determined to use them. After the
battle there was not a bayonet of this regiment but was either
bloody or bent."
"The battle was so desperate that the soldiers' bayonets were
stained with blood to the muzzles of their musquets."
"There was scarce an officer or soldier of Barrell's (KING'S OWN)
and that part of Munro's (now thirty-seventh) which engaged,
who did not kill one or two men each with their bayonets,"
&c.--_Particulars of the Battle of Culloden published at the time._
[24] The exact time when the regiment obtained the LION OF ENGLAND
for its badge has not been ascertained. A tradition has long
existed in the corps that it was conferred by King William III., in
consequence of its being the first corps which joined him after he
landed at Torbay, in November, 1688; but on searching the details
of the events which occurred at that period, it appears that this
was _not_ the _first_ regiment which joined his Majesty; that only
the colonel, lieut.-colonel, a few other officers, and about thirty
soldiers, joined King William; and that the regiment adhered to
King James until he vacated the throne. It is probable, however,
that this distinguished badge was conferred by King William III.
for the attachment which the regiment evinced to his person and
government and to the protestant cause.
[25] Beatson's Naval and Military Memoirs.
[26] Return of regiments in garrison at Minorca, 1756--
Key:
A = Officers
B = Serjeants
C = Corporals
D = Drummers
E = Privates
F = Killed
G = Wounded
H = Died
+----------------+-------------------------+------------------------+
| | | Loss. |
| Corps. | Strength at the +------------------------+
| | commencement of | During | At the |
| | the siege. | the siege. | general |
| | | | assault.|
| +----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | F | G |
+----------------+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+
|Fourth, or | | | | | | | | | | |
| King's Own | 25 | 28 | 27 | 18 | 616 | 14 | 68 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|Twenty-third, | | | | | | | | | | |
| or Royal Welsh| | | | | | | | | | |
| Fusiliers | 24 | 24 | 26 | 17 | 615 | 19 | 83 | 7 | 9 | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|Twenty-fourth | | | | | | | | | | |
| Regiment | 25 | 23 | 27 | 16 | 623 | 6 | 61 | 6 | .. | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|Thirty-fourth | | | | | | | | | | |
| Regiment | 26 | 29 | 29 | 19 | 650 | 12 | 77 | 9 | 1 | 3 |
| +----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+
| Total |100 |104 |109 | 70 |2504 | 51 |289 | 30 | 17 | 24 |
+----------------+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+
OFFICERS KILLED.
Fourth, or King's Own, --Lieut. Whitehead.
Thirty-fourth regiment,--Captain Hobby.
" " Lieut. Armstrong.
OFFICERS WOUNDED.
Twenty-third regiment, --Lieut. Young.
Twenty-fourth regiment,--Major Godfrey.
" " Lieut. Francis.
Thirty-fourth regiment,--Capt. Sir Hugh Williams.
Engineer,--Major Cunningham.
[27] "Major-General Grant crossed the ford with the Fourth and
fifth regiments, and the FOURTH REGIMENT, passing the ford first,
drove the enemy from an entrenchment and battery, and took from
them three brass field-pieces and a 5½ inch howitzer."--_London
Gazette._
[28] London Gazette.
[29] The effectives of the British army in 1803 were as follows:--
+---------------------------+---------+---------+----------+---------+
| | In | | On | |
| | Great | In | Foreign | Total. |
| | Britain.| Ireland.| Stations.| |
| +---------+---------+----------+---------+
|Cavalry | 10,436 | 3,466 | 2,263 | 16,165 |
|Artillery and engineers | 9,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 14,000 |
|Foot guards | 6,916 | .. | .. | 6,916 |
|Infantry of the line | 44,981 | 21,790 | 42,951 | 109,722 |
|Militia | 66,189 | 18,508 | .. | 84,697 |
| |---------+---------+----------+---------+
| | 137,522 | 45,764 | 48,214 | 231,500 |
| +=========+=========+==========+=========+
|Yeomanry and volunteers:-- | | | | |
| Cavalry | 29,000 | 10,000 | .. | 39,000 |
| Artillery | 7,000 | .. | .. | 7,000 |
| Infantry | 290,000 | 65,000 | .. | 355,000 |
| +---------+---------+----------+---------+
| General Total | 463,522 | 120,764 | 48,214 | 632,500 |
| | | | | |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+----------+---------+
The above numbers of "Fighting men" are exclusive of the Royal Navy
and Marines.
[30]
_A "Horse Guards, 5th September, 1804._
"MY DEAR LORD,
"I have been so extremely occupied since my return from my tour
through the southern district that I have never been able, till
this day, to write to you, and to express to you, in the warmest
manner possible, the thorough satisfaction I experienced at the
appearance and state of discipline of the KING'S OWN regiment,
which does the highest credit to the commanding officer, and every
individual in it. I beg your lordship to convey these sentiments
from me to the regiment, and at the same time to be assured
that I shall, in consequence, recommend to his Majesty to allow
a greater promotion to take place in the KING'S OWN upon the
present occasion, than has been allowed to other regiments, the
fifty-second excepted. I shall therefore be happy to receive any
recommendations that your lordship may think proper to make."
(Signed) "FREDERICK."
"_To Lieut.-General the Earl of Chatham._
"Lieut.-General the Earl of Chatham has the greatest pleasure
in communicating to the KING'S OWN regiment the distinguished
approbation which his Royal Highness the commander-in-chief has
been pleased to convey to him of their soldierlike appearance and
high state of discipline when his Royal Highness lately saw them
at Shorncliffe camp. Lord Chatham desires to offer his particular
thanks to Lieut.-Colonel Brinley, as well as to the officers,
non-commissioned officers, and privates, for their conduct and
unremitted exertions, so well attested by the superior appearance
of the regiment, and he trusts that a perseverance in the same
exemplary conduct, will ensure to them a continuance of his Royal
Highness's favourable opinion.
"Lord Chatham assures the regiment that it is with the warmest
satisfaction he has seen a corps, whose zeal and whose bravery it
has been his good fortune to witness in the field, attain that
degree of discipline, correctness, and precision, which when
combined must ever render British soldiers invincible."
[31] After dinner Colonel Brinley was addressed by Major Dales as
follows:--
"The KING'S OWN have directed me to inform you that, while they
rejoice at your promotion, they feel much distressed at parting
with an officer whose whole time has been so zealously and
successfully employed for the general welfare of the corps. It is
their intention to beg your acceptance of a small mark of their
universal esteem, and it naturally suggested itself to them that
a SWORD was the most appropriate token; and, while it will keep
alive your attachment to them, opportunities will probably occur
when it will be drawn in defence of the best of Kings and best of
governments."
To which the colonel replied:--"I beg leave to express in the
warmest terms, how much I feel the marked attention showed me by
this very elegant entertainment. I return you a thousand thanks for
the testimony of your attachment, esteem, and regard, manifested
by the proposed present of a superb sword, which I shall wear
with pride, and I hope with honour to the end of my life. To your
assistance alone, during the three years I have had the honour to
command you, am I indebted for enabling me to bring the KING'S OWN
regiment to its present state of perfection; and I attribute the
recent mark of favour which his Majesty has been graciously pleased
to confer on me, to your generous aid."
[32] In 1808 the officers' lace, epaulettes, and buttons, were
directed to be changed from silver to gold.
[33] Lieut.-General Leith was wounded during the action, when
Major-General Pringle assumed the command of the fifth division,
and Lieut.-Colonel Brooke that of the brigade.
[34] Brevet Major John Wynne Fletcher was senior captain of the
regiment, in which he had served most zealously twenty-five years,
and he was sincerely lamented by his brother officers. He was
aide-de-camp to Lieut.-General Sir Henry Warde, K.C.B., commander
of the forces in the Windward and Leeward Islands, who followed
his remains to the grave, and directed a marble tablet, with the
following inscription, to be placed in the church at Bridgetown;--
SACRED TO THE MEMORY
of a good Christian, a gallant soldier, and an honest man,
in life beloved and in death lamented.
Near this spot rest the mortal remains of Brevet Major
JOHN WYNNE FLETCHER,
Captain in the Fourth, or the King's Own Regiment of Foot,
And Aide-de-camp to Lieut.-General Sir Henry Warde,
Who departed this life on the 24th of October, 1824,
Aged 39 years.
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS
OF
THE FOURTH,
OR THE
KING'S OWN REGIMENT OF FOOT.
CHARLES EARL OF PLYMOUTH.
_Appointed 13th July, 1680._
CHARLES FITZ-CHARLES, natural son of King Charles II., by
Catherine, daughter of Thomas Pegg, Esq., of Yeldersley, in
Derbyshire, was advanced to the peerage in July, 1675, by the
titles of Baron Dartmouth, Viscount Totness, and EARL OF PLYMOUTH.
Being a sprightly youth, and an aspirant to military fame, he
obtained permission of the king, his father, to proceed in the
character of a volunteer to the city of Tangier, in Africa, where
he was initiated in the first rudiments of war. Having been
educated abroad, he was familiarly styled Don Carlos, and in
the printed narratives of several skirmishes with the Moors he
is spoken of in terms of commendation. While he was engaged in
the defence of this fortress the SECOND TANGIER, now KING'S OWN,
regiment of foot was raised in England, of which his lordship was
appointed colonel. During the siege he was attacked with a severe
dysentery, of which he died in October, 1680, in the twenty-third
year of his age. He was a very promising officer, of good natural
abilities, affable, generous, and brave, and his death was much
regretted by his companions in arms, also by the king, his father.
His body was embalmed, sent to England, and interred in Westminster
Abbey.
PIERCY KIRKE.
_Appointed 27th November, 1680._
PIERCY KIRKE is represented by historians as an adventurous
soldier of fortune, distinguished for personal bravery and gross
immorality. He entered the army soon after the suppression of
the insurrection of the Millenarians (or fifth-monarchy men) in
1661, and was many years an officer in the royal regiment of
horse guards. During the Dutch war he obtained permission of King
Charles II. to proceed to France to join the Duke of Monmouth's
regiment of foot,--then in the service of Louis XIV. With this
corps he served under the Duke of Monmouth at the siege of
Maestricht in 1613; and in the two succeeding campaigns with the
French army on the Rhine, commanded by the celebrated Marshal
Turenne, under whose orders the English regiments of Monmouth and
Churchill, and the Scots regiments of Douglas (now first royal)
and of Hamilton, highly distinguished themselves. These corps also
acquired additional laurels under Marshal Luxemburg, in 1676; and
under Marshal De Crequi, in 1677; but the loose discipline which
prevailed in the French army in Germany occasioned the troops to
contract licentious habits, from which KIRKE was never afterwards
thoroughly reclaimed. On the formation of the SECOND TANGIER, now
KING'S OWN, regiment, he was appointed to the lieut.-colonelcy,
and in November he succeeded the Earl of Plymouth in the command
of the corps; he was also appointed commander of the forces at
Tangier, and he subsequently performed the duties of governor of
that colony. While at Tangier, he was employed on an embassy to the
Emperor of Morocco; he is said to have contracted a friendship with
several Moorish chiefs, and an interchange of civilities took place
between him and the emperor: his connexion with these barbarians,
among whom internal feuds and the exercise of cruel propensities
were frequent, was not calculated to soften the rugged traits of
his character. In 1682 he was removed to the first Tangier (now
second or queen's royal) regiment; which corps he commanded at
the battle of Sedgemoor, where the rebel army under the Duke of
Monmouth was overthrown. He was afterwards directed to attend with
his regiment Lord Chief Justice Jeffries and four other judges, who
were appointed to try the rebel prisoners; and while employed on
this service he is said to have executed a number of wounded rebels
in a barbarous manner, and he was also charged with the commission
of numerous acts of wanton cruelty, for which he afterwards pleaded
the express orders of the king and of Lieut.-General the Earl of
Feversham. Brigadier-General Kirke certainly did not exhibit on
this occasion the traits of a humane disposition, yet no doubt can
exist but that the barbarities said to have been committed by him
have been much exaggerated. The secretary-at-war summoned him to
appear at court and explain his proceedings, which he did to the
satisfaction of the king. He afterwards joined the association in
favour of the Prince of Orange; this was, however, not suspected by
James II., who promoted him to the rank of major-general on the 8th
of November, 1688, and placed him at the head of the van-guard of
the army appointed to oppose the Prince. KIRKE is reported to have
formed the design of seizing the king's person at Warminster, and
of delivering him into the hands of the Prince of Orange; but this
plot was frustrated by the king's being prevented visiting that
quarter in consequence of an excessive bleeding at the nose, to
which his Majesty was subject. Major-General KIRKE was afterwards
arrested and sent under a guard to London; but the flight of the
king to France, and the elevation of the Prince of Orange to
the throne, following in rapid succession, he was liberated and
received into the favour of his new sovereign. In 1689 he was
sent with two regiments of foot to the relief of Londonderry, in
which service he succeeded; but he was accused of cruelty to the
inhabitants, and of augmenting their miseries unnecessarily. He
evinced ability and personal bravery in several skirmishes with
King James's forces; he served under King William at the battle
of the Boyne, and at the siege of Limerick, and on the 24th of
December, 1690, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general.
He was subsequently appointed to the staff of King William's army
in the Netherlands, and he died at Breda on the 31st of October,
1691.
CHARLES TRELAWNY.
_Appointed 23rd April, 1682._