the Irish soldiers had commenced murdering the country people
and setting fire to the villages in the south of England. This
proved false; but on the first circulation of the report, Major
Sir John Edgeworth, who commanded the regiment in the absence of
Colonel Lord Forbes, who was with the Prince of Orange in London
(the Lieut.-Colonel, Lord Brittas, being a Papist, had left the
regiment), assembled the men at his quarters, and formed them on
parade in the court of Lord Oslington's house, which was walled
in. "The country people, hearing that an Irish regiment was there,
came flocking from all parts to knock us on the head; but Sir John
bid them, at their peril, not to approach, and told them we were
not Irish Papists, but true Church of England men; and seeing
among the crowd a gentleman, called to him, and desired he would
send to the minister of the parish to read prayers to us, and if
the minister did not convince them we were all of the Church of
England, we would submit to their mercy. The minister was soon sent
for, and to prayers we went, repeating the responses of the Liturgy
so well and so exactly, that the minister declared to the mob he
never before heard the responses of the Church of England prayers
repeated so distinctly and with so much devotion, upon which the
mob gave a huzza, and cried '_Long live the Prince of Orange!_' and
so returned home."[10]
Soon afterwards the regiment marched to Hertfordshire, and the
Protestant officers of Hamilton's Irish regiment were added to its
numbers. The Irish Roman Catholic soldiers were sent prisoners to
the Isle of Wight, and afterwards transferred to the service of the
Emperor of Germany.
Lord Forbes retiring from the service at this period, the Prince of
Orange conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Major Sir John
Edgeworth, by commission dated the 31st of December, 1688: at the
same time measures were adopted to recruit its diminished numbers.
[Sidenote: 1689]
In the beginning of April, 1689, the regiment marched to Chester,
where it was stationed several weeks.
Colonel Sir John Edgeworth having been guilty of irregularity in
procuring clothing, viz., purchasing the old clothing of disbanded
Roman Catholic soldiers, from the Jews, to supply the recruits,
instead of providing new clothing, was deprived of his commission;
and on the 1st of May, 1689, the colonelcy was conferred on EDWARD
EARL OF MEATH: Major Newcomb was appointed lieut.-colonel, and
Captain Frederick Hamilton major.
Early in May the regiment marched into Wales.
Meanwhile the Prince of Orange had been elevated to the throne; but
Earl Tyrconnel, who had been nominated lord-lieutenant of Ireland
in the preceding year, had retained that country in the Roman
Catholic interest; King James had arrived there with a body of
French troops, and the whole country was subject to him, excepting
Enniskillen and Londonderry, which were defended by Protestants.
To rescue the suffering Protestants of Ireland from the power of
their enemies, King William assembled an army at Chester, under
Marshal Frederick Duke Schomberg; and the EARL OF MEATH'S regiment
being selected for this service, marched to Highlake, where it
embarked for Ireland, and landing at White-house, near Belfast, on
the 22nd of August, joined the troops under Duke Schomberg, who had
commenced the siege of _Carrickfergus_, which fortress surrendered
a few days afterwards.
The regiment advanced with the army to Dundalk, where a camp
was formed on low, wet ground, which occasioned great loss of
life among the troops from disease. No action of importance
occurred during this campaign, and the regiment passed the winter
in quarters at Lisburn, where it furnished a daily guard at
Duke Schomberg's quarters: its ranks were completed by zealous
Protestants, who were eager to enrol themselves under its colours,
and it was the strongest corps in the army.
[Sidenote: 1690]
In the summer of 1690, King William arrived in Ireland, and the
officers and soldiers of the regiment had the honor of serving
under the eye of their Sovereign. They took part in the memorable
battle of the _Boyne_, on the 1st of July, when the army of King
William forced the passage of the river in the face of the French
and Irish forces under King James, and gained a decisive victory.
From the Boyne the regiment marched with the army towards Dublin,
and at the general review at Finglass, on the 7th and 8th of
July, it mustered six hundred and seventy-eight rank and file. It
afterwards proceeded towards _Limerick_, where the defeated army
of King James had rallied, and was prepared to make a determined
stand. On arriving before the town, the regiment was detached, with
three other corps, against _Castle-Connell_, which surrendered on
being summoned.
The British battering train was destroyed by a detachment of the
enemy, before it arrived at the camp; but the King resolved to
prosecute the siege, and on the 20th of August the grenadiers of
the regiment, commanded by Captain Needham, with those of Lord
Cutts's regiment under Captain Foxon, entered the trenches to storm
one of the outworks near the south-east corner of the wall. At two
o'clock in the afternoon the signal was given, when the grenadiers
rushed forward under a heavy fire, threw a shower of hand-grenades
into the outwork, and scaling the wall with distinguished
gallantry, captured the fort, killing about fifty men, and making
a captain and twelve men prisoners: the remainder of the garrison
escaped into the town. The grenadiers maintained the post they had
captured; a sortie of the enemy was repulsed; and when the soldiers
of the regiment were relieved, they retired: as they withdrew,
Captain Needham was killed by a random shot from the town.[11]
A breach being made in the wall, and the approaches carried to
the foot of the glacis, the King ordered a general assault to be
made, on the 27th of August, by half the grenadiers of the army,
supported by seven battalions, to capture the covered way and two
towers near the breach: the EARL OF MEATH'S regiment was one of
the corps selected for this service. The assault was made with
great gallantry; but, owing to some misapprehension of orders, the
attack failed, and the several regiments engaged were forced to
retire to the trenches, with the loss of five hundred officers and
soldiers killed, and upwards of a thousand wounded.
The regiment had Lieutenant Latham and Ensign Smith killed;
Lieut.-Colonel Newcomb died of his wounds; Colonel the Earl of
Meath, Lieutenants Blakeney and Hubblethorn, wounded; and upwards
of a hundred soldiers killed and wounded.[12]
The failure of this attack, with the approach of unfavourable
weather, occasioned His Majesty to raise the siege, when the
regiment marched with several others, under Major-General Kirke,
towards Mullingar; but afterwards proceeded to the relief
of _Birr_, which was besieged by a body of the enemy under
Major-General Sarsfield, who retired behind the Shannon on the
approach of the British troops.
The regiment was afterwards stationed at Mullingar, which was one
of the frontier garrisons, and was actively employed during the
winter in making incursions into the enemy's cantonments.
[Sidenote: 1691]
Towards the end of April, 1691, a detachment of the regiment,
commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Hamilton, accompanied a party under
Colonel Brewer in a sudden advance towards Dunore, to surprise two
thousand armed Roman Catholic peasantry, who had taken post near
that place. At daybreak on the following morning the detachment
approached the post, and the enemy formed for battle, but soon
fled, and the soldiers pursued and killed about fifty fugitives.
Quitting Mullingar in the early part of June, the regiment was
engaged in the operations of the army under Lieut.-General Baron
De Ghinkel, afterwards Earl of Athlone:[13] it took part in the
siege of _Ballymore_, which place was captured in a few days;
and afterwards appeared before _Athlone_, in the siege of which
fortress it had several men killed and wounded.
A strong detachment of the regiment took part in the capture of
_Athlone_ by storm, on which occasion the assailants rushed through
the rapid stream of the Shannon, which was breast high, carried
the enemy's works in gallant style, and in less than half an hour
were masters of the town, to the surprise of General St. Ruth, who
commanded King James's army, which was encamped near the fortress,
and who was giving a public entertainment in his camp, when the
news of the loss of _Athlone_ reached him.
After putting the captured fortress in repair, the army marched
towards the enemy, who occupied a strong position near the castle
of _Aghrim_, and on the 12th of July a general engagement took
place, in which the Irish forces were overpowered and driven from
the field with severe loss, including General St. Ruth, who was
killed by a cannon ball. On this occasion the regiment formed part
of the brigade under Major-General Talmash: it had seven rank and
file killed; one major, two captains, one lieutenant, one ensign,
and eight rank and file wounded.
After this victory, the army marched to _Galway_, which surrendered
in a few days; and the victorious English troops proceeded to
_Limerick_, where the remains of the defeated Irish forces had
assembled, and appeared determined to make a resolute stand, in the
hope of being reinforced from France. The regiment had the honour
to take part in the siege of Limerick; and, the army having crossed
the river Shannon and completed the investment of the place, the
Irish soon afterwards surrendered the city, and with it every
other part of Ireland of which they retained possession, the Irish
regiments being permitted to follow King James to France, or remain
in their own country, as they should choose: the "Royal Regiment
of Ireland" was one of the corps which proceeded to France, and
was taken into the service of Louis XIV. The EARL OF MEATH'S, now
EIGHTEENTH regiment, was the only one of the eleven Irish corps
embodied by King Charles II. which remained in the service of the
English crown.
Ireland being rescued from the domination of King James, the
regiment went into quarters in the county of Wicklow, and in
December it proceeded to Waterford and Youghal.
[Sidenote: 1692]
In the spring of 1692, the King of France assembled an army near
La Hogue, and prepared an immense fleet to convey the troops to
England, to replace King James on the throne. When this menace of
invasion was given, the EARL OF MEATH'S and several other regiments
embarked at Waterford for England, and landing at Bristol,
proceeded from thence to Portsmouth. Meanwhile the British and
Dutch fleets had put to sea, and while the nations of Europe were
gazing, in anxious expectation, at these preparations, the French
navy was nearly annihilated in a decisive action off La Hogue, when
the alarm of invasion ceased.
Soon after this victory a powerful armament was placed under the
orders of Lieut.-General Meinhardt Duke of Leinster (afterwards
Duke Schomberg) for the purpose of making a descent on the coast of
France, and the EARL OF MEATH'S regiment was one of the corps which
embarked on this service. The court of France had, however, drawn
so immense a number of troops to the coast, that it was not thought
advisable to land, and the fleet sailed to the Downs, where orders
were received for a number of regiments to proceed to Flanders.
The transports sailed to Ostend, where the EARL OF MEATH'S and
several other corps landed, and being joined by a detachment from
the confederate army under King William, they took and fortified
the towns of Furnes and Dixmude. This service being completed, the
regiment embarked for England; it encountered a severe storm at
sea, and the transports were separated, but no loss was sustained;
part of the regiment arrived in the Thames, the remainder landed at
Harwich, and the whole were united at Bristol.
The Earl of Meath, being desirous of devoting his attention to the
interests of Ireland, retired from the regiment, and was succeeded
in the colonelcy by the lieut.-colonel, FREDERICK HAMILTON; Major
Ormsby was promoted Lieut.-Colonel, and Captain Richard Stearne
Major.
[Sidenote: 1693]
From Bristol the regiment marched in May, 1693, to Portsmouth,
where it embarked on board the fleet to serve as marines, and
in June sailed to Torbay, where the Dutch squadron joined. The
first service undertaken was the protection of about four hundred
merchant ships belonging to England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden,
Hamburg, and Flanders, engaged in the Mediterranean trade. As
the fleet proceeded through the Channel, it presented a splendid
appearance. Captain Parker states--"All the sea, from the line of
battle to our English coast, seemed as a floating wood covered
with canvass; and as the weather was very fair, the whole made a
most glorious appearance." After protecting the merchant-vessels
through the Bay of Biscay, the grand fleet returned, leaving a
squadron under Admiral Sir George Rooke, to continue the voyage
with them. The French monarch had made powerful efforts to send
to sea a formidable fleet, which attempted to intercept the
merchantmen and convoy under Sir George Rooke. The English admiral
avoided an engagement with so superior a force, and brought off the
greater part of his fleet; but many valuable vessels were captured
or destroyed by the enemy. On receiving news of this event, the
combined fleets of England and Holland attempted to intercept the
French naval force, but it got safe into port.
In the autumn the regiment landed and marched to Norwich.
During the campaign of this year, the confederate army in Flanders
had sustained severe loss at the battle of _Landen_, and efforts
were made to increase its numbers, for which purpose Colonel
HAMILTON'S regiment was ordered to proceed abroad. It marched to
London in December, was reviewed by King William in Hyde Park, and
embarking on the Thames, sailed to Ostend, where it landed, and
was stationed several months.
[Sidenote: 1694]
Taking the field in the spring of 1694, the regiment proceeded to
the vicinity of Louvain, where it was reviewed by the King, and
afterwards took part in the operations of the army. At the camp
near Ramilies it was formed in brigade under Major-General Ramsay,
and posted between two divisions of cavalry, in the left wing; it
afterwards shared in many toilsome marches, also formed part of the
covering army during the siege of _Huy_, and subsequently marched
into winter quarters at Ghent.
During this campaign a question arose respecting the rank of
regiments, and the King directed the subject to be submitted to
a board of general officers.[14] Captain Parker states,--"As the
general officers were most of them colonels of regiments raised
in England by King James II., they showed great partiality on
this occasion, for they would not allow the regiments, raised in
Scotland or Ireland, to have any rank in the army previous to the
time of their coming to England and entering upon English pay. By
this regulation, ours, that had been regimented in the time of King
Charles II., lost rank of eleven regiments, that had been raised
by King James II. The King thought it very hard; but as he had
left the matter to them, he confirmed their sentence." The rank
of the regiment was thus fixed as EIGHTEENTH in the British line;
numerical titles were, however, not generally used until the reign
of George II.[15]
[Sidenote: 1695]
Taking the field to serve the campaign of 1695, the regiment
was formed in brigade with the Fifth, Seventh, Twenty-third,
Collingwood's (afterwards disbanded), and La Melonière's
regiment of French Protestants, in the English service, under
Brigadier-General Fitzpatrick.
When King William undertook the siege of the important fortress of
_Namur_, the regiment formed part of the covering army under the
Prince of Vaudemont, against which a French force of very superior
numbers advanced under the orders of Marshal Villeroy. During the
night of the 14th of July, the hostile columns confronted each
other; the French, confident of success, detached a body of troops
to gain the rear of the allies, and anxiously waited for daylight
to commence the action. The Prince of Vaudemont ordered his cavalry
forward; the dragoons dismounting and forming on foot, while the
artillery, and infantry with pikes trailed, withdrew unobserved.
The French prepared for the attack, when the dragoons of the
confederate forces retired a few paces, mounted their horses, and
retreated, presenting to the surprised French what appeared to be
the magic spectacle of an army vanishing out of sight. The enemy
pursued, but the allies retreated in good order, and took up a
position in front of Ghent. This retreat has been celebrated by
historians as a fine specimen of the art of war.
The EIGHTEENTH were afterwards engaged in several manœuvres for
the preservation of the maritime towns of Flanders; in the early
part of August they were encamped between Genappe and Waterloo,
and afterwards joined the forces under King William. In the mean
time the town of Namur had surrendered; but the castle, a strong
fortress situate on a rock, still held out, and, on the 11th of
August, the EIGHTEENTH relieved one of the regiments which had
suffered severely in the siege, and took its turn of duty in the
trenches. A breach having been effected, arrangements were made
for a general assault. Three thousand British, under Lord Cutts,
were to attack the counterscarp and the breach of the Terra Nova;
three thousand Bavarians the breach of the Cohorn; two thousand
Brandenburgers (Prussians) the upper point of the Cohorn; two
thousand Dutch the Casotte; and six hundred men were to storm the
lower town: the EIGHTEENTH formed part of the British storming
party.
The regiment marched into the trenches on the 20th of August, to
take part in storming the Castle of Namur, and the soldiers were
elated with the expectation of distinguishing themselves under the
eye of their Sovereign. The trenches being crowded with troops, the
EIGHTEENTH and two other regiments were ordered to Salsine Abbey,
half a mile from the breach to be attacked. A little before mid-day
the assault was made with heroic ardour, but, owing to some mistake
in the signal, all the corps did not advance simultaneously, and
the British grenadiers, who headed the storming party, were
opposed by very superior numbers, and sustained severe loss; Lord
Cutts being among the wounded. Hurrying from Salsine Abbey to share
in the assault, the EIGHTEENTH approached the scene of conflict
a few moments after the grenadiers had been repulsed and forced
to retire; the regiment, however, rushed forward, stormed the
breach with signal gallantry, and planted the regimental colours
on the summit; but the enemy had constructed a strong work within
the breach, which the utmost efforts of the officers and soldiers
could not force, and after performing "prodigies of valour" they
were obliged to retreat with severe loss. The other attacks were
more successful; and lodgments were effected in the works. Captain
Parker states--"The King saw this action from a rising ground at
the back of Salsine Abbey, and _took particular notice of the
behaviour of our regiment; for ours, only, mounted the top of the
breach, and we planted our colours thereon_, but could not proceed
farther, because a strong retrenchment had been thrown up on the
inside, which we could not see till we had mounted the very top of
the breach, so we were obliged to follow the crowd. His Majesty,
on this occasion, was pleased to honour us with the title of 'THE
ROYAL REGIMENT OF FOOT OF IRELAND.'"[16] The King also conferred
on the regiment the privilege of bearing his own arms, "THE LION
OF NASSAU," on its colours (on which the cross of St. Patrick had
previously been displayed); also the "HARP IN A BLUE FIELD AND A
CROWN OVER IT," and the motto, "_Virtutis Namurcensis Præmium_."
The title was afterwards changed to "ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT."
The regiment sustained severe loss on this occasion; Lieut.-Colonel
Ormsby, Captains Purefoy, Pinsent, and Cateret, Lieutenants
Fitzmorris and Ramme, Ensigns Fettyplace, Blunt, Baker, and
Hayter, with eighty-six non-commissioned officers and soldiers,
were killed: Captain John Southwell and Ensign Lister died of
their wounds; Colonel Frederick Hamilton, Captains Kane, Duroure,
Seymour, and William Southwell, Lieutenants La Planche, Brereton,
Hybert, Arphaxad, and Rolleston, Ensigns John Gifford, Ormsby,
and Blakeney, with one hundred and eighty-five non-commissioned
officers and soldiers, were wounded.[17]
The fire against the castle was continued, and preparations were
made for another assault, which was prevented by the surrender of
the garrison. Thus was captured the celebrated fortress of _Namur_,
which reflected great credit on the confederate armies.
This conquest terminated the campaign, and the regiment passed the
winter in garrison at Ghent.
[Sidenote: 1696]
During the campaign of 1696, the regiment served with the army of
Flanders under the Prince of Vaudemont; and was formed in brigade
with a battalion of the Royals, the third, fifth, and seventeenth
regiments under Brigadier-General Selwyn; and its services were
limited to the protection of Ghent, Bruges, and the maritime towns
of Flanders. In the autumn it returned to Ghent.
[Sidenote: 1697]
Leaving Ghent in the spring of 1697, the regiment joined the army
of Brabant under King William, and took part in the movements of
this campaign; which were terminated by the treaty of Ryswick, when
the British monarch saw his efforts for the liberty of Europe, and
the preservation of the Protestant religion, attended with success.
On the termination of hostilities, the regiment marched to Ghent,
where it was quartered several weeks, and on the 10th of December
embarked at Ostend for Ireland. As two of the transports approached
the Irish coast, they were chased by a Sallee man-of-war of
eighteen guns, carrying Zealand colours. Seeing his brave soldiers
in danger of being made slaves, Lieut.-Colonel Stearne called them
on deck; the whole resolved on a desperate defence; and it was
arranged that when the Sallee man-of-war attacked one transport,
the other should come to its assistance, and the enemy should be
boarded by the soldiers sword in hand, not doubting but that they
would overpower the Turks and Moors, and capture the ship. With
this view the soldiers were kept out of sight to induce the enemy
to make an attack, and every man was ready for action. "The Sallee
man-of-war kept us company about an hour, and was once, as we
thought, coming up to board us; however, she thought better of it,
fell astern, and stood off without firing a shot."[18] During the
following night the two transports narrowly escaped destruction
from a storm; they afterwards arrived safe in Bantry Bay; the
soldiers landed on the 24th of December, and marched to Cork, where
the regiment was assembled.
[Sidenote: 1699]
From Cork the regiment marched, in July, 1698, to Waterford; in the
spring of 1699 it proceeded to Dublin, and in 1700 it was removed
to Kinsale.
[Sidenote: 1700]
Pursuing those schemes of aggrandizement which had repeatedly
involved Europe in war, Louis XIV. procured the accession of
his grandson, Philip Duke of Anjou, to the throne of Spain, in
violation of existing treaties; seized on the Spanish Netherlands;
and made prisoners the Dutch troops in garrison in the barrier
towns. The sudden acquisition of the Spanish monarchy by a grandson
of the most ambitious and potent monarch of Europe, with the
prospect of France and Spain being eventually united under one
sovereign, affected the interests and agitated the public mind of
all countries.
[Sidenote: 1701]
War was resolved upon: the standing armies were augmented; and
while the din of hostile preparation was heard on every side, the
ROYAL IRISH regiment was placed upon a war establishment, and
embarked for Holland, where it arrived, with several other corps,
in July, 1701, and was placed in garrison at Huesden. On the 21st
of September it was reviewed on Breda-heath by King William III.
[Sidenote: 1702]
Quitting Huesden in March, 1702, the regiment proceeded to
Rosendael, where the British infantry was assembled under
Brigadier-General Ingoldsby; and at this place the troops received
information of the death of King William III., on the 8th of March,
and of the accession of Queen Anne.