Massachusetts-bay was speedily in arms, and an immense number
of men invested Boston, where the King's troops were stationed
on the land side. The Americans commenced constructing works on
_Bunkers-hill_, a high ground beyond the river, from which it was
determined to dislodge them, and the flank companies of the TENTH
formed part of the force selected for this service.
Embarking from Boston in boats, about noon on the 17th of June,
the soldiers crossed the river, and landed on the opposite shore.
The ships of war opened their fire upon the enemy's works, and
the troops ascended the steep hill, which was covered with grass
reaching to the knees, and intersected with walls and fences of
various enclosures, and advanced to storm the works in the face
of a well-directed fire. The difficulty of the ascent, the heat
of the weather, and the enemy's superior numbers and incessant
fire, combined to render this enterprise particularly arduous;
twice the King's troops appeared to stagger; but recovering, they
rushed forward with renewed ardour, and drove the Americans out
of the works at the point of the bayonet; thus proving their
superior bravery and discipline, by gaining a complete victory over
an enemy three times as numerous as themselves and protected by
entrenchments.
The flank companies of the TENTH were among the troops which
distinguished themselves, and every officer was wounded. Their loss
was two serjeants and five rank and file killed; Captains Parsons,
Fitzgerald, Lieutenants Pittigrew, Verner, Hamilton, Kelly, one
drummer, and thirty-nine rank and file wounded.
The valour of the British soldiers in North America excited the
admiration of their sovereign and country; yet, the circumstances
in which they were placed rendered it impossible for their prowess
to be exercised with the prospect of ultimate success. The great
superiority of the numbers of the enemy more than counter-balanced
the advantages of superior skill and discipline, and the troops in
Boston remained in a state of blockade; live cattle, vegetables,
and even fuel, were sent for their use from England; many of
the vessels were, however, wrecked, and others captured by the
Americans, and great distress, sickness, and loss of life occurred.
[Sidenote: 1776]
No advantage being likely to result from the possession of Boston
under the circumstances in which the troops were placed, it was
evacuated in the middle of March, 1776, and the TENTH were moved to
Nova Scotia. They were stationed at Halifax until June, when they
sailed with the expedition to Staten Island, to take part in an
extensive plan of operations.
The regiment landed on Staten Island in the early part of July;
reinforcements arrived from England, also a body of Hessians,
and the TENTH, thirty-seventh, thirty-eighth, and fifty-second
regiments, formed the third brigade of the army, under
Major-General Jones, in the division commanded by Lieut.-General
Earl Percy.
On the 22nd of August, a descent was made on the south-west end of
_Long Island_, and on the night of the 26th, the TENTH advanced,
in support of the leading division, to seize on a pass in the
mountains. This pass was occupied without opposition; the troops
crossed the hills, and directed their march towards the enemy's
lines at _Brooklyn_. Arriving at Bedford, an attack was commenced
on the American battalions which were quitting the woody heights
to return to their lines, and the enthusiastic ardour of the royal
forces overcame all opposition. Encouraged by their success, and
inspired with lively anticipations of victory, the soldiers urged
their way towards the lines to storm the works; but they were
ordered to desist, to spare the unnecessary effusion of blood
which an attack by storm would have occasioned. The conduct of the
British troops on this occasion was highly commended in General Sir
William Howe's despatch.
The Americans abandoned their lines, and retreated across the
East River to New York. The TENTH having thus had the honour of
taking part in the reduction of _Long Island_, crossed the river
to New York Island, and were engaged in the movements by which the
American army was driven from the city of _New York_.
In the second week of October, the regiment again embarked in
boats, and proceeded up the river to the vicinity of West Chester,
where it went ashore; but afterwards re-embarked and sailed to
Pell's Point, where a sharp skirmish occurred. The regiment was
also engaged in the movements by which the passage of the Brunx
river was effected, and the American army forced to abandon its
fortified lines on _White Plains_. In the action on the 28th of
October, the TENTH lost two men.
From White Plains the army withdrew to engage in the siege of
Forts Washington and Lee, which obstructed the navigation of the
North River. _Fort Washington_ was invested, and on the 16th of
November, the TENTH were engaged, under Lieut.-General Earl Percy,
in assaulting the right flank of the enemy's entrenchments; they
took part in carrying an advanced work, and afterwards passed the
lines, which were carried in a most gallant manner, and upwards of
two thousand provincials surrendered prisoners of war. The loss of
the regiment was limited to Captain Mackintosh and three rank and
file killed; five rank and file wounded.
In the early part of December, the regiment was detached, with
other troops, under Lieut.-Generals Clinton and Earl Percy, against
_Rhode Island_, which was the principal station of the enemy's
naval force, and from whence the Americans sent out privateers
which interrupted the British commerce. The regiment sailed on this
enterprise in the early part of December; a landing was effected on
the morning of the 9th of that month, and the island was speedily
reduced to submission to the British government.
[Sidenote: 1777]
After passing several months on Rhode Island, the TENTH embarked
for New Jersey, and formed part of the army which took the field,
under General Sir William Howe, in the early part of June, 1777.
General Washington kept the American army in the mountain
fastnesses, where he could not be attacked, except under great
disadvantages, and the English general resolved on an expedition
against Philadelphia.
Embarking on board the fleet, the regiment sailed for
Chesapeak-bay, and from thence up the Elk River, to Elk Ferry,
where it landed about the end of August: the fifth, TENTH,
twenty-seventh, fortieth, and fifty-fifth regiments, formed the
second brigade under Major-General Grant.
The American army took up a position at _Brandywine Creek_, to
oppose the advance of the British on Philadelphia, and on the 11th
of September the enemy's posts were attacked; the TENTH forming
part of the force selected to attack the American troops posted at
Chad's Ford. After a sharp cannonade, the troops rushed through the
stream with fixed bayonets, the fourth foot taking the lead, and,
overpowering all resistance, captured three brass field-pieces and
a howitzer. The Americans were routed at all points, and they made
a precipitate retreat. The TENTH had two rank and file killed, and
six wounded, on this occasion.
The regiment passed the night on the field of battle, and marched
on the following day to Concord; on the 13th of September it
arrived at Ashtown, and on the 25th the troops pitched their tents
at Germantown, about six miles from Philadelphia, which city was
taken possession of by the grenadiers.
On the 29th of September, the TENTH and forty-second regiments
were detached from the camp at Germantown, under the orders of
Lieut.-Colonel Stirling, of the forty-second, to attack a strong
redoubt erected by the Americans on the Jersey shore, at a place
called _Billing's-point_, to prevent the removal of a sunken
barrier across the river Delaware. The two regiments crossed the
river from Chester on the 1st of October, and on approaching the
redoubt, three hundred Americans in garrison fled; having first
set fire to their barracks and spiked their cannon. The TENTH and
forty-second pursued the Americans about two miles, but were unable
to overtake them.
Billing's-point redoubt being thus captured, the obstructions to
the navigation of the Delaware at that point were removed, and the
TENTH and forty-second crossed the river to Chester, where they
were joined by the twenty-third, and the three regiments escorted a
large convoy of provisions to the camp at Germantown.
The British general having sent off several detachments, the
Americans resolved to hazard another battle, and they attacked
the position at _Germantown_ at daybreak on the morning of the
4th of October; but were repulsed. The light company of the TENTH
signalized itself on this occasion and had several men killed and
wounded: the battalion companies of the regiment had their post on
the right of the village, but they were not engaged.
In the middle of October, the army removed to the immediate
vicinity of Philadelphia, and two forts on the river were reduced.
In the early part of December, the British advanced towards the
enemy's fortified camp at _Whitemarsh_; the TENTH took part in
several movements and skirmishes, designed to bring on a general
engagement, but the Americans kept close behind their entrenchments
and abatis-de-bois, and the British returned to Philadelphia.
[Sidenote: 1778]
The TENTH regiment passed the winter in comfortable quarters in
the city of Philadelphia; but before the season for opening the
campaign of 1778 arrived, the King of France concluded a treaty
with, and agreed to aid, the Americans, which so completely changed
the nature of the war, that it was deemed necessary to concentrate
the army at New York.
Philadelphia was evacuated in the middle of June, and the TENTH
took part in the difficult service of retreating through a wild and
woody country, intersected by rivulets, the bridges over which had
been destroyed. On the 28th of June, the regiment was in advance
under Lieut.-General Knyphausen, and as the last division of the
army descended from the heights above _Freehold_, in New Jersey,
the American troops appeared in the rear and on both flanks, and
some sharp fighting took place, which terminated in the repulse of
the enemy. The grenadier company of the TENTH had an opportunity
of distinguishing itself on this occasion; it had Major Gardiner
wounded, and several private soldiers killed and wounded.
Having repulsed the enemy, the army continued its march, crossed
the channel to Sandy Hook, and embarked from thence for New York.
The TENTH had lost many men, during the period they had been in
America, from fatigue, privation, disease, and other casualties,
besides those killed and disabled in action with the enemy, and
soon after the regiment arrived at New York, it was selected to
return to England. The men fit for service, who volunteered to
remain in the country, were transferred to other corps, and the
remainder embarked from New York towards the end of October;
they arrived in England in December, and immediately commenced
recruiting their numbers.
[Sidenote: 1781]
After the decease of Lieut.-General Sandford, King George III.
conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Major-General Sir R.
Murray Keith, K.B., from the late eighty-seventh foot (which was
disbanded at the peace in 1763), by commission dated the 10th of
October, 1781.
[Sidenote: 1783]
[Sidenote: 1784]
[Sidenote: 1785]
The American War having ceased in 1783, reductions took place in
the military establishments, and the numbers of the Tenth Regiment
were consequently diminished; in the autumn of 1783 the regiment
embarked for Ireland, and it was stationed in that part of the
United Kingdom during the years 1784 and 1785.
[Sidenote: 1786]
On the 2nd of March, 1786, the regiment embarked from Ireland for
Jamaica, to relieve the first battalion of the sixtieth foot, which
was ordered to proceed to Nova Scotia.
[Sidenote: 1793]
[Sidenote: 1794]
[Sidenote: 1795]
The regiment was stationed at Jamaica when the French Revolution
occurred, which involved Europe in war and occasioned the West
India islands to become the theatre of anarchy and devastation; the
mulattoes and blacks imbibing the doctrine of equality, breaking
the ties of subordination, and committing every description of
crime. Active measures were adopted to rescue the French West India
islands from republican domination; but the TENTH had sustained
so serious a loss of men from disease during the nine years they
had been at Jamaica, that they were ordered home to recruit: they
arrived in England in August, 1795, and were stationed at Lincoln,
from whence recruiting parties were sent out.
After the decease of Lieut.-General Sir R. Murray Keith,
Major-General the Honorable Henry Edward Fox, was appointed
colonel of the TENTH foot, from the 131st regiment, by commission
dated the 23rd of June, 1795.
[Sidenote: 1796]
The establishment was completed by drafts from other corps, and,
in three months from the date of its arrival from Jamaica, the
regiment was ordered to furnish seven companies to take part in
completing the deliverance of the French West India Islands from
the power of the republicans. The force designed for this service,
under Major-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, sailed from Spithead in
December, and the departure of the fleet, accompanied by a division
of the royal navy under Admiral Christian, presented a most
splendid spectacle; but this armament was overtaken by a storm,
the fleet was dispersed, many vessels were wrecked, and others
returned to Spithead. The ship containing the grenadier company of
the TENTH, and several other corps, withstood the storm; but it had
not been long at sea before the yellow fever broke out on board,
when it returned to England, and the soldiers went into hospital
at Plymouth, from whence the grenadiers of the TENTH marched to
Chatham, where the regiment was assembled in 1796.
[Sidenote: 1797]
From Chatham the regiment embarked on an expedition to the
Continent, but was ordered to land at Lymington, from whence it
proceeded to the Isle of Wight, and was stationed on that island
and at Portsmouth until the winter of 1798.
[Sidenote: 1798]
The TENTH, having been appointed to transfer their services from
Europe to the British possessions in Hindoostan, embarked from
Portsmouth during the winter, and arriving in the south of India,
landed at the celebrated city and fortress of Madras, the capital
of the British possessions in that quarter of the globe, on the
13th of April, 1799.
[Sidenote: 1799]
At Madras the regiment remained nearly four months, and on the
6th of August, it embarked for the rich and extensive province of
Bengal, where it arrived on the 26th of the same month.
[Sidenote: 1800]
For fifteen months the TENTH were stationed in the Presidency
of Bengal, in a country abounding in all that is essential to
the comfort and even the luxury of man, under the command of
Lieut.-Colonel Richard Quarrell, and in November, 1800, they were
sent down the river Ganges to be embarked for Egypt, which country
was overrun by an army of French veterans, vauntingly designated
the "Army of the East," and commanded by the celebrated General
Buonaparte.
[Sidenote: 1801]
To effect the expulsion of the French "Army of the East" from
Egypt, a British force sailed from Europe under General Sir Ralph
Abercromby, and about six thousand men from India and the Cape of
Good Hope, under Major-General Baird, were appointed to co-operate.
To engage in this service, the TENTH sailed from Kidgaree on the
5th of December, joined the expedition, under Major-General Baird,
at Bombay, and sailed from thence for the Red Sea. The original
design was to proceed to the port of Suez, at the head of the Red
Sea, on the borders of Arabia; but the monsoon had commenced before
the fleet entered the Red Sea in April, 1801, and Major-General
Baird resolved to land at Cosseir, and brave the difficulties of
the desert, in the hope of affording important aid to the troops
which had landed in Egypt from Europe.
Eight companies of the TENTH arrived at Cosseir on the 15th of
June, and the remainder of the regiment, having been separated
by the monsoon gales, was some days later.[6] On landing, the
country presented a frightfully desolate prospect, but the soldiers
commenced their march through the desert with cheerful alacrity;[7]
although suffering from excessive heat and dysentery, occasioned by
bad water.
The march was made during the night. A little way from Cosseir the
soldiers entered a ravine, which appeared to be the old bed of a
river, along which they travelled three days, when it terminated at
Moilah. From Moilah the desert had a hard gravelly soil, generally,
until the troops arrived at Baromba, where the first habitable
spot was met with after leaving Cosseir; not a single hut having
previously been seen. The troops suffered greatly from thirst and
oppressive heat, with an almost irresistible inclination to sleep;
some soldiers straggling from the line of march, that they might
lie down and sleep, lost their lives. The little town of Baromba
lay on the borders of the desert, and the Arabs offered milk, eggs,
and poultry for sale, in great abundance, and very cheap.
On arriving at Kenna, the regiment was ordered to proceed to
Girgee, a large town of Upper Egypt, situate about a quarter of a
mile from the river Nile. The regimental baggage was sent to Suez,
but the "Cavera" transport foundered at sea, and all the baggage,
books, &c. of the TENTH were lost.
In the meantime, the British army from Europe had triumphed
over the French before Alexandria, where General Sir Ralph
Abercromby was mortally wounded; the French troops at Cairo
had also surrendered, and the siege of _Alexandria_ was the
next undertaking. The TENTH embarked from Girgee in dgerms,
and proceeded down the Nile to the Island of Rhoda, where they
encamped. On the 2nd of August they again embarked, and proceeded
to Rosetta, a town celebrated for the beauty of its environs;
beyond the Nile lay the richest parts of the Delta, the garden of
Egypt. From Rosetta the regiment proceeded to El-Hamed, and joined
the forces encamped at that place.
Alexandria surrendered in the beginning of September, and Egypt was
thus delivered; the French "_Army of the East_" being forced to
evacuate a country from whence Buonaparte had vainly imagined he
should extend his conquests throughout Asia.
Lieut.-General (afterwards Lord) Hutchinson stated in his
despatch:--"This arduous and important service has at length been
brought to a conclusion. The exertions of individuals have been
splendid and meritorious. The conduct of the troops of every
description has been exemplary in the highest degree; there has
been much to applaud, and nothing to reprehend; their ardour and
regularity in camp having been as conspicuous as their courage in
the field."
In this service, although the TENTH had not been brought into
contact with the enemy, their conduct had been exemplary, and
they had sustained a loss of thirty men from the climate, and
other casualties incident to the service in which they were
employed. They received, in common with the other regiments, the
expression of the high approbation of their Sovereign, the thanks
of Parliament, and the royal authority to bear on their colours
the "SPHYNX," with the word "EGYPT," to commemorate this splendid
event. The officers were also rewarded with gold medals, presented
to them by the Grand Seignior, in commemoration of the important
service rendered to the Ottoman empire.
The TENTH were selected to remain a short period in Egypt; they
marched from El-Hamed on the 4th of December, arrived at Alexandria
on the 5th, and encamped under the walls until the 18th, when they
were removed into Fort Triangular.
[Sidenote: 1802]
In the city of Alexandria, formerly celebrated as the seat of
learning and commerce, the regiment was stationed for several
months. On the 29th of April, 1802, an explosion took place in the
fort which the TENTH occupied, by which they had four men killed
and ten wounded; also two Indian followers killed and ten wounded.
The regiment was afterwards encamped near Alexandria; it was struck
off the Indian establishment, and commenced receiving pay on the
British on the 1st of May.
[Sidenote: 1803]
While the TENTH were encamped near Alexandria, the plague broke
out among the natives. The army suddenly embarked on the 5th of
March, 1803, leaving its camp equipage standing, and on the 7th the
regiment sailed out of the Western Harbour.
Arriving at Malta on the 27th of April, the regiment performed a
quarantine of forty-two days, and afterwards sailed to Gibraltar,
where it arrived on the 20th of June.
[Sidenote: 1804]
A treaty of peace was concluded with the French republic while
the TENTH were in Egypt; but hostilities had recommenced before
the regiment arrived at Gibraltar, and in 1804 a second battalion
was added to the establishment. The head-quarters of the second
battalion were fixed at Maldon in Essex; it was formed of men
raised in Essex, for limited service, under the Additional Force
Act, passed 20th July, 1804, and was placed upon the establishment
from the 25th of December, 1804.
[Sidenote: 1805]
[Sidenote: 1806]
The first battalion was stationed at Gibraltar during the years
1804, 1805, and 1806.
In the meantime numerous changes occurred among the states of
Europe, and the great success which at this period attended the
French arms, enabled Napoleon Buonaparte, who, in 1804, had been
invested with the title of Emperor of the French, King of Italy,
&c., to assume the position of a dictator: his conduct towards the
royal family of Naples occasioned the history of that court to
become connected with the services of the TENTH regiment of foot.
When war recommenced between Great Britain and France in 1803,
Buonaparte occupied a portion of the Neapolitan territory with
his troops. In 1805 a treaty of neutrality was concluded between
the French Emperor and the King of Naples, by which the former
engaged to withdraw his troops from the Neapolitan territory,
and the latter was bound not to admit the fleets or armies of any
of the states at war with France into his ports or territory. The
conditions of this treaty were, however, violated by Ferdinand IV.,
who admitted an English and Russian armament into the Bay of Naples
in November, 1805, and a body of British and Russian troops was
landed at that city.
The conduct of the King of Naples excited the indignation of the
French Emperor, who concluded that this little kingdom was united
with his enemies, and on the morning after the signatures were
affixed to the treaty of Presburg, Napoleon issued a proclamation
declaring that "the Neapolitan dynasty had ceased to reign," and
denouncing vengeance against the family he had thus resolved
to dethrone, in terms which left no hope of accommodation. The
Russians withdrew from Naples, leaving the court to its fate. The
British, under General Sir James Craig, were too few in number to
defend the Neapolitan state, but they took possession of the island
of Sicily, which they preserved in the interest of King Ferdinand
IV.
The armies of France, under Joseph Buonaparte, invaded the kingdom
of Naples in the early part of 1806; the King and Queen fled
to Sicily, which the British preserved as an asylum for their
Majesties; they were accompanied and followed by part of the
Neapolitan army, also by a number of persons connected with the
court, and they took up their residence at the city of Palermo,
situate in a bay on the northern coast of the island, where they
received pecuniary aid from England.