direction of Maestricht, and it was in position near that city
when the French army under Marshal Villeroy and Marshal Boufflers
approached, and some cannonading occurred, but the enemy did not
hazard a general engagement.
The Duke of Marlborough assembled the army, and the SEVENTEENTH
took part in the movements which occasioned the French commanders
to make a sudden retreat from their position at Tongres, and to
take post behind their fortified lines; where the English general
was desirous of attacking them, but he was prevented by the Dutch
generals and field-deputies. The services of the SEVENTEENTH
regiment were afterwards connected with the siege of _Huy_, a
strong fortress on the river Maese, above the city of Liege, which
was captured in ten days. Another proposal to attack the French
lines having been objected to by the Dutch, the regiment was
employed in covering the siege of _Limburg_, a city of the Spanish
Netherlands situate on a pleasant eminence among the woods near the
banks of the river Weze. The siege of this place commenced on the
10th of September, and on the 28th the garrison surrendered.
On the 26th of August Lieut.-Colonel Blood was promoted to the
colonelcy of the regiment, in succession to Colonel Sir Matthew
Bridges.
During the summer of this year, Archduke Charles of Austria was
acknowledged as King of Spain, by England, Holland, and several
other states of Europe; and the SEVENTEENTH regiment was one of
the corps selected to proceed with him to Portugal, to endeavour
to place him on the throne of Spain by force of arms.
[Sidenote: 1704]
The regiment embarked from Holland in October, and sailed to
Portsmouth, where it was detained by contrary winds; it put to sea
in January, 1704, but, encountering a severe storm, was driven
back to port, and several ships of the fleet were much damaged.
The voyage was afterwards resumed, the regiment arrived at Lisbon
in the early part of March, and landed on the 15th of that month.
The King of Portugal being afraid to intrust the protection of his
frontier towns to his own troops, the British regiments were placed
in garrison.
Tardiness in the preparations for opening the campaign was
manifested by the Portuguese authorities, and the Duke of Berwick
attacked the frontiers of Portugal with the combined French
and Spanish armies before the allies were prepared to take the
field. The SEVENTEENTH were called from garrison to take part in
attempting to arrest the progress of the enemy; they were employed
in the Alemtejo, and in July they were encamped near Estremos,--a
town situate in an agreeable tract on the Tarra; towards the end of
July, they marched into cantonments in the town.
In the autumn the allied army was enabled to act on the offensive,
and the SEVENTEENTH was one of the regiments which penetrated
Spain, to the vicinity of Ciudad Rodrigo; but the enemy was found
so advantageously posted, beyond the Agueda, that the Portuguese
generals objected to attempt the passage of the river, and the army
returned to Portugal, where the regiment passed the winter.
[Sidenote: 1705]
The regiment again proceeded to Estremos, in the Alemtejo,
in April, 1705, and it was afterwards engaged in the siege of
_Valencia de Alcantara_, which place was captured by storm on the
8th of May. The SEVENTEENTH was also employed at the siege and
capture of _Albuquerque_; and when the summer heats became too
great for the troops to remain in the field, the regiment went
into quarters at the ancient town of Moura, near the banks of the
Guadiana river.
In the autumn the army crossed the Guadiana, and the SEVENTEENTH
regiment was engaged in the siege of _Badajoz_, the capital of
Spanish Estremadura; but the army not being sufficiently numerous
to invest the place, the garrison was relieved on the 14th of
October, and the siege was afterwards raised. At this siege the
British general, the Earl of Galway, lost his hand by a cannon-ball.
[Sidenote: 1706]
After passing the winter in cantonments on the confines of
Portugal, the regiment again took the field in March, 1706, and in
April it was employed in the siege of _Alcantara_, a fortified town
situate on a rock near the river Tagus, in Spanish Estremadura.
On the 10th of April the SEVENTEENTH and thirty-third regiments
attacked the convent of St. Francis, situate near the town, and
captured this post with great gallantry: the two regiments had
fifty officers and men killed and wounded, Colonel Wade (afterwards
Field-marshal) and Lieut.-Colonel de Harcourt being among the
wounded. The garrison surrendered on the 14th of April.
From Alcantara the army advanced to the vicinity of Placencia, and
afterwards drove the enemy from his position on the banks of the
Tietar,--sending forward a detachment to destroy the bridge of
Almaraz; but, subsequently changing its route, proceeded to the
province of Leon, and the SEVENTEENTH regiment was employed in the
siege of _Ciudad Rodrigo_, which fortress surrendered on the 26th
of May.
On the 3rd of June the army commenced its march from Ciudad Rodrigo
for the capital of Spain, proceeding by Salamanca, through the
Guadarrama Mountains; and, arriving at Madrid on the 24th and 27th
of June, encamped in the vicinity of that city, where Archduke
Charles of Austria was proclaimed King of Spain with the usual
solemnities. This tide of success was changed by the delay of King
Charles to come to Madrid from Barcelona, which fortress had been
captured by the Earl of Peterborough in the preceding year. This
delay occasioned his friends to be discouraged; the partisans
of King Philip took up arms; and, numerous bodies of French and
Spanish troops joining the army under the Duke of Berwick, the
allied army retreated from Madrid to the province of Valencia,
where the SEVENTEENTH regiment was stationed during the winter.
[Sidenote: 1707]
Early in April, 1707, the regiment joined the allied army under the
Marquis das Minas and the Earl of Galway, and, after taking part in
several operations, advanced, on the 25th of April, to attack the
French and Spanish troops under the Duke of Berwick at _Almanza_.
Fatigued by a long and difficult march, and exposed to a burning
sun, the soldiers arrived in presence of their opponents, and
prepared for battle. The sixth, SEVENTEENTH, thirty-third, and Lord
Montjoy's regiments, were formed in brigade under Major-General
Wade, and were posted on the flanks of a brigade of cavalry in
the front line of the left wing. The battle was commenced by the
British dragoons, who evinced great bravery, but many squadrons
of Portuguese cavalry quitted the field in a panic. Major-General
Wade's brigade was engaged with nine battalions of French and
Spanish infantry, when it was joined by the ninth foot; the five
British regiments disputed the ground with sanguinary obstinacy;
but while the contest was raging, a body of fresh French and
Spanish cavalry drove back the allied squadrons on the left.
The sixth, ninth, SEVENTEENTH, thirty-third, and Lord Montjoy's
regiments, were bravely contending with seven French and Spanish
corps in their front, when they were attacked on the flank by
two other of the enemy's battalions, broken, and driven from the
field with great loss. The two battalions which attacked them in
flank were cut to pieces by Harvey's horse, now second dragoon
guards, who were in turn overpowered by the superior numbers of the
enemy. The fight still raged in the centre; but the flanks being
defeated, the enemy surrounded the centre and made great slaughter.
The remains of the English regiments were collected into a body,
and were united to some Dutch and Portuguese troops; the whole
retreating to the woody hills of Caudete. The men were so exhausted
with fatigue that they were unable to proceed, and they passed the
night in the wood without food. On the following morning they were
surrounded by the enemy; and being without ammunition, ignorant
of the country, and destitute of provisions, they surrendered
prisoners of war. Such were the results of a battle in which
wearied and faint soldiers were hurried forward to fight superior
numbers of fresh troops, commanded by a skilful general!
The SEVENTEENTH Regiment had Lieut.-Colonel Woollett,
Lieut.-Colonel Withers, and Major Leech, killed; Captains
Fitzgerald and Foncebrand, Lieutenants Rivesson, Ingram, and
Blood, Ensigns Deaven, Callon, and Bruce, wounded and taken
prisoners; Captains Dudley Cosby and Loftus Cosby, Lieutenants
Martin, Brown, Brooks, and Tyrell, and Ensign Bland, prisoners.
The officers and soldiers of the regiment, who escaped from the
field, joined the cavalry under the Earl of Galway, at Alcira,
on the river Xucar; and the approach to the town being by almost
inaccessible mountains, his lordship halted there a few days
to reorganize the army. The SEVENTEENTH regiment, commanded by
Lieut.-Colonel Wightman, was encamped some time on the banks of
the Ebro above Tortosa, and was afterwards employed in operations
for the protection of the province of Catalonia: it was joined
by men from command and sick absent, also by several who escaped
from prisoners of war, and it mustered two hundred and sixty-six
officers and soldiers.
Major-General Blood died on the 19th of August, 1707, and
Queen Anne conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on the
Lieut.-Colonel, James Wightman, who had been promoted to the rank
of brigadier-general a short time previously.
[Sidenote: 1708]
During the period the regiment was in winter-quarters, it received
drafts from several corps which were ordered to return to England
to recruit: and in the spring of 1708, when it took the field, its
appearance was admired. In a letter from the army, published at
the time, it was stated: "We cannot yet give any certain account
of the number of our forces, but those we have are the finest in
the world: such are the regiments of Southwell (sixth), commanded
by Lieut.-Colonel Hunt; that of Blood (SEVENTEENTH), commanded by
Lieut.-Colonel Bourguet; and that of Mordaunt (twenty-eighth),
commanded by Colonel Dalziel."[8]
The regiment was encamped some time on the river Francoli, between
Monblanco and Tarragona, and afterwards at Constantino; and it took
part in the operations of the army commanded by Marshal Count Guido
de Staremberg, for the defence of Catalonia.
[Sidenote: 1709]
After serving the campaign in Catalonia, the regiment received
orders to transfer its men fit for duty to other corps, and return
to England, where it arrived in 1709, and commenced recruiting its
numbers.
[Sidenote: 1710]
In 1710 the regiment was stationed in Scotland; the head-quarters
were at Leith, and four companies were detached to Musselburgh.
[Sidenote: 1714]
The regiment remained in Great Britain until the Treaty of Utrecht
was signed, when it was placed on the peace establishment and sent
to Ireland, where it was stationed in 1714.
[Sidenote: 1715]
On the breaking out of the rebellion of the Earl of Mar, in favour
of the Pretender, in the autumn of 1715, the regiment was withdrawn
from Ireland, and it joined the troops encamped at Stirling under
the Duke of Argyle, and the colonel of the SEVENTEENTH regiment,
Major-General Wightman.
When the rebel army advanced with the view of penetrating
southwards, the King's troops quitted the camp at Stirling and
proceeded to the vicinity of _Dumblain_, and on the 13th of
November an engagement took place on Sheriff Muir, when both armies
had one wing victorious and one wing defeated, and both commanders
claimed the victory; but the rebels were prevented marching
southwards, and they did not hazard another engagement, which
proved the advantage gained over them. The SEVENTEENTH regiment had
seven men killed and five wounded on this occasion.
[Sidenote: 1716]
Additional forces having joined the Royal army, the Duke of Argyle
advanced, in January, 1716, over ice and through snow, towards
Perth, when the Pretender retreated, and soon afterwards fled, with
the leaders of the rebellion, to France. The SEVENTEENTH regiment
pursued the insurgents some distance, and was afterwards stationed
at Perth.
From this date the regiment was stationed in Great Britain during a
period of ten years.
[Sidenote: 1722]
On the 28th of September, 1722, Major-General Wightman died,
and King George II. conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on
Brigadier-General Thomas Ferrers, from the thirty-ninth regiment;
and this officer dying three weeks afterwards, he was succeeded by
Colonel James Tyrell, who had commanded one of the regiments of
dragoons disbanded in 1718.
[Sidenote: 1726]
In 1726 the regiment proceeded to Minorca, the second of the
Balearic Islands, situate in the Mediterranean, near the coast of
Spain: this island was captured by the British in 1708, and was
ceded to Great Britain at the peace in 1713.
[Sidenote: 1727]
In this island, which is diversified with hill and valley, and in
some parts rich in vegetation and abounding with the necessaries
and many of the luxuries of life, the regiment was stationed
twenty-five years. In 1727 it sent a detachment to Gibraltar, to
assist in the defence of that fortress against the Spaniards. When
the siege was raised, the detachment returned to Minorca.
[Sidenote: 1742]
On the 1st of August, 1742, Lieut.-General Tyrell died; the
colonelcy remained vacant three weeks, and was then conferred on
Colonel John Wynyard, from the fourth marines, who had previously
held the commission of lieut.-colonel in the SEVENTEENTH regiment
upwards of twenty years, and performed the duties of commanding
officer with good reputation.
[Sidenote: 1748]
At the termination of the war of the Austrian succession in 1748,
the regiment was relieved from duty at the island of Minorca, and
proceeded to Ireland, where it was stationed during the following
six years.
[Sidenote: 1751]
On the 1st of July, 1751, a Royal Warrant was issued, regulating
the clothing, standards, and colours of the several regiments of
the British army; in which the uniform of the SEVENTEENTH regiment
was directed to be scarlet, faced and lined with greyish _white_.
The first, or king's colour, to be the great union; the second,
or regimental colour, to be the red cross of St. George in a
white field, with the union in the upper canton; in the centre of
each colour the number of the rank of the regiment, in gold Roman
characters, within a wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk.
[Sidenote: 1752]
[Sidenote: 1757]
Lieut.-General Wynyard died in 1752, and King George II. nominated
Brigadier-General Edward Richbell to the colonelcy of the regiment.
This officer died on the 24th of February, 1757, and was succeeded
by Colonel John Forbes, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the Scots
Greys.
In the mean time another war had commenced with France, and in
May of this year the regiment embarked from Cork, and sailed to
Halifax, in Nova Scotia, where it arrived in the early part of
July, in order to take part in an attack on the French possessions
in Canada: but the expedition was deferred until the following
year, and the regiment remained in Nova Scotia during the winter.
[Sidenote: 1758]
The regiment sailed from Halifax in May, 1758, with the
expedition against _Cape Breton_, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence,
under Lieut.-General (afterwards Lord) Amherst. The regiment
mustered thirty-one officers, and nine hundred and sixty-seven
non-commissioned officers and soldiers, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel
Arthur Morris; and on the 8th of June it was in boats, with the
division under Brigadier-General Wightman, proceeding towards
White Point, to alarm the French at that quarter, while the troops
under Brigadier-General James Wolfe effected a landing, which was
accomplished in gallant style. The SEVENTEENTH were afterwards
engaged in the siege of _Louisburg_, the capital of the island,
which was captured on the 26th of July; and with the capital the
whole island was also surrendered. On this occasion the regiment
had Captain William Earl of Dundonald killed; Captain Paul Rycant
and Lieutenant Francis Tew wounded; also several men killed and
wounded.
During the period the regiment was at Cape Breton, a body of troops
under Major-General Abercromby was repulsed at Fort Ticonderago,
on the west shore of Lake Champlain; and on the 30th of August the
SEVENTEENTH and several other corps embarked from Louisburg, and,
sailing to Boston, marched through the woods to Lake George, where
they joined the troops under Major-General Abercromby.
[Sidenote: 1759]
In the beginning of June, 1759, the regiment joined the troops
assembling on the east bank of Hudson's River, about fifty miles
from Albany, and afterwards marched to Lake George, where a fort
was erected, and boats were procured to convey the troops along the
lake, which occupied a month. On the 21st of July the regiments
embarked in boats, and, using blankets for sails, arrived at
the Second Narrows on the following morning. Advancing towards
_Ticonderago_, they drove a body of French regulars and native
Indians from a strong post two miles from the fort, and evinced
such steady resolution, that the French commander quitted his
fortified lines and embarked for _Crown Point_, leaving a garrison
at Ticonderago. The siege of this place was commenced; and on the
25th of July the garrison blew up the fort and sailed to Crown
Point, which place the French commander also abandoned, and retired
down the lake to Isle aux Noix. The SEVENTEENTH proceeded to Crown
Point, where a new fort was erected, and a small naval force
prepared for navigating the lake. In October the troops embarked,
and sailed down the lake in four divisions; but encountering high
northerly winds, and a frost having set in, they returned, and went
into winter-quarters.
Brigadier-General Forbes died in the spring of this year, and the
colonelcy of the regiment was conferred on Brigadier-General the
Honorable Robert Monckton, from colonel-commandant of the second
battalion of the sixtieth regiment.
[Sidenote: 1760]
The French possessions in Canada were invaded by the British troops
in 1760, at three different points; the whole advancing upon
Montreal: the first division from Lake Ontario, the second from
Lake Champlain, and the third from Quebec (which was captured in
1759) up the River St. Lawrence. The SEVENTEENTH regiment formed
part of the second division, under Colonel Haviland, which embarked
from Crown Point on the 11th of August, and, sailing towards _Isle
aux Noix_, landed on the left bank of the river Richelieu, and
captured a fort near the river: two other forts were abandoned
by the enemy, and the British took possession of Isle aux Noix.
The regiment afterwards advanced upon _Montreal_; and the French
governor, being unable to withstand the forces opposed to him,
surrendered: thus was the conquest of Canada accomplished with
little loss.
[Sidenote: 1761]
From Montreal the regiment traversed the country to New York,
during the summer of 1761, and in August encamped on Staten Island.
Towards the end of October it embarked for the West Indies, and
arrived at Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, on the 24th of December.
[Sidenote: 1762]
An armament was assembled at Barbadoes, for the attack of the
French West India Islands, and the land forces were placed under
the orders of Major-General the Honorable Robert Monckton, colonel
of the SEVENTEENTH; this regiment being one of the corps selected
to take part in the enterprise. The armament sailed from Carlisle
Bay, on the 5th of January, 1762, and proceeded against the island
of _Martinique_, which was colonised by the French about the year
1635. After menacing the coast at several points, a landing was
effected in the middle of January, in Cas des Navières Bay, and
the SEVENTEENTH were actively engaged in the operations for the
reduction of the island. Many difficulties were encountered, from
the rugged surface of the country, and from the formidable heights
occupied by the enemy; but these were overcome by British skill,
discipline, and valour; the heights of _Morné Tortenson_ were
carried on the 24th of January, and of _Morné Garnier_ on the 27th;
Fort Royal surrendered early in February, and these successes were
followed by the submission of the island to the British Crown.
Major-General the Honorable Robert Monckton commended the conduct
of the troops in his despatch, and added,--"The difficulties they
had to encounter in the attack of an enemy possessed of every
advantage of art and nature were great; and their perseverance in
surmounting these obstacles furnishes a noble example of British
spirit."
The capture of Martinique was followed by the submission of
Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent.
The loss of the SEVENTEENTH at Martinique was limited to a few
private soldiers killed and wounded.
War had, in the mean time, been declared against Spain, and the
SEVENTEENTH, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Campbell, and mustering
five hundred and thirty-five rank and file, joined the armament
under General the Earl of Albemarle, for the purpose of proceeding
against the wealthy Spanish settlement of the _Havannah_, in
the island of Cuba. The regiment formed part of the brigade
commanded by Brigadier-General Grant; and, accompanying the
expedition through the Straits of Bahama, arrived within six
leagues of Havannah on the 6th of June: a landing was effected on
the following day, and on the 9th the troops took up a position
between Coximar and the Moro fort. The regiment took part in the
services connected with the siege and capture of Moro fort, which
was the key position of the extensive works which covered the
town. The difficulties encountered in carrying on operations were
particularly great, and the artillery had to be dragged several
miles over a rocky country, and under a burning sun; but every
obstacle was overcome by the unanimity which existed between the
land and sea forces. The Moro fort was captured by storm on the
30th of July; and on the 11th of August, a series of batteries
opened so well-directed a fire on the defences of the town, that
the guns of the garrison were soon silenced, and flags of truce
were hung out. The capitulation was signed two days afterwards,
and the British troops took possession of this valuable settlement,
with nine ships of war in the harbour, and two upon the stocks;
three ships of war were also found sunk at the entrance of the
harbour.
[Sidenote: 1763]
[Sidenote: 1766]
A treaty of peace was soon afterwards concluded, when the Havannah
was restored to Spain in exchange for Florida. The SEVENTEENTH
regiment returned to North America, where it was stationed during
the years 1763, 1764, 1765, and 1766.
[Sidenote: 1767]
In the summer of 1767 the regiment was relieved from duty in
America, and returned to England, where it arrived in September.
[Sidenote: 1768]
The regiment remained in England during the years 1768, 1769, and
1770.
[Sidenote: 1771]
[Sidenote: 1774]
Embarking from Liverpool in the spring of 1771, the regiment
proceeded to Ireland, where it was stationed during the three
following years.
[Sidenote: 1775]
Serious disputes had, in the mean time, arisen between the British
colonists in North America and the government, and the colonists
evinced a daring spirit of resistance, in their opposition to the
measures for raising a revenue in their country, which, in April
1775, was followed by open hostility, some provincial militia
firing on a detachment of the king's troops, on its march from
Boston to Concord, to take possession of a quantity of military
stores at the latter place. This was followed by the assembling of
multitudes of armed men near Boston; and when the news of these
occurrences arrived in England, several regiments were ordered
to embark for America. The SEVENTEENTH regiment was afterwards
directed to hold itself in readiness for service abroad, and on the
23rd of September it embarked from Ireland for North America.
[Sidenote: 1776]