In 1723 the establishment was augmented to 333 men, at which number it remained, with an alteration only of six men, until 1727, when the regiment was ordered to hold itself in readiness to embark for Holland, as part of the complement of 10,000 men which England had engaged to furnish the States; at the same time its establishment was augmented to 552 men. No embarkation, however, took place; and in 1729, the numbers of the regiment were reduced to 309.

After the decease of General Lord Carpenter in 1732, King George II. conferred the colonelcy on Major-General Philip Honeywood, from the eleventh dragoons.

An augmentation was made to the establishment in 1738; in 1739, the breaking out of a war with Spain occasioned general orders for recruiting to be issued:—the establishment of the King's Own dragoons was raised to 435 men, and in the summer they were encamped on Hounslow Heath, where they were several times reviewed by the Duke of Cumberland.

During the summer of 1740, the King's Own were encamped in Windsor Forest; and in 1741, they were ordered, with several other regiments and a train of artillery, amounting nearly to 10,000 men, to prepare for embarkation for foreign service. This force encamped in July, on ground cleared for the purpose, on Lexdon heath, near Colchester: no embarkation, however, took place, and after a few weeks, the troops went into quarters in the various towns in the neighbourhood.

In the meantime war was raging on the continent; the King of France and the Elector of Bavaria had united to deprive the Archduchess Maria Theresa of her hereditary dominions; and in 1742, His Britannic Majesty sent sixteen thousand British troops to Flanders to make a diversion in favour of the Austrians. The King's Own Regiment of dragoons was one of the corps selected for this service, and having been reviewed on Blackheath by King George II., accompanied by the Duke of Cumberland, it embarked shortly afterwards at Woolwich and Deptford; their colonel, Lieutenant-General Honeywood, taking the command of the expedition until the arrival of Field Marshal the Earl of Stair.

After landing at Ostend the King's Own dragoons advanced a few leagues up the country, but all active operations were prevented by the tardiness of the Dutch.

Early in 1743, the British troops moved from their cantonments towards the Rhine; the King's Own, and four companies of the foot guards, forming the advance-guard of the army, were at St. Trond, in the province of Limburg, on the 9th of February, and on the 11th resumed their march for Germany. In May, the regiment, with the Inniskilling dragoons, and four battalions of the foot guards, formed a detached camp a little below the town of Hochst, in the duchy of Nassau on the Maine, and was afterwards encamped at Aschaffenburg in Franconia, a town situate on a hill on the side of Maine. In the meantime Lieut.-General Honeywood had been removed to the first dragoon guards, and the colonelcy of the King's Own conferred on Brigadier-General Humphrey Bland, from the thirteenth dragoons.

His Majesty King George II. having left England towards the end of May, landed at Helvoetsluys on the 2nd of June, and joined the army on the 9th; when he found his forces under considerable embarrassment, from the French commander having succeeded in gaining possession of several important posts on the Maine, by which means he cut off the supplies of provisions and forage.

Under these circumstances His Majesty resolved to march to Hanau, where a reinforcement of 12,000 Hessians and Hanoverians had arrived; and at daybreak on the 16th of June, the troops commenced the march along the banks of the Maine: but scarcely had they proceeded three leagues when it was ascertained that the enemy had crossed the river, and was drawn up near Dettingen to dispute the march of the army.

The allies were immediately formed for action, with their left on the river, and their right extending to a wood, in which the baggage was placed. Shortly afterwards the action commenced, when Lieut.-General Clayton, who commanded the left wing of infantry, requested some squadrons to cover his flank, and the King's Own dragoons were ordered to this important post, where they suffered severely, being exposed three hours to the fire of the French batteries, as well from their front, as from the other side of the river, which commanded their flank and rear. At length the regiment was led forward, and encountering nine squadrons of household cavalry, the élite of the French army, charged these celebrated horsemen with a degree of gallantry truly astonishing. British valour was most conspicuously displayed; though over-matched with numbers, and nearly surrounded by enemies, the King's Own dragoons were seen nobly contending for victory, and mingled in close fight with their antagonists, the swift motion of their glittering sabres showed with what vehemence the gallant troopers fought for the honour of their King and country. They cut through their renowned opponents three times; distinguishing themselves in the most signal manner under the eye of their Sovereign, and contributing materially to the victory gained on that occasion. Their loss was however great. Of the three cornets who bore the standards, two were wounded, and the third, Mr. Child, the brother of Lord Castlemaine, had two horses killed under him. The standards were totally destroyed by shot and sabre-cuts, and one of them was only preserved from capture by the heroism of a private in the regiment, named Thomas Brown, a native of Kirkleatham, in Yorkshire. This gallant soldier, on the cornet's receiving a wound in the wrist, and dropping the standard, attempted to dismount in order to recover it, but in so doing lost two fingers of his bridle-hand by a sabre cut, and his horse ran away with him to the rear of the French lines. Whilst endeavouring to regain his regiment he perceived the standard, which the French had succeeded in capturing by overwhelming numbers, in the custody of a gendarme, who was conveying it to the rear. This man he attacked and killed, caught the standard as it fell, and fixing it between his leg and the saddle, succeeded in cutting his way back through the ranks of the enemy: but received, in so doing, seven wounds in his head, face, and body, and three balls passed through his hat.[20] A letter, in the Gazette of July 16th, states, 'that in this action Ligonier's horse, (the seventh dragoon guards,) and the Third dragoons suffered most, and gained great reputation.' The loss of the Third was Lieutenant Baily, one serjeant, two drummers, thirty-eight private men, and one hundred and forty-one horses, killed; Major Honeywood[21], Captain Brown, Lieutenant Robinson, Cornets Dawson, Monteith and O'Carrol, with three quarter-masters, six serjeants, five drummers, eighty-six private men, and fifty horses wounded[22]. The victory was most decisive; the French were completely defeated in their attempt, and were compelled to recross the Maine with precipitation, with the loss of many standards, colours, and four pair of kettle-drums.

The King's Own dragoons passed the night near the field of battle, surrounded by their ensanguined trophies, and, having marched to Hanau on the following day, were encamped, for some time, on the banks of the little river Kinzig, from whence they advanced with the army, in the early part of August, for the Rhine; and, having crossed that river above Mentz, were employed in operations in West Germany, where the army was joined by the Dutch auxiliaries. The enemy's entrenchments at Germersheim, in the Bavarian circle of the Rhine, were afterwards destroyed, but no general engagement occurred; and in the middle of October the army repassed the Rhine, and marched back to the Netherlands in eight divisions[23]. The royals, greys, and King's Own dragoons, with the Scots highlanders, forming the first division, proceeded through the duchy of Nassau, the provinces of Limburg, Liege, and South Brabant, to Brussels, where they arrived on the 16th of November, and on the following day continued their march for West Flanders, to pass the winter in quarters at Ghent.

Notwithstanding its severe loss the regiment remained in Belgium, and being joined by a number of recruits, in the spring of 1744, it took the field, and in June it formed part of the army encamped on the banks of the Scheldt, near Oudenarde, in East Flanders. During the summer it was employed in operations in the province of Hainault, and in levying contributions in the French territory towards Lisle. In October it marched into quarters at Ghent: and by the Muster Rolls for this year we find its numbers were 538.

After leaving their winter quarters about the middle of April, 1745, the King's Own were encamped a short time near Brussels, where they were reviewed by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland. They were afterwards assembled with the army at Soignies. The French having assembled a numerous army and besieged Tournay, the Duke of Cumberland resolved to attempt the relief of that fortress; the army, accordingly, advanced, and on the 28th of April took post at Leuse. On the following day a squadron of the King's Own was employed, with other troops, in driving back the enemy's advanced-posts, and on the 30th the battle of Fontenoy took place; when the gallant efforts and brilliant success of the British were rendered unavailing by the failure of the Dutch. After an action of several hours the King's Own dragoons were ordered forward, and they charged the enemy with their accustomed gallantry; but under such disadvantageous circumstances that their manly efforts only retarded the fate of the day. The Duke of Cumberland ordered a retreat, and the army marched to the vicinity of Aeth. The enemy had great advantage in numbers, in artillery, and in the favourable ground they occupied; the loss was nearly equal on both sides, and the Allies lost no honour, though compelled to retire. The King's Own had nine private men, and twenty-eight horses, killed; Captain Wade, Quarter-Master Corbidge, fourteen private men, and thirty-four horses wounded;—and Cornet Bland, two non-commissioned-officers, fifteen men, and twenty-three horses missing.

The regiment was afterwards encamped on the banks of the Dender, near Lessines; from whence it proceeded with the army on the 30th of June, to Grammont in West Flanders, and was subsequently encamped before Brussels.

In the mean time Charles-Edward, eldest son of the Pretender, had arrived in Scotland, and, being joined by several of the highland clans, he asserted his father's pretensions to the throne. There being few troops in Scotland at this time, the rebellion soon made alarming progress; when orders were given for the return of several regiments from the continent, and the King's Own were among the first troops ordered home.

Having embarked at Williamstadt, the regiment, after a boisterous passage, arrived in the River Thames on the 25th of October, and immediately landed and proceeded towards the north. On the 10th of November it joined the army of Lieutenant-General Sir John Ligonier, then assembling near Lichfield. On the advance of the rebels towards Derby, the regiment formed part of the army commanded by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland; and when the highlanders retreated towards Scotland, it was sent in pursuit. It left Lichfield on this service on the 9th of November; on the 11th, it was at Macclesfield; on the 13th at Wigan, and on the evening of the 19th—after ten hours' march—it arrived on Clifton Moor, three miles from Penrith; at the same time the rear-guard of the rebel army, consisting of two battalions of highlanders and some hussars, occupied the village, and lined the hedges on both sides of the road.

The sun had set; the shades of evening were gathering over the little village of Clifton, and distant objects were scarcely discernible, when the King's Own, and a few detachments from other corps, forming the advance-guard of the royal army, having dismounted, proceeded in compact order to attack the rebels. As the troops approached the enclosures, the highlanders opened a sharp fire, which re-echoed along the vale, and was soon answered by volleys of musketry from the dragoons. After several rounds, the King's Own were ordered to retire a few paces; when the highlanders, mistaking this for a flight, raised a loud shout and rushed forward with sword and pistol; but they were well received by the dragoons with their broad-swords, and a fierce combat ensued, hand to hand, both sides displaying great bravery. Some of the highlanders broke their swords on the steel caps of the dragoons, when they drew their daggers, and continued the fight with great obstinacy. Eventually, however, the dragoons proved victorious, and the rebels made a precipitate retreat to Penrith. The loss of the King's forces on this occasion was twelve men killed and twenty-five wounded, amongst whom were four officers of the King's Own, viz., Lieutenant-Colonel Honeywood[24], Captain East, and Cornets Owen and Hamilton. The rebels had about twenty killed, and Captain Hamilton of the hussars with about seventy men taken prisoners[25].

The King's Own afterwards marched in pursuit of the rebels to Carlisle, and were stationed near the town during the siege, which was terminated by the surrender of the place on the 30th of December.

The regiment continued to advance into Scotland, and is mentioned in the list of the Duke of Cumberland's army in the spring of 1746. On the 14th of February it was detached to Dundee, and after the suppression of the rebellion, returned to England, where it was employed in guarding the rebel prisoners at York. The establishment continued the same in this year, as it did in the following, but after the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748, the numbers were reduced to 285, the regiment being then quartered at Bury St. Edmunds.

A regulation was issued on the 1st July, 1751, relative to the clothing and standards of the several regiments; from which the following particulars have been extracted relative to the King's Own dragoons.

Coats—scarlet; double breasted; without lapels; lined with light blue; slit sleeves turned up with light blue; the button-holes worked with narrow yellow lace; the buttons of yellow metal, set on three and three; a long slash pocket in each skirt, and a yellow worsted aiguillette on the right shoulder.

Waistcoats and Breeches—light blue.

Hats—bound with gold lace, and ornamented with a yellow metal loop, and a black cockade.

Boots—of jacked leather.

Cloaks—of scarlet cloth, with a light blue collar, and lined with light blue shalloon; the buttons set on three and three upon yellow frogs or loops, with a light blue stripe down the centre.

Horse Furniture—of light blue cloth; the holster-caps and housings having a border of royal lace, with a red stripe down the centre; the white horse within the garter, embroidered on each corner of the housing; and on the holster-caps, the King's cipher and crown, with III.D underneath.

Officers—distinguished by gold lace; their coats and waistcoats bound with gold embroidery; the button-holes worked with gold; and a crimson silk sash worn across the left shoulder.

Quarter-Masters—to wear a crimson sash round the waist.

Serjeants—to have narrow gold lace on the cuffs, pockets and shoulder-straps; gold shoulder-knots or aiguillettes, and yellow and light blue worsted sashes tied round the waist.

Drummers and Hautboys—clothed in scarlet coats lined with light blue, and ornamented with royal lace with a blue stripe down the centre; their waistcoats and breeches of blue cloth.

Guidons—The first or King's guidon to be of crimson silk, embroidered and fringed with gold and silver; in the centre the rose and thistle conjoined, and crown over them, with the motto Dieu et mon Droit underneath: the white horse in a compartment in the first and fourth corners, and III.D in gold characters on a light blue ground in a compartment in the second and third corners. The second and third guidons to be of light blue silk, in the centre the white horse within the garter on a crimson ground, and motto Nec aspera terrent: the white horse on a scarlet ground in the first and fourth compartments, and III.D within a wreath of roses and thistles upon a scarlet ground in the second and third compartments.

In 1752 Lieut.-General Bland was removed to the King's dragoon guards, and His Majesty conferred the colonelcy of His Own Dragoons on James Lord Tyrawley from the fourteenth dragoons.

In 1753 the King's Own lay at Colchester, and in 1754 at Croydon. In December of this year it was broken up into half troops, and employed on coast duty: being scattered along the sea coast, from Shoreham to the Isle of Wight.

In April, 1755, Lord Tyrawley was removed to the second foot guards, and King George II. conferred the colonelcy of His Own Dragoons on George, Earl of Albemarle, from the twentieth foot.

In June, of the same year, the whole regiment assembled at Lewes, where it remained till July, 1756. At this time the King's Own, in common with the other regiments of dragoons, received the addition, novel to the British service, of a light troop. In July it marched to Reading, and in December of the same year, to Northampton.

The regiment marched to Henley, Amersham, and High Wycombe in June, 1757; and war having been declared against France in May, 1758, the light troop, then commanded by Captain St. Leger, was ordered into camp on South Sea Common, for the purpose of forming, with the light troops of eight other regiments, part of the force intended for a descent on the coast of France, the whole forming a brigade, under Colonel Eliott, afterwards Lord Heathfield. The troops embarked May 19th, sailed June the 1st, and arrived on the French coast so as to land in Cancalle Bay on the 5th. On the 7th the army moved on St. Maloes, the light troops forming the advance guard, and encamping about a mile from the town.

As soon as night fell, the piquets and light dragoons were detached against the harbour and the suburbs of St. Servan, being ordered, if possible, to destroy the stores. This object they effected with equal judgment and determination, setting fire to the storehouses and vessels in the harbour, together with the magazines of tar, pitch, rope, &c., so completely performing their work, as totally to ruin the whole of the marine stores, and to destroy one man-of-war of 50 guns, one of 36, and all the privateers, some of 30 guns each; the vessels destroyed amounting to upwards of 100 sail, and the fire continuing to rage all night. The light dragoons afterwards advanced to the town of Dol, where, in several slight affairs, they showed great zeal and activity. On the 11th, they re-embarked, and the fleet sailed on the 16th, remaining, however, some time longer on the coast of France, and watching another opportunity to land. This being rendered impracticable by the weather, the fleet returned, and arrived at Spithead on the first of July. The light troops remained at Portsmouth for some time, and many experiments were made with boats of different constructions, in order to ascertain the practicability of landing men and horses in rough weather.

In August the brigade of light dragoons proceeded on a second expedition, and a landing having been effected in the Bay des Marées, Cherbourg was taken, and the fortifications, and vessels in the harbour were destroyed. A descent was afterwards effected in the Bay of St. Lunar, and an incursion made into the adjacent country; but on re-embarking, the rear guard was attacked, and it sustained some loss. In December, the light troops landed and went into quarters, the light troop of the King's Own being quartered at Maidenhead. So completely had these troops answered the expectations entertained of them, that, in the next year, the first English regiment of light dragoons (the present fifteenth hussars) was raised under Brigadier-General Eliott; and in June, 1759, each light troop received an augmentation of one lieutenant, one serjeant, and twenty-nine privates. On the 7th of November, the King's Own marched to Hounslow and Brentford, relieving the royals, who proceeded to Essex.

On the 21st of June, 1760[26], the regiment received orders to prepare for embarkation for Germany, to join the army of Prince Ferdinand. These orders were, however, countermanded, and in 1761 and 1762 the regiment was successively quartered at Romford, Colchester, Uxbridge, and Chelmsford.

Peace having been restored by the treaty of Fontainbleau; in April, 1763, the light troop was disbanded at Putney; but a few men of each troop were afterwards equipped as light dragoons.

In June the King's Own lay at York, and remained there till the spring of 1764, when they marched to Scotland, and occupied Dalkeith, Leith, Haddington, Musselburgh, and Linlithgow; and orders were received for remounting with long-tailed horses.[27]

In 1765, the regiment lay at Coventry and Warwick, and in the next year passed the summer at Reading, where it was reviewed on the 10th of May, afterwards taking up winter quarters at Dorchester, Blandford, and Sherbourne. At the same time the drummers on the establishment were ordered to be replaced by trumpeters.

The King's Own were employed on coast duty in 1767 and 1768; in the first year in Kent and Sussex, head quarters at Lewes; and the second in Suffolk and Essex, head quarters at Ipswich.

Five troops lay at York and one at Hull in 1769, and in the next year the regiment marched to Scotland, head quarters, with three troops, being stationed at Hamilton, and detachments at Linlithgow, Irvine, and Kilmarnock.

In the year 1771, the King's Own lay at Preston, Blackburn, Wigan, and Warrington; and in 1772 at Worcester, Pershore, and Bromsgrove. In October of this year the colonelcy was conferred on the Honourable Charles Fitzroy (afterwards Lord Southampton)[28], from the fourteenth dragoons, in succession to the Earl of Albemarle, deceased.

In June, 1773, we find the regiment employed in aid of the revenue service on the coast of Kent, with its head-quarters at Canterbury. The year 1774 was spent at Northampton, and in April, 1775, the regiment was again marched to Scotland, being at East Retford in August, and in the autumn taking up quarters at Haddington, Dalkeith, and Musselburgh. In December of the same year, one troop was detached as far as Wakefield, and in the spring of 1776, the whole regiment followed to the south, and was quartered at Coventry, Lichfield, and Birmingham.

In 1777, the King's Own were reviewed at Newbury, and thence took up winter quarters at Blandford, Dorchester and Sherbourne. Early in 1778 they were ordered to Salisbury, there to be reviewed, and thence proceeded to Suffolk, and were encamped on Culford Heath, under the command of Lieutenant-General Warde, finally going into winter quarters in Sussex, and being employed there on coast duty during the remainder of the year. The regiment had, for many years, been in possession of a pair of Kettle Drums, in consequence of having taken them from the enemy, and on the 25th of December, 1778, an additional man and horse was placed upon the establishment, which gave the regiment its complement of Trumpeters besides the kettle drummer; being granted by His Majesty in compliance with a memorial from the Colonel[29].

In the spring of 1779, the men of the regiment equipped as light dragoons, were incorporated, with detachments from other corps, into a regiment, which was numbered the twenty-first light dragoons.

In consequence of the alarming riots in London in 1780, the regiment was ordered thither, and was quartered about Islington, furnishing the piquets in Portman Square during the trial of Lord George Gordon, and having a party stationed in Apsley House, then the property of Lord Chancellor Bathurst.

In 1781, having been reviewed by His Majesty in Hyde Park, the King's Own marched into Suffolk; and in 1782, were quartered at Derby, Leicester, and Nottingham, thence proceeding to Manchester in the autumn. In 1783, after the spring review they marched to Newcastle-on-Tyne and Durham, assembled at the latter place for inspection in September, and then returned to their old quarters for the winter.

The King's Own, for the third time in fourteen years, entered Scotland in 1784, and took up their old quarters at Dalkeith, Leith, and Haddington. Here they were inspected by Major-General Mackay, and soon after detached a troop to Dumfries. In July, 1785, the six troops were at Manchester, and thence, in 1786, proceeded to Worcester, then a general place of inspection for cavalry. At this station they were inspected by Major-General Philipson, and, after a stay of about six weeks, went into winter quarters at Hereford, Ludlow, and Leominster.

In May, 1787, the regiment assembled at Hereford to be reviewed by Major-General Douglas. It was ordered, on the rumour of a Russian armament, to hold itself in readiness to join any force that might be assembled; but, nothing taking place, it went into winter quarters at Dorchester, Blandford, and Poole. In 1788, it moved to Salisbury, was there reviewed, and then quartered at Winchester.

Early in 1789, the regiment marched to Reading. It was there reviewed by His Majesty, George III., on Ashford Common, and marched to Ipswich, where it remained until 1790, and, being then reviewed at Stamford, took up winter quarters at York and Lincoln.

At York all the troops assembled for inspection in the spring of 1791, and, for the fourth time marched to Scotland and were for two years quartered at Dumfries, being in that period twice inspected by Major-General Leslie.

In the spring of 1793, the King's Own received an order to augment three troops, and, after a short halt at Manchester, proceeded to Birmingham. From this place, four troops, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Waller, were detached back to Scotland, in consequence of serious riots in that part of the kingdom. In 1794 the regiment was ordered to furnish one hundred men, towards forming a regiment of cavalry for service in the West Indies; the newly-formed regiment was numbered the twenty-sixth light dragoons, and afterwards, on a reduction of regiments taking place, the twenty-third. In the same year a squadron from the troops in England, and one troop from those in Scotland, were ordered to embark to join the troops on the continent. The troop in Scotland marched a day or two, and was then recalled in consequence of the disturbed state of the country; and the squadron embarked at Blackwall, and was actually at sea, when it was recalled by a king's cutter, landed, and sent to Watford.

In 1795, the troops returned from Scotland, having had most harassing duty for two winters; and in the spring of 1796, the whole regiment assembled at Salisbury under Lord Cathcart, thence proceeding to the camp at Weymouth, and finally taking up winter quarters in Exeter.

The colonelcy of the King's Own Dragoons was conferred in March 1797 on Major-General Francis Lascelles from the eighth dragoons, in succession to Lord Southampton, deceased.

During the summer, the King's Own were again encamped at Weymouth; and on the breaking up of the camp, marched to Northampton, where the ninth troop was reduced.

In May, 1798, the regiment marched to Nottingham, where an entire change took place in the arms and clothing; the long skirt was abolished, and instead of the musket and brace of large pistols before used, the men received the carbine and single pistol.

On the 10th of June, 1799, the regiment marched to form part of the cavalry camp on Swinley Downs, near Windsor, at which place it received orders to join the armament under Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, then about to proceed to the Helder. These orders, however, were countermanded; and, at the breaking up of the camp, the regiment marched to Reading. During the time of encampment, Lt.-Colonel Callow[30] being appointed deputy governor of Quebec, was succeeded by Lt.-Colonel Waller, and on the 4th of September, General Sir Charles Grey from the eighth dragoons succeeded General Lascelles as colonel. At this period the tails of the horses were again shortened, having been worn of the natural length since 1764.

In February, 1800, the King's Own marched to Trowbridge, but only remained there a few weeks, and then proceeded to Chester to be reviewed. At this place an augmentation of two troops took place, making a total of ten; and on the 22nd of September, the whole regiment marched to Lancashire, thence to Carlisle, and, in December, to Scotland, the head-quarters being established at Hamilton; three troops, under the command of Major Wade, being detached to Carlisle and Penrith. At Hamilton, the regiment was reviewed by Major-Generals Erskine and Vyse, and the present system of casting horses annually first introduced; and as it was considered the peculiar privilege of the regiment to have black horses exclusively, those that had the slightest shade of brown, were sent to the fourth dragoon guards, none but black horses being retained, with the exception of one white for the kettle-drums.

After the peace of Amiens in 1802, two troops were reduced; the number of men in the others being also reduced from 100 to 64; and, on the 11th of August, the King's Own embarked at Port-Patrick for Ireland, proceeded to Dundalk, and in the spring of 1803 marched to Belturbet. Here they were reviewed by Major-General Sir James Afleck, and were actively employed in patrolling the country during the excitement caused by the disturbances in Dublin, to which place they proceeded in March, 1804, and were quartered in the royal barracks.[31]

On the 5th of April, 1805, the first division, immediately followed by the others, embarked for Liverpool, and marched to Nottingham, where the regiment remained for two years; the second year's halt being at the express request of the magistrates of Nottingham and Louth. The war having been resumed, two additional troops were added to the establishment.

The regiment marched to Chichester in May 1807, and being there reviewed by Major-General Hugonin, proceeded to Brighton, and was encamped on the hills above the present barracks, for the purpose of being reviewed, in conjunction with the first dragoon guards, by His Royal Highness the Duke of York. On the breaking up of the camp, the Third marched to Chichester, but were shortly ordered to Canterbury, where a brigade was formed, consisting of the second dragoon guards, and third and fourth dragoons.

In January, 1809, the regiment received orders to embark at Portsmouth, for the purpose of joining the army in Spain, under Lieut.-General Sir John Moore, and had advanced some days' march, when it was recalled, on the arrival of the news of the retreat of the British troops to Corunna.

On the 20th of July, the regiment received orders to march to Ramsgate, and was immediately embarked for Holland under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Mundy, forming part of an expedition designed to effect the destruction of the French shipping and arsenal on the Scheldt. After remaining in the Downs for six days, the fleet sailed, and arrived off Walcheren on the 29th, remaining there upwards of a fortnight; and after the capture of Flushing, proceeded up the Scheldt as far as Fort-Batz. The enemy's shipping had, in the meantime, been removed higher up the river, and an immense force assembled to oppose the British armament; at the same time an epidemic disease broke out among the English soldiers. The fleet consequently retired down the river, and sailed for England; the King's Own disembarked at Ramsgate in September following, and proceeded to occupy Canterbury, as before the expedition.

In April, 1810, in consequence of the riots in London, occasioned by the House of Commons having ordered Sir Francis Burdett to be lodged in custody in the Tower, the regiment was hastily ordered thither, marching all night, and arriving in Southwark at 7 A. M. The men were billeted on the south side of the Thames; an hotel near Westminster Bridge being the head quarters, and the Obelisk the alarm post. After the suppression of the riots, the regiment was ordered to Guildford, where it was reviewed by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, who was pleased to express his entire approbation of its appearance and discipline. On the release of Sir Francis Burdett from the Tower, the regiment was again sent to London, but remained there a few nights only, and then returned to Guildford.

Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France, having conquered Portugal, had placed his brother Joseph on the throne of Spain, supported by a French army. The efforts of the Spaniards and Portuguese to regain their liberty, which commenced in 1808, were continued to be aided by the British government, and a force, amounting at this time to nearly sixty thousand men, had been assembled in Portugal under the command of Lieutenant-General the Viscount Wellington.

In June, 1811, the King's Own Dragoons, having been reviewed on Wimbledon Common by His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, were, on their return to Guildford, completed to the field establishment by a draft of a hundred horses[32] from the second dragoon guards, and ordered forthwith to proceed to the Peninsula. On the 25th and 27th of July the regiment embarked at Portsmouth, landed in the following month at Lisbon, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Mundy, and having met with favourable weather during the voyage, the Lieutenant-Colonel commanding was enabled to cause particular attention to be paid to the horses in regard to cleanliness, exercise, &c. The mode adopted for this purpose was as follows: three or four horses were backed into the hold, where they were walked round for a quarter of an hour; their feet washed, and hand-rubbed; and they were shod, if necessary; by these means their state of health and efficiency, on their disembarkation at Lisbon, were such, that upon landing they were capable of undertaking immediate service.

The regiment was reviewed at Belem by Major-General Le Marchant, and mustered as follows:—1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 Major, 6 Captains, 9 Lieutenants, 1 Cornet, 1 Surgeon, 1 Assistant Surgeon, 5 Troop Quarter-Masters, 1 Regimental Serjeant-Major, 1 Paymaster Serjeant, 1 Troop Serjeant-Major, 24 Serjeants, 24 Corporals, 6 Trumpeters, 6 Farriers, 480 Privates, and 518 Troop Horses.

The King's Own left Belem on the 19th of September, under the command of Major Clowes, (the Lieutenant Colonel having been compelled by sickness to remain at Lisbon,) and marching through Villa Franca and Santarem, arrived at Abrantes in Portuguese Estremadura on the 27th. Here they remained until the 15th October, and then advanced through Niza and Villa Velha to Castello Branco in the province of Beira, where they were reviewed on the 7th of December, by Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton, who expressed his satisfaction at the very effective state of the men and horses.

In consequence of the extreme difficulty of procuring forage, the centre squadron moved, on the 21st of December, to Idanha a Nova on the frontiers of Spain, and in these quarters the regiment remained till the beginning of 1812, when it was ordered to the front to form part of the army covering the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, being quartered at Aldea de Ponte and Fundao, and experiencing great inconvenience from the scarcity of forage.

In February, Lord Wellington having resolved on the siege of Badajoz, the capital of Spanish Estremadura, the King's Own marched south with their brigade (the fifth dragoon guards, and fourth dragoons,) and arrived at Borba in the Alemtejo on the 5th of March. On the 16th, a pontoon bridge was thrown over the Guadiana, and Badajoz was invested; the day previous to which the brigade moved from Borba, and crossing the bridge, formed the advance guard of the covering army, which continued to advance till it arrived at the foot of an extensive chain of mountains called the Sierra Morena. On the 26th, the King's Own marched at sunset from Medina to Campo, and at midnight joined a force under Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Graham, destined to surprise three battalions of French infantry and two regiments of cavalry lying in Llerena. Owing to a mistake on the part of the Chasseurs Britanniques (who formed the advance of the infantry column), the projected surprise failed, and the French retired into the mountains during the night, and took post at Azuaga, a town nine miles to the south of Llerena. On the 29th of March, after a sharp affair, the French were driven from Azuaga, and the head quarters of the Brigade were established there. The authorities of this town gave a superb entertainment to Sir Stapleton Cotton.

On the night of the 31st of March, a man deserted, who, it is supposed, gave information of the situation and strength of the British outpost; and on the 1st of April, a strong French force was detached to cut off the piquets at La Granja. A patrol, commanded by Cornet Ratcliffe of the Third, having met with the enemy's advance guard, was driven in, and the two British squadrons were attacked by seven squadrons of French cavalry, supported by infantry. After a severe struggle, the enemy, perceiving their surprise had failed, retired, and the piquets resumed their station.[33] In this affair the King's Own lost thirteen men and twelve horses.

On the 2nd of April, Marshal Soult's army having advanced from Seville, with a view to raise the siege of Badajoz, the covering army began to retire before the superior numbers of the French. This retreat was continued through Usagre, Villa Franca, and Almandralejo, upon Albuhera, where, being supported by the besieging force, the army went into position on the 9th, and preparations were made for a general action. Soult, however, having heard of the fall of Badajoz, commenced a retrograde movement towards the frontiers of Andalusia on the 10th; on which day Major General Le Marchant's brigade, (the fifth dragoon guards, Third and fourth dragoons) forming the advance of the British, proceeded to Los Santos, and again in the night to Bienvenida, with the view of gaining the flank of the cavalry of a French corps (General Drouet's) encamped between Usagre and Villa Garcia; but the enemy retreated. The Brigade, however, defiled under cover of some heights, and by a flank movement came up with the French on the 11th in front of Llerena, charging and driving them into that town with the loss of one hundred and fifty prisoners, including several officers.

Intelligence was received of the advance of Marshal Marmont, on the north of Portugal. This general, leaving Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, on his rear, had pushed on as far as Castello Branco, thus threatening to destroy the communications of the British, by cutting the bridge of boats at Villa Velha. It therefore became necessary to reinforce the few troops left on that frontier, and Major General Le Marchant's brigade was one of those ordered for this service. It marched through Elvas, Estremos, Crato, Niza, and Villa Velha to Castello Branco, and finally took up its quarters at Val-de-rosa; but Marmont having retired into Spain on the approach of the British, the brigade returned to the Alemtejo, and was, on the 12th of April, stationed at Cabeca de Vide, Crato, and Fronteira, the King's Own being at the former place. On the 29th they received a sudden order to join a brigade of light cavalry, for the purpose of covering Lieut.-General Hill in his attack upon the tête-de-pont and bridge of boats at Almaraz, which brilliant exploit having been effected, the regiment returned to Cabeca de Vide on the 27th of May.

On the 1st of June the whole army, with the exception of Lieut.-General Hill's corps, moved to the north. On the 11th, Major-General Le Marchant's brigade arrived at Ciudad Rodrigo, and on the 12th was reviewed by Lord Wellington. On the 13th, the brigade moved forward and continued to advance till the 16th, when it found the enemy posted near Salamanca, and a skirmish took place which lasted till night-fall. On the 17th, the brigade crossed the Tormes, and was quartered near the village of Cabrerizos, and on the advance of the French, on the 20th, the whole army went into position on the heights of St. Christoval, with its right on the Tormes, and its left near Villares de la Reyna. On this day the brigade, being in front, sustained a cannonade of about an hour, and the King's Own lost twenty horses: the regiment afterwards took post on the summit of the mountain.

On the night of the 23rd the French army retired, and was followed at daybreak by the first and seventh divisions, and Le Marchant's brigade of cavalry, which crossed the river by the fords of Santa Marta; when Marshal Marmont, after a short delay, returned to his former position, and manœuvred for some days on the Tormes, but after the reduction of the forts at Salamanca, which took place on the 27th, he crossed the Douro at Tordesillas, closely followed by Lord Wellington, who, however, did not cross the river, but took up a position between Pollos and La Seca; Major-General Le Marchant's brigade being stationed at Pollos and Naval del Rey to watch the ford.

Marshal Marmont being strengthened by a division from the Asturias, pushed a column across the river on the 16th of July, in consequence of which the troops in Pollos fell back upon Fuente la Pena. On the 18th, it was understood that the enemy's army had passed the Douro at Tordesillas, by which manœuvre the safety of two divisions, and a brigade of cavalry, on the Trebancos, was much endangered, and Major-General Le Marchant's, with two other brigades of cavalry, were quickly moved up to cover their retreat, which was effected with trifling loss. The brigade had entered its bivouac near Canizal, when an order was received for a squadron of the King's Own to proceed to the support of two guns, intended to be placed on the hill above Castrillos. This order was soon increased to the whole regiment, which, on its march, discovered that the enemy was advancing in force, and pressing Major-General Alten's brigade very closely. Major Clowes immediately solicited, and received permission to go to their support, and the regiment accordingly advanced, and though checked by the fire of some French infantry, assisted in driving back the enemy's cavalry; the French infantry continuing to advance were repulsed by Lieut.-General Cole's division, and pursued with great loss. In this affair the regiment sustained the following loss; one serjeant-major, six privates, and four horses killed; lieutenant Branfell, and two privates wounded.[34]

On the 19th, the Brigade retired to the table land above the villages of Vallesa and El Olmo, and on the 20th, the hostile armies manœuvred within cannon shot of each other, the French moving to their left, and the British to their right. On the 21st the British went into their old position on the heights of St. Christoval, and the French crossed the Tormes at the fords of Alba and Huerta, marching to their left. To oppose this manœuvre, the British crossed the river at Salamanca. In the course of this day's manœuvres, Major-General Le Marchant's brigade crossed the river at the ford of Santa Marta three times, and took up its bivouac on the south bank opposite the town. In the course of this night so dreadful a thunder-storm burst upon the British lines, that the horses broke loose; many were lost by running into the French lines, and the remainder could not be secured till daybreak. The King's Own had to send to the rear an officer and sixteen men, severely injured by the horses, which were all linked together, running over them.

The morning of the 22nd of July, found the hostile armies opposed to each other. The British line was formed with its left on the Tormes, and its right on the rocky hills called the Arapiles; Major-General Le Marchant's brigade, quitting its bivouac ground, formed line in the centre of the position, to check the advance of the enemy's cavalry. The French marshal manœuvred to gain the road to Ciudad Rodrigo; his dragoons, after some skirmishing, were compelled to retire, and the King's Own again took ground to their right, passing the village of Arapiles, and forming in support of the fourth and fifth divisions. Lord Wellington, taking advantage of an injudicious movement made by his opponent, ordered his divisions forward, and the battle commenced. The French, attacked while making a complicated evolution, were instantly broken. A favourable opportunity for a charge of the British heavy cavalry occurring, the fifth dragoon guards, King's Own, and fourth dragoons, advanced, and a most animated scene presented itself. The din of conflict was heard on every side; clouds of dust and rising columns of smoke darkened the air, and enveloped the British squadrons as they rushed to battle. In front, the glittering bayonets and waving plumes of the French infantry were dimly seen through the thickened atmosphere; against these formidable ranks, the English horsemen dashed with terrific violence, the weight and fury of their charge broke the opposing lines, and in an instant the French musketeers were overthrown and trampled down with a terrible clamour and disturbance. 'Bewildered and blinded, they cast away their arms and ran through the openings of the British squadrons, stooping and demanding quarter, while the dragoons, big men, and on big horses, rode onward, smiting with their long glittering swords in uncontrollable power, and the third division followed at speed, shouting as the French masses fell in succession before this dreadful charge.'

'Nor were these valiant swordsmen yet exhausted. Their own general, Le Marchant, and many officers had fallen, but Cotton and all his staff were at their head, and with ranks confused, and blended together in one mass, still galloping forward they sustained from a fresh column an irregular stream of fire which emptied a hundred saddles; yet with fine courage, and downright force, the survivors broke through this the third and strongest body of men that had encountered them, and Lord Edward Somerset, continuing his course at the head of one squadron, with a happy perseverance, captured five guns. The French left was entirely broken, more than two thousand prisoners were taken, the French light horsemen abandoned that part of the field, and Thomiere's division no longer existed as a military body. Anson's cavalry, which had passed quite over the hill, and had suffered little in the charge, was now joined by D'Urban's troopers, and took the place of Le Marchant's exhausted men; the heavy German dragoons followed in reserve, and with the third and fifth divisions and the guns formed one formidable line two miles in advance of where Pakenham first attacked, and that impetuous officer, with unmitigated strength, still pressed forward, spreading terror and disorder on the enemy's left[35].'

In this attack Major-General Le Marchant received a ball through the body, which terminated the career of that brave and talented officer. Lieutenant Selby, of the King's Own, was likewise killed by a musket-shot through the left breast.[36] The result of this day was the entire overthrow of the French, 7,000 prisoners, eleven guns and two eagles remaining in the hands of the victors. The King's Own earned, on this occasion, the royal permission to bear the word 'Salamanca,' on their guidons. They sustained the following loss: Killed,—Lieutenant Selby, one serjeant, nine privates, and two officers' horses, and 13 troop horses. Wounded,—one serjeant, eight privates, and fifteen horses.

After the action the French retreated upon Alba, where they crossed the Tormes, and thence through Arevalo, upon Valladolid, sustaining in their march a severe loss from the German cavalry, which, having been uninjured in the battle, was despatched in pursuit of, and overtook their rear-guard three leagues beyond Alba, defeating it, and taking nine hundred prisoners.

The British army advanced on the route of the French, and entered Valladolid on the 30th of July; on the following day Cuellar was occupied, and on the 6th of August, the army moved on Segovia, crossed the Guadarama mountains on the 10th, and entered Madrid on the 12th; the brigade, now commanded by Colonel Ponsonby, forming the personal escort of Lord Wellington.

After halting seven days at Madrid, the brigade moved to St. Ildefonso, where it was cantoned for a few days. Intelligence was received that the army of General Clausel, who had succeeded Marmont, was advancing on Valladolid, and the British in consequence assembled at Olivares and its vicinity. An immediate attack was intended; but the artillery of the fifth division not arriving in time, the enemy retired on the 7th of September, having destroyed the bridge at Valladolid. They continued retreating rapidly till the 17th, when the immediate vicinity of Burgos induced Clausel to make a stand, and Colonel Ponsonby's brigade was ordered to the front; but, before the army could be formed for attack, the enemy again retired to Breviesca, leaving a strong garrison in the castle of Burgos.

The castle was invested, and the covering army took up a position on the heights of Quintana Palla, the King's Own being at Villa Yerna.

On the 19th of October, the French General Souham, who now commanded in the place of Clausel, being greatly reinforced, resolved to attempt the relief of Burgos. About four P. M. the French attacked and carried the village of Quintanapalla, but were repulsed in every attempt to penetrate farther, and abandoned the village on the approach of a force destined to retake it, consisting of the left wing of infantry, and Ponsonby's brigade of cavalry.

It being ascertained that Marshal Soult and Joseph Bonaparte were moving on the Tagus, and that Sir Rowland Hill, menaced by such powerful forces, could not maintain his position on that river, at the same time his retreat would leave the army before Burgos, already in a critical situation, quite insulated, the Marquis of Wellington resolved to retire so far as was necessary to form a junction with Sir Rowland Hill; and at dusk on the 21st, the army withdrew with such celerity and silence that the French were not aware of the retreat till the British had reached Hormillas, and did not show in any force till the evening of the 22nd of October. On the next morning the retrograde movement was continued in two columns, Ponsonby's brigade covering the column from Hormillas, and being threatened during the day by an immense body of cavalry. Such was the steadiness of the troops, that the overwhelming, force of the French could make no impression and the column went into bivouac for the night on the hills above Cordovilla, with little or no loss.

An hour before daylight on the 24th, the column, covered by Ponsonby's brigade, filed over the bridge of Cordovilla, and in the course of the day, the army crossed the Carrion, the head-quarters being established at Duenas. Early on the morning of the 25th, two squadrons of the fifth dragoon guards and Third dragoons were sent to the bridges of Palencia, to cover the party employed in mining them for destruction, but the French, advancing in force, gained possession of the bridges in an unbroken state. At this place the King's Own lost a man and horse by a round shot, and the party returned in the evening to Duenas; the army having in the meantime destroyed the bridges at that place, and at Villa Muriel, and the enemy having been defeated in an attempt to cross by the fords.