TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

Some minor changes are noted at the end of the book.

HISTORICAL RECORDS

OF THE

BRITISH ARMY.

PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE
ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

THE FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT;

OR,

NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS.

LONDON:
Printed by William Clowes and Sons
14, Charing Cross.

GENERAL ORDERS.

HORSE-GUARDS,

1st January, 1836.

His Majesty has been pleased to command, that, with a view of doing the fullest justice to Regiments, as well as to Individuals who have distinguished themselves by their Bravery in Action with the Enemy, an Account of the Services of every Regiment in the British Army shall be published under the superintendence and direction of the Adjutant-General; and that this Account shall contain the following particulars, viz.,

—— The Period and Circumstances of the Original Formation of the Regiment; The Stations at which it has been from time to time employed; The Battles, Sieges, and other Military Operations, in which it has been engaged, particularly specifying any Achievement it may have performed, and the Colours, Trophies, &c., it may have captured from the Enemy,

—— The Names of the Officers and the number of Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates, Killed or Wounded by the Enemy, specifying the Place and Date of the Action.

—— The Names of those Officers, who, in consideration of their Gallant Services and Meritorious Conduct in Engagements with the Enemy, have been distinguished with Titles, Medals, or other Marks of His Majesty's gracious favour.

—— The Names of all such Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates as may have specially signalized themselves in Action.

And,

—— The Badges and Devices which the Regiment may have been permitted to bear, and the Causes on account of which such Badges or Devices, or any other Marks of Distinction, have been granted.

By Command of the Right Honourable
GENERAL LORD HILL,
Commanding-in-Chief.

John MacDonald,
Adjutant-General.

PREFACE.

The character and credit of the British Army must chiefly depend upon the zeal and ardour, by which all who enter into its service are animated, and consequently it is of the highest importance that any measure calculated to excite the spirit of emulation, by which alone great and gallant actions are achieved, should be adopted.

Nothing can more fully tend to the accomplishment of this desirable object, than a full display of the noble deeds with which the Military History of our country abounds. To hold forth these bright examples, to the imitation of the youthful soldier, and thus to incite him to emulate the meritorious conduct of those who have preceded him in their honourable career, are among the motives that have given rise to the present publication.

The operations of the British Troops are, indeed, announced in the 'London Gazette,' from whence they are transferred into the public prints: the achievements of our armies are thus made known at the time of their occurrence, and receive the tribute of praise and admiration to which they are entitled. On extraordinary occasions, the Houses of Parliament have been in the habit of conferring on the Commanders, and the Officers and Troops acting under their orders, expressions of approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery, and these testimonials, confirmed by the high honour of their Sovereign's Approbation, constitute the reward which the soldier most highly prizes.

It has not, however, until late years, been the practice (which appears to have long prevailed in some of the Continental armies) for British Regiments to keep regular records of their services and achievements. Hence some difficulty has been experienced in obtaining, particularly from the old Regiments, an authentic account of their origin and subsequent services.

This defect will now be remedied, in consequence of His Majesty having been pleased to command, that every Regiment shall in future keep a full and ample record of its services at home and abroad.

From the materials thus collected, the country will henceforth derive information as to the difficulties and privations which chequer the career of those who embrace the military profession. In Great Britain, where so large a number of persons are devoted to the active concerns of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, and where these pursuits have, for so long a period, been undisturbed by the presence of war, which few other countries have escaped, comparatively little is known of the vicissitudes of active service, and of the casualties of climate, to which, even during peace, the British Troops are exposed in every part of the globe, with little or no interval of repose.

In their tranquil enjoyment of the blessings which the country derives from the industry and the enterprise of the agriculturist and the trader, its happy inhabitants may be supposed not often to reflect on the perilous duties of the soldier and the sailor,—on their sufferings,—and on the sacrifice of valuable life, by which so many national benefits are obtained and preserved.

The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endurance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying difficulties; and their character has been established in Continental warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected debarkations in spite of the most formidable opposition, and by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have maintained their advantages against superior numbers.

In the official Reports made by the respective Commanders, ample justice has generally been done to the gallant exertions of the Corps employed; but the details of their services, and of acts of individual bravery, can only be fully given in the Annals of the various Regiments.

These Records are now preparing for publication, under His Majesty's special authority, by Mr. Richard Cannon, Principal Clerk of the Adjutant-General's Office; and while the perusal of them cannot fail to be useful and interesting to military men of every rank, it is considered that they will also afford entertainment and information to the general reader, particularly to those who may have served in the Army, or who have relatives in the Service.

There exists in the breasts of most of those who have served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit du Corps—an attachment to every thing belonging to their Regiment; to such persons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot fail to prove interesting. Authentic accounts of the actions of the great,—the valiant,—the loyal, have always been of paramount interest with a brave and civilized people. Great Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in moments of danger and terror, have stood, "firm as the rocks of their native shore;" and when half the World has been arrayed against them, they have fought the battles of their Country with unshaken fortitude. It is presumed that a record of achievements in war,—victories so complete and surprising, gained by our countrymen,—our brothers—our fellow-citizens in arms,—a record which revives the memory of the brave, and brings their gallant deeds before us, will certainly prove acceptable to the public.

Biographical memoirs of the Colonels and other distinguished Officers, will be introduced in the Records of their respective Regiments, and the Honorary Distinctions which have, from time to time, been conferred upon each Regiment, as testifying the value and importance of its services, will be faithfully set forth.

As a convenient mode of Publication, the Record of each Regiment will be printed in a distinct number, so that when the whole shall be completed, the Parts may be bound up in numerical succession.

FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT (NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS).

[To face page 1.

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF THE

FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,

OR

NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS;

CONTAINING

AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
IN THE YEAR 1674,
AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
TO 1837.

PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, 14, CHARING-CROSS.

MDCCCXXXVIII.

THE

FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,

NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS,

BEARS ON ITS COLOURS

"ST. GEORGE and the DRAGON,"

WITH THE MOTTO,

"QUO FATA VOCANT,"

AND THE FOLLOWING DISTINCTIONS:

"Wilhelmsthal" —"Roleia" —"Vimiera" —"Corunna" —"Busaco" —"Ciudad Rodrigo" —"Badajoz" —"Salamanca" —"Vittoria" —"Nivelle" —"Orthes" —"Toulouse" —"Peninsula."

CONTENTS.

Anno		Page
1674	The Dutch Government obtains permission to entertain British Troops in its service	1
——	Ten Companies formed—the siege of Grave	2
——	The Fifth, and three other regiments, formed	—
1676	Siege of Maastricht	3
1677	Battle of Mont-Cassel	7
1678	Battle of St. Denis	—
1685	The Regiment proceeds to England	10
——	Returns to Holland	11
1688	Accompanies the Prince of Orange to England	12
——	Revolution—Placed on the English Establishment	14
1690	Proceeds to Ireland	—
——	Battle of the Boyne	15
1691	Skirmish near Castle-Cuff, &c.	—
——	Siege of Athlone	17
——	Siege of Limerick	18
——	Returns to England	—
1692	Proceeds to Flanders	—
——	Returns to England	19
1693	Expedition to Martinico	—
——	Returns to England	—
——	Proceeds to Flanders	—
1695	Covering the siege of Namur	20
1697	Returns to England	22
1698	Proceeds to Ireland	—
1707	Embarks for Portugal	—
1709	Battle of Caya	24
1710	Capture of Xeres de los Cabaleros	25
1713	Embarks for Gibraltar	27
1727	Defence of Gibraltar	—
1728	Proceeds to Ireland	28
1735	Embarks for England	—
1737	Returns to Ireland	29
1755	Proceeds to England	—
1758	Expedition to the Coast of France—destruction of Shipping, &c., at St. Maloes	—
——	Capture of Cherbourg, &c.—Returns to England	30
1760	Proceeds to Germany	—
——	Skirmish at Corbach	31
——	Battle of Warbourg	—
——	Surprise at Zirenberg	32
——	Skirmish at Campen	—
1761	Battle of Kirch-Denkern	—
——	Affair at Capelnhagen	33
——	Skirmish at Eimbeck	—
——	Skirmish at Foorwohle	—
1762	Battle of Groebenstien, &c.	—
——	Skirmish at Lutterberg	36
——	Skirmish at Homburg	—
——	Covering the siege of Cassel	—
1763	Marches through Holland and embarks for England	—
——	Proceeds to Ireland	37
1767	The "Order of Merit" introduced	—
1771	Suppression of disturbances in Ireland	39
1774	Embarks for Boston in North America	—
1775	Affair at Concord and Lexington	40
——	Attack on Bunker's Hill	42
1776	Embarks from Boston for Nova Scotia	44
——	Reduction of Long Island	—
——	Action at White Plains	45
1776	Capture of Forts Washington and Lee	45
——	Reduction of New Jersey	—
1777	Expedition to Pennsylvania—actions at Brandywine Creek and Germantown	46
1778	Retreat through the Jerseys—skirmish at Freehold	48
——	Expedition to Little Egg Harbour	—
——	Reduction of the Island of St. Lucie	49
——	The men equipped with White Plumes	51
1779}	In various actions in the West Indies	—
1780}	In various actions in the West Indies	—
1780	Proceeds to England	51
1781	Embarks for Ireland	52
1787	Proceeds to Canada	54
1797	Returns to England	56
1799	Second battalion formed—both battalions embark for Holland	—
——	Action at Walmenhuysen, Shoreldam, and Egmont-op-Zee	57
——	Action at Winkle	58
——	Returns to England	—
1800	Proceeds to Gibraltar	59
1802	Returns to England—Second battalion disbanded	—
1803	Proceeds to Guernsey	—
1804	Returns to England—a Second battalion raised	—
1805	Second battalion to Guernsey—First battalion embarks for Hanover	—
1806	First battalion returns to England—embarks for South America	60
1807	Attack on Buenos Ayres	—
——	Both battalions proceed to Ireland	61
1808	First battalion embarks for Portugal	—
——	—————– Battle of Roleia	62
——	—————– Battle of Vimiera	—
——	—————– Advances into Spain—Retreats to the coast	63
1809	First battalion, battle of Corunna	63
——	—————— Returns to England—proceeds on the Walcheren expedition	64
——	First battalion returns to England	65
——	—————– Detachment at the battle of Talavera	—
——	Second battalion from Ireland to Portugal	—
1810	——————– Battle of Busaco—Lines of Torres Vedras	66
——	First battalion proceeds from England to Ireland	—
1811	Second battalion, affair at Redinha	67
——	——————— Battle of Sabugal	—
——	——————— Battle of Fuentes d'Onor	68
——	——————— Siege of Badajoz	—
——	——————— Action at El Bodon	—
1812	——————— Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo	74
——	——————— Siege of Badajoz	76
——	First battalion from Ireland to Portugal	78
——	Both battalions at the battle of Salamanca	—
——	—————— advance to Madrid	79
——	Chivalrous spirit of James Grant	—
——	Second battalion proceeds to England	80
——	First battalion retreats from Madrid to Portugal	—
1813	—————– Battle of Vittoria	81
——	—————– Battle of the Pyrenees	82
——	—————– Enters France—battle of Nivelle	—
——	—————– Passage of the Nive	—
1814	—————– Affair near the Gave d'Oleron	83
——	—————– Battle of Orthes	—
——	—————– Battle of Toulouse	—
——	—————– Embarks for North America	84
——	—————– Action near Plattsburg	—
1815	—————– Proceeds from America to Flanders	85
——	—————– Advances to Paris	—
——	—————– Forms part of the Army of Occupation in France	—
1818	First battalion proceeds to England	85
——	Reduced to one battalion in 1816	86
——	Proceeds to the West Indies	—
1821	Reduced from ten to eight companies	—
1824	Privilege of wearing a distinguishing feather confirmed	87
1825	Augmented from eight to ten companies	—
1826	Embarks for England	—
1827	Proceeds to Ireland	88
1829	To wear a red and white feather	90
1830	Good conduct during the Galway election	91
1831	Six companies embark for Gibraltar, and four companies remain in Ireland	95
1832	The "Order of Merit" sanctioned	96
1833	Colours destroyed by fire	97
1834	Service companies from Gibraltar to Malta	98
——	Facings changed to a lively green	99
1835	Correspondence relative to an additional banner	100
——	The reserve companies proceed to England	101
1836	Equipped as Fusiliers, and styled the Fifth Regiment of Foot, or Northumberland Fusiliers	—
——	"Wilhelmsthal" inscribed on the Colours	102
——	New Colours presented to the regiment	103
1837	Service companies proceed to Corfu	106
——	The Conclusion	—

PLATES.
The Vignette—Badge—to follow	Title Page
The Colours to face	Page 1
The Uniform of 1688 to face	Page 12
The Uniform of 1835 to face	100
The Uniform of 1837 to face	106

SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.

Anno		Page
1674	Daniel Viscount of Clare	107
1675	John Fenwick	108
1676	Henry Wisely	—
1680	Thomas Monk	109
1688	Thomas Tollemache	—
1689	Edward Lloyd	110
1694	Thomas Fairfax	—
1704	Thomas Pearce	—
1732	John Cope	111
1737	Alexander Irwin	112
1752	Charles Whiteford	—
1754	Lord George Bentinck	113
1759	Studholme Hodgson	—
1768	Hugh Earl Percy	114
1784	Honourable Edward Stopford	—
1794	Sir Alured Clarke, G.C.B.	115
1801	Richard England	116
1812	William Wynyard	—
1819	Sir Henry Johnson, Bart., G.C.B.	117
1835	The Hon. Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B, and G.C.H.	—

FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT (NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS).

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF THE

FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,

NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS.

1674

When the treaty of peace between England and Holland was being negotiated at London in February 1674,[1] the Dutch Government, remembering the advantages which had been derived from the Auxiliary British troops in former wars, obtained permission again to entertain in its service certain regiments.

Peace having been concluded, King Charles II. disbanded part of his army in the same year, when many of the officers and men proceeded to Holland, and the formation of the British division was commenced. The original design was to have a division of ten thousand men, to be commanded-in-chief, under the Prince of Orange, by Major-General Sir Walter Vane; but while the organization of this force was in progress, Sir Walter was killed at the battle of Seneffe, which was fought on the 11th of August, 1674; and Sir William Ballandyne was appointed to succeed him in the command of the British troops.

The formation making rapid progress, in the autumn, when the Prince of Orange was besieging Grave in North Brabant, he was informed that ten English and Irish companies, complete and fit for service, were at Bois-le-Duc, about 18 miles distant, and his Highness, eager to avail himself of their services, immediately ordered them to join the army. In this siege the ten companies gave presage of that gallantry for which they afterwards became celebrated; they lost several men, and Sir William Ballandyne was also killed by a cannon-ball.

The capture of Grave, which took place on the 28th of October, terminated the campaign; the troops were sent into quarters; and during the winter four regiments of British subjects were formed at Bois-le-Duc;—two English,—one Scots,—and one Irish;—the latter is now designated the Fifth Regiment of Foot, or Northumberland Fusiliers, and its services form the subject of this narrative. Its first Colonel was Daniel O'Brien, Viscount of Clare; but this nobleman resigned soon afterwards, and quitted Holland. The regiment was commanded, ad interim, by Lieutenant-Colonel Anselmne, who had previously served with much honour in the Spanish service.

1675

In 1675 the command of this regiment was conferred on Colonel John Fenwick, who had distinguished himself at the battle of Seneffe; at this period the regiment discontinued the designation of "Irish," and many English gentlemen received commissions in it.

After leaving its quarters at Bois-le-Duc in the spring of 1675, the regiment was encamped for a short time on one of the beautiful plains of Louvain, and it was subsequently employed in manœuvring near the frontiers of France and in the Principality of Liege. The progress of the campaign was impeded by the severe indisposition of the Prince of Orange; no engagement of importance occurred, and in the autumn the regiment marched to the Dutch Netherlands and passed the winter in garrison at Utrecht.

1676

In the summer of 1676 the regiment marched to Brabant, and was stationed at Bois-le-Duc, preparatory to some expedition of importance. This occurred in the early part of July, and the men were in high spirits, anticipating some splendid adventure. About two o'clock in the morning the drums beat "to arms;" the regiment immediately assembled at the alarm-post, and commenced its march for the province of Limburg, being joined by other corps every day. On the fifth day, the Prince of Orange appeared at the head of the troops, and, to the surprise of the enemy, the famous city of Maestricht was besieged. This city, which was well fortified with all the works which art could suggest, was defended by 8000 chosen men commanded by Monsieur Calvo, a resolute Catalonian. The Prince of Orange attended to the progress of the siege; and after the arrival of the battering train, the works were carried on with vigour.

The three English regiments [2] were formed in one Brigade, and they soon distinguished themselves, beating back the sallies of the garrison with great slaughter. On the 30th of July, a storming party of two hundred men, furnished in equal proportions by the three regiments, attacked the Dauphin Bastion, and after a severe contest effected a lodgment, but afterwards lost their ground: this proved a sanguinary affair, and 150 men were killed and wounded out of the two hundred. On the 2nd of August the Brigade was again on duty in the trenches, when Colonel Fenwick was wounded.

The Prince of Orange resolved to make a second attack on the Dauphin Bastion on the 4th of August, when a detachment from the Brigade, commanded by Captain Anthony Barnwell of Fenwick's regiment, with another from the Dutch Foot Guards, commanded by Baron Sparr, formed the storming party.[3] At three o'clock the Brigade was under arms with the storming party in front; and at five the gallant little band, advancing under a tempest of bullets, went cheering to the attack and carried the bastion in gallant style—the English, gaining the lead of the Dutch, first made a lodgment. Scarcely, however, had the soldiers gained a footing, when the French sprung a mine and blew many of the men into the air, and following this up with a fierce attack, regained possession of the works. The heroic English were, however, "resolute to win;"—they returned to the attack, and fighting with a strength and majesty which nothing could withstand, drove back the French, and re-established themselves on the bastion; but their commander, Captain Barnwell, was killed, and more than half the officers and men of the party were killed and wounded.

About five in the morning of the 6th of August a desperate sally was made by three hundred Swiss Infantry, and, owing to the neglect of a sentry, they surprised and made prisoners the English guard on the bastion; but a reinforcement from the Brigade came forward to their rescue, and, after saluting the assailants with a few volleys, and a shower of hand-grenades, made a furious charge, retaking the bastion and chasing the Swiss Infantry with prodigious slaughter to the palisadoes of the counterscarp, destroying the whole detachment, except about twenty men who escaped into the town. The Prince of Orange complimented the Brigade on its distinguished bravery, and made each of the three regiments a present of a fat ox and six sheep.[4]

On the 15th of August Colonel Fenwick's regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Wisely (the Colonel not having recovered from his wounds) was on duty in the trenches, when the enemy made another furious sally; but they were nobly received by the regiment; a fierce combat ensued, in which the strength and unconquerable spirit, of the English again excited the admiration of the Prince of Orange, and a reinforcement arriving, the French were driven back with great loss.

The progress of the siege had been marked by surprising energy, but it was prolonged by the resolute defence of the garrison; and when all things were ready for a general assault, a French army of overwhelming numbers, commanded by Marshal Schomberg, advanced to its relief. The Prince of Orange immediately raised the siege and retired; and the three English regiments, having sustained a severe loss, and having nearly half the number of the surviving officers and men wounded, were sent into quarters of refreshment in Holland. At the same time a misunderstanding occurred between Colonel (afterwards Sir John) Fenwick and the Prince, and the Colonel resigned his commission; when his Highness gave the Colonelcy of the regiment to the Lieutenant-Colonel, Henry Wisely.

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Historical Record of the Fifth Regiment of Foot, or Northumberland Fusiliers

GENERAL ORDERS.

PREFACE.

HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, OR NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS;

CONTENTS.

HISTORICAL RECORD

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF THE

FIFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,

OR

NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS;