PLATES.

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF

THE SEVENTH REGIMENT,

OR

THE ROYAL FUSILIERS.

The invention of gunpowder was speedily followed by the introduction of cannon; but many years elapsed before a corps of artillery was added to the army. The guns were fired by men hired for the purpose, under the direction of a master-gunner, and an officer styled the Master of the Ordnance, and the whole were under the orders of the Master-general of the Ordnance. Non-commissioned officers and private soldiers of infantry regiments were frequently employed as gunners; and the care and protection of the guns were confided to particular corps. On the augmentation of the army during the rebellion of James Duke of Monmouth, in the summer of 1685, King James II. resolved, that the first infantry corps raised on that occasion should be an Ordnance Regiment, for the care and protection of the cannon; of which corps His Majesty appointed George Lord Dartmouth, then Master-general of the Ordnance, colonel, by commission dated the 11th of June, 1685.

The regular regiments of foot were composed, at this period, of Musketeers,—men armed with muskets and swords; Pikemen,—armed with long pikes and swords; and Grenadiers,—armed with hand-grenades, muskets, bayonets, swords, and small hatchets; but in the Ordnance Regiment every man carried a long musket called a fusil, with a sword and bayonet, from which peculiarity in the arming, the regiment obtained the designation of "Fusiliers;" and the King being desirous of appearing publicly to patronize this new corps, conferred upon it the title of "Royal Fusiliers."[6]

Regiments of infantry had, originally, a colour to each company, which was called an ensign, and was carried by the junior subaltern officer of each company, who was styled "ancient," and afterwards "ensign," which term signified "colour-bearer." The regiments of fusiliers did not have colours or ensigns to each company, consequently the title of ensign or colour-bearer was not given to the junior subaltern officer of each company; but having, in consequence of the peculiar services they were called upon to perform, a care and responsibility equal to that of a lieutenant, both the subaltern officers of each company were styled lieutenants. They were both placed on the same rate of pay; but the terms first lieutenant and second lieutenant were used in their commissions for several years, and afterwards discontinued.

The regiment consisted of thirteen companies,—twelve of fusiliers and one of miners; each company consisting of three officers, three serjeants, three corporals, two drummers, and one hundred private men. The two first companies were of very old date; having been independent companies in the Tower of London many years; the other ten companies were raised in London and its vicinity by George Lord Dartmouth,[7] Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Talmash or Tollemache, afterwards colonel of the fifth foot and second foot guards; Richard Fowler, Major Beckman, Henry Cornwall, Sir John Morgan, John Boyce, Thomas Whalley, Charles Fitzwilliams, and Henry Vaughan; and the company of miners by Captain James Adams. Thomas Talmash was appointed to the lieutenant-colonelcy; and Robert St. Clair, who commanded one of the old independent companies, obtained the commission of major. The uniform was scarlet coats, lined with yellow; grey breeches and grey stockings; and the men wore yellow cloth caps, ornamented with military devices similar to those afterwards adopted for grenadiers; the other regiments of foot wore round hats with broad brims turned up on one side.

The regiment was speedily raised, and on the 4th of July the several companies were directed to proceed to the Tower of London, and perform the duties of that fortress. The rebellion being soon afterwards suppressed, and the Duke of Monmouth beheaded, the regiment was reduced to eleven companies of fusiliers, of three officers, three serjeants, three corporals, two drummers, and fifty private soldiers each; and one company of miners, of two officers, one serjeant, two corporals, one drummer, and forty miners.

After the suppression of the rebellion, King James formed a camp on Hounslow-heath; where the Scots brigade in the service of Holland, and a numerous body of English cavalry and infantry, were assembled, and the Royal Fusiliers proceeded to the camp in charge of the train of artillery. When the camp was broken up, the regiment returned with the guns to the Tower of London, from whence three companies were detached to Sheerness, where they were directed to remain in garrison.[8]

During the summer of 1686 the Royal Fusiliers were again encamped in charge of the train of artillery on Hounslow-heath. The corps assembled on the heath consisted of three troops of life guards, nine regiments of cuirassiers, three of dragoons, and thirteen battalions of foot. In a description of the camp, written at the time, and published in the Antiquarian Repertory, it is stated:—"The horse, foot, and dragoons are encamped in a straight line; the intervals between the foot is seventy paces, the intervals between each regiment of horse about fifty paces, and the interval between the horse on the left and the dragoons (because of the ground) is near half mile. The lieutenants' and ensigns' tents are in the rear of the respective companies in a direct line, seventeen paces from the soldiers' huts or tents; the captains' tents twelve paces behind the lieutenants'; the colonels' tents behind the captains', ten paces; the lieutenant-colonel on the right of the colonel, and the major on the left in a direct line. The brigadier-generals have their tents twenty paces behind the colonels'. The King's tent and chappel is in the rear of the left of the horse on the left, and the general officers' tents behind the King's. The Fusiliers are encamped in the rear of the line, a good distance behind the interval between the Earl of Craven's regiment and the Scots guards; and in several parties about the horse carriages. The guns are planted about a hundred paces before the line, before the interval between the Scots guards and Prince George's regiment, guarded by a party of Fusiliers; each gun having two gunners and a matrosse to attend it. The suttling booths are about two hundred paces in the rear of the line."

In August the Royal Fusiliers struck their tents, and, returning to the Tower with the guns, were stationed at that fortress during the remainder of the year.

The establishment was again augmented to thirteen companies in the spring of 1687, as appears by the following warrant:—

"JAMES R.

"Whereas we have thought fit to add one company more to Our Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and to apply the pay of one of the non-regimented companies mentioned in Our establishment to the entertainment of the said company of Fusiliers, with the addition of one shilling per diem to the youngest lieutenant, and one shilling and sixpence for the pay of one serjeant, and one shilling for one drummer more, Our will and pleasure is, that you include the pay of the said company, and additional allowances, within the certificates or debentures you shall from time to time make out for the pay of Our said Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, to commence from the 1st of January last; and for so doing this shall be your sufficient warrant.

"Given at Our Court at Whitehall this 12th day of March, 1686-7, in the third year of Our reign.

"By His Majesty's Command.

"To the Paymaster-General,
&c.    &c.    &c."

In the summer of 1687 and 1688, the Royal Fusiliers were again encamped on Hounslow-heath. On the 1st of September, 1688, an augmentation of ten men per company was made to the establishment, which consisted, at this period, of eleven companies of fusiliers, one of grenadiers, and one of miners.

The King having manifested a determination to establish papacy and arbitrary government, many noblemen and gentlemen solicited the aid of William Henry Prince of Orange to enable them to oppose the proceedings of the court. On the receipt of information of warlike preparations in Holland, a strong detachment of the Royal Fusiliers embarked on board of men-of-war, to serve as marines, and sailed to the Nore. The fleet was commanded by their colonel, Admiral Lord Dartmouth, whose loyalty to King James II. was not doubted; but the rear-admiral, Sir John Barry, and many of the captains, inferior officers, and seamen, entertained sentiments favourable to the Prince of Orange; no collision, however, took place. While the English fleet was wind-bound at the mouth of the Thames, the Dutch armament passed along the British Channel with little molestation; the wind becoming more favourable, the English navy put to sea; but the Prince of Orange was so far in advance, that he landed on the Devonshire coast, on the 5th of November, without interruption; and the wind changed immediately afterwards, and blew with such violence, that the English fleet was driven into Portsmouth harbour in a damaged condition. The sentiments entertained in the navy were also prevalent in the army; the troops refused to fight in the cause of Papacy and arbitrary government, and King James fled to France. The Royal Fusiliers landed and were ordered by the Prince of Orange to occupy quarters at Barnet.

From this period the Royal Fusiliers ceased to be considered exclusively as an Ordnance Regiment, and took their turn of duty with the regular regiments of the line: the regiment was not, however, furnished with a division of pikemen; but every man continued to be armed with a fusil.

Six companies were removed from Barnet to Yarmouth, where they took part, in February, 1689, in the proclamation of the accession of King William III. and Queen Mary to the throne. Shortly afterwards the regiment embarked for Holland, forming part of the force under Lieutenant-General the Earl of Marlborough, sent to assist the Dutch in their war with France in the place of the troops which the Prince of Orange had brought with him to England.

The Royal Fusiliers joined the Dutch army at Tongres, and served the campaign of this year under Prince Waldeck. On the 25th of August a piquet under Colonel Hodges was attacked by the French forces under Marshal de Humières near Walcourt, and a sharp action ensued, in which the English infantry evinced firmness and intrepidity. The French were defeated with the loss of two thousand men killed and wounded; and King William, writing to the Earl of Marlborough on this subject, observed,—"I am very happy that my troops behaved so well at Walcourt. It is to you that this advantage is principally owing."[9] In a few days after this event King William conferred the colonelcy of the Royal Fusiliers, which had been vacant some time, in consequence of the removal of Lord Dartmouth for adhering to the interests of King James, on the Earl of Marlborough, who held also the colonelcy of the third troop of life guards.

Before the following campaign the regiment returned to England, where it was stationed while King William was in Ireland, endeavouring to rescue that country from the power of King James, who had proceeded thither with a body of troops from France.

King William having defeated the Irish forces and their French allies at the Boyne, besieged Limerick. "During the time His Majesty was before the town, it was proposed by the Earl of Nottingham to My Lord Marlborough, and afterwards approved of in council, as very advantageous to their Majesties' affairs, to send a party from England, who, joining with a detachment from the King's army, might reduce the two important garrisons of Cork and Kinsale, and arrangements were made accordingly; but not being ready so soon as was designed, His Majesty, upon his return to England, sent the Earl of Marlborough, with his own regiment of Fusiliers, Brigadier Trelawny's (now fourth), Princess Anne's (eight), Colonel Hastings' (thirteenth), Colonel Hales', Sir David Collier's, Colonel Fitzpatrick's, one hundred of the Duke of Bolton's, two hundred of Monmouth's under Major Johnston, with Lord Torrington's and Lord Pembroke's marine regiments, to undertake this service."[10] Arriving at Cork roads on the 21st of September, the fleet entered the harbour on the following day, and the co-operation of part of the army on shore having been secured, the Royal Fusiliers and other corps landed and commenced the siege. A breach having been made, the Royal Fusiliers and three other English regiments, commanded by Brigadier-General Churchill, and a body of Danes, passed the river wading up to the arm-pits to the east marsh, in order to storm the wall on that side. The grenadiers led the attack; but before they gained the breach, the Irish hung out a white flag, and agreed to surrender; the garrison, consisting of six regiments, became prisoners of war.

From Cork the Royal Fusiliers advanced towards Kinsale; the garrison vacated the town and retired to two strong forts. One of these forts was speedily reduced; the other held out until the middle of October, when the garrison surrendered on the condition of being permitted to proceed to Limerick.

The Royal Fusiliers were afterwards placed in garrison at Kinsale, where they remained three months.

The loss of the battle of Fleurus on the 21st of June, 1690, by the Dutch troops under Prince Waldeck, gave the French the ascendancy over the confederates in Flanders; and the Royal Fusiliers were selected to augment the forces in that country, where His Majesty resolved to command in person. The regiment embarked from Cork in January 1691, and sailing for Flanders experienced very severe weather at sea, and two vessels, having on board part of the Fusiliers, were wrecked on the English coast, and many men perished. The remainder of the regiment landed at Ostend and went into quarters in West Flanders, where it was joined by a fine body of recruits and by a number of men who had been left sick at Kinsale.

When the army took the field, the Royal Fusiliers were formed in brigade with the regiments of Bath (tenth), Hodges (sixteenth), and Fitzpatrick (afterwards disbanded), commanded by Brigadier-General Churchill, and served the campaign of this year with the main army commanded by King William; but no general engagement occurred. The regiment passed the winter in cantonments among the Belgic peasantry.

The Earl of Marlborough, having fallen under the displeasure of King William, was removed from his commands, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Royal Fusiliers by Lord George Hamilton by commission dated the 23rd of January, 1692.

On the army taking the field, the regiment was again placed in the brigade commanded by Brigadier-General Churchill, and it served at the battle of Steenkirk on the 24th of July, 1692. On this occasion the leading column attacked the French forces commanded by Marshal Luxemburg with signal gallantry and success; but owing to the thick woods, with narrow and difficult defiles, which the army had to pass, together with the tardiness of Count Solms in obeying His Majesty's commands, some delay occurred. The Royal Fusiliers and a few other corps hastened through the defiles, and formed line at the skirts of the wood, where they were exposed to a heavy cannonade, and lost several men. In consequence of the delay which had occurred, the King ordered a retreat, and the French did not venture to attack the army in its retrograde movement.

Sir Robert Douglas having been killed in the act of rescuing the colours of the first battalion of the Royals from the enemy, was succeeded in the colonelcy of that regiment by Lord George Hamilton; and the command of the Royal Fusiliers was conferred on Colonel Edward Fitzpatrick, from a newly-raised regiment, which had been disbanded.

On the 22nd of August the regiment was detached from the main army, with several other corps, under Lieutenant-General Talmash, to Furnes, where the troops encamped until the fortifications were put in a state of defence; the Royal Fusiliers afterwards proceeded to Dixmude, and were employed in repairing the works;[11] and after the completion of this service, they marched into quarters at Ghent, where they passed the winter.

Leaving Ghent in May, 1693, the regiment was in line at the celebrated position of Parck camp, where it was formed in brigade with the Royals (first), Queen Dowager's (second), Prince George of Denmark's (third), and the Queen's (fourth) regiments under Brigadier-General Churchill. After several movements the army was posted near the village of Landen, where it was attacked on the 19th of July by a French army of very superior numbers under Marshal Luxemburg.

The Royal Fusiliers were posted near the right of the confederate army, where a slight entrenchment had been made during the preceding night. As the first rays of morning light appeared in the horizon, waving masses of glittering arms, traversing the undulating grounds in front, gave indication of an approaching enemy, when the artillery opened a heavy fire, and the battle began. For some time the Fusiliers were spectators of the action, while much fighting took place at the villages of Laér, Neer-Winden, Neer-Landen, and the fortune of the day was everywhere in favour of the confederates; but eventually the position was forced at the village of Neer-Winden, and the Hanoverian Cavalry were broken. Heavy columns of pikemen and musketeers, consisting of the French brigades of Vermandois, Nice, Roussillon, and Sare, flanked by dragoons, and preceded by a cloud of grenadiers, approached the ground where the Royal Fusiliers were posted. Colonel Fitzpatrick was at the head of the regiment, and directed the men to reserve their fire until the near approach of their opponents. As the French soldiers sprang forward with their characteristic energy, and threw a shower of hand-grenades over the breast-work, a well-directed volley from the Fusiliers rent chasms in the French ranks; but the survivors, being supported by an immense superiority of numbers, and urged forward by Marshal Villeroy, renewed the attack; while the marshal led a chosen body of men to the charge, and forced the right of the entrenchment. The Royal Fusiliers, and other corps at this part of the field, were attacked in front and flank, and a sanguinary conflict ensued. Colonel Fitzpatrick was carried from the field wounded, yet the Fusiliers stood their ground; ranks of opponents ascended the breast-work, and were speedily cut down or forced back. At length the British battalions were overpowered and driven from their ground. Stung with resentment at this disaster, they speedily rallied, and, rushing sword in hand upon their opponents, they once more regained the lost ground. A momentary pause ensued; but soon a fresh body of opponents renewed the fight, and the British regiments were again overpowered by superior numbers. The Fusiliers evinced the stern valour of British soldiers; their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Whalley, fell mortally wounded; Major Wilson was removed bleeding to the rear; yet they disputed the ground with sanguinary tenacity until all chance of ultimate success had passed away, when they withdrew from the field, and joining a large body of infantry under Lieutenant-General Talmash, retired by the brook Beck upon Dormal, and thence to Lewe. The enemy attempted to interrupt the retreat; but the British battalions facing about to confront their pursuers, the French halted, and the retrograde movement of this body of men was performed with trifling loss; the remainder of the army had, however, to pass the river Gheet by a narrow bridge, and the defiles becoming choked with gun-carriages, the rear was severely handled by the French, and the King narrowly escaped being taken prisoner.

The loss of the regiment on this occasion was very severe: among the killed were Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Whalley, an officer of distinguished merit, who raised one of the companies of the regiment at its formation in 1685, and Lieutenants Fairbrother, Cooper, and Blackmore; Captain Ruthwin died of his wounds: among the wounded were Colonel Edward Fitzpatrick, Major Wilson, Captains Harte, Betsworth, and Withers, and Lieutenant Fletcher; the loss in non-commissioned officers and private soldiers was very great; but the exact number has not been ascertained.

The regiment was employed in the movements of the main army until the end of the campaign, when it returned to Ghent, where it was stationed during the winter, together with three battalions of foot-guards, and the Queen Dowager's regiment of foot.

In the spring of 1694 a numerous body of recruits from England replaced the losses of the preceding campaign, and when the regiment took the field, it was reviewed by King William, and complimented on its martial appearance, and the steadiness with which it performed the simple manœuvres practised at that period. It served in the brigade under the orders of Brigadier-General Erle, and performed many long and toilsome marches in Flanders and Brabant; but no general engagement occurred, and it passed another winter in barracks at Ghent.

When the season for taking the field, in the spring of 1695, arrived, the British monarch appeared at the head of a splendid army of British, Spaniards, Dutch, and Germans; in the preceding years His Majesty had been satisfied with arresting the progress of the French arms; but in 1695 he resolved to wrest the strong and important fortress of Namur from the power of Louis XIV. Colonel Fitzpatrick, having been eighteen months in England to recover of his wounds, rejoined the army on the 19th of June, and was placed at the head of a brigade, of which his own regiment of Fusiliers formed part. King William attacked Fort Kenoyne, and having drawn the French forces to the Flanders side of their line of entrenchments, he invested Namur. The Royal Fusiliers were detached from the army at Wonterghem to take part in the siege, and pitched their tents at Templeaux, a post about five miles from the town. On the 6th of July they were on duty in the trenches; on the 8th they marched into the lines of circumvallation, and in the evening of the same day a detachment was engaged in a successful attack on the covered way upon the hill of Bouge. The attack was made about seven in the evening; and such were the spirit and energy with which the British soldiers rushed upon their opponents, that the palisades were speedily broken down,—the covered way carried,—the French overpowered and chased among the works, many of them throwing themselves into stone pits to escape the fury of their assailants.

This success stimulated the soldiers to fresh exertions, and on the 17th of July, when the Royal Fusiliers were directed to take part in the storming of the counterscarp, they engaged in this service with a cheerful alacrity, which proved the ardour which glowed in every breast. The grenadiers led the assault, and, rushing to the glacis, cast their grenades over the palisades into the covered way. Following up this attack with spirit, the French were overpowered, the counterscarp was carried in gallant style, and the Royal Fusiliers were thanked by King William for their distinguished bravery. They had Lieutenant Dancy killed and Captain Negus wounded; also a number of private men killed and wounded. The siege was prosecuted with vigour, and with such success that before the end of July the town was delivered up, Marshal Boufflers retiring with the garrison into the castle.

One hundred and thirty-six pieces of cannon and fifty mortars opened their fire on the castle of Namur on the 11th of August, and being continued without intermission, breaches were made in the Terra Nova and Cohorne, and on the night of the 20th of August, a detachment of the Royal Fusiliers was engaged under Lord Cutts in the attack of the counterscarp and breach of Terra Nova, and had several men killed and Captain Groves, Lieutenant Rainsford, and a number of men wounded. The fire of the artillery was continued, and preparations were made for another assault; but the further effusion of blood was prevented by the surrender of the place. After the repair of the works, the King, being satisfied with the capture of so important a place, dismissed the army to its winter quarters, and the Fusiliers returned to their usual station at Ghent.

During the following winter a conspiracy was formed in England for the assassination of King William: at the same time an insurrection was organised, and a French army was assembled near the coast to aid in the replacing of King James on the throne. A body of troops was immediately ordered to return from Flanders; and the Royal Fusiliers embarked at Sas van Ghent, sailed from thence to Flushing, where the transports were placed under the convoy of Dutch men-of-war, and, afterwards resuming the voyage, arrived at Gravesend in March, 1696. The plot had, however, been discovered, the conspirators arrested, and the British fleet was manned and sent to sea; the French monarch's designs were thus frustrated, and the Fusiliers returned to Flanders without landing in England.

During the campaign of 1696 the regiment served with the Brabant army commanded by King William; but no fighting took place. In the beginning of September it joined the army of Flanders under the Prince of Vaudemont, and, encamping near the village of St. Michael, was employed in constructing works for the protection of Bruges. In October it marched to Ghent.

In November, 1696, Brigadier-General Sir Charles O'Hara was appointed colonel of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, in succession to Brigadier-General Fitzpatrick, drowned.

Leaving Ghent on the 13th of March, 1697, the regiment proceeded into village quarters between Brussels and Malines. Two companies were detached to form part of the garrison of Oudenarde, and the remainder subsequently encamped behind the forest of Soignies, where the men suffered much from wet weather and from the want of their clothing, which was due, but had not arrived from England.

The Royal Fusiliers took part in the operations of this campaign. In September a treaty of peace was signed at Ryswick, and during the winter the regiment returned to England; at the same time its numbers were reduced to a peace establishment.

In August, 1698, the regiment proceeded to Jersey and Guernsey, to relieve a corps of marines which was ordered to be disbanded.

The regiment remained in Jersey and Guernsey until 1702, when the accession of Philip Duke of Anjou (grandson of Louis XIV.) to the throne of Spain, to the prejudice of the House of Austria, had involved Europe in another war. This violation of existing treaties was followed by the Courts of France and Spain acknowledging the Pretender as King of Great Britain. Queen Anne declared war against France and Spain, and in the summer of 1702 three companies of the Royal Fusiliers were called from Jersey and Guernsey to take part in an expedition, under the Duke of Ormond, against the city of Cadiz; their colonel, Major-General Sir Charles O'Hara, was also employed in this enterprise. The fleet arrived off the coast of Andalusia in Spain, and a landing was effected in the middle of August, within a short distance from Cadiz. The wind being high, about thirty boats crowded with soldiers were overturned by the surge, and above twenty men of the Royal Fusiliers were drowned. The towns of Rota, and Port St. Mary's with Fort St. Catherine, were captured; but the fortress of Cadiz was found too strong, and the garrison too numerous to be reduced by the small expedition sent against it. The wealthy and flourishing town of Port St. Mary's was found deserted by the inhabitants, the houses well furnished, and much valuable merchandise in the warehouses. Strict discipline not being preserved, the town was plundered, and a great quantity of property was removed on board the fleet. Several officers were charged with participating in the plunder, and Sir Charles O'Hara was implicated and brought to trial, but was acquitted. The capture of Cadiz being found impracticable, the troops re-embarked, and sailed for England; but while at sea, information was received of the arrival of a valuable Spanish fleet under a French convoy, at the harbour of Vigo, and the expedition immediately proceeded thither. A landing was effected on the south side of the river, above Vigo; a strong fort and a battery were captured; the British fleet forced an entrance, and the French and Spanish shipping were all captured or destroyed. The fleet afterwards returned to England; and the Duke of Ormond received the thanks of parliament for his success in this enterprize. The three companies of the Fusiliers were landed and placed in garrison at Tilbury, excepting fifty men, who were sent to the West Indies to complete Brigadier-General Gustavus Hamilton's regiment.

The war being continued, the Royal Fusiliers were employed during the summer of 1703 as marines on board the fleet: they afterwards landed, and were placed in garrison at Portsmouth, from whence a detachment was sent to the Isle of Wight in August, 1704. In 1705 the regiment was stationed at Plymouth.

In the meantime several regiments had been sent to Portugal; an armament under the Earl of Peterborough had captured Barcelona, and Catalonia and Valencia had declared in favour of Archduke Charles of Austria, who was acknowledged as sovereign of Spain by Great Britain, Holland, &c. The house of Bourbon assembled a well-appointed army and a powerful fleet to retake Barcelona, which was besieged by King Philip in April, 1706. King Charles remained in the city, that his presence might inspire confidence in the garrison, which was weak and ill provided with the means of defence. Succours were sent from England, and the Royal Fusiliers were embarked for this service. On the approach of the British squadron the French fleet retired. The Royal Fusiliers landed at Barcelona on the 8th of May, and immediately marched to the breach to repel an expected attack by storm, which did not, however, take place. The arrival of the British fleet with reinforcements decided the fate of the town; and the army of King Philip raised the siege and retired, leaving its battering train and magazines behind.

From Barcelona the Royal Fusiliers marched a distance of forty-seven miles, to Gironne, a fortified town of Catalonia, situated at the base of a steep mountain, with the river Tar running through the town. Here the regiment passed in comfortable quarters among the Spaniards the remainder of the year 1706 and the early part of 1707. Provisions and wine were abundant, and the regiment was preserved in a state of efficiency.

While the Royal Fusiliers were at Gironne, the allied British, Portuguese, and Dutch army, was overpowered on the plains of Almanza on the 25th of April, 1707. Soon after this disaster the Royal Fusiliers traversed the country from Gironne to Lerida (anciently called Ilerda), a place celebrated in history for the beauty of its situation, the fertility of the adjacent country, and for having been the capital of the country of the Ilergetes long before the first invasion of Spain by the Romans. At this pleasant city, situated on the declivity of a hill on the west bank of the Segra, the Royal Fusiliers remained a short time, expecting the approach of the victorious French and Spanish forces. The officers and soldiers could view the ground where Scipio defeated Hanno, the Carthaginian general, and where Julius Cæsar conquered the lieutenants of Pompey; but no hope of victory could be entertained by the Royal Fusiliers in the approaching contest, the disparity of numbers being too great.

The garrison of Lerida consisted of the Royal Fusiliers, Wills's marines (now thirtieth regiment), with one Portuguese and two Dutch battalions, commanded by Prince Henry of Hesse d'Armstadt and Major-General Wills. A powerful French and Spanish army under His Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans and the Duke of Berwick invested the town on the 10th of September, and, having effected a breach, gave a general assault on the 12th of October. The garrison defended its post with admirable courage and resolution, and the firmness and steady valour of the Royal Fusiliers were conspicuous. The enemy having made a lodgment, the garrison vacated the town, and retired to the castle at the top of the hill, where a vigorous defence was continued until the water and provisions were expended, when the fortress was surrendered on honourable terms. The garrison marched, out on the 12th of November with colours flying, taking with them all their baggage and two pieces of cannon, and proceeded to join the army under the Earl of Galway.

The Royal Fusiliers, having sustained considerable loss in the defence of Lerida, returned to England in the spring of 1708 to recruit, and their colonel, Major-General Sir Charles O'Hara, was advanced to the peerage by the title of Baron Tyrawley.

During the winter of 1708 and spring of 1709 the regiment occupied extensive cantonments in Devonshire and Somersetshire, and its ranks were rapidly recruited.

This year Lieut.-General Stanhope formed the design of surprising Cadiz, and concerted measures with Admiral Sir George Byng, on board of whose squadron he embarked from Port Mahon with two regiments of foot, and sailed to Gibraltar to await the arrival of a body of troops from England. The Royal Fusiliers were selected to take part in this enterprise, and they embarked at Portsmouth on board of the squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Baker; but the fleet was detained so long by contrary winds, that it did not reach Portugal until October, when the season was too far advanced for prosecuting this adventure, and the regiment sailed to Barcelona.

The island of Minorca having been captured in 1708, the Royal Fusiliers were selected to form part of the garrison of that important place during the remainder of the war, which was terminated in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht. By this treaty Minorca was ceded to Great Britain, and the regiment was one of the corps destined to remain on the island.

On the 29th of January, 1713, the colonelcy was conferred on the Honourable James O'Hara, in succession to his father, James Lord Tyrawley.

The Royal Fusiliers remained at Minorca until the spring of 1719, when they were relieved, and arrived at Plymouth in May of that year; in July they proceeded to Ireland, where they continued until 1727.

In 1727, when the Spaniards besieged Gibraltar, the regiment was ordered to return to England, and it was subsequently held in readiness to join the Dutch in their war with Austria; but no embarkation took place.

The regiment remained in Great Britain until 1734, when it proceeded to Gibraltar.

Lord Tyrawley having been removed to the fifth horse (now fourth dragoon guards) in August, 1739, his lordship was succeeded in the colonelcy by Major-General William Hargrave, from the ninth foot.

Leaving Gibraltar in 1749, the regiment proceeded to Ireland, where it was stationed six years.

In the royal warrant dated 1st July, 1751, the Royal Fusiliers are authorized to bear the following distinctions. "In the centre of their colours, the Rose within the Garter, and the Crown over it; the White Horse in the corners of the second colour. On the grenadier caps the Rose within the Garter, and Crown as in the colours. White Horse and motto over it, Nec aspera terrent. The same device of the Rose within the Garter, and Crown on their drums and bells of arms, with the rank of the regiment underneath."