HISTORICAL RECORDS

OF

THE BRITISH ARMY.

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.,

And,

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.

HISTORICAL RECORD
OF
THE SEVENTEENTH
REGIMENT OF LIGHT DRAGOONS;—
LANCERS:

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF

THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
IN 1759,

AND OF ITS

SUBSEQUENT SERVICES

TO

1841.

ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES.

LONDON:

JOHN W. PARKER, WEST STRAND.

M.DCCC.XLI.

London:
Harrison and Co., Printers,
St. Martin's Lane.

THE

SEVENTEENTH LANCERS

BEAR ON THEIR APPOINTMENTS, AS A

REGIMENTAL BADGE,

"DEATH'S HEAD,"

WITH THE MOTTO,

"OR GLORY."

CONTENTS.

SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.

LIST OF PLATES.

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF

THE SEVENTEENTH

REGIMENT OF LIGHT DRAGOONS;—

LANCERS.

The institution of entire regiments of Light Cavalry, as part of the standing army of Great Britain, in the spring of 1759, was attended with such signal success, that, after the formation of the two splendid corps of Eliott and Burgoyne, which were numbered the Fifteenth and Sixteenth, King George II. was induced to carry the plan to a still greater extent, and to augment the Light Dragoon establishment with five additional regiments, which were numbered the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first Light Dragoons. The first of these additional corps was raised in Scotland by Lord Aberdour; it never consisted of more than two troops, and was disbanded at the termination of the seven years' war, in 1763. The second was embodied in Hertfordshire, under the superintendence of Lieut.-Colonel John Hale, from the Forty-seventh Foot, an officer who had served with credit in Europe and America, and who was the bearer of the public despatches announcing the victory at Quebec on the 13th of September, 1759, and the fall of the brave Major-General James Wolfe, a name which will be ever recorded among the heroes of the British army.

This corps was numbered the Eighteenth Light Dragoons; but after the reduction of Lord Aberdour's regiment it obtained rank as Seventeenth, and now bears the title of the "Seventeenth Lancers." Its first rendezvous was at Watford and Rickmansworth, and it consisted of four troops. The first troop was raised by Captain Franklin Kirby, from Lieutenant in the Fifth Foot; the second by Captain Samuel Birch, from Lieutenant in the Eleventh Dragoons; the third by Captain Martin Basil[1], from Lieutenant in Eliott's Light Horse; and the fourth by Captain Edward Lascelles, from Cornet in the Royal Horse Guards. Of this corps, Lieut.-Colonel John Hale, whose merits had procured for him the favour of his sovereign, was appointed Lieut.-Colonel Commandant, by commission dated the 7th of November, 1759; and purposing that his regiment should consist of men of decided character, who would emulate the glorious example of the heroic Wolfe, whose gallant conduct the Colonel had witnessed, he procured His Majesty's authority for his regiment to bear on its standards and appointments the "Death's Head," with the motto, "Or Glory," which it has continued to bear to the present time.

The zeal of the officers, with the popular feeling of interest, which existed in England at this period, and particularly in London and the southern counties, in favour of light cavalry, occasioned the regiment to be speedily completed with men and horses, and, in the beginning of December, it marched to Warwick and Stratford upon Avon, and soon afterwards to Coventry, where it was augmented to six troops.

In January, 1760, the following officers were holding commissions in the regiment:—

Ten months after the authority for its formation was issued, the regiment was directed to march to Berwick, and place itself under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief in North Britain; it arrived in Scotland in October, and was stationed in that part of the United Kingdom during the following three years.

In the spring of 1761 the regiment sent a draft of fifty men and horses to Germany, to serve under Lieut.-General the Marquis of Granby, and the Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick; and in 1762 hostilities were terminated by the treaty of Fontainbleau.

The restoration of peace was followed, in 1763, by reductions in the military establishment of the kingdom; but this was one of the corps selected to be retained in the service, and Lieut.-Colonel Commandant John Hale was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment by commission dated the 27th of April, 1763.

From Scotland the regiment embarked, in 1764, for Ireland, where it was stationed during the succeeding eleven years.

The following particulars respecting the clothing and guidons of the Seventeenth Light Dragoons, are extracted from His Majesty's warrant, dated the 19th December, 1768.

Coats,—scarlet, with half-lappels; lined with white; white collar and cuffs; white metal buttons, and the button holes ornamented with white braid.

Waistcoats and Breeches,—white.

Helmets,—ornamented with white metal and a scarlet horse-hair crest.

Boots,—reaching to the knee.

Cloaks,—scarlet, with white capes.

Horse Furniture,—of white cloth; the holster caps and housings having a border of white lace with a black edge; XVII, L. D. to be embroidered upon the housings, upon a scarlet ground, within a wreath of roses and thistles; the king's cipher, with the crown over it, and XVII, L. D. underneath, to be embroidered on the holster caps; the officers to have a silver tassel on their holster caps, and at each corner of their housings.

Officers,—to be distinguished by silver lace or embroidery; silver epaulettes; and crimson silk sashes worn round their waists.

Quarter Masters,—to have no lace or embroidery on their coats; to have silver epaulettes, and crimson sashes.

Serjeants,—to be distinguished by narrow silver lace, and crimson and white sashes.

Trumpeters,—to wear hats with white feathers; white coats faced with scarlet, and ornamented with white lace with a black edge; red waistcoats and breeches.

Guidons,—the first, or King's, guidon to be of crimson silk; in the centre the rose and thistle conjoined, and crown over them, and His Majesty's motto, Dieu et mon Droit, underneath; the white horse in a compartment in the first and fourth corners; and XVII, L. D. on a white ground, in a compartment in the second and third corners: the second and third guidons to be of white silk; in the centre the "Death's Head" on a crimson ground, within a wreath of roses and thistles on the same stalk, and the motto "Or Glory," underneath; the white horse on a red ground, in the first and fourth compartments; and the rose and thistle conjoined, upon a red ground, in the second and third compartments; the third guidon to be distinguished by a figure 3, on a circular red ground, underneath the motto.

Colonel John Hale, having been appointed Governor of Limerick, was succeeded in the colonelcy of the regiment by Colonel George Preston, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the Scots Greys, by commission dated the 2nd of November, 1770.

While the Seventeenth were in Ireland, they had the reputation of being a well-disciplined and an efficient corps, and on the breaking out of hostilities, in 1775, between Great Britain and her North American colonies, the high character of the regiment occasioned it to be the first cavalry corps selected to proceed across the Atlantic. It embarked from Ireland towards the end of March, and landed at Boston on the 24th of May.

Soon after the regiment arrived at Boston, the American troops attempted to establish themselves on Bunker's Hill, but were driven from thence, after a sharp engagement, on the 17th of June. During the action a party of the Seventeenth volunteered to proceed dismounted with the reinforcement sent from Boston to support the troops engaged.

Notwithstanding their defeat at Bunker's Hill, the American troops crowded round Boston in such numbers, and constructed such extensive works, that the British were kept in a state of blockade on the land side, and were so distressed for fresh provisions, that live cattle, vegetables, and even fuel, were sent from England for their use. These supplies proved insufficient, and the troops endured much distress. In the mean time the Americans, possessing every necessary article in abundance, began to act with vigour, raising batteries and opening a cannonade on the place.

In March, 1776, the King's troops evacuated Boston and sailed to Halifax. The Seventeenth landed at Halifax, and remained in Nova Scotia about two months; in the early part of June they again embarked, and, sailing towards New York, landed on Staten Island in the beginning of July. At this place the army was reinforced with troops from Great Britain, also with a body of Hessians; and the Seventeenth, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Samuel Birch, were attached to the Highland Brigade under Brigadier-General Sir William Erskine.

On the 22nd of August a landing was effected on Long Island; on the 25th the American piquets were surprised by detachments of the Seventeenth under Captain Oliver de Lancey; and at nine o'clock on the evening of the 26th the regiment led the van of the army from Flatland across the country to seize on a pass in the heights extending along the middle of the island. Arriving within half a mile of the pass, an American patrole was captured, and Lieut.-General Clinton learning that the enemy had not taken possession of the pass, it was immediately occupied. Passing the heights at day-break, the regiment moved towards Bedford, where it arrived about half-past eight o'clock, and immediately attacked a large body of Americans, who were quitting the woody heights to join their army in the fortified lines at Brooklyn; some desultory fighting took place, in which the Seventeenth evinced great gallantry;—Lieutenant William Loftus particularly distinguishing himself,—and the Americans were driven back with severe loss: General Sulivan, two brigadier-generals, and ten field officers being among the prisoners. The Seventeenth routed the American cavalry at the village of Jamaica, and at the close of the action Lieut.-General Clinton and Brigadier-General Sir William Erskine thanked the officers and men of the regiment for their gallant conduct. General Sir William Howe stated in his public despatch, "The behaviour of both officers and soldiers, British and Hessians, was highly to their honour. More determined courage and steadiness in troops have never been experienced, or a greater ardour to distinguish themselves."

On the night of the 29th of August the Americans abandoned their works, and crossed the East-river to New York. Long Island having thus been reduced, with little loss, the Seventeenth embarked from thence, and, crossing the river, took part in forcing the enemy to evacuate New York: the regiment was also engaged in the action at Pelham-manor on the 18th of October.

Advancing up the country the regiment joined the army on the 20th of October, and on the 28th it was one of the corps engaged in forcing the passage of the Brunx River, and in chasing the Americans to their entrenchments at the entrance of White Plains. The regiment had one man and five horses killed; Lieutenant William Loftus, four rank and file, and three horses wounded.

The Americans withdrew from their lines, when the British retired to undertake the siege of Fort Washington, and at the storming of the lines and redoubts near the fort, on the 16th of November, the Seventeenth Light Dragoons supported the infantry, and had one man wounded.

One troop of the regiment formed part of the force under Lieut.-General Clinton, which sailed from New York on the 1st of December, landed on Rhode Island on the 8th, and overpowering the American troops, reduced the island to submission to the British Government. This troop remained on Rhode Island during the succeeding twelve months under Major-General Earl Percy, and afterwards under Major-General Prescott. Five troops of the regiment were stationed, during the winter, at New York and other places in the vicinity of that city.

The Americans having formed extensive magazines at Danbury and other places on the borders of Connecticut, a detachment of the Seventeenth formed part of the force sent from New York, under Major-General Tryon, to destroy the stores. Sailing from New York in transports, the troops arrived, on the evening of the 25th of April, 1777, off Norwalk, landed without opposition, and commenced their march at ten o'clock that night for Danbury, where they arrived about two in the afternoon of the following day. On their approach the American soldiers fled, and as no carriages could be procured to bring off the stores, they were destroyed by fire; the flames communicating to the town, it was also consumed. On the following morning the British commenced their march back to their shipping, but had to fight their way through troops assembled to oppose them. They overthrew one body of Americans at Ridgefield, routed another party at the Hill of Campo, and afterwards embarked without molestation for New York.

In June the army took the field, and endeavoured to draw the American forces under General Washington from their strong position in the mountains in the Jerseys, but without success. The British General afterwards embarked with the greater part of his army on an expedition against the populous and wealthy city of Philadelphia, taking with him the Sixteenth Light Dragoons, and leaving five troops of the Seventeenth at New York, and one troop at Rhode Island.

From New York one troop of the Seventeenth embarked, dismounted, in the early part of October, with the expedition against Forts Montgomery and Clinton. Having landed at Stoney-point, on the 6th of October, the troop of the Seventeenth formed part of the column under Major-General Vaughan, which captured one of the forts by storm on the same evening; the other fort was abandoned by the Americans.

After returning from this enterprise the troop rejoined the regiment at New York, and during the winter the Seventeenth embarked for Pennsylvania, and were stationed at Philadelphia under General Sir William Howe.