Chapter I: Part 1

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BY COMMAND OF His late Majesty WILLIAM THE IV^{TH}.
_and under the Patronage of_
Her Majesty the Queen.

HISTORICAL RECORDS,
_OF THE_
British Army

_Comprising the_
_History of every Regiment_
_IN HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE_.

_By Richard Cannon Esq^{re}._

_Adjutant-General’s Office, Horse Guards._
London.
_Printed by Authority._]

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF

THE THIRTY-NINTH,

OR THE

DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT:

CONTAINING

AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
In 1702,

AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
To 1853.

COMPILED BY

RICHARD CANNON, ESQ.,
ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE, HORSE GUARDS.

Illustrated with Plates.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY GEORGE E. EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE,
PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
FOR HER MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE.
PUBLISHED BY PARKER, FURNIVALL, AND PARKER,
MILITARY LIBRARY,
30, CHARING CROSS.

1853.

GENERAL ORDERS

_HORSE GUARDS_,
_1st January, 1836_.

His Majesty has been pleased to command that, with the 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 Honorable
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 honorable 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 de Corps_--an attachment to everything 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.

INTRODUCTION

TO

THE INFANTRY.

The natives of Britain have, at all periods, been celebrated for innate courage and unshaken firmness, and the national superiority of the British troops over those of other countries has been evinced in the midst of the most imminent perils. History contains so many proofs of extraordinary acts of bravery, that no doubts can be raised upon the facts which are recorded. It must therefore be admitted, that the distinguishing feature of the British soldier is INTREPIDITY. This quality was evinced by the inhabitants of England when their country was invaded by Julius Cæsar with a Roman army, on which occasion the undaunted Britons rushed into the sea to attack the Roman soldiers as they descended from their ships; and, although their discipline and arms were inferior to those of their adversaries, yet their fierce and dauntless bearing intimidated the flower of the Roman troops, including Cæsar’s favourite tenth legion. Their arms consisted of spears, short swords, and other weapons of rude construction. They had chariots, to the axles of which were fastened sharp pieces of iron resembling scythe-blades, and infantry in long chariots resembling waggons, who alighted and fought on foot, and for change of ground, pursuit or retreat, sprang into the chariot and drove off with the speed of cavalry. These inventions were, however, unavailing against Cæsar’s legions: in the course of time a military system, with discipline and subordination, was introduced, and British courage, being thus regulated, was exerted to the greatest advantage; a full development of the national character followed, and it shone forth in all its native brilliancy.

The military force of the Anglo-Saxons consisted principally of infantry: Thanes, and other men of property, however, fought on horseback. The infantry were of two classes, heavy and light. The former carried large shields armed with spikes, long broad swords and spears; and the latter were armed with swords or spears only. They had also men armed with clubs, others with battle-axes and javelins.

The feudal troops established by William the Conqueror consisted (as already stated in the Introduction to the Cavalry) almost entirely of horse: but when the warlike barons and knights, with their trains of tenants and vassals, took the field, a proportion of men appeared on foot, and, although these were of inferior degree, they proved stout-hearted Britons of stanch fidelity. When stipendiary troops were employed, infantry always constituted a considerable portion of the military force; and this _arme_ has since acquired, in every quarter of the globe, a celebrity never exceeded by the armies of any nation at any period.

The weapons carried by the infantry, during the several reigns succeeding the Conquest, were bows and arrows, half-pikes, lances, halberds, various kinds of battle-axes, swords, and daggers. Armour was worn on the head and body, and in course of time the practice became general for military men to be so completely cased in steel, that it was almost impossible to slay them.

The introduction of the use of gunpowder in the destructive purposes of war, in the early part of the fourteenth century, produced a change in the arms and equipment of the infantry-soldier. Bows and arrows gave place to various kinds of fire-arms, but British archers continued formidable adversaries; and, owing to the inconvenient construction and imperfect bore of the fire-arms when first introduced, a body of men, well trained in the use of the bow from their youth, was considered a valuable acquisition to every army, even as late as the sixteenth century.

During a great part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth each company of infantry usually consisted of men armed five different ways; in every hundred men forty were “_men-at-arms_,” and sixty “_shot_;” the “men-at-arms” were ten halberdiers, or battle-axe men, and thirty pikemen; and the “shot” were twenty archers, twenty musketeers, and twenty harquebusiers, and each man carried, besides his principal weapon, a sword and dagger.

Companies of infantry varied at this period in numbers from 150 to 300 men; each company had a colour or ensign, and the mode of formation recommended by an English military writer (Sir John Smithe) in 1590 was; the colour in the centre of the company guarded by the halberdiers; the pikemen in equal proportions, on each flank of the halberdiers; half the musketeers on each flank of the pikes; half the archers on each flank of the musketeers, and the harquebusiers (whose arms were much lighter than the muskets then in use) in equal proportions on each flank of the company for skirmishing.[1] It was customary to unite a number of companies into one body, called a REGIMENT, which frequently amounted to three thousand men; but each company continued to carry a colour. Numerous improvements were eventually introduced in the construction of fire-arms, and, it having been found impossible to make armour proof against the muskets then in use (which carried a very heavy ball) without its being too weighty for the soldier, armour was gradually laid aside by the infantry in the seventeenth century: bows and arrows also fell into disuse, and the infantry were reduced to two classes, viz.: _musketeers_, armed with matchlock muskets, swords, and daggers; and _pikemen_, armed with pikes from fourteen to eighteen feet long, and swords.

In the early part of the seventeenth century Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, reduced the strength of regiments to 1000 men. He caused the gunpowder, which had heretofore been carried in flasks, or in small wooden bandoliers, each containing a charge, to be made up into cartridges, and carried in pouches; and he formed each regiment into two wings of musketeers, and a centre division of Pikemen. He also adopted the practice of forming four regiments into a brigade; and the number of colours was afterwards reduced to three in each regiment. He formed his columns so compactly that his infantry could resist the charge of the celebrated Polish horsemen and Austrian cuirassiers; and his armies became the admiration of other nations. His mode of formation was copied by the English, French, and other European states; but so great was the prejudice in favour of ancient customs, that all his improvements were not adopted until near a century afterwards.

In 1664 King Charles II. raised a corps for sea-service, styled the Admiral’s regiment. In 1678 each company of 100 men usually consisted of 30 pikemen, 60 musketeers, and 10 men armed with light firelocks. In this year the King added a company of men armed with hand grenades to each of the old British regiments, which was designated the “grenadier company.” Daggers were so contrived as to fit in the muzzles of the muskets, and bayonets, similar to those at present in use, were adopted about twenty years afterwards.

An Ordnance regiment was raised in 1685, by order of King James II., to guard the artillery, and was designated the Royal Fusiliers (now 7th Foot). This corps, and the companies of grenadiers, did not carry pikes.

King William III. incorporated the Admiral’s regiment in the second Foot Guards, and raised two Marine regiments for sea-service. During the war in this reign, each company of infantry (excepting the fusiliers and grenadiers) consisted of 14 pikemen and 46 musketeers; the captains carried pikes; lieutenants, partisans; ensigns, half-pikes; and serjeants, halberds. After the peace in 1697 the Marine regiments were disbanded, but were again formed on the breaking out of the war in 1702.[2]

During the reign of Queen Anne the pikes were laid aside, and every infantry soldier was armed with a musket, bayonet, and sword; the grenadiers ceased, about the same period, to carry hand grenades; and the regiments were directed to lay aside their third colour: the corps of Royal Artillery was first added to the Army in this reign.

About the year 1745, the men of the battalion companies of infantry ceased to carry swords; during the reign of George II. light companies were added to infantry regiments; and in 1764 a Board of General Officers recommended that the grenadiers should lay aside their swords, as that weapon had never been used during the Seven Years’ War. Since that period the arms of the infantry soldier have been limited to the musket and bayonet.

The arms and equipment of the British Troops have seldom differed materially, since the Conquest, from those of other European states; and in some respects the arming has, at certain periods, been allowed to be inferior to that of the nations with whom they have had to contend; yet, under this disadvantage, the bravery and superiority of the British infantry have been evinced on very many and most trying occasions, and splendid victories have been gained over very superior numbers.

Great Britain has produced a race of lion-like champions who have dared to confront a host of foes, and have proved themselves valiant with any arms. At _Crecy_, King Edward III., at the head of about 30,000 men, defeated, on the 26th of August, 1346, Philip King of France, whose army is said to have amounted to 100,000 men; here British valour encountered veterans of renown:--the King of Bohemia, the King of Majorca, and many princes and nobles were slain, and the French army was routed and cut to pieces. Ten years afterwards, Edward Prince of Wales, who was designated the Black Prince, defeated at _Poictiers_, with 14,000 men, a French army of 60,000 horse, besides infantry, and took John I., King of France, and his son, Philip, prisoners. On the 25th of October, 1415, King Henry V., with an army of about 13,000 men, although greatly exhausted by marches, privations, and sickness, defeated, at _Agincourt_, the Constable of France, at the head of the flower of the French nobility and an army said to amount to 60,000 men, and gained a complete victory.

During the seventy years’ war between the United Provinces of the Netherlands and the Spanish monarchy, which commenced in 1578 and terminated in 1648, the British infantry in the service of the States-General were celebrated for their unconquerable spirit and firmness;[3] and in the thirty years’ war between the Protestant Princes and the Emperor of Germany, the British Troops in the service of Sweden and other states were celebrated for deeds of heroism.[4] In the wars of Queen Anne, the fame of the British army under the great MARLBOROUGH was spread throughout the world; and if we glance at the achievements performed within the memory of persons now living, there is abundant proof that the Britons of the present age are not inferior to their ancestors in the qualities which constitute good soldiers. Witness the deeds of the brave men, of whom there are many now surviving, who fought in Egypt in 1801, under the brave Abercromby, and compelled the French army, which had been vainly styled _Invincible_, to evacuate that country; also the services of the gallant Troops during the arduous campaigns in the Peninsula, under the immortal WELLINGTON; and the determined stand made by the British Army at Waterloo, where Napoleon Bonaparte, who had long been the inveterate enemy of Great Britain, and had sought and planned her destruction by every means he could devise, was compelled to leave his vanquished legions to their fate, and to place himself at the disposal of the British Government. These achievements, with others of recent dates, in the distant climes of India, prove that the same valour and constancy which glowed in the breasts of the heroes of Crecy, Poictiers, Agincourt, Blenheim, and Ramilies, continue to animate the Britons of the nineteenth century.

The British Soldier is distinguished for a robust and muscular frame,--intrepidity which no danger can appal,--unconquerable spirit and resolution,--patience in fatigue and privation, and cheerful obedience to his superiors. These qualities, united with an excellent system of order and discipline to regulate and give a skilful direction to the energies and adventurous spirit of the hero, and a wise selection of officers of superior talent to command, whose presence inspires confidence,--have been the leading causes of the splendid victories gained by the British arms.[5] The fame of the deeds of the past and present generations in the various battle-fields where the robust sons of Albion have fought and conquered, surrounds the British arms with a halo of glory; these achievements will live in the page of history to the end of time.

The records of the several regiments will be found to contain a detail of facts of an interesting character, connected with the hardships, sufferings, and gallant exploits of British soldiers in the various parts of the world where the calls of their Country and the commands of their Sovereign have required them to proceed in the execution of their duty, whether in active continental operations, or in maintaining colonial territories in distant and unfavourable climes.

The superiority of the British infantry has been pre-eminently set forth in the wars of six centuries, and admitted by the greatest commanders which Europe has produced. The formations and movements of this _arme_, as at present practised, while they are adapted to every species of warfare, and to all probable situations and circumstances of service, are calculated to show forth the brilliancy of military tactics calculated upon mathematical and scientific principles. Although the movements and evolutions have been copied from the continental armies, yet various improvements have from time to time been introduced, to ensure that simplicity and celerity by which the superiority of the national military character is maintained. The rank and influence which Great Britain has attained among the nations of the world, have in a great measure been purchased by the valour of the Army, and to persons who have the welfare of their country at heart, the records of the several regiments cannot fail to prove interesting.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] A company of 200 men would appear thus:--

__|
| |
|__|
|
20 20 20 30 2|0 30 20 20 20
|
Harquebuses. Muskets. Halberds. Muskets. Harquebuses.
Archers. Pikes. Pikes. Archers.

The musket carried a ball which weighed 1/10th of a pound; and the harquebus a ball which weighed 1/25th of a pound.

[2] The 30th, 31st, and 32nd Regiments were formed as Marine corps in 1702, and were employed as such during the wars in the reign of Queen Anne. The Marine corps were embarked in the Fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke, and were at the taking of Gibraltar, and in its subsequent defence in 1704; they were afterwards employed at the siege of Barcelona in 1705.

[3] The brave Sir Roger Williams, in his Discourse on War, printed in 1590, observes:--“I persuade myself ten thousand of our nation would beat thirty thousand of theirs (the Spaniards) out of the field, let them be chosen where they list.” Yet at this time the Spanish infantry was allowed to be the best disciplined in Europe. For instances of valour displayed by the British Infantry during the seventy Years’ War, see the Historical Record of the Third Foot, or Buffs.

[4] _Vide_ the Historical Record of the First, or Royal Regiment of Foot.

[5] “Under the blessing of Divine Providence, His Majesty ascribes the successes which have attended the exertions of his troops in Egypt to that determined bravery which is inherent in Britons; but His Majesty desires it may be most solemnly and forcibly impressed on the consideration of every part of the army, that it has been a strict observance of order, discipline, and military system, which has given the full energy to the native valour of the troops, and has enabled them proudly to assert the superiority of the national military character, in situations uncommonly arduous, and under circumstances of peculiar difficulty.”--_General Orders in 1801._

In the General Orders issued by Lieut.-General Sir John Hope (afterwards Lord Hopetoun), congratulating the army upon the successful result of the Battle of Corunna, on the 16th of January 1809, it is stated:--“On no occasion has the undaunted valour of British troops ever been more manifest. At the termination of a severe and harassing march, rendered necessary by the superiority which the enemy had acquired, and which had materially impaired the efficiency of the troops, many disadvantages were to be encountered. These have all been surmounted by the conduct of the troops themselves: and the enemy has been taught, that whatever advantages of position or of numbers he may possess, there is inherent in the British officers and soldiers a bravery that knows not how to yield,--that no circumstances can appal,--and that will ensure victory, when it is to be obtained by the exertion of any human means.”

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF

THE THIRTY-NINTH,

OR THE

DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT:

CONTAINING

AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
In 1702,

AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
To 1853.

COMPILED BY

RICHARD CANNON, ESQ.,
ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE, HORSE GUARDS.

Illustrated with Plates.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY GEORGE E. EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE,
PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
FOR HER MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE.

PUBLISHED BY PARKER, FURNIVALL, AND PARKER,
MILITARY LIBRARY,
30, CHARING CROSS.

1853.

ERRATA.

Page 86, line 30,--_for_ “Thansi,” _read_ “Jhansi.”

Do. line 34,--_for_ “Kurnool,” _read_ “Kurnaul.”

Page 94, line 24,--_for_ “Captain Charles Campbell (Major of Brigade)”
_read_ “Captain Marmaduke George Nixon (Major of Brigade).”

THE THIRTY-NINTH REGIMENT

BEARS ON THE REGIMENTAL COLOUR AND APPOINTMENTS

THE MOTTO “PRIMUS IN INDIS,”

TO DENOTE ITS HAVING BEEN THE FIRST KING’S REGIMENT
EMPLOYED IN INDIA;

AND THE WORD “PLASSEY,”

IN COMMEMORATION OF ITS GALLANTRY IN THAT
BATTLE, ON THE 23rd OF JUNE, 1757;

THE WORD, “GIBRALTAR,”
WITH THE DEVICE OF THE “CASTLE AND KEY,”

AND THE MOTTO, “MONTIS INSIGNIA CALPÉ,”
IN TESTIMONY OF ITS SERVICES DURING THE DEFENCE OF GIBRALTAR,
FROM 1779 TO 1783;

THE WORDS “ALBUHERA,” “VITTORIA,”
“PYRENEES,” “NIVELLE,” “NIVE,”
“ORTHES,” AND “PENINSULA,”

IN COMMEMORATION OF ITS GALLANTRY IN THE
SEVERAL ACTIONS FOUGHT DURING THE WAR
IN PORTUGAL, SPAIN, AND THE SOUTH
OF FRANCE, FROM 1809 TO 1814;

AND
THE WORD “MAHARAJPORE,”

IN TESTIMONY OF ITS DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT IN
THAT BATTLE, ON THE 29th OF DECEMBER,
1843.

THE

THIRTY-NINTH,

OR

THE DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT.

CONTENTS

OF THE

HISTORICAL RECORD.

Year. Page

1702. INTRODUCTION 1

” Formation of the regiment 2

” Colonel Richard Coote appointed its Colonel _ib._

” War declared against France and Spain _ib._

1703. Colonel Nicholas Sankey appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

1704. Siege of _Gibraltar_ _ib._

1705. Capture of _Barcelona_ 3

1706. Occupation of Madrid by the Allied Troops _ib._

1707. Battle of _Almanza_ _ib._

” The THIRTY-NINTH and other regiments embarked for
Spain _ib._

1708. Operations of the campaign 4

1709. Action at the passage of the _Caya_ 5

1710. Storming of _Xeres de los Cabaleros_ 6

1711. Passage of the Guadiana at Jerumenha 7

” The regiment engaged in the capture of several towns in
Spain _ib._

1712. Suspension of hostilities proclaimed _ib._

1713. Treaty of Utrecht signed 8

” The regiment proceeded to Gibraltar, and afterwards to
Minorca _ib._

1714 }
to } Stationed at Minorca _ib._
1719. }

” Brigadier-General Thomas Ferrers appointed Colonel of
the regiment _ib._

” Embarked for Ireland _ib._

1720 }
and } Stationed in Ireland 8
1721. }

1722. Colonel William Newton appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

1723 }
to } The regiment remained in Ireland 9
1725. }

1726. _Gibraltar_ besieged by the Spaniards _ib._

” The regiment embarked for that fortress _ib._

1727. Successful defence made by the garrison of _Gibraltar_ 10

1729. Peace concluded between Great Britain, France, and
Spain _ib._

” The regiment proceeded from Gibraltar to Jamaica 11

1730. Colonel John Cope appointed Colonel of the regiment _ib._

1732. The regiment returned from Jamaica to Ireland _ib._

” Colonel Thomas Wentworth appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

1733 }
to } The regiment stationed in Ireland _ib._
1736. }

1737. Colonel John Campbell, afterwards Duke of Argyle,
appointed Colonel of the regiment _ib._

1738. Colonel Richard Onslow appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

1739. Lieut.-Colonel Robert Dalway appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

” War declared against Spain _ib._

1740. Lieut.-Colonel Samuel Walter Whitshed appointed Colonel
of the regiment _ib._

1741. War of the Austrian Succession 12

1742. Support rendered by the British to the Queen of
Hungary _ib._

1743. Colonel Edward Richbell appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

” Battle of _Dettingen_ _ib._

1744. The regiment proceeded from Ireland to Great Britain _ib._

” War declared against France _ib._

1745. The regiment employed as Marines _ib._

1746. Arrival of Prince Charles Edward, eldest son of the
Pretender, in Scotland 13

” Battle of _Culloden_ _ib._

” Expedition against the coast of Brittany, of which the
THIRTY-NINTH formed part _ib._

” Affairs near _Port L’Orient_ _ib._

” Return of the expedition to England _ib._

1747 } The regiment again employed as Marines on board the
and } fleet _ib._
1748. }

” Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle concluded 14

1749 }
to } The regiment stationed in Ireland _ib._
1751. }

” Royal Warrant respecting the clothing, standards, and
colours of the army, and for regulating the number
and rank of regiments _ib._

1752. Colonel John Adlercron appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

1754. The regiment proceeded from Ireland to the East Indies _ib._

1755. Stationed at Madras 14

1756. Aspect of affairs in India 15

” Part of the regiment selected to serve in Bengal under
Lieut.-Colonel Robert (afterwards Lord) Clive _ib._

” Defeat of Monickchund, the Governor of Calcutta, near
the Fort of _Budge-Budge_ 16

1757. Advance of the British towards _Calcutta_ _ib._

” Expedition against _Hoogly_ _ib._

” Expedition against _Bandell_ 17

” Action with the Nabob Surajee Dowlah near _Calcutta_ 18

” Treaty of peace concluded with the Nabob 19

” Renewal of hostilities _ib._

” Investment of _Chandernagore_ by the troops under
Lieut.-Colonel Clive _ib._

” Surrender of that place _ib._

” Capture of the fort of _Cutwah_ 20

” Battle of _Plassey_ 21

” The motto “_Primus in Indis_,” and the word “PLASSEY”
conferred by Royal authority on the regiment 23

” Support rendered to the Nabob by Mr. Law, the French
chief at Cossimbuzar _ib._

” Party despatched in pursuit of the French troops 24

” Manner in which the remainder of the regiment left at
Madras had been employed _ib._

” Expedition against _Nelloure_ _ib._

” Relief of _Trichinopoly_ _ib._

” Fortress of _Wandewash_ invested by the British 25

” March of the troops to Conjeveram _ib._

1758. Return of the regiment to Ireland _ib._

1759. Detachment of the regiment employed in Germany _ib._

1760 }
to } The regiment stationed in Ireland 26
1763. }

” Treaty of peace concluded at Paris _ib._

1766. Colonel Robert Boyd appointed Colonel of the regiment _ib._

1767 }
and } The regiment employed in Ireland _ib._
1768. }

1769. Embarked for Gibraltar _ib._

1770 }
to } Formed part of the garrison of that fortress _ib._
1779. }

” War with Spain _ib._

” Siege of _Gibraltar_ 27

1780. Progress of the siege 29

1781. Successful _sortie_ of the garrison 30

1782. Renewed efforts of the enemy 32

” The combined forces of France and Spain defeated 35

1783. Termination of the siege 36

” Conclusion of peace _ib._

” The word “GIBRALTAR,” with the “_Castle and Key_,”
and the motto “_Montis Insignia Calpé_,” conferred
on the THIRTY-NINTH regiment 37

” The THIRTY-NINTH designated the EAST MIDDLESEX
regiment _ib._

” The regiment returned to England 38

1783 }
to } Stationed in South Britain 38
1789. }

” Proceeded to Ireland _ib._

1790 }
to } Stationed in Ireland _ib._
1792. }

1793. War of the French Revolution _ib._

” The regiment embarked for the West Indies _ib._

1794. Expedition against _Martinique_ _ib._

” Capture of _Martinique_, _St. Lucia_, and _Guadeloupe_ 39

” Major-General Nisbett Balfour appointed Colonel of the
regiment _ib._

” Gallant but unsuccessful defence of _Guadeloupe_
against the French 40

” Surrender of the garrison _ib._

” Escape of certain of the officers of the regiment, and
their arrival in Ireland 41

1795. The regiment recruited by drafts from several corps _ib._

” Again embarked for Barbadoes _ib._

1796. Capture of _Demerara_, _Essequibo_, and _Berbice_ _ib._

1796 }
to } The regiment stationed at Demerara 42
1800. }

” Proceeded to Surinam _ib._

1802. Peace of Amiens _ib._

” Evacuation of Surinam 43

” The regiment embarked for Barbadoes _ib._

” Proceeded to Antigua _ib._

1803. Embarked for England _ib._

” Renewal of the war with France _ib._

” A second battalion added to the regiment _ib._

1804. The first battalion stationed on the coast of Sussex 44

” The second battalion embarked for Guernsey _ib._

1805. The first battalion selected for service in the
Mediterranean _ib._

” The flank companies detached to Naples 45

1806. The flank companies proceeded to Sicily _ib._

” The flank companies returned to Malta 46

” The second battalion proceeded to Ireland _ib._

1807. Embarked for England _ib._

” The County title of the regiment changed from EAST
MIDDLESEX to DORSETSHIRE _ib._

1808. The flank companies of the first battalion proceeded
from Malta to Sicily _ib._

” The second battalion embarked for Guernsey _ib._

1809. The flank companies of the first battalion employed in
the capture of the islands of _Ischia_ and _Procida_ 47

” Attempted reduction of the _Castle of Scylla_ _ib._

” The second battalion joined the army in the Peninsula 48

1810. The battalion companies of the first battalion
proceeded from Malta to Sicily 49

” The second battalion present at the battle of _Busaco_ _ib._

” Pursuit of the French towards Santarem _ib._

” Investment of _Badajoz_ 50

” Battle of _Albuhera_ _ib._

1810. Received the Royal Authority to bear the word “ALBUHERA”
on the regimental colour and appointments 51

1811. Affair of _Arroyo dos Molinos_ _ib._

” The first battalion joined the army in the Peninsula 52

” The second battalion transferred all its effective men
to the first battalion _ib._

” Embarkation of the remainder of the second battalion
for England 53

1812. _Badajoz_ again invested _ib._

” Capture of the fortress _ib._

” Advance to Burgos _ib._

1813. Battle of _Vittoria_ 54

” Received the Royal authority to bear the word “VITTORIA”
on the regimental colour and appointments 55

” Actions in the Pyrenees 56

” Received the Royal authority to bear the word “PYRENEES”
on the regimental colour and appointments 57

” France entered by the Pass of _Maya_ _ib._

” Passage of the _Nivelle_ 58

” Received the Royal authority to bear the word “NIVELLE”
on the regimental colour and appointments _ib._

” Passage of the _Nive_ _ib._

” Received the royal authority to bear the word “NIVE” on
the regimental colour and appointments 59

1814. Affair at _Garris_ _ib._

” Gallantry of the first battalion particularly noticed
by the Marquis of Wellington 60

” Battle of _Orthes_ 61

” Received the Royal authority to bear the word “ORTHES”
on the regimental colour and appointments _ib._

” Battle of _Toulouse_ _ib._

” Termination of the Peninsular War 62

” Received the Royal authority to bear the word “PENINSULA”
on the regimental colour and appointments _ib._

” The first battalion proceeded to North America _ib._

” Expedition against the state of New York 63

” Operations on Lake Champlain _ib._

” Part of the first battalion employed as Marines 64

1815. The battalion returned to Chambly _ib._

” Embarked for England _ib._

” Proceeded to Ostend _ib._

” Joined the British army at Paris _ib._

” The second battalion disbanded _ib._

1816 } The regiment formed part of the “Army of Occupation”
to } in France 65
1818. }

” Embarked for Ireland _ib._

1819 }
to } Stationed in Ireland _ib._
1823. }

” Lieut.-General Sir George Airey, K.C.H., appointed
Colonel of the regiment _ib._

1824. The regiment stationed in Ireland 66

1825. Proceeded to Chatham for embarkation, by detachments,
for New South Wales _ib._

1826 }
to } Embarked as guard over convicts proceeding to New 67
1830. } South Wales

1830. Employed in the Bathurst district 68

1831. Presentation of new colours to the regiment 69

” Address of Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Darling on that
occasion 70

1832. Embarkation of the regiment for Madras 72

1833. Lieut.-General the Honorable Sir Robert William
O’Callaghan, K.C.B., appointed Colonel of the
regiment 73

1834. The regiment engaged in active field operations against
the Rajah of Coorg _ib._

” Submission of the Rajah 75

1835. The conduct of Brigadier-General Lindesay, C.B.,
commanding the force employed in that campaign,
honored by the Royal approval 77

” The Royal authority granted for resuming the motto
“_Primus in Indis_,” and the word “PLASSEY;” also the
device of the “_Castle and Key_,” in addition to the
word “GIBRALTAR.” 78

1836. Testimonial presented to Colonel Lindesay on his
departure for England 79

1837. A detachment of the regiment employed in Canara and
Malabar _ib._

” Return of the detachment to Bangalore 80

1838. Complimentary order on the regiment quitting Bangalore _ib._

” Arrived at Bellary 81

1839. Ordered on field service 82

” Advanced to Coodamoor _ib._

” Operations against the Fort of _Kurnool_ 83

” Affair at _Zorapore_, near Kurnool 84

” Return of the regiment to Bellary 85

1840. Arrival at Kamptee _ib._

” Lieut.-General Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson, G.C.B.,
appointed Colonel of the regiment 86

1841. The regiment ordered to march to Cawnpore _ib._

” Destination changed to Agra _ib._

1842. Ordered to proceed to Ferozepore _ib._

1843. Returned to Agra 87

” Presentation of new colours to the regiment _ib._

” Address of Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of
India, on that occasion _ib._

” The regiment formed part of the “Army of Exercise”
assembled at Agra 90

” Aspect of affairs in the Gwalior state 91

” Battle of _Maharajpore_ 92

” Received the Royal authority to bear the word
“MAHARAJPORE” on the regimental colour and
appointments 94

” Honors conferred on the officers and men _ib._

1844. Return of the regiment to Agra 96

1843. Gallant conduct of certain volunteers from the Thirteenth
to the THIRTY-NINTH regiment, at the storming of the
heights of Truckee 97

1846. Volunteering of the regiment to other corps in India 99

1847. Embarked for England 100

” Complimentary orders by the Commander-in-Chief in India
on the regiment quitting that country 101

1848. Removed from Portsmouth to Hull 102

” Proceeded to Preston, in Lancashire _ib._

1849. Stationed at Preston _ib._

1850. Removed to Ireland _ib._

1852. Lieut.-General George Burrell, C.B., appointed Colonel
of the regiment 103

1853. Major-General Richard Lluellyn, C.B., appointed Colonel
of the regiment 104

” CONCLUSION _ib._

SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF THE THIRTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

Year. Page

1702. Richard Coote 105

1703. Nicholas Sankey _ib._

1719. Thomas Ferrers 106

1722. William Newton _ib._

1730. Sir John Cope, K.B. _ib._

1732. Thomas Wentworth 107

1737. John Campbell, afterwards Duke of Argyle _ib._

1738. Richard Onslow 108

1739. Robert Dalway _ib._

1740. Samuel Walter Whitshed 109

1743. Edward Richbell _ib._

1752. John Adlercron _ib._

1766. Sir Robert Boyd 110

1794. Nisbett Balfour _ib._

1823. Sir George Airey, K.C.H. 111

1833. The Honorable Sir Robert William O’Callaghan, G.C.B. 114

1840. Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson, G.C.B. 115

1852. George Burrell, C.B. 117

1853. Richard Lluellyn, C.B. _ib._

APPENDIX.

Page

Memoir of Colonel George Wilson, formerly Lieut.-Colonel
of the regiment 119

Memoir of Major-General, Sir Charles Bruce, K.C.B.,
formerly Lieut.-Colonel of the regiment 120

Memoir of Major-General, Sir Patrick Lindesay, K.C.B. and
K.C.H., formerly Lieut.-Colonel of the regiment 121

PLATES.

Page

Colours of the regiment _to face_ 1

Costume of the regiment 104

_For Cannon’s Military Records_]

HISTORICAL RECORD

OF

THE THIRTY-NINTH,

OR THE

DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT.

[Sidenote: 1700.]

[Sidenote: 1701.]

The long-expected decease of King Charles II. of Spain occurred on the 1st of November 1700, and the circumstance of his bequeathing his crown to Philip, Duke of Anjou, second son of the Dauphin of France, involved the several Powers of Europe in a lengthened contest, which has been designated the “_War of the Spanish Succession_.” England would, probably, have abstained from becoming a principal in the war, had not Louis XIV., upon the death of James II. at St. Germains, on the 16th of September 1701, proclaimed that monarch’s son, known as the Pretender, as King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, which so aroused the feelings of the English people as to lead the nation to support with ardour Charles, Archduke of Austria, the second son of Leopold, Emperor of Germany, in his efforts to obtain the throne of Spain, particularly as it was considered that the anticipated union of the crowns of France and Spain would be inimical to the “balance of power” in Europe.

[Sidenote: 1702.]

Active preparations for war commenced, and the THIRTY-NINTH was one of the regiments raised at this period, and has been since retained on the establishment of the army.[6] The regiment was raised in Ireland by Colonel Richard Coote, under the authority of a royal warrant dated the 13th of February 1702, and continued to be stationed in that country for the five following years.

The sudden decease of King William III. on the 8th of March 1702, did not retard the breaking out of hostilities, for his views were carried into effect by his successor Queen Anne, who declared war against France and Spain on the 4th of May following, and the Earl of Marlborough was appointed to command the forces in Flanders, with the rank of Captain-General.

[Sidenote: 1703.]

Colonel Nicholas Sankey was appointed to the colonelcy of the regiment on the 17th of March 1703, in succession to Colonel Richard Coote, deceased.

[Sidenote: 1704.]

_Gibraltar_, a name which, in subsequent years, is so gloriously connected with the THIRTY-NINTH regiment,[7] was taken in July 1704 by the British and Dutch marines, aided by the seamen, under Major-General the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt, and Admiral Sir George Rooke. In October following, the French and Spaniards endeavoured to retake the fortress, but after a siege of some months they desisted from the attempt in March 1705.

[Sidenote: 1705.]

[Sidenote: 1706.]

While the army under the Duke of Marlborough was pursuing a victorious career in Flanders and Germany, the troops which had been employed in Portugal and Spain had likewise gained important successes. In October 1705, the allied troops under the Earl of Peterborough captured _Barcelona_, and that celebrated city was successfully defended by them in April and May of the following year. Madrid was taken possession of by the Earl of Galway in June 1706, and the fortunes of Charles III. appeared in the ascendant; but the delay of that prince to avail himself of these advantages, by marching at once to the capital of Spain, enabled Philip V. to collect an army superior in numbers to the Allies, and Madrid was again occupied by the enemy in August of the same year.

[Sidenote: 1707.]

On the 25th of April 1707, the allied forces under the Earl of Galway were defeated by the Duke of Berwick at _Almanza_[8], which materially changed the aspect of affairs in Spain.

Additional troops were shortly afterwards selected for embarkation for Portugal, and the THIRTY-NINTH was one of the regiments directed to proceed to that country.

Accordingly the Fifth, Twentieth, THIRTY-NINTH, and a newly raised regiment commanded by Colonel Stanwix (since disbanded), having been selected for this service, sailed from Cork on the 22nd of May 1707, and landed at Lisbon on the 8th of June. This seasonable reinforcement arriving soon after the defeat of the allied army at Almanza, in the south-east of Spain, and at the moment when the enemy, having captured Serpa and Moura in the Alemtejo, had seized on the bridge of Olivenza in Portuguese Estremadura, and menaced that important place with a siege, its presence revived the drooping spirits of the Portuguese.

These four regiments being the only British troops in that part of the country, were disembarked with every possible expedition, and marched to the frontiers under the command of the Marquis de Montandre, when the enemy immediately ceased to act on the offensive, and retired. The four regiments having halted at Estremos, a strong town of the Alemtejo, situated in an agreeable tract on the Tarra, remained in this pleasant quarter during the summer heats, and afterwards encamped in the fruitful valley of the Caya, near Elvas, having detached parties on the flanks to prevent the enemy making incursions into Portugal, in which service the regiments were engaged until November, when they went into quarters in the frontier towns of Portugal.

[Sidenote: 1708.]

In the spring of 1708 the regiment again took the field, and was encamped at Fuente de Sapatores, between Elvas and Campo Mayor. The British division was soon afterwards increased to six regiments, by the arrival of the Thirteenth foot, and a newly raised regiment (Paston’s) from England. The little army in the Alemtejo was commanded by the Marquis de Fronteira, but the characteristic inactivity of the Portuguese occasioned the services of the THIRTY-NINTH to be limited to defensive operations. The regiment was encamped in the autumn at Campo Mayor, and afterwards went into cantonments.

[Sidenote: 1709.]

The regiment moved from its quarters in the spring of 1709, and became engaged in active operations. It was first encamped near Estremos, and proceeded from thence to Elvas on the 23rd of April 1709; the regiment was subsequently encamped with the army on the banks of the _Caya_, where the Earl of Galway, who had been removed from the army in Catalonia, appeared at the head of the British division.

On the 7th of May, the French and Spaniards, commanded by the Marquis de Bay, marched in the direction of Campo Mayor; when the Portuguese generals, contrary to the Earl of Galway’s advice, resolved to pass the _Caya_, and attack the enemy. The Portuguese cavalry and artillery took the lead, and having passed the river and gained the opposite heights, opened a sharp cannonade; but upon the advance of their adversaries to charge, the squadrons faced about and galloped from the field, leaving their cannon behind. The British division, arriving at the moment, repulsed the enemy; the leading brigade, consisting of the Thirteenth, Stanwix’s and Galway’s regiments, commanded by Brigadier-General Thomas Pearce, charging furiously, recaptured the Portuguese guns; but the three regiments, pressing forward too far, were surrounded and made prisoners, and with them Major-General Sankey, the Colonel of the THIRTY-NINTH; and the Earl of Barrymore, together with Brigadier-General Thomas Pearce, fell into the hands of the enemy.

At the same time the Fifth, Twentieth, THIRTY-NINTH, and Lord Paston’s regiments, though deserted by the whole of the cavalry, made a determined stand, bearing the brunt of the enemy’s reiterated attacks with admirable firmness, until the Portuguese infantry had retired; then moving to the rear in firm array, while the balls flew thickly on every side, and the Earl of Galway’s horse was shot under him, the enemy advanced in full career, threatening the destruction of this little band; yet, with ranks unbroken and steady tread, these undaunted English calmly retraced their steps, exhibiting one of the noblest spectacles of war, and occasionally punishing the temerity of their pursuers with a cool and deliberate resolution, which laid a thousand Spaniards dead upon the field, and impressed the enemy, and likewise the Portuguese, with a sense of British courage and magnanimity. Thus they effected their retreat, with the loss of only one hundred and fifty men killed and wounded, and passed that night at Arronches.

The THIRTY-NINTH acquired great honour by its gallantry on this occasion. The regiment was afterwards encamped at Elvas, was subsequently in position on the banks of the Guadiana, and again passed the winter in cantonments in the Alemtejo.

[Sidenote: 1710.]

The casualties of the preceding campaign having been replaced by recruits from England, the regiment again took the field in the spring of 1710, and was employed in the Alemtejo; but the army was weak and unequal to any important undertaking, and the French having obtained some success in the province of Tras os Montes, occasioned a detachment to be sent thither. In the autumn the army advanced across the Guadiana, and on the 4th of October arrived at the rich plains of _Xeres de los Cabaleros_, on the river Ardilla, in Spanish Estremadura. It was determined to attack this place by storm on the following day, and the Fifth, Twentieth, and THIRTY-NINTH regiments, having been selected to perform this service under the command of Brigadier-General Stanwix, advanced at four in the afternoon to attack the works near St. Catherine’s gate by escalade. A few minutes after the regiments had commenced the assault, the Governor sent proposals to surrender, which were agreed to, and the garrison, consisting of seven hundred men, became prisoners of war. The army afterwards retired to Portugal by the mountains of Orlor, and went into quarters.

During this summer, the army on the other side of Spain gained two victories--one at _Almanara_, and the other at _Saragossa_,--and afterwards advanced to Madrid, when the most pressing instances were made by King Charles III. and General Stanhope to induce the army of Portugal to advance upon the Spanish capital; but the Portuguese generals were unwilling to engage in so great an undertaking.

[Sidenote: 1711.]

The THIRTY-NINTH, during the campaign of 1711, formed part of the army which assembled at Olivenza in May, and having passed the Guadiana by a pontoon bridge at Jerumenha, advanced against the enemy, who took refuge under the cannon of Badajoz. The regiment was afterwards engaged in the capture of several small towns, and in levying contributions in Spanish Estremadura; but the summer passed without any occurrence of importance, excepting a discovery made by the Earl of Portmore, who commanded the British troops in Portugal, of a clandestine treaty in progress between the crown of Portugal and the enemy, in which the former had agreed to separate from the Allies; to give an excuse for this, a mock battle was to have been fought, in which the British troops were to have been sacrificed. This treaty was broken off, but the British Government soon afterwards entered into negotiations with France.

The claimant of the Spanish throne, Charles III., was in October 1711 elected Emperor of Germany by the title of Charles VI., his brother Joseph having died at Vienna in the preceding April. This circumstance materially affected the war, and inclined Great Britain to agree to peace, for the consolidation of Spain with the empire of Germany would have perilled the balance of power in Europe as much as the anticipated union of the crowns of France and Spain. The course of events had also shown, that a French, and not an Austrian prince, was the choice of the Spanish nation.

[Sidenote: 1712.]

The regiment remained in Portugal, and during the summer of 1712 was encamped on the pleasant plains of the Tarra. In the autumn a suspension of hostilities was proclaimed at the camp by Major-General Pearce, and the regiment went into cantonments.

[Sidenote: 1713.]

On the 11th of April 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht was signed, and by its provisions the fortress of _Gibraltar_ and the island of _Minorca_, which had been taken by the English during the war, were ceded to Great Britain. The THIRTY-NINTH proceeded in the first instance to Gibraltar; but in the course of the year 1713, the regiment was selected to form part of the garrison at Minorca.[9]

[Sidenote: 1719.]

Upon the decease of Lieut.-General Nicholas Sankey, in March 1719, His Majesty King George I. appointed, on the 11th of that month, Brigadier-General Thomas Ferrers to be Colonel of the THIRTY-NINTH regiment.

The THIRTY-NINTH regiment remained at Minorca until the year 1719, when it embarked for Ireland, in which country it was stationed for some years.

[Sidenote: 1722.]

Colonel William Newton was appointed by King George I. to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-NINTH regiment on the 28th of September 1722, in succession to Brigadier-General Thomas Ferrers, removed to the Seventeenth regiment of foot.

[Sidenote: 1726.]

Spain had relinquished its claim on _Gibraltar_ with reluctance; and that country having resolved to engage in war with Great Britain, a large army, under the command of the Count de las Torres, was assembled in Andalusia towards the end of 1726, in order to commence hostilities with the siege of this important fortress, for which purpose the Spaniards had made very extensive preparations.

The British Government resolved to send certain regiments to reinforce the garrison of Gibraltar, and six men-of-war were also fitted out at Portsmouth with all possible expedition. Admiral Sir Charles Wager was appointed to command the fleet, on board of which three regiments of infantry, Anstruther’s, Disney’s, and Newton’s (Twenty-sixth, Twenty-ninth, and THIRTY-NINTH regiments), were embarked. On the 24th of December 1726, Sir Charles Wager arrived at Portsmouth, and shortly afterwards sailed for Gibraltar, but was detained for some time at Spithead by the southerly winds. Two other regiments of infantry, Middleton’s and Hayes’s (Twenty-fifth and Thirty-fourth), were ordered to embark at Cork, for the purpose of joining Sir Charles Wager, and of reinforcing the garrison of Gibraltar.

[Sidenote: 1727.]