Read Ebook: Historical Record of the Fourteenth or the King's Regiment of Light Dragoons Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment and of Its Subsequent Services by Cannon Richard

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 156 lines and 33335 words, and 4 pages

The establishment was augmented to ten troops, of ninety rank and file each, in 1800; but at the peace of Amiens, in 1802, a reduction of two troops took place.

Hostilities were resumed in 1803, and in 1804 the regiment was again augmented to ten troops of ninety rank and file each, for which a supply of new carbines and pistols was received in 1807, from the ordnance stores.

The French Emperor, Napoleon Buonaparte, having attempted to reduce Spain and Portugal to subjection to his power, a British army proceeded to Portugal to aid the inhabitants in their struggles for freedom. Portugal had been delivered, and the army under Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore was advancing into Spain, when the FOURTEENTH regiment of light dragoons, was ordered to embark for the Peninsula. The regiment marched to Falmouth, where it was put on board of transports, and arrived at Lisbon on the 23rd of December under the command of Colonel Samuel Hawker.

The return to England of the troops which had served under Lieut.-General Sir John Moore, whose career of honour was terminated at the battle of Corunna, left only a small British force in the Peninsula, and these troops were quartered near Lisbon, from whence the FOURTEENTH light dragoons advanced in the early part of 1809, to Bucellas, an out-post of the army. In April the regiment formed the advance-guard on the march of the army to Coimbra, and in the beginning of May it was united in brigade with the sixteenth and twentieth light dragoons under Major-General Cotton, and was reviewed on the plains of Coimbra by Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley. The French troops under Marshals Soult and Victor had, in the meantime, invaded Portugal, and Marshal Soult had captured Oporto.

The conduct of the FOURTEENTH was commended in Sir Arthur Wellesley's public despatch, and also in general orders. They had marched eighty miles in four days over the most difficult country, and they were employed in pursuing, along a mountainous region, the discomfited French troops, whose line of retreat could be traced by the smoke of burning houses. Having followed the enemy as far as Ginjo, the FOURTEENTH light dragoons halted, and afterwards moved towards Abrantes, where the army was concentrated for operations on the Tagus.

When the army went into position, Major-General Mackenzie was left with a division of infantry and a brigade of cavalry, as an advanced post, in the wood on the right of the Alberche, which covered the left flank. The French attacked this post between two and three o'clock on the 27th of July, when the FOURTEENTH light dragoons were ordered forward, and they crossed the Alberche river, and sent out a line of skirmishers to cover the retrograde movements of the infantry. The regiment was employed in skirmishing until night, and had nine horses killed; Lieutenant Theophilus Thomas Ellis, and one private soldier wounded.

The FOURTEENTH light dragoons resumed their post in the position occupied by the allied army, and supported the infantry during the severe contest on the 28th of July. The left of the British line was attacked at day-break, and when the enemy was repulsed at this point, a long pause ensued. An attack on the centre was made soon after two o'clock, and the French were again driven back; they also failed in another attack on the left. A strong body of the enemy advanced against Major-General Sherbrooke's division; this attack was repulsed by a charge of the whole division with bayonets; but the brigade of foot guards pursued so far as to be in danger of being annihilated; when the forty-eighth regiment, and the FOURTEENTH and sixteenth light dragoons were brought forward, and the foot guards rallied and again advanced. This was a moment of great peril to the allied army; but the steady valour of the British troops prevailed, and the French fell back.

The FOURTEENTH light dragoons had three men and twenty-one horses killed; Colonel Samuel Hawker, Captains John Chapman, and Peter Hawker, Lieutenants William Wainman and Thomas Smith, six rank and file, and three horses wounded; thirteen horses missing; Lieutenant Evelyn P. Dormer taken prisoner. Lieutenant-Colonel Neil Talbot, and Major Baker had each a horse killed under him.

Colonel Hawker was rewarded with a gold medal, and the regiment was subsequently authorised to bear on its guidons and appointments the word "TALAVERA", in commemoration of its distinguished services in this action.

After this battle the enemy brought forward such very superior numbers, that the British General was forced to act on the defensive, and while the army was encamped on the banks of the Guadiana, a malignant fever proved fatal to numbers of officers and soldiers. The FOURTEENTH dragoons were removed to Villa Vicosa, a fortified town in the Alemtejo, from whence they marched, in December, to Santarem, a town very pleasantly situated on the right bank of the Tagus, where they were formed in brigade with the royal dragoons under Major-General Slade.

In February, 1810, Badajoz and Ciudad Rodrigo were both menaced by the enemy, and in March the regiment returned to the Alemtejo, and took the advanced posts of Lieut.-General Rowland Hill's corps at Arronches, a town situate at the conflux of the Caya and the Algrette, near the Spanish frontiers. A concentration of French troops near Ciudad Rodrigo afterwards relieved the other provinces. Ciudad Rodrigo was eventually beseiged by Marshal Ney, and the British commander, hoping the enemy, by detaching troops, would furnish an opportunity for relieving this fortress, withdrew the FOURTEENTH light dragoons from the Alemtejo. The regiment advanced to Almeida in June; it was attached to the light division under Brigadier-General Craufurd, who was behind the Agueda river, watching the enemy's motions; and with the sixteenth light dragoons, and first hussars King's German Legion, took the out-post duty on this frontier.

On the death of Lieut.-Colonel Talbot the command of the regiment devolved on Lieut.-Colonel F. B. Hervey, under whose directions the FOURTEENTH became celebrated as an efficient corps of light cavalry, remarkable for the excellent manner in which they performed the out-post duty.

The French legions continued to press forward as to an assured victory; but the lines of Torres Vedras arrested their progress, and while they remained in front of these extensive works, the FOURTEENTH light dragoons took the line of out-posts from the Sobral road. The French army withdrew during the night of the 14th of November; the morning of the 15th was foggy, and it was some hours after day-break when the British General discovered the void space in his front. The FOURTEENTH were ordered forward along the Cartaxo road, and their patrols took a number of French stragglers prisoners. Marshal Massena took up a position at Santarem; the head quarters of the allied army were established at Cartaxo, and the FOURTEENTH light dragoons furnished the out-posts, extending from the causeway and bridge over the river.

The French Commander continued his retreat to Salamanca, and the British General stood victorious on the confines of Portugal; the FOURTEENTH light dragoons furnished the out-posts on the left bank of the Agueda at Villa del Egua, where a peasant arrived from Ledesma, with intelligence that the French army was reinforced and re-organized, and was advancing. A squadron under Captain Brotherton was sent to Santa Espirita, and it fell back behind the Agueda as the French army advanced.

An attack was made on the position in the rear of the village. 'The French with one shock drove in all the cavalry out-guards, and cutting off Captain Ramsay's battery, came sweeping in upon the reserves of horse and upon the seventh division. But their leading squadrons approaching in a disorderly manner, were partially checked by the British, and, at the same time, a great commotion was observed in their main body. Men and horses there closed with confusion and tumult towards one point, a thick dust arose, and loud cries, and the sparkling of blades, and the flashing of pistols, indicated some extraordinary occurrence. Suddenly the multitude became violently agitated, an English shout pealed high and clear, the mass was rent asunder, and Norman Ramsay burst forth at the head of his battery, his horses, breathing fire, stretched like greyhounds along the plain, the guns bounding behind them as things of no weight, and the mounted gunners followed in full career. Captain Brotherton of the FOURTEENTH dragoons, seeing this, rode forth with a squadron and overturned the head of the pursuing troops, and General Charles Stewart joining in the charge, took the French General Lamotte, fighting hand to hand.' The French were repulsed in their attempt to relieve Almeida, and they withdrew from Portugal.

The FOURTEENTH light dragoons had Captain Robert Knipe and three private soldiers killed; Captain Thomas Potter Milles, Lieutenants John Townsend, John Gwynne, Lovell B. Badcock, Theophilus Thomas Ellis, six serjeants, and twenty-one rank and file wounded; three private soldiers missing. Lieut.-Colonel Hervey was rewarded with a gold medal, and the royal authority was subsequently given for the regiment to bear on its guidons and appointments the words "FUENTES D'ONOR," as a special mark of His Majesty's approbation of its conduct on this occasion.

In the action at Carpio, and in the subsequent movements, the regiment had Lieutenant Hall and several private soldiers wounded; and the conduct of its commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel Hervey, was commended in the public despatches; the excellent behaviour of Captain Brotherton was also particularly mentioned.

During the winter the strength of the regiment on foreign service was reduced two troops.

The regiment was actively employed in the operations of the succeeding three days, and occasionally skirmished between the opposing armies.

The regiment had several men and horses killed and wounded; Captain Brotherton, though still suffering from his wound received on the 18th of July, mounted his charger during the fight, and was again wounded; and the gallant bearing of the regiment was afterwards rewarded with the royal authority to display the word "SALAMANCA" on its guidons and appointments; its commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel Hervey, was presented with a gold medal as a mark of royal favour and approbation.

In the retreat from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo, the regiment took part in the piquets and other duties of the rear-guard, which it continued to perform until the army went into cantonments behind the Agueda; and Captain Badcock was detached with a reconnoitring party to the Sierra de Francia and river Alagon.

Unable to withstand the combinations of the British general, the French destroyed Burgos castle, and fell back with tumult and confusion behind the Ebro; the British urged their march towards the sources of that river, and traversing a wild but beautiful region, turned the enemy's position: the FOURTEENTH being in advance, crossed the Ebro at the bridge of Frias on the 15th of June, and a patrol fell in with a body of the enemy near Pancorba.

The gallant bearing of the FOURTEENTH on this occasion was subsequently rewarded with the royal authority to bear the word "VITTORIA" on their guidons and appointments; and an additional honorary distinction was conferred on their commanding officer, Colonel Hervey.

The regiment took the out-post duty in front of Urt on the 14th of December; and was formed in brigade with the thirteenth light dragoons, under Colonel Vivian, who was succeeded, in the beginning of the following year, by Major-General Fane.

At the termination of the contest, the regiment marched into quarters at Monte Marsan, where the reputation it had acquired occasioned it to be selected from among the other cavalry corps of the army, to take part in the contest between Great Britain and the United States of North America. The regiment marched to Bourdeaux in May, and being there reviewed by Major-General Lord Dalhousie, was complimented on its appearance and efficiency; but the order for its embarkation for America was countermanded.

The regiment marched from Bourdeaux to Calais, where it embarked for England, and landing at Dover on the 17th of July, proceeded from thence to the vicinity of London. It was reviewed on Hounslow Heath, by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, who complimented Colonel Hervey on the appearance and efficiency of the several troops, adding, "They appear as if they had never been on service." After the review the regiment joined the dep?t at Weymouth.

The non-effectives during the five years and a half the regiment had been on foreign service, including men invalided and sent home, and horses cast and sold, were 654 non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, and 1564 troop horses. From the period of its leaving Ireland in 1795, it had been recruited from the counties of Worcester, Warwick, Salop, and Bucks, with some volunteers from the fencible cavalry in 1800, and from the royal waggon train in 1810.

In the attack on the enemy's lines, on the 8th January, 1815, the two squadrons served dismounted. Major-General the Honourable Sir Edward Pakenham, K.C.B., was killed; Major-Generals Gibbs and Keane were dangerously wounded; and the command devolved on Major-General Lambert, who stated in his public despatch, 'The conduct of the two squadrons of the FOURTEENTH light dragoons, latterly under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Baker, previously of Major Milles, has been the admiration of every one, by the cheerfulness with which they have performed all descriptions of service.'

The troops returned on board the fleet; and one boat, containing Lieutenant Brydges, Cornet Hammond, one serjeant-major, and thirty-nine rank and file of the regiment, was captured by the Americans.

Hostilities were soon afterwards terminated by a treaty of peace; and the two squadrons arrived in England, and joined the regiment at Hounslow in May; a third squadron which had embarked for America, also rejoined the head-quarters.

This year the regiment was authorized to bear the word "PENINSULA" on its guidons and appointments, in commemoration of its services in Portugal, Spain, and France.

Napoleon Buonaparte having quitted Elba, and returned to France, and having regained the throne of that kingdom, war was immediately recommenced; three squadrons of the FOURTEENTH having sailed for America, the regiment was prevented sharing in the contest which followed; but Colonel Hervey and Major Percy served on the staff of Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington.

In December the regiment embarked at Bristol for Ireland, and landed at Waterford and Cork in January, 1816: at the same time the establishment was reduced to eight troops.

A further reduction took place in the two following years; and in 1818 Captains Townsend and Badcock received the rank of major in the army for services in the field during the Peninsular war.

During its stay in Ireland the regiment was several times commended for its conduct and discipline by Major-General White, and Major-General Sir Sydney Beckwith: and on the 27th of May, 1819, it was formed in column and received the personal thanks of Sir George Beckwith, commanding the forces in that part of the United Kingdom. The regiment embarked from Dublin in June, and landed at Liverpool on the 11th of that month.

In the autumn of this year the FOURTEENTH light dragoons lost their commanding officer, Colonel SIR FELTON BATHURST HERVEY, BARONET, who died on the 24th September, 1819, and whose death was regretted by the corps. His services had been rewarded with the dignity of a Baronet, and the following distinctions; a cross for the battles of Fuentes d'Onor, Salamanca, Vittoria, and Orthes; a medal for the battle of Waterloo; Companion of the Bath; Companion of the Guelphic Order; the Russian Order of Wladimir; Maria Theresa of Austria; St. Henry of Saxony; Tower and Sword of Portugal; Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria; and the Prussian Order of Merit. He was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel Baker.

In 1821 the establishment was reduced to six troops.

On the 1st of June, 1822, the regiment was reviewed on Hounslow-heath, with the first and second life guards, royal horse guards, tenth and fifteenth hussars, and a brigade of horse of artillery, by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, the Commander-in-Chief, who was pleased to express his approbation of the appearance and movements of the troops.

In the autumn of 1823 General the Earl of Bridgewater died, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the regiment by Lieut.-General Sir John Ormsby Vandeleur, G.C.B., whose regiment, the nineteenth light dragoons, had been disbanded two years previously.

The regiment remained in England until April, 1825, when it embarked at Bideford for Ireland, landed at Waterford, and marched to Cork and Fermoy.

In 1826 the FOURTEENTH marched to Dublin, where its appearance, discipline, and interior economy, were commended by Major-General Sir Colquhoun Grant, K.C.B., at the inspections in June and September. From Dublin the regiment marched in January, 1827, to Athlone, Ballinrobe, Gort, and Loughrea; it returned to Dublin in March, 1828; was commended for its appearance, efficiency and discipline, and also for its good conduct while in Ireland, by Lieut.-General Sir George Murray, K.C.B., commanding the forces in that country, at the inspection on the 22nd of March; and embarked for Liverpool on the 26th of that month.

From Liverpool the regiment marched to Birmingham and Coventry, and while in these quarters Lieut.-Colonel Baker retired, and was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel John Townsend, by commission dated the 16th of April 1829. In May, 1829, the regiment marched to Leeds, Burnley, and Rochdale.

In April, 1830, the regiment proceeded to Brighton and Chichester, and its appearance, discipline, and interior economy, were commended by Major-General Sir Hussey Vivian at the inspection on the 24th of May.

The regiment was inspected at Brighton on the 19th of June by its colonel, Lieut.-General Sir John Ormsby Vandeleur, G.C.B. who was pleased to express himself 'much gratified by the highly military appearance of the regiment, the celerity and precision of its movements in the field, and the clean and orderly state of the barracks, as well as the fine condition of the horses, all of which prove the zeal and ability of the commanding officer, and the active assistance he receives from the other officers, as well as the steady good conduct of the non-commissioned officers and privates, which he shall not fail to report to the Commander-in-Chief. He requests Lieut.-Colonel Townsend to accept his thanks, and also to communicate them to the officers, and to the regiment. He cannot omit observing the excellent management of the school, and the great progress of the pupils.'

In the same month Lieut.-General Sir John Ormsby Vandeleur was removed to the sixteenth light dragoons, and was succeeded by Major-General Sir Edward Kerrison, Baronet.

From London the regiment marched to Birmingham and Coventry, where it was stationed until July, 1831, when the head-quarters were removed to Gloucester.

In October, 1831, the political feelings of the lower classes of the city of Bristol being in a highly excited state, and riotous proceedings being anticipated, a troop of the FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS was ordered to the vicinity, for the purpose of aiding the magistracy in the preservation of order. The arrival of the Recorder, Sir Charles Wetherell, on Saturday the 29th October, for the purpose of holding the sessions, was the immediate cause of the outbreak. Large bodies of the populace assembled from every quarter, parading the streets, throwing stones at the authorities, breaking windows, and committing other acts of violence. This continued throughout the day; but it was not until evening, that serious consequences began to be apprehended. At dusk, the mob attacked and forcibly entered the mansion house, the Riot Act was consequently proclaimed, and the troops were called to the immediate scene of outrage. They cleared the streets in the neighbourhood of the mansion house, but there not being at hand a sufficient body of constables to act in concert with the troops, the mob still retained possession of the courts and alleys of the city, whither the dragoons were unable to follow them. On Sunday the rioters assembled in greater numbers, and during that day, and the following night, succeeded in destroying the mansion house, custom house, excise office, the bishop's palace, and a vast amount of private property.

On the morning of the 31st October, an additional troop of the FOURTEENTH light dragoons arrived, and Major Beckwith, who had preceded it, , having concerted with the magistrates, who saw the necessity of energetic measures, placed himself at the head of the squadron, and proceeded against the rioters, who were engaged in plundering the cellars of the bishop's palace, which they had destroyed on the day before: the troops were assailed with bottles, stones, &c., but they quickly dispersed the mob; and it having been ascertained that in another part of the city the rioters were about commencing the destruction of the remaining portion of Queen-square, the squadron of the FOURTEENTH proceeded thither, and put the mob to flight; thence it repaired to the jail, which was regained possession of, and restored to the charge of the civil authorities. The squadron then traversed the quays and wharfs, dispersing every riotous assemblage with which it came in contact, and driving out and pursuing, for some miles, a large body of colliers who had been attracted to the scene of outrage. To this energetic conduct of the FOURTEENTH LIGHT DRAGOONS, under Major Beckwith, may be ascribed the restoration of tranquillity and the preservation of the remainder of the city of Bristol.

In June, 1832, the regiment was removed to Hounslow, and was employed on the King's duty, in furnishing escorts for their Majesties and the royal family, &c.

In March, 1833, the regiment embarked at Bristol for Dublin, from whence it marched in April, 1834, to Longford.

In May, 1835, the regiment was removed to Dundalk, and in May, 1836, it embarked at Belfast for Glasgow.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet