Historical Record of the Third, Or the King's Own Regiment of Light Dragoons. Cannon Richard
Читать онлайн книгу.
to the five Regiments of Horse, three of Dragoon Guards, and fourteen of Dragoons, already on the British and Irish establishments. The following corps were accordingly embodied: —
Fifteenth, in England, by Colonel George A. Eliott; – now the Fifteenth, or the King's Hussars.
Sixteenth, in England, by Lieut. – Colonel John Burgoyne; – now the Sixteenth, or the Queen's Lancers.
Seventeenth, in Scotland, by Captain Lord Aberdour; – disbanded in 1763.
Eighteenth, in England, by Lieut. – Colonel John Hale; – now the Seventeenth Lancers.
Nineteenth, in Ireland, by Lieut. – Colonel Lord Drogheda; – numbered the Eighteenth in 1763; constituted Hussars in 1807; and after performing much valuable service at home and abroad, it was disbanded at Newbridge, in Ireland, in 1821.
Twentieth, in Ireland, by Captain Sir James Caldwell; – disbanded in 1763.
Twenty-first, or Royal Foresters, in England by Lieut. – General the Marquis of Granby, and Colonel Lord Robert Sutton; – disbanded in 1763.
After the peace of Fontainebleau, three of these corps were disbanded, and the other four continued in the service. The light troops attached to the heavy regiments were also disbanded, but a few men of each troop were afterwards equipped as Light Dragoons.
A more perfect knowledge of the efficiency and capabilities of Light Cavalry, acquired during the campaigns in Germany and Portugal, had advanced the estimation in which that arm was held; and, in 1768, the Twelfth Dragoons (one of the heavy regiments raised by King George I. in 1715), underwent a change of equipment and clothing, and was constituted a corps of Light Dragoons, by General Carpenter, in Ireland.
This alteration served as a precedent for subsequent changes; and further experience, during the American war, from 1775 to 1783, con[Pg xxviii]firming the value of Light Cavalry, the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Regiments of Dragoons were changed from heavy to light. The Light Dragoons attached to the heavy regiments were incorporated into newly-raised corps, and the following regiments of
Nineteenth, – by Major-General Russell Manners; – disbanded in 1783.
Twentieth, – by Major-General Richard Burton Phillipson; – disbanded in 1783.
Twenty-first, – by Major-General John Douglas; – disbanded in 1783.
Twenty-second, – by Lieut. – Colonel John Lord Sheffield; – disbanded in 1783.
Twenty-third, – by Lieut. – General Sir John Burgoyne, Baronet, for service in India, and was numbered the Nineteenth after the peace in 1783. This regiment signalized itself on numerous occasions in India, and was rewarded with the honour of bearing on its guidons and appointments the Elephant, with the words Assaye and Seringapatam. The word Niagara was also added in commemoration of the gallantry of two troops, in the year 1813, in North America. In 1817 it was constituted a corps of Lancers. It was disbanded in Ireland in 1821.
Thus a few years had produced a great change in the British Army. Twenty-five years previously to the termination of the American war there was not a single Light Dragoon Regiment in the Service, and in 1783 there were seventeen; four of them were disbanded at that period, and thirteen retained in the Service.
Soon after the termination of the American war, the French monarch having, by aiding the rebellious British provincials, taught his own subjects a lesson of insubordination, was deprived of the reins of government; and the violent conduct of the French revolutionists in the West Indies occasioned the Twentieth or Jamaica Regiment of Light Dragoons to be raised in 1791 by Colonel Henry F. Gardner, for service in that island. Besides its services in Jamaica, detachments of this regiment served at Malta; Sicily; at the taking of the Cape of Good Hope, in 1806; at the capture of Alexandria, in 1807; at the attack on Monte Video; in Portugal; at Genoa; and on the eastern coast of Spain; and acquired the honour of bearing the word Peninsula on its guidons and appointments. It was disbanded in Ireland in 1818.
War with France commenced in 1793, and was followed by augmentations to the Army. It was not found necessary to add a single Heavy Cavalry Regiment; but the following Regiments of
Twenty-first, – by Lieut. – Colonel Thomas R. Beaumont. This regiment served at the Cape of Good Hope and in India thirteen years; a detachment was sent to do duty at St. Helena, when Napoleon Buonaparte was removed thither. This regiment was disbanded at Chatham in 1820.
Twenty-second, – by Major-General William Viscount Fielding; – served in Great Britain and Ireland; – disbanded in 1802.
Twenty-third, – by Colonel William Fullerton; – served in Great Britain and Ireland; – disbanded in 1802.
Twenty-fourth, – by Colonel William Loftus; – served in Great Britain and Ireland; – disbanded in 1802.
Twenty-fifth, – by Major-General Francis Edward Gwyn. This regiment was numbered the Twenty-second after the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. It served with reputation in India; was employed at the reduction of Java; signalized itself on several occasions; and was rewarded with the royal authority to bear the word Seringapatam on its guidons and appointments. It was disbanded in England in 1820.
Twenty-sixth, – by Lieut. – General R. Manners; – numbered the Twenty-third in 1803. This regiment served in Egypt, Portugal, Spain, Flanders, and France; and its distinguished conduct was rewarded with the honour of bearing on its guidons and appointments, the Sphinx, with the words Egypt, Peninsula, and Waterloo. In 1816 it was constituted a corps of Lancers. It was disbanded in England in 1817.
Twenty-seventh, – by Major-General Wynter Blathwayte; – numbered the Twenty-fourth in 1804. This regiment served in India, distinguished itself at the battles of Ghur and Delhi, and was permitted to bear the Elephant, with the word Hindoostan, on its guidons and appointments. It was disbanded in England, on its arrival from Bengal, in 1819.
Twenty-eighth, – by Major-General Robert Lawrie; – served in Great Britain, Ireland, and at the Cape of Good Hope; – disbanded in Ireland in 1802.
Twenty-ninth, – by Major-General Francis Augustus Lord Heathfield; – numbered the Twenty-fifth in 1804. This regiment served in India, and was at the reduction of the Isle of France. It was disbanded at Chatham, on its arrival from India, in 1819.
Raised in 1794.
Thirtieth, – by Lieut. – Colonel J. C. Carden; – disbanded in 1796.
Thirty-first, – by Lieut. – Colonel William St. Ledger; – disbanded in 1796.
Thirty-second, – by Lieut. – Colonel H. J. Blake; – disbanded in 1796.
Thirty-third, – by Lieut. – Colonel J. Blackwood; – disbanded in 1796.
Soon after the re-commencement of hostilities with France in 1803, the Seventh, Tenth, Fifteenth, and Eighteenth Light Dragoons were equipped as Hussars. Since the termination of the war in 1815, the Third and Fourth Dragoons have been changed from heavy to light; the Ninth, Twelfth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Light Dragoons have been constituted Lancers; and the Eighth and Eleventh Light Dragoons have also been equipped as Hussars.
At this period (1847), the Cavalry of the British Army consists of twenty-six regiments – thirteen Heavy and thirteen Light; and is composed of three regiments of Cuirassiers, ten of Heavy Dragoons, four of Light Dragoons, five of Hussars, and four of Lancers.