Historical Record of the Eighteenth, or the Royal Irish Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1684, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1848.Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Eighteenth, or the Royal Irish Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1684, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1848.
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 18th (Royal Irish)
The company of the regiment stationed at Chinhae was withdrawn to
take part in active operations, and seven companies sailed with the
expedition to carry on operations against _Chin-Keang-foo_, one
of the strongest and most important cities of China. To proceed
on this enterprise the fleet left Woosung on the 6th of July, the
Chinese troops were driven from _Suyshan_, and on the 20th of July
the armament approached Chin-Keang-foo. A landing was effected,
and the EIGHTEENTH evinced the same intrepidity and valour in the
attack of the enemy's entrenched camp, and at the capture of the
city by storm, on the 21st of July, for which they had previously
been distinguished. On passing through the city and suburbs, the
troops witnessed the painful spectacle of hundreds of the dead
bodies of men, women, and children, lying in the houses, numerous
families having destroyed themselves sooner than outlive the
disgrace of their city being captured by foreigners.
The ROYAL IRISH regiment had Captain Charles J. Russell Collinson
and two soldiers killed; Lieutenant Scroope Bernard, one serjeant,
and fifteen rank and file wounded.
This brilliant success of the British arms filled the Chinese
empire with consternation and dismay, and the English General
prepared to carry his victorious troops into the heart of the
empire, and attack _Nankin_, the ancient capital of China, to
which place the fugitives from Chin-Keang-foo had fled for refuge.
Embarking on the 29th of July to carry out this important object,
the armament proceeded against the celebrated city of Nankin, where
the ROYAL IRISH and other corps arrived on the 9th of August, when
a great portion of the troops landed, and the ancient capital of
China was environed by the British naval and land forces. This
decisive step produced the desired results; the court of China
could no longer hope that its legions would eventually arrest the
victorious career of the British arms, and conditions of peace were
acceded to; the Chinese paying an indemnity, and ceding a portion
of territory to the British crown.
Thus terminated a war in which the EIGHTEENTH, or the ROYAL IRISH,
regiment, had acquired additional reputation; a hostile nation had
been impressed with a just sense of the capabilities of the English
arms; and important commercial and national advantages had been
acquired for the British empire.
Her Majesty, in consideration of the gallantry displayed by the
troops employed on the coasts and rivers of China, was graciously
pleased to permit the EIGHTEENTH (ROYAL IRISH), twenty-sixth,
forty-ninth, fifty-fifth, and ninety-eighth regiments, and Royal
Artillery, to bear on their colours and appointments the word
"_China_," and the device of the "_Dragon_," in commemoration of
their distinguished services.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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