Historical Record of the Fifty-Third, or the Shropshire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1755 and of its subsequent services to 1848Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Fifty-Third, or the Shropshire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1755 and of its subsequent services to 1848
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 53rd -- History
This Officer held a commission in the first, the royal regiment of
foot, many years, and was promoted to the lieut.-colonelcy of the
first battalion of that corps on the 20th of June, 1753. On the 3rd
of August, 1762, King George III. nominated him to the colonelcy
of the 120th regiment, which was raised in the beginning of that
year, and disbanded in 1764. In February, 1770, he was appointed
Colonel of the FIFTY-THIRD regiment; and was promoted to the rank
of major-general two months afterwards. In 1777 he was advanced to
the rank of lieut.-general; and in 1793 to that of general. He died
in 1794.
GERARD LAKE,
Afterwards Viscount Lake,
_Appointed 3rd April, 1794_.
GERARD LAKE, third son of Lancelot Charles Lake, Esq., choosing
the profession of arms, was nominated to the commission of ensign
and lieutenant in the first foot guards, on the 9th of May,
1758; in 1762 he was promoted to lieutenant and captain, and in
1776 to captain and lieut.-colonel. He served in North America
during the War of Independence; was engaged in operations in the
southern states, under Major-General the Earl Cornwallis, and had
opportunities of distinguishing himself. When Earl Cornwallis's
force was besieged in York Town, by the united French and American
armies, Lieut.-Colonel Lake commanded a detachment of foot guards
and grenadiers of the eightieth regiment, which made a sortie
on the 16th of October, 1781, forced the entrenchments, spiked
eleven heavy guns, and killed and wounded about a hundred French
soldiers. On the surrender of York Town he became a prisoner of
war; but hostilities were terminated soon afterwards, and he
returned to England; having been promoted to the rank of colonel
in February, 1782. In 1784 he was nominated major, and in 1792
lieut.-colonel in the first foot guards. In 1790 he was advanced
to the rank of major-general. On the breaking out of the French
revolutionary war, he was nominated to the command of the brigade
of foot guards which proceeded to Flanders, and served under His
Royal Highness the Duke of York. He commanded this brigade at the
battle of Famars, and at the siege of Valenciennes; and highly
distinguished himself at Lincelles, on the 18th of August, 1793,
for which he was thanked in general orders. He also served before
Dunkirk, and in other operations: and in 1794 he was rewarded with
the colonelcy of the FIFTY-THIRD regiment, and the government of
Limerick: he was afterwards nominated governor of Dumbarton. In
1796 he was removed to the seventy-third regiment: in 1797 he was
promoted to the rank of lieut.-general, and placed on the staff
of Ireland, where he evinced talent and energy in suppressing the
rebellion which broke out in 1798, and gained several important
victories over the insurgents. When the French landed in Ireland,
he was obliged to retire a short distance; but additional troops
advancing to his aid, he intercepted the French soldiers and forced
them to surrender prisoners of war.
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