The French menaced an attack upon the quarters of the allied army in Flanders in the spring of 1696, when the ROYAL DRAGOONS were suddenly called from their cantonments to encamp on the banks of the canal between Ghent and Bruges, where they were reviewed by King William on the 29th of May. They served the campaign of this year with the army of Flanders, commanded by the Prince of Vandemont, and were brigaded with the royal Scots and royal Irish (second and fifth) dragoons, commanded by Brigadier-General Matthews. The object of this army was the protection of Ghent, Bruges, and the maritime towns of Flanders: no general action occurred; but a party of the ROYAL DRAGOONS, with a detachment of Langston's horse (now fourth dragoon guards), surprised one of the French out-guards on the night of the 20th of September and took thirty prisoners. This appears to be the only action in which the regiment took part during the campaign of this year; and on the 6th of October it marched into quarters in the villages behind the Bruges canal. [Sidenote: 1697] During the campaign of 1697 the regiment served under King William in the army of Brabant, and was brigaded with the royal Scots and Eppinger's dragoons. On the 28th of May Brigadier-General Matthews died; and on the 30th His Majesty conferred the colonelcy of the ROYAL DRAGOONS on THOMAS LORD RABY, afterwards Earl of Strafford. [Sidenote: 1698] The enemy, having great superiority of numbers, besieged and took _Aeth_, and afterwards menaced Brussels; but were frustrated in their designs by King William. The ROYAL DRAGOONS were encamped before Brussels in June; and subsequently at Wavre. Hostilities were terminated in September by the treaty of Ryswick, and after the conclusion of peace, the regiment embarked from the Netherlands,--landed at the Red House in Southwark on the 21st of November, and, at the end of the same month, marched into extensive quarters in Yorkshire, where the establishment, which during the war had been eight troops, amounting to five hundred and ninety officers and men, was reduced to six troops of two hundred and ninety-four officers and men. [Sidenote: 1699] [Sidenote: 1700] During the two succeeding years the ROYAL DRAGOONS occupied quarters in Lancashire and Leicestershire. In June, 1700, they assembled on Hounslow Heath and were reviewed by King William III., who was pleased to express his royal approbation of their appearance and discipline. Leaving the south of England in July, they proceeded into quarters in Yorkshire and Cumberland, with one troop stationed in garrison at Carlisle and another at Hull. [Sidenote: 1701] [Sidenote: 1702]