Historical Record of the Fourteenth, or, the Buckinghamshire Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1845Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Fourteenth, or, the Buckinghamshire Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1845
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 14th (Buckinghamshire)
The army resumed its march towards _Dunkirk_ on the following
day, and on the 24th of August, the FOURTEENTH Foot took part in
driving the French out-posts, between the canal of Furnes and the
sea, into the town, on which occasion the soldiers had to force
their way through strong double hedges, and across deep ditches
full of water. A deep ditch, surrounding the garden of a chateau,
obstructed the progress of the grenadier company of the FOURTEENTH,
when Lieutenant THOMAS GREEN CLAPHAM leaped into the ditch, where
he stood up to his breast in water, that the grenadiers might pass
swiftly over it, by stepping upon his shoulders, and pursue the
French, which they did with great alacrity. The light infantry
company also displayed distinguished ardour, and captured three
pieces of artillery. Finally the French were driven into the town,
and the siege was commenced. The loss of the regiment was limited
to a few private soldiers killed and wounded.
On the 6th of September, the French made a sortie from Dunkirk,
in great strength, directing their attack principally against the
right of the besieging army, when the FOURTEENTH Foot, commanded
by Major Alexander Ross, (Lieutenant-Colonel Doyle being ill) was
ordered forward to support that part of the position. As they
passed the flank of the regiment of Esterhazy, the Germans cheered
the FOURTEENTH, and the gallant soldiers rushed into the fight with
great energy, overthrowing all opposition, and chasing the French
up the covered way. The regiment had one serjeant, one corporal,
and eight private soldiers killed; Captains Cochrane and Garnier,
Lieutenants Mackenzie, Powell, and Elrington[5], Ensigns Smith
and Williams, Volunteer McGrath, one serjeant, one corporal, and
thirty-six private soldiers, wounded.
The arrival of the heavy artillery for the siege, and the naval
force intended to co-operate with the army, in the reduction of
Dunkirk, was so long delayed, that the French had time to convey
from every part of France, by coaches, waggons, and other vehicles,
such an immense body of troops, to the vicinity of Dunkirk, that
the Duke of York had little chance of success.
Another sortie was made by the garrison on the 8th of September,
when the FOURTEENTH and Thirty-seventh Regiments advanced to
attack the French; as the two corps passed the regiment of Joseph
Colloredo, they were cheered by the Austrians, and they succeeded
in repulsing the enemy: but no chance of final success remained,
and the siege was raised, the FOURTEENTH Regiment marching by
Furnes and Ypres, to Menin.
The regiment marched, in October, to Oudenarde, where it furnished
a guard over two thousand French prisoners; it was sent forward,
several times, to take the out-post duty, and upon a movement in
advance, by the enemy, upon Menin and Wevelghem, it repulsed an
attack upon the out-post at Vervicke.
[Sidenote: 1794]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account