Historical Record of the Second, or Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in the Year 1661, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1837 — John Shaqi
Historical Record of the Second, or Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in the Year 1661, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1837Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Second, or Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in the Year 1661, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1837
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
'The Moors being vexed, knowing it was impossible to make their
approaches against Tangier above ground, resolved to effect it by
drawing lines and working underneath the earth; which stratagem of
war, it is supposed, they learnt from several French and Spanish
mercenaries whom they keep in pay: this practice they were before
quite ignorant of.'--The public journals also speak indignantly of
some English who clandestinely imported 1500 barrels of gunpowder
to the enemy, and say, ''Tis too often the custom of our nation to
give away their swords, and fight with their teeth, and furnish
our foes with means to cut our own throats.' Numerous losses
sustained by the garrison, together with the increased force of the
assailants, rendered it requisite to send reinforcements to the
relief of the former. For this purpose a detachment left Ireland
in the spring of 1680, consisting of four companies of the Royal
Regiment of Foot; twelve other companies of the same regiment
followed in the same year; five companies of the Foot Guards also
sailed for the same destination under the Earl of Mulgrave.
In addition to the above reinforcements, a new regiment was raised
in 1680, of which _Charles Fitz Charles, Earl of Plymouth_, (a
natural son of King Charles II.) was appointed Colonel, and
embarked on this service. This latter corps was called 'the Second
Tangier Regiment,' and is now the 4th, or King's Own Regiment.
It has been stated that the Duke of Marlborough was initiated at
Tangier in the first rudiments of war. The same theatre for the
display of British valour and enterprise was at this time chosen by
several other volunteers, among whom were Charles Lord Mordaunt,
the afterwards celebrated Earl of Peterborough, and others of rank
and celebrity.
In the year 1680 the Earl of Inchiquin vacated his appointment on
being made Governor of Jamaica. Colonel Sir Palmes Fairborne[12],
of the Queen's Regiment, who succeeded to the command of the
fortress on the departure of the Earl of Inchiquin, was, in
consequence of his gallant and meritorious services, confirmed in
the appointment by his Majesty. The demise of this brave officer,
however, occurred before the commission for his appointment was
signed; he was wounded in an action with the Moors on the 24th of
October, 1680, and died three days after, leaving the charge of the
garrison to Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Sackville, of the Coldstream
Foot Guards[13]. On the 27th of October the garrison attacked the
enemy's lines with determined bravery, and the Queen's Regiment is
reported to have '_behaved to admiration_[14].' Considerable loss
was however sustained by the English; 'not above fifty men were
left in one of the battalions of Lord Inchiquin's Regiment (the
Queen's): the English and Scotch behaved as brave and gallant men,
and the Gentlemen Volunteers have alike proved themselves men of
courage.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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