Historical Record of the Tenth, or the North Lincolnshire, Regiment of Foot,: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of its Subsequent Services to 1847Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Tenth, or the North Lincolnshire, Regiment of Foot,: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of its Subsequent Services to 1847
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot
Quitting its cantonments among the Flemish peasantry, in May, 1692,
the regiment again took the field, and was employed in several
operations. In the beginning of August it was encamped at Halle,
and, early on the morning of the 3rd of that month, it advanced
at the head of the main body of the confederate army to attack
the French in position at _Steenkirk_. After passing through some
narrow defiles among trees, the Third and TENTH foot halted at the
extremity of a wood, at the moment when the brigades forming the
van of the army were severely engaged with very superior numbers.
A short distance in front of the TENTH, and near the skirt of the
wood a little to the left, a regiment of Lunenburgers, commanded by
the Baron of Pibrack, was contending with two French battalions,
and was nearly overpowered; it was falling back, fighting, and in
some disorder; the French were gaining ground; and its colonel,
the Baron of Pibrack, lay dangerously wounded a few yards in front
of the muzzles of the enemy's muskets. Prince Casimir of Nassau
galloped up to the TENTH, and requested them to advance to the aid
of the Lunenburgers; when the regiment formed line, the pikemen
in the centre, and the musketeers and grenadiers on each flank,
and Lieut.-Colonel Sir Beville Granville led it forward with great
gallantry. At that moment the Lunenburgers were overpowered, and
the French were hurrying forward with shouts, and a heavy fire of
musketry, when suddenly the TENTH, conspicuous by their blue coats,
scarlet breeches and stockings, and three stand of scarlet colours
floating in the breeze, were seen issuing from among the trees in
firm array. So noble a line of combatants, separating itself from
the broken sections of the retreating Lunenburgers, startled the
enemy; the French artillery thundered against its flanks,--their
musketry smote it in front,--yet the regiment bore sternly forward
to close on its numerous enemies, when the French fell back. Two
serjeants of the TENTH sprang forward and rescued the Baron of
Pibrack, bearing him from among his enemies to the rear, and the
regiment pressed forward, without firing a shot, until it gained a
hollow way beyond the skirts of the wood, where it halted, and the
musketeers, taking sure aim over the bank, soon cleared the ground
in their front of opponents. Numerous narrow defiles and other
obstructions prevented the main body of the British infantry from
arriving in time to support the brigades in advance; King William
ordered a retreat, and Prince Casimir of Nassau arrived with orders
for the TENTH to withdraw from their post. The Prince highly
commended the conduct of the regiment on that, the first occasion
of its being engaged, and its bearing proved a presage of future
renown.
The regiment had a number of private soldiers killed and wounded;
also Captain Elliott, Lieutenants Thomas Granville and John
Granville, wounded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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