History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Vol. 1: Compiled from the Original RecordsDuncan, Francis
History
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Vol. 1: Compiled from the Original Records
Duncan, Francis
Great Britain. Army. Royal Regiment of Artillery
In the following year, 1744, and also in 1745, considerable
augmentations to the officers with the train had been made, many having
become available by the return of the expedition from the West Indies.
Among others, Colonel Jonathan Lewis was appointed Second Colonel to the
train: and Captains Borgard, Michelson, and Desaguliers, Lieutenants
Charlton, Bennett, and Macbean, and, somewhat later, Major William
Belford, joined it. The last-named officer was appointed Major to the
train, in room of Michelson deceased.
In 1744, many of the British troops had been recalled, on account of an
expected invasion of England; and so greatly did the French Army in
Flanders outnumber that of the Allies, that no resistance could be made
to its advance, and nothing but a diversion on the part of the
Austrians, which made the French King hasten to the defence of his own
kingdom, prevented the complete subjugation of Holland.
In 1745, the Artillery marched with the army from Ghent, leaving on the
13th April. The Artillery marched in rear of the Army in the following
order:—First, a sergeant and six miners, two and two; a tumbril drawn by
three horses with miners' tools; two four-horse waggons, containing
Colonel Lewis's baggage; a front guard of twenty-four gunners and
matrosses; a sergeant and two drummers; Lieutenant Pattison marching in
front, and Lieutenant Macbean in rear; the kettledrum; Colonel Lewis and
Captain Michelson on horseback; the flag-gun, a heavy 6-pounder, on a
field-carriage and limber drawn by nine horses; nine more 6-pounders,
drawn as above, but by seven horses; one spare 6-pounder carriage and
limber, drawn by seven horses; twelve covered tumbrils with stores, each
drawn by three horses; four howitzers with five horses each; one spare
howitzer-carriage and limber, also with five horses; six covered
tumbrils with stores, with three horses each; ten 3-pounders on
"galloping carriages," with four horses each; a travelling forge cart
with three horses; twenty-three powder tumbrils; and three covered
waggons with officers' tents, baggage, &c., with three horses each. The
remaining officers and men marched on the flanks of the waggons and
guns, a gunner marching by every gun, with a match. A Regiment of
infantry formed the escort, the grenadier company marching in front, the
remainder in rear. It should have been mentioned that in 1744, an
increase to the armament of the train had been made, comprising ten
heavy 6-pounders and four 8-inch howitzers; and in 1745 another company
arrived from Woolwich.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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