The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, [v. 1,] from 1684 to 1902Gretton, G. le M. (George Le Mesurier)
History
The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, [v. 1,] from 1684 to 1902
Gretton, G. le M. (George Le Mesurier)
Great Britain. Army. Royal Irish Regiment
of the Royal Irish do not agree with the muster-roll made a week
after the evacuation. In it appear the names of three sergeants, one
corporal, and thirty-four privates who were killed or died during the
siege; and one officer, Lieutenant George Minchin, two sergeants,
two drummers, one corporal, and thirty-two privates missing.[89] In
the unsuccessful sortie of the 30th of November twenty-four rank and
file of the regiment were wounded; how many were injured in the daily
fighting at the outposts and in the defence of Fort Mulgrave and Mont
Faron cannot be ascertained, but it is clear that the Royal Irish
played a distinguished part in the operations, and in proportion to
their numbers lost very heavily.
As soon as the allied fleet was clear of the harbour of Toulon it
dispersed: the Spaniards and the Neapolitans made sail respectively
for the Balearic Isles and Naples, while Hood put into the bay of
Hyères, a few miles east of Toulon, where he tried to evolve order
out of the chaos produced by the hurried embarkation of the troops,
and to obtain fresh provisions of which he was in great need.
Unwilling to weaken himself by sending British vessels to buy food in
the ports of Italy and Spain, he employed upon this service several
of the French ships, which, in theory at least, were still under the
orders of the Royalist admiral. British infantry were sent on board
them as marines, the XVIIIth furnishing a strong detachment under
Lieutenant Mawby, who on going on board the _Pompée_ found that she
was still flying the Royalist flag, and was commanded by French
naval officers. The duty was heavy, and the cruise must have been
a very unpleasant one, for guards had to be mounted in every part
of the vessel to keep her crew from breaking into open mutiny. In
one respect, however, Mawby and his companions were better off than
their comrades at headquarters, for they escaped the overcrowding
caused by the presence of thousands of Royalists in the ships at
Hyères. Sir Gilbert Elliot mentions that in the cabin he shared
with several naval officers, twenty luckless French refugees, men,
women, and children slept huddled together on the floor; and if no
better quarters could be provided for the diplomatic representative
of England, it is easy to imagine that regimental officers must have
been hideously uncomfortable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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