ページの画像
PDF
ePub

SECTION II.

Flanders-Fontenoy 1745-Cover the retreat of the army after the battle-England-Prestonpans 1745-Coast of France 1746Ireland-Flanders 1747-Ireland 1748 -- Character.

THE regiment was soon restored to order, and, towards the end of May, embarked for Flanders, where it joined the army under the command of Field-Marshal the Earl of Stair. Unfortunately, it arrived too late to be present at the battle of Dettingen; but although the men had not then an opportunity of showing themselves good soldiers in the field, all the accounts agree that, by their conduct, they proved themselves decent and orderly in quarters. “That regiment (Sempill's Highlanders) was judged the most trust-worthy guard of property, insomuch that the people in Flanders chose to have them always for their protection. Seldom were any of them drunk, and they as rarely swore. And the Elector Palatine wrote to his envoy in London, desiring him to thank the King of Great Britain

From the evidence of eye-witnesses, and of those who wrote and published at the time, it appears evident that the men considered their service and engagements of a local nature, not to extend beyond Scotland, not even beyond the Highland boundary. The Lord President Forbes, Major Grose, and the author from whom I have so liberally quoted, furnish proof of this belief on the part of the men. The last being an Englishman, who wrote on the spot, and published in London immediately after the mutiny, his impartiality, so far as regarded the soldiers, and the accuracy of his information with regard to the whole, may be considered as undoubted. The public opinion at the time may be collected from the communication of the departure of the regiment from Scotland, given in the Caledonian Mercury, an old and excellent record of events in Scotland. It is there expressly stated that their march to England was for the purpose of being reviewed by the King.

for the excellent behaviour of the regiment while in his territories in 1743 and 1744; and for whose sake,' he adds, I will always pay a respect and regard to a Scotchman in future.'

The regiment was not engaged in active service during the whole of 1743 and 1744, but was quartered in different parts of the country, where it continued to maintain the same character. By several private letters written at that period from the Continent, it appears that they had gained the good opinion and entire confidence of the inhabitants, who expressed their anxious desire to have a Highland soldier quartered in each of their houses, "as these men were not only quiet, kind, and domestic, but served as a protection against the rudeness of others."

In April 1745, Lord Sempill, being appointed to the 25th regiment, was succeeded, as colonel of the Highlanders, by Lord John Murray, son of the Duke of Atholl.

The season was now well advanced, and the King of France, with the Dauphin, had joined his army in Flanders, under the command of Marshal Count Saxe, who, having been strongly reinforced, determined to open the campaign by laying siege to Tournay, then garrisoned by eight thousand men, under General Baron Dorth. Early in May, the Duke of Cumberland arrived from England, and assumed the command of the allied army, which consisted of twenty battalions and twenty-six squadrons of British, five battalions and sixteen squadrons of Hanoverians, all under the immediate command of his Royal Highness; twenty-six battalions and forty squadrons of Dutch, under the command of the Prince of Waldeck; and eight squadrons of Austrians, under Field-Marshal Konigseg.

With this force the allied generals resolved to raise the siege of Tournay, before which the French had broken ground on the 30th of April. The French army was more numerous, but the whole of their force could not be brought

• Dr Doddridge's Life of Colonel Gardiner. London, 1749.

forward, as large detachments were left in front of Tournay and other places. Marshal Saxe was soon aware of the intention of the Allies, and prepared to receive them. He drew up his line of battle on the right bank of the Scheldt, extending from the wood of Barri to Fontenoy, and thence to the village of St Antoine. Entrenchments were thrown up at both these places, besides three redoubts in the intermediate space, and two at the corner of the wood of Barri, whence a deep ravine extended as far as Fontenoy, and another from that village to St Antoine. A double line of infantry in front, and cavalry in the rear, occupied the whole space from the wood to St Antoine, while an additional force of cavalry and infantry was posted behind the redoubts and batteries. A battery was also erected on the other side of the river, opposite to St Antoine. The artillery, which was very numerous, was distributed along the line, and in the village and redoubts.

Such was the position pitched upon by Marshal Saxe to receive the Allies, who moved forward on the 9th of May, and encamped between the villages of Bougries and Moubray, at a short distance from the outposts of the enemy. On the evening of that day, the Duke went out and reconnoitred the position chosen by the French general. The Highland regiment was ordered to the advanced post, "when his Royal Highness, with Field-Marshal Konigseg and the Prince of Waldeck, went out to reconnoitre, covered by the Highlanders, who kept up a sharp fire with the grassins concealed in the woods. After this service was performed, Lord Crawford, being left in command of the advance of the army, proceeded with the Highlanders and a party of hussars to examine the outposts more narrowly. In the course of this duty, a Highlander in advance, observing that one of the grassins repeatedly fired at his post, placed his bonnet upon the top of a stick, near the verge of a hollow road. This stratagem decoyed the Frenchman;

Sharpshooters.

and while he was intent on his object, the Highlander, approaching cautiously to a point which afforded a sure aim, succeeded in bringing him to the ground.” *

Whilst the allied generals were thus employed, it was found that the plain between their position and that of the French camp was covered with some flying squadrons of the enemy, and that their outposts likewise commanded certain narrow defiles, through which the allied forces must march to attack the besieging army. It became, of course, necessary to disperse these squadrons, and to dislodge the outposts. As this service could not be attempted at so late an hour in the evening, it was postponed until an early hour next morning, when six battalions and twelve squadrons were ordered to scour the plain, and clear the defiles. In this detachment was included a party of the Highlanders, who, consequently, for the first time, saw the face, and stood the fire of the enemy in a regular body. To the conduct of these Highlanders, in this their noviciate in the field, we have the following testimony: "A party of Highlanders was selected to support some Austrian hussars, hotly pressed by the French light troops, who were quickly repulsed with loss; and the Highlanders were taken great notice of for their spirited conduct." +

The plain being cleared, and the French outposts driven in, the Commander-in-Chief of the allied army rode over it, and having examined the ground between the respective camps, made his dispositions for attacking the enemy next morning. The British and Hanoverian infantry were formed in two lines opposite the space between Fontenoy and the wood of Barri, with their cavalry in the rear. The right of the Dutch was posted near the left of the Hanoverians, and their left towards St Antoine, fronting that place and the redoubts between it and Fontenoy.

These arrangements being completed, his Royal High

Rolt's Life of the Earl of Craufurd.

History of the War.

ness moved forward at two o'clock in the morning of the 11th of May, and drew up his army in the above order, in front of the enemy. Previously to the general engagement, the Duke ordered an attack on a redoubt advanced on the right of the wood, occupied by 600 men. This operation took place about four in the morning, "when the Guards and Highlanders began the battle, and attacked a body of French near Vizou, in the vicinity of which place the Dauphin was posted. Though they were entrenched breast-high, the Guards with bayonets, and the Highlanders with sword, pistol, and dirk, forced them out, killing a considerable number *."

Thus successful in the commencement, the British and Hanoverians advanced to the attack, and, after a severe contest, in which every inch of ground was disputed, they drove the enemy back on their entrenchments. During this operation, the Dutch on the left attacked Fontenoy, but without success. The army suffering exceedingly from the batteries, which kept up an incessant fire, the Duke of Cumberland detached a body of infantry to occupy the wood of Barri, and drive the enemy from that redoubt. The Highlanders formed part of this detachment; but, owing to a mistake in delivering the orders, or a misconception on the part of BrigadierGeneral Ingoldsby, and the loss of Lieutenant-General Sir James Campbell of Lawers, who was mortally wounded, this attack did not take place. Immediately afterwards his Royal Highness ordered Lord Sempill's regiment away to assist in the attack on the village, which still held out against the Dutch, who had failed in every attempt. Notwithstanding these untoward circumstances, the Duke determined to attempt the passage of the ravine between the redoubts and the village. When the British had advanced beyond this ravine, the ground between the wood and Fontenoy being insufficient for the whole to form in line, the flanks wheeled back on their right and left, and then facing to

[ocr errors][merged small]
« 前へ次へ »