Historical Record of the First Regiment of Foot. Cannon Richard

13

Introduction de Puffendorf, tome iv. p. 84.

14

Harte's Life of Guslavus Adolphus.

15

The regiment alluded to was raised by Donald Mackay, Lord Reay, in 1626, for the service of the King of Denmark; it was afterwards in the service of the King of Sweden, and was reduced in 1634 to one company. In 1637, Colonel Robert Monro, who had served in the regiment from the time it was raised, published an historical account of its services, under the title of Monro's Expedition; from which history much valuable information has been obtained relating to the Royal Regiment, and its first Colonel, Sir John Hepburn, who had lived in terms of intimacy and strict friendship with Colonel Monro from the time they were schoolfellows.

16

Monro's expedition; and Harte's Life of Gustavus Adolphus.

17

Swedish Intelligencer.

18

Monro's Expedition.

19

The Imperialists had previously enacted a cruel tragedy on a party of Scots at Old Brandenburg.

20

Harte's Life of Gustavus Adolphus; Monro's Expedition; and the Swedish Intelligencer.

21

In a list of Gustavus's army published at the time, in the Mercure François, the regiment is stated to have displayed four colours at the battle of Leipsic.

22

"The King having noticed that the Duke of Saxony was leaving the field, and that Count Tilly was ready to charge his main body, selected 2,000 musketeers of the brave Scots nation, and placed 2,000 horse on their flanks. The Scots formed themselves in several bodies of six or seven hundred each, with their ranks three deep (the King of Sweden's discipline being never to march above six deep;) the foremost rank falling on their knees, the second stooping forward, and the third standing upright, and all giving fire together, they poured, at one instant, so much lead amongst the enemy's horse, that their ranks were broken, and the Swedish horse charging, the enemy were routed." —Account of the battle of Leipsic published at the time.

23

"We were as in a dark cloud, not seeing the half of our actions, much less discerning either the way of our enemies, or the rest of our brigades; whereupon, having a drummer by me, I caused him to beat the Scots March, till it cleared up, which re-collected our friends unto us." —Monro's Expedition.

24

Monro's Expedition.

25

"His Majesty, accompanied by a great and honourable train of cavaliers, alighted from his horse at the head of our brigade; the officers coming together about his Majesty in a ring, his Majesty made a speech of commendation of the brigade, thanking them for their good service, and exhorting them to the continuation thereof, promised he would not forget to reward them; and turning towards the superior officers, they did kiss his Majesty's hand; the inferior officers and soldiers crying aloud, they hoped to do his Majesty better service than ever they had done." —Monro's Expedition.

26

Harte.

27

"The foot brigades were commanded to their several posts. Colonel Hepburn's brigade (according to custom) was directed to the most dangerous post, next the enemy; and the rest to theirs. The night coming on, we began our approaches, and prepared for making ready our attacks, when certain men were ordered to make cannon baskets, some to provide materials, some to watch, some to dig, some to guard the artillery, some to guard the workmen, and some to guard the colours before the brigade. The day approaching, we having made ready the batteries in the night, the service on both sides beginneth with cannon and musket." —Monro's Expedition.

28

Monro gives the name of every British officer above the rank of Captain in the Swedish army. Many Scots officers had been promoted to the command of Swedish, Finland, and Dutch regiments.

29

"Here also we see the valour of Hepburn and his brigade praiseworthy, being, first and last, the instruments of the enemy's overthrow." —Monro's Expedition.

"The King returned Hepburn public thanks for suggesting the idea of crossing the Wernitz, and for executing his plan with such judgement and valour." —Harte's Life of Gustavus Adolphus.

30

In some accounts of the battle of Lützen the Green Brigade, of which Hepburn's regiment formed a part, is mentioned by mistake amongst the troops engaged, instead of the White Brigade. As Colonel Monro commanded the brigade at the time the battle was fought, his narrative is considered sufficient authority for stating that it was not present.

31

Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden was born on the 9th of December, 1594. He learnt the duty of a musketeer as soon as he could carry a musket; and when seventeen years of age he was Colonel of a Cavalry corps, and served a campaign against the Danes. In the same year (1611) his father died, and the young Gustavus succeeded to the throne of Sweden; and he soon afterwards evinced, to the surprise of all Europe, the most distinguished abilities as a commander, a hero, and a politician. The discipline which he introduced into his army was strict beyond all precedent, and to this many of his victories may be attributed. His improvements in arms, equipment, and in military tactics, were particularly important; and he was brave even to rashness. He was wounded in action on six different occasions, had three horses killed under him, and was several times in the power of the enemy, but was rescued by his own men. On the fatal 6th of November, 1632, he fought sword in hand at the head of the Smoland cavalry, and was shot through the left arm, but continued fighting until his voice and strength failed from loss of blood, when he attempted to retire. At that instant an Imperial cavalier came galloping forward, and, crying "Long have I sought thee," shot the King through the body; and the next moment one of his Majesty's attendants shot the cavalier dead on the spot. As the King and his attendants were retiring, they were charged by a troop of cuirassiers; his Majesty was held for a few moments on the saddle, but his horse, being shot in the shoulder, made a desperate plunge, and threw the rider to the ground. After his fall the King received five wounds in different parts of his body, and was shot through the head. Thus fell the brave Gustavus, the most distinguished warrior of his age; with whose life the early services of Hepburn's regiment, now represented by the First, or Royal Regiment of Foot, are intimately connected.

32

Monro's Expedition.

33

"The most deplorable accident was the death of the Scottish "Colonel Hepburn, who, with his usual coolness, surveying the breach, received a ball in his neck, and died, extremely regretted in the army, and by the Court of France." —Anderson's History of France, vol. v. p. 90.

"Le combat fut fort opiniâtre en ceste prise, et de telle façon; que le Colonel Hebron Escossois, y fut tué d'une mousquetade dans le col, qui luy passoit dans les reins, ayant laissé une reputation digne de sa valeur, fidelité, et experience au fait de la guerre." —Mercure François, tom. xxi. p. 277.

34

The following return of the establishment of the regiment in 1637 was procured by its Colonel, General Lord Adam Gordon, who died in 1801: —

35

In a plan of the siege of Hesdin, published at Paris in 1639, Douglas' Scots Regiment appears formed in brigade with the Regiment of Champaigne.

36

The three Scots regiments in the service of France at this period, are designated by the French historians, the regiments of Douglas, Chambers, and Praslin.

37

Père Daniel.

38

Mercure François; and Le Histoire Militaire de Louis le Grand, par M. Le Marquis de Quincy.

39

This division consisted of the following corps; viz.: The French Guards, the Swiss Guards, the regiments of Picardy, Douglas, La Meilleraie,