Historical Record of the First Regiment of Foot. Cannon Richard
confided, conferring on them the glory of every critical and trying adventure." Amongst these forces, Colonel John Hepburn's Scots Regiment appears to have held a distinguished character for gallantry on all occasions; and no troops appear to have been found better calculated for this important enterprise than the Scots, who proved brave, hardy, patient of fatigue and privation, frugal, obedient, and sober soldiers. In addition to the British troops already in his service, Gustavus afterwards entered into a treaty with the Marquis of Hamilton, who engaged to raise eight thousand English and Scots for the service of the Swedish monarch.
When the King sailed with his main army for Pomerania, where he arrived towards the end of June, 1630, Colonel Hepburn's Regiment was stationed under the renowned Chancellor Oxenstiern in Polish Prussia; but it was soon afterwards engaged in operations in Outer Pomerania; and was subsequently again stationed in Prussia, from whence it was suddenly ordered to Rugenwald, in consequence of the following extraordinary occurrence.
One of the Scots regiments15 in the service of Sweden, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monro, having embarked from Pillau in the middle of August, in order to join the main army, was shipwrecked a short distance from Rugenwald in Pomerania, which place was occupied by a garrison of Imperialists. These brave Scots, being cast ashore, drenched with wet, without ammunition, and having only their pikes and swords, and a few wet muskets, found themselves surrounded by garrisons of the enemy, and at a distance of eighty miles from the king and his army; yet, with astonishing resolution and courage, under such disadvantageous circumstances, they concealed themselves near the shore until night, and, having secretly procured a few dry muskets and some ammunition from a Pomeranian officer, they took the town by a midnight assault, and maintained themselves, fighting and skirmishing with the enemy, until Colonel Hepburn arrived with his regiment to their relief.16
A Swedish army of eight thousand men was soon afterwards assembled near Rugenwald, and Colonel Hepburn's Regiment, having been relieved from garrison duty, advanced to Colberg, and was engaged in the blockade of the town; a detachment of the regiment was also sharply engaged with a body of Imperialists which was advancing to relieve the place, but was defeated.17
During the winter the regiment marched to the vicinity of Stettin, the capital of Pomerania: it was subsequently employed in several operations; and in March, 1631, it was encamped at Schwedt, in the province of Brandenburg, where it was formed in brigade with three other Scots regiments, viz. – Mackay's, Lumsdell's, and Stargate's. This brigade was commanded by Colonel Hepburn, whose regiment took the right, and was designated Hepburn's Scots Brigade or the Green Brigade: other brigades were also formed and designated the Yellow Brigade, the Blue Brigade, and the White Brigade.18
Advancing from Schwedt on the 24th of March, the regiment proceeded with the main army, commanded by Gustavus in person, to Frankfort on the Oder, and was employed in the attack on the town. The army arrived before the town during the afternoon preceding Palm Sunday, and the regiment was posted opposite Gubengate. On the following day, after divine service had been twice performed, the King sent Captain Guntier of the regiment, with a serjeant and twelve private men, to ascertain if a body of troops could be lodged between the outer and inner walls; and this little party having, with fine courage, waded the ditch and ascended the mud wall, gained the required information, and returned without sustaining any loss; the King immediately afterwards commanded the town to be attacked by storm; Hepburn's Scots Brigade was ordered to commence the assault, and a select body of pikemen, with Sir John Hepburn at their head, took the lead in this splendid enterprise.
The fascines and scaling ladders being ready, the King called Colonels Hepburn and Lumsdell, and said, My valiant Scots, remember your countrymen slain at Old Brandenburg.19 The next moment the cannon fired a volley, and the storming party rushing through the smoke instantly attacked the town. Colonel Hepburn and his gallant pikemen waded the ditch, in doing which they were waist deep in mud and water, and carried the outer wall in gallant style. The enemy fled from the wall towards a great sallyport, followed by Hepburn and his valiant pikemen in full career; but when within a few paces of the port, Hepburn was wounded in the leg and forced to halt; his place was instantly supplied by the Major of his regiment, who was shot dead the next moment; many of the pikemen also fell, and the remainder shrank back before the tempest of bullets which assailed them. But in a few moments the pikemen, led by Colonel Lumsdell and Lieutenant-Colonel Monro, returned to the charge, and forced the sallyport; the enemy, being confounded by the fury of the onset, omitted to let down the portcullis. Having gained the streets, the pikemen formed up, and a division of musketeers formed on each flank; the musketeers opened their fire, the pikemen charged along the street, and the enemy was routed, when a dreadful slaughter ensued, for during the fury of the assault no quarter was given. Lieutenant-Colonel Masten, with a party of musketeers of Hepburn's Brigade, followed the pikemen into the town, and joining in the charge, augmented the confusion and slaughter of the enemy. Meanwhile Major John Sinclair and Lieutenant George Heatly, with another party of fifty musketeers of Hepburn's Brigade, scaled the walls with ladders and drove their opponents into the town; but were immediately afterwards charged by a troop of Imperial cuirassiers. The brave Scots retired a few paces, and placing their backs to the wall, kept up such a sharp fire that they forced the cuirassiers to retreat.
While Hepburn's Scots Brigade was thus carrying all before it, the Yellow and Blue Brigades attacked another part of the town, where they were warmly received by an Irish Regiment in the Emperor's service, and were twice repulsed. The Irish behaved to admiration, but being eventually overpowered, nearly every man was killed; and their Colonel, Walter Butler, being shot through the arm, and pierced through the thigh with a pike, was taken prisoner.
The slaughter continued for some time. The Imperialists beat a parley twice, but the noise and tumult of the conflict was so great that the drum was not heard; and they eventually fled over the bridge, leaving nearly two thousand men and fifty colours behind them, besides stores, treasure, and much valuable property, which fell into the hands of the victors. The leading division of pikemen of Hepburn's Brigade, which, after he was wounded, was commanded by Colonel Lumsdell, captured EIGHTEEN COLOURS. This officer highly distinguished himself; and after the town was taken, the King bid him ask what he pleased and his request should be granted.20
Frankfort being thus gallantly won, a Scots officer, Major-General Lesley, was appointed governor of this important acquisition; and on the 5th of April, the King, placing himself at the head of a select body of men from each brigade, commanded by Colonel Hepburn, proceeded in the direction of Landsberg, and while on the march, the advance guard defeated a regiment of Croatians. On the 8th of April a strong fort in front of the town was attacked. The King, having through the invention of a floating-bridge, and the ingenuity of a blacksmith, surprised an out-guard and gained some advantage, the fort surrendered, and the town soon afterwards followed this example. It was a remarkable circumstance that the garrison exceeded in numbers the besieging army; but the valour of Gustavus's troops, and the high state of discipline which prevailed in his army, enabled him to perform astonishing exploits. Colonel Hepburn and Lieutenant-Colonel Monro acquired great credit by their conduct on this occasion.
After placing a garrison in Landsberg, the detachment commenced its march on the 18th of April, back to Frankfort; and Hepburn's Regiment proceeded soon afterwards to the vicinity of Berlin. Attempts were made to induce the Duke of Brandenburg to join with the Swedes, and when persuasion proved unavailing, the city of Berlin was invested. The Duke, alarmed at this hostile proceeding, sent his Duchess and the ladies of the court to entreat Gustavus to forbear; but the Swedish monarch proved inexorable, and the Duke of Brandenburg was forced to comply.
In July the regiment proceeded to Old Brandenburg, and on its arrival, a pestilential disease raging in the city, the regiment was ordered to encamp in the fields. During the same month the Marquis of Hamilton arrived in Germany with six thousand British troops, which had been raised for the service of the King of Sweden.
The regiment was subsequently engaged in several operations.
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; and Harte's Life of Gustavus Adolphus.
Swedish Intelligencer.
Monro's Expedition.
The Imperialists had previously enacted a cruel tragedy on a party of Scots at Old Brandenburg.
Harte's Life of Gustavus Adolphus; Monro's Expedition; and the Swedish Intelligencer.