Historical Record of the Third or Prince of Wales' Regiment of Dragoon Guards: From Its Formation in 1685 to 1838. Cannon Richard
enemy were frustrated.
When the allies besieged Venloo, the Fourth Horse were with the troops employed in observing the enemy, and in protecting the supplies of forage, provision, and ammunition: they were also similarly engaged during the sieges of Ruremonde and Stevenswaert.
These fortresses having been captured, the regiment quitted its camp at Soutendael about midnight, on the 10th of October, and, having crossed the little river Jaar, advanced with the army towards the city of Liege, where it arrived about three in the following morning, when the suburb of St. Walburg was found in flames, the French having, upon the sudden advance of the allies, attempted the destruction of the suburbs by fire, and afterwards retired into the citadel, and into a detached fortress called the Chartreuse.
The Fourth Horse marched into the city of Liege on the 14th of October, where they remained until the 25th, when they were detached across the river to invest the Chartreuse; and, after the surrender of this place, they were employed in escorting the garrison towards Antwerp.20 Having performed this service they went into village cantonments, and before the following spring the British commander was advanced to the dignity of Duke of Marlborough.
Having passed the winter in Dutch Brabant, the Fourth Horse, moving from their quarters in May, 1703, traversed the country to the vicinity of Maestricht; at the same time one division of the army besieged and took Bonn. They were subsequently encamped near the banks of the Maese, where the Duke of Marlborough assembled the army; and on the 24th of May advanced against the enemy, who occupied an advantageous post near Tongres; but on the approach of the allies the French retired, and afterwards took post behind their fortified lines.
The Fourth Horse were subsequently encamped with the army near Haneff, where they were engaged in a slight skirmish with a detachment of the enemy. The Duke of Marlborough was desirous of attacking the French lines, but was prevented by the indecision of the Dutch generals and field-deputies. The Fourth Horse were also employed in the operations which preceded the investiture of Huy, and formed part of the covering army during the siege of that place. They were afterwards in the lines of circumvallation before Limburg; and after the surrender of this place they proceeded to Liege; and on the 4th of October joined the camp at St. Trond, where they halted a few days, and were subsequently distributed into cantonments.
The British horse again passed the winter amongst the rude peasantry of Holland, and assembled with the army in the spring of 1704 near Ruremonde, from whence they directed their march to Cologne, and afterwards proceeded through a delightful country to Coblentz, a town situate at the conflux of the Rhine and Moselle. By these movements the Duke of Marlborough indicated a design of carrying on the war in the direction of the Moselle; but he had a more noble and hazardous object in view.
The Elector of Bavaria, who is presumed to have aspired to the imperial dignity, had commenced hostilities against the Emperor of Germany. In 1703, 30,000 French troops marched through the Black Forest to assist him, the united French and Bavarian armies were carrying all before them, and it was apprehended that if something extraordinary was not undertaken, the Elector of Bavaria would gain the imperial throne, – Germany would be subjected to French domination, – and Louis XIV. would dictate laws to Europe. To avert this disaster, the Duke of Marlborough resolved to march the army under his command from the Netherlands into the heart of Germany.
In pursuance of this object, the Fourth Horse, having crossed the Rhine and the Moselle, moved forward with the other cavalry regiments in advance of the main army, and commenced their march on an expedition which produced the most stupendous results. During the advance the regiments invariably moved from their camp ground at the first dawn of morning light, completed the march before the heat became oppressive, and passed the remainder of the day in repose, or in preparing for the succeeding day's march.21
Continuing their route, under favourable circumstances and in excellent order, the British cavalry arrived towards the end of May at the suburbs of Mentz, in the west of Germany, where they halted a day to rest their horses. From this place they advanced in four days to Ladenburg, in the margraviate of Baden, and having passed the Neckar, halted one day at their camp beyond the town. From thence they directed their march towards the Danube; while the nations of Europe gazed with astonishment at this splendid enterprise, and the different states through which the troops passed hailed their arrival with acclamations. At length a junction was effected between the army of the Duke of Marlborough and the forces of the German empire, and the united troops co-operated in offensive measures.
The Fourth Horse, having thus marched from the ocean to the Danube, took an active part in the operations which succeeded; and they formed part of the forces which advanced at three o'clock on the morning of the 2nd of July, and after traversing many miles of difficult country, arrived in front of the enemy's entrenched position on the heights of Schellenberg, and commenced the attack about six in the evening.
The infantry having advanced in the face of a storm of fire from the enemy's batteries, and commenced the assault, were forced to give way, when the French and Bavarians, issuing from their works, charged the broken ranks, but were driven back. The attack was renewed with similar results. The infantry, reduced in numbers and exhausted by repeated struggles, were giving way, when Lieutenant-General Lumley led the English horse to their aid, and prevented a repulse. The infantry renewed the attack, and eventually the enemy was driven from the works. At this moment the Fourth Horse and other cavalry gallopping forward, by a furious charge completed the victory.22 The broken battalions and squadrons fled in confusion, pursued by the victorious British and German horsemen, who intercepted the fugitives on every side, and the carnage which followed was dreadful. Many of the French and Bavarians were intercepted on the way to Donawerth, others hurrying to the bridge of boats broke it down by their weight and perished in the river. Their commander, Count D'Arco, escaped with difficulty. Sixteen pieces of cannon, thirteen colours, all the tents, equipages, and a quantity of plate, fell into the hands of the victors. The loss of the regiment was not great; – Adjutant Skelton and several men and horses were killed, and others wounded; and its Colonel, Major-General Wood, was also wounded.23
This brilliant success was followed by other offensive operations, in which the Fourth Horse took part; but they were not engaged in executing that cruel order, in obedience to which the unfortunate country of Bavaria was enveloped in flames, and above 300 towns, villages, and hamlets were destroyed: this relentless severity was the work of the Germans.24 At length another reinforcement of French troops arrived, and the united French and Bavarians took post in the valley of the Danube, near the village of Blenheim.
About three o'clock on the morning of the 13th of August the allied army advanced, and after traversing several miles of rugged ground, and overcoming many local difficulties, arrived in presence of the enemy; and the Fourth Horse, forming part of the cavalry of the left wing under Major-General Wood, had their post in the first line; the right wing being composed of Germans under Prince Eugene of Savoy. About noon the troops, advancing across the little river Nebel, by bridges prepared for the occasion, commenced the engagement, and a succession of attacks were made and resisted with great bravery on both sides. The Fourth Horse, with the other English cavalry regiments, were engaged in the early part of the action25 with the household troops of France, and the superior spirit and power of the British horsemen were conspicuous, particularly in the unconquerable resolution with which they renewed the attack after a temporary repulse; yet the palm of victory was nobly contested, and the combatants fought hand to hand until the plain was covered with dead. After successive efforts made by the adverse armies – the one to advance, and the other to maintain its ground – the protracted contest drew to a crisis, and the French infantry began to shrink before the tempest of balls which thinned their ranks, while their cavalry, broken and dispirited, gave way, when nine battalions were cut to pieces or made prisoners. The enemy attempted to restore the battle, but the allied horse, once more rushing forward with tremendous force, decided the fate of the day. The enemy, after
'On the 31st of October the garrison marched out of the place, being upwards of 1500 men, besides nearly 300 that deserted before the capitulation. The troops of Liege came out first, and immediately quitted the French service, marching off in a body. Of the Swiss there deserted likewise above 400 as soon as they came out; so that this garrison will be very much lessened before they get to Antwerp, whither they are marching, being conducted by a squadron of Brigadier-General Wood's regiment.' —
'We generally began our march about three in the morning, proceeded about four leagues, or four and a half, each day, and reached our ground about nine. As we marched through the countries of our Allies, commissaries were appointed, to furnish us with all manner of necessaries for man and horse; these were brought to the ground before we arrived, and the soldiers had nothing to do but to pitch their tents, boil their kettles, and lie down to rest. Surely never was such a march carried on with more regularity, and with less fatigue both to man and horse.' —
'All the troops in general behaved with the greatest bravery, but none distinguished themselves more than Her Majesty of Great Britain's subjects, who in this engagement had the post of honour, which they sustained with the universal applause and approbation of all the Generals of the several nations who were eye-witnesses of their courage and resolution.' —
Annals of Queen Anne; Millner's Journal; Military History of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, &c. &c.
Parker's Memoirs.
'Here was a fine plain, without hedge or ditch, for the Cavalry on both sides to show their bravery; for there were but few Foot to interpose, these being mostly engaged at the villages.
'And now our squadrons charged in their turn, and thus for some hours they charged each other with various success, all sword in hand. At length the French courage began to abate, and our squadrons gained upon them.' —