Richard Cannon

“ The language of Lieut.-General Sir John Hope, when reporting the battle of Corunna, is alike applicable to the conduct of the troops at Dominica, for there, as at the former place,—
"The enemy has been taught, that whatever advantages of position, or of numbers he may employ, there is inherent in the British officers and soldiers, a bravery that knows not how to yield,—that no circumstances can appal,—and that will ensure victory, when it is to be obtained by the exertion of any human means." ”

“ The arms and equipment of the British Troops have seldom differed materially, since the Conquest, from those of other European states; and in some respects the arming has, at certain periods, been allowed to be inferior to that of the nations with whom they have had to contend; yet, under this disadvantage, the bravery and superiority of the British infantry have been evinced on very many and most trying occasions, and splendid victories have been gained over very superior numbers. ”

“ The Caribs, undismayed by the surprise, shouted, and opened a smart fire of musketry on the British. As soon as the troops were within twenty yards of the enemy, orders were given to fire a volley and charge, which were obeyed with the greatest alacrity. While a portion of the British force mounted the bank at one place, the detachment of the FORTY-SIXTH regiment, under Captain Campbell, ascended another part of the bank. The buildings which sheltered the enemy were stormed, but many escaped through the darkness of the night. ”

“ The natives of Britain have, at all periods, been celebrated for innate courage and unshaken firmness, and the national superiority of the British troops over those of other countries has been evinced in the midst of the most imminent perils. History contains so many proofs of extraordinary acts of bravery, that no doubts can be raised upon the facts which are recorded. ”

“ The French endeavoured to regain possession of Quebec, and after the battle of Sillery fought before that place on the 28th of April, 1760, in which, from their superiority in numbers they had the advantage, trenches were immediately opened by them before the town. The arrival of the English fleet in May dissipated all fears for the safety of Quebec, and nothing now remained to cloud the prospect of the reduction of Canada, by the united efforts of three British armies, which, by different routes, were marching to attack those parts of the country that remained in the power of France. ”

“ Bows and arrows gave place to various kinds of fire-arms, but British archers continued formidable adversaries; and, owing to the inconvenient construction and imperfect bore of the fire-arms when first introduced, a body of men, well trained in the use of the bow from their youth, was considered a valuable acquisition to every army, even as late as the sixteenth century.
During a great part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth each company of infantry usually consisted of men armed five different ways; in every hundred men forty were "men-at-arms," and sixty "shot;" ”

“ They had chariots, to the [x] axles of which were fastened sharp pieces of iron resembling scythe-blades, and infantry in long chariots resembling waggons, who alighted and fought on foot, and for change of ground, pursuit or retreat, sprang into the chariot and drove off with the speed of cavalry. These inventions were, however, unavailing against Cæsar's legions: in the course of time a military system, with discipline and subordination, was introduced, and British courage, being thus regulated, was exerted to the greatest advantage ”

“ In Great Britain, where so large a number of persons are devoted to the active concerns of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, and where these pursuits have, for so [v] long a period, been undisturbed by the presence of war, which few other countries have escaped, comparatively little is known of the vicissitudes of active service and of the casualties of climate, to which, even during peace, the British Troops are exposed in every part of the globe, with little or no interval of repose. ”

“ Your Lordship will perceive by the returns, that our loss in men, compared to that of the enemy, is but trifling; but I have sincerely to lament that of Major Nunn, of the First West India regiment, whose wound is reported to be of a dangerous kind; he is an excellent man, and a meritorious officer. ”

“ The sudden advance of the Highlanders in the dark, their superior numbers, and peculiar mode of fighting, dismayed the two hundred soldiers appointed to guard the artillery on the right, who saw themselves assaulted by more than three times their own numbers, and as they caught the gleam of steel flashing in their faces, gave way and fled. ”

“ Colonel Vaughan embarked with his regiment for North America in the beginning of the year 1776, and, for his services during the American war, was promoted to the rank of major-general on the 29th of August, 1777, and was advanced to that of lieut.-general on the 20th of November, 1782. In 1792 His Majesty conferred upon him the dignity of a Knight of the Order of the Bath. Lieut.-General the Honorable Sir John Vaughan died on the 30th of June, 1795, at which period he was Commander in Chief of the troops stationed in the Leeward Islands. ”

“ The feudal troops established by William the Conqueror consisted (as already stated in the Introduction to the Cavalry) almost entirely of horse; but when the warlike barons and knights, with their trains of tenants and vassals, took the field, a proportion of men appeared on foot, and, although these were of inferior degree, they proved stout-hearted Britons of stanch fidelity. When stipendiary troops were employed, infantry always constituted a considerable portion of the military force ”

“ The enemy did not, however, venture to hazard an attack; but proceeded against Rhode Island; a numerous body of Americans co-operated in the enterprise, and besieged Newport. The British fleet put to sea, and the thirty-third, forty-second, FORTY-SIXTH, and sixty-fourth regiments embarked, under Major-General Grey, to join the fleet at the east end of Long Island.
When the transports were about to sail, information was received of the departure of the French fleet from Rhode Island, and while at sea, news arrived of the Americans having raised the siege of Newport. ”

“ Where all deserve so much praise, it is difficult to discriminate, but the good fortune of the grenadiers of the FORTY-SIXTH regiment, under Captain Alexander Ogilvie, and of the First Light Infantry Battalion, under Lieut.-Colonel David Stewart, brought their merits conspicuously forward. ”

“ PREFACE. The character and credit of the British Army must chiefly depend upon the zeal and ardour by which all who enter into its service are animated, and consequently it is of the highest importance that any measure calculated to excite the spirit of emulation, by which alone great and gallant actions are achieved, should be adopted. ”

“ While the regiment was stationed in Ireland, the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle was interrupted by the aggressions of the French on the British territory in North America, and early in 1756 the King of France prepared a powerful armament for the capture of the [11] island of Minorca. In consequence of this attack on Minorca, hostilities became inevitable on the part of Great Britain, and on the 18th of May war was declared against France. ”

“ In their tranquil enjoyment of the blessings which the country derives from the industry and the enterprise of the agriculturist and the trader, its happy inhabitants may be supposed not often to reflect on the perilous duties of the soldier and the sailor,—on their sufferings,—and on the sacrifice of valuable life, by which so many national benefits are obtained and preserved. ”

“ The weapons carried by the infantry, during the several reigns succeeding the Conquest, were bows and arrows, half-pikes, lances, halberds, various kinds of battle-axes, swords, and daggers. Armour was worn on the head and body, and in course of time the practice became general for military men to be so completely cased in steel, that it was almost impossible to slay them. ”

“ Aubin's Bay on the 11th of April, when it marched to Grouville, in the eastern division of the island, the head-quarters being stationed at Mont Orgueil Castle.
In June 1812, the four companies which had been left in the West Indies, arrived at Portsmouth in the "Shipley" transport, and proceeded, without landing, to Jersey. A few officers and men, who came home from the West Indies in the "John Tobin" merchantman, arrived in the same month at Liverpool, and proceeded to the regiment at Jersey. ”

“ The armament sailed from Carlisle Bay, in Barbadoes, on the 5th of January, 1762, and proceeded against the island of Martinique, which was settled by the French about the year 1635. After menacing the coast at several points, a landing was effected in the middle of January in Cas des Navières Bay; many difficulties were encountered from the rugged surface of the country, and from the formidable heights occupied by the enemy, but these were overcome by British skill, discipline, and valour ”

“ The island of Dominica was reduced by a British armament in June 1761, and was retained by Great Britain by the conditions of the Treaty of Peace which was concluded at Paris on the 10th of February, 1763. Dominica was taken by the French in September 1778, but was restored to Great Britain at the Peace of 1783. ”

“ The army had marched from Philadelphia to New York in consequence of the King of France having engaged to aid the Americans, which circumstance changed the character of the war. Shortly after the arrival of the British army at New York a powerful French armament appeared off that port. The enemy had a great superiority of numbers ”

“ The French were alarmed for the safety of the fort, and collected all the troops they could draw from their posts about the lakes, and to these were joined a large body of Indians; the whole advanced to raise the siege, and they amounted in all, to seventeen hundred men. ”

“ The 30th, 31st, and 32nd Regiments were formed as Marine corps in 1702, and were employed as such during the wars in the reign of Queen Anne. The Marine corps were embarked in the Fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke, and were at the taking of Gibraltar, and in its subsequent defence in 1704; they were afterwards employed at the siege of Barcelona in 1705.
[3] The brave Sir Roger Williams, in his Discourse on War, printed in 1590, observes:—"I persuade myself ten thousand of our nation would beat thirty thousand of theirs (the Spaniards) out of the field, let them be chosen where they list." ”

“ Previously to the FORTY-SIXTH quitting Vellore an Order was issued by Colonel Hall, commanding the troops at that garrison, in which he stated "that during the period the regiment had been in the garrison, he had not had occasion to confine or pass a censure on any rank," and then added, "that a stronger [53] proof cannot be offered of the excellent interior arrangement and discipline of the corps." ”

“ The rank and influence which Great Britain has attained among the nations of the world, have in a great measure been purchased by the valour of the Army, and to persons who have the welfare of their country at heart, the records of the several regiments cannot fail to prove interesting.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] A company of 200 men would appear thus:—
The musket carried a ball which weighed 1/10th of a pound ”