Richard Cannon

“ As soon as the invading army quitted the coast, the troops were to hover on its front, flanks, and rear; it was to be obliged to fight for every article of sustenance; advantage was to be taken of the intricate and enclosed nature of the country; every inch of ground, every field, was to be to a degree disputed even by inferior numbers; should the enemy enter the strong woodland countries, trees were to be felled on the roads for miles around to impede his progress; incessant attacks were to be kept up by night with corps of various description and strength ”

“ Nothing but a blameless accident could have deprived you of those you possessed before, and I now replace them, under the firmest conviction that there is not a regiment in His Majesty's service that will ever support and defend its colours with more valour and gallantry than the Fourth, or the King's Own. ”

“ Many of the King's Own, evincing their inborn valour and contempt of danger, rushed up the breach and perished; others following, shared the same fate. Every exertion and device which the most determined bravery could inspire were repeatedly tried in vain, no man outliving the attempt to gain the ridge. Lieutenant Le Blanc of the Fourth, who led the light infantry company of the regiment immediately after the forlorn hope, particularly distinguished himself, and was the only surviving officer of the advance. ”

“ Great Britain has produced a race of lion-like champions who have dared to confront a host of foes, and have proved themselves valiant with any arms. At Crècy, King Edward III., at the head of about 30,000 men, defeated, on the 26th of August, 1346, Philip King of France, whose army is said to have amounted to 100,000 men; here British valour encountered veterans of renown:—the King of Bohemia, the King of Majorca, and many princes and nobles were slain, and the French army was routed and cut to pieces. ”

“ The fame of the deeds of the past and present generations in the various battle-fields where the robust sons of Albion have fought and conquered, surrounds the British arms with an halo of glory; these achievements will live in the page of history to the end of time. ”

“ The British soldier is distinguished for a robust and muscular frame,—intrepidity which no danger can appal,—unconquerable spirit and resolution,—patience in fatigue and privation, and cheerful obedience to his superiors. These qualities, united with an excellent system of order and discipline to regulate and give a skilful direction to the energies and adventurous spirit of the hero, and a wise selection of officers of superior talent to command, whose presence inspires confidence,—have been the leading causes of the splendid victories gained by the [11] British arms. ”

“ The noble and vigorous defence which the English have made, having deserved all the marks of esteem and veneration which every military man ought to show to such actions, and Marshal Richelieu, being desirous also to show to General Blakeney the regard due to the defence he has made, grants to the garrison all the honours of war they can enjoy under the circumstances of going out for an embarkation; to wit, firelock on their shoulders, drums beating, colours flying, twenty cartridges each man, and also lighted match. ”

“ Since that period the arms of the infantry soldier have been limited to the musket and bayonet.
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 [8] 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. ”

“ On taking possession of the fortress, the seamen and Marines were astonished at their own success; and they viewed, with a mixed feeling of wonder and delight, fortifications which a comparatively small number of men might have defended against a numerous army. The capture of Gibraltar gave rise to new hopes and expectations to the friends of the house of Austria, and it derived additional interest from the fact that it preceded, but a very few days, the glorious victory gained by the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim. ”

“ The conditions of the peace were evaded, and, while Britain was reducing the numbers of her land and sea forces, and cultivating amicable relations, Bonaparte was preparing, under the pretence of colonial purposes, a gigantic naval and military power with which he designed to crush, by one mighty effort, the British people, who appeared as a barrier to his schemes of aggrandizement, and were ever ready to oppose his progress. ”

“ Lieut.-General Sir William Howe, speaking of these actions in his public despatch, observes,—"In the several engagements, the successes attending them are far better vouchers than any words can convey, of the good conduct of the general officers, and the bravery of the other officers and soldiers. The fatigues of a march exceeding one hundred miles, supported with the utmost cheerfulness by all ranks, without tents, and with very little baggage, will, I hope, be esteemed as convincing proofs of the noble spirit and emulation prevailing in the army to promote His Majesty's service." ”

“ As the population of the British North American colonies increased, and the inhabitants beheld their own rising power and importance, the idea of their country eventually becoming a great and independent empire would doubtless frequently occur; and while contemplating such an event, men would naturally become impatient of their condition: hence the delight produced by the anticipation of future greatness would prepare the minds of men for a change. ”

“ Lord Chatham assures the regiment that it is with the warmest satisfaction he has seen a corps, whose zeal and whose bravery it has been his good fortune to witness in the field, attain that degree of discipline, correctness, and precision, which when combined must ever render British soldiers invincible. ”

“ History contains so many proofs of extraordinary acts of bravery, that no doubts can be raised upon the facts which are recorded. It must therefore be admitted, that the distinguishing feature of the British soldier is Intrepidity. This quality was evinced by the inhabitants of England when their country was invaded by Julius Cæsar with a Roman army, on which occasion the undaunted Britons rushed into the sea to attack the Roman soldiers as they descended from their ships ”

“ 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 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. ”

“ On arriving at North America the fleet called at Boston for a supply of provisions, and the troops landed and encamped a short time on Rhode Island; [40] but on the 20th of July they re-embarked, and, having been joined by two regiments of provincial troops, sailed on the intended expedition.
While the brave men who adopt the profession of arms are engaged in the service of their sovereign and country, they are exposed to numerous dangers; their hopes of conquest and prospects of fame are often suddenly terminated by adverse fortune, and such was the case in the expedition to Quebec. ”

“ At the same time, many of the superior officers of the English army, who were most zealous for the welfare of the kingdom and the preservation of the reformed religion, seeing the danger to which the constitution in church and state was exposed, formed themselves into a secret association, and [13] engaged not to fight in the cause of papacy and arbitrary power, but to further the objects of the Prince of Orange; and Brigadier-General Charles Trelawny, Colonel of the Queen's regiment of foot, was one of the members of this association. ”

“ The most brilliant feature in this enterprise, however, derived its lustre from the fact, that other monarchs had made conquests for themselves, to oppress their neighbours, or to raise a powerful monarchy out of the ruins of other states; but the King of England waged war for the good of Europe, and to establish liberty and peace upon a lasting foundation. After the damage done to the works of Namur had been repaired, the regiment returned to its former quarters at Malines. ”

“ 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 [4] men armed five different ways; in every hundred men forty were "men-at-arms," and sixty "shot;" ”

“ These have all been surmounted by the conduct of the troops themselves; and the enemy has been taught, that whatever advantages of position or of numbers he may possess, 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 Emperor of Russia was so well pleased with the conduct of the King's Own, that on quitting Valenciennes he presented one hundred and nineteen Napoleons (pieces of twenty francs each) to be divided among the men of the grenadier company composing his guard; also ten Napoleons each to the two serjeants who were his orderlies; and directed the aide-de-camp to give them his feather to keep in remembrance of the Emperor's regard for the corps. ”

“ Preparations were made for a vigorous defence of the fort, and the French commander encountered so gallant and determined a resistance, that he was obliged to send for additional forces. The perseverance and endurance of the garrison became the subject of much admiration, and the vigilance and bravery of the officers inspired the troops with confidence. On the 19th of May the British fleet was descried bearing towards the island, and the men having become much exhausted by hard duty, looked forward for the expected relief with anxiety ”

“ The commanding officer of the King's Own signalized himself on various occasions, and was appointed governor of the island; his conduct, which reflected honour on his corps, is thus spoken of by Major-General Barrymore in his public despatch.
"I have appointed Colonel Crump to the government, who, since governor Haldane left us, I have made act as a brigadier; his merit is very great, both as a soldier and a man of judgment; he is of this part of the world; understands the trade, customs, and genius of the people ”

“ The nation preserved the attitude of defence and defiance to the power of Bonaparte; the several corps were regularly exercised, and inspected, and kept ready for active service; and the King's Own, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Brinley, attained so high a state of discipline and efficiency as to excite the special notice and approbation of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, who reviewed the regiment, with the remainder of its brigade, on the 24th of August. [30] Bonaparte's [88] army remained inactive at Boulogne, consuming his resources ”

“ Although abandoned to their fate, Lieut.-General Blakeney and the four regiments under his orders defended their post with great gallantry; the men were nearly worn out with incessant duty and watching, so that they frequently fell asleep under a heavy cannonade; yet they persevered with astonishing resolution. About midnight on the 27th of June, a general assault was made at several different points; the garrison met the assailants with great courage, and repulsed them several times with much slaughter; many of the sick and wounded men came out of the hospital to join in the defence. ”

“ Thus exertions unknown in the history of this country, and unprecedented in the most illustrious nations of antiquity, were made, and Britain exhibited to the world the glorious spectacle of a nation rising simultaneously to assert its freedom and independence.
While the din of hostile preparation resounded throughout the country, the regiment which forms the subject of this memoir had the honour of forming part of an advanced-corps to the forces selected to cover the coast opposite Boulogne where Bonaparte was expected to land ”

“ They were not preparing to fight from the base motive of desire to plunder other men's property, but to defend their own; not to fight ingloriously to subvert the liberties of others, but to prevent the yoke of slavery being fastened round their own necks ”

“ Actuated by such sentiments the aged, who had become indifferent to professional emolument and to professional ambition, appeared with renewed vigour ready for active service; and the youth stood forward in crowds ready to shed their blood for the good of their country. ”

“ Although the Spanish forces, which were to have co-operated with Sir John Moore, were defeated and dispersed, and Bonaparte had three hundred thousand men in Spain, yet the British general, with that intrepidity which marked his character, advanced with his army into the heart of Spain, braved the numerous legions of the enemy, and produced a diversion favourable to the Spanish cause. When Napoleon directed eighty thousand men and two hundred cannon against Sir John Moore, he marched towards the coast ”