Richard Cannon

“ 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 a halo of glory; these achievements will live in the page of history to the end of time. ”

“ The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endurance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying difficulties; and their character has been established in Continental warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected debarkations in spite of the most formidable opposition, and by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have maintained their advantages against superior numbers. ”

“ 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; and, although their discipline and arms were inferior to those of their adversaries, yet their fierce and dauntless bearing intimidated the flower of the Roman troops, including Cæsar's favourite tenth legion. ”

“ In the wars of Queen Anne, the fame of the British army under the great Marlborough was spread throughout the world; and if we glance at the achievements performed within the memory of persons now living, there is abundant proof that the Britons of the present age are not inferior to their ancestors in the qualities [xvii] which constitute good soldiers. Witness the deeds of the brave men, of whom there are many now surviving, who fought in Egypt in 1801, under the brave Abercromby, and compelled the French army, which had been vainly styled Invincible, to evacuate that country ”

“ Notwithstanding these adverse circumstances, the King of Portugal resolved to adhere to his ancient alliance with Great Britain; and in consequence of this decision, France and Spain declared war against him. A powerful Spanish army assembled on the frontiers, and threatened to crush the Portuguese, when a military force, with artillery, arms, stores, provisions, and money, was furnished by Great Britain to assist its faithful ally; and the SIXTY-SEVENTH, which had returned with the expedition from the coast of France, was one of the regiments selected for service in Portugal. ”

“ 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;" ”

“ But before we could get ourselves quite disentangled from the wood, the troops on the Barrosa Hill were seen returning from it, while the enemy's left wing was [31] rapidly ascending. At the same time his right wing stood on the plain, on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot. A retreat in the face of such an enemy, already within reach of the easy communication by the sea-beach, must have involved the whole allied army in all the danger of being attacked during the unavoidable confusion of the different corps arriving on the narrow ridge of Bermesa nearly at the same time. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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, being 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. ”

“ An Act of Parliament was passed in 1803 for raising men for limited service in Great Britain and Ireland, which was termed the Army of Reserve Act, and [12] the men so raised were formed into additional and distinct battalions.
The SIXTY-SEVENTH regiment, which had embarked for Ireland in the beginning of 1803, was authorised to receive men raised in Ireland under the Army of Reserve Act, and a Second Battalion was added to the establishment on the 9th of July, 1803. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Although the movements and evolutions have been copied from the continental armies, yet various improvements have from time to time been introduced, to insure that simplicity and celerity by which the superiority of the national military character is maintained. 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. ”

“ In the early part of the seventeenth century Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, reduced the strength of regiments to 1000 men. He caused the gunpowder, which had heretofore been carried in flasks, or in small wooden bandoliers, each containing a charge, to be made up into cartridges, and carried in pouches; and he formed each regiment into two wings of musketeers, and a centre division of pikemen. He also adopted the practice of forming four regiments into a brigade; and the number of colours was afterwards reduced to three in each regiment. ”

“ Upon the breaking up of this army, I perform a most satisfactory duty in reporting to your Lordship my sense of the conduct and merit of Lieutenant-General William Clinton, and of the troops under his command since they have been employed in the Peninsula. Circumstances have not enabled those troops to have so brilliant a share in the operations of the war as their brother-officers and soldiers on this side of the Peninsula; but they have not been less usefully employed; their conduct, when engaged with the enemy, has always been meritorious ”

“ During the reign of Queen Anne the pikes were laid aside, and every infantry soldier was armed with a musket, bayonet, and sword; the grenadiers ceased, about the same period, to carry hand grenades; and the regiments were directed to lay aside their third colour: the corps of Royal Artillery was first added to the Army in this reign.
About the year 1745, the men of the battalion companies of infantry ceased to carry swords; during [xv] the reign of George II. light companies were added to infantry regiments ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 ”

“ To the memory of James Wolfe, Major-General and Commander-in-Chief of the British Land Forces on an expedition against Quebec, who, after surmounting, by ability and valour, all obstacles of art and nature, was slain in the moment of victory, on the 13th of September, 1759, the King and the Parliament of Great Britain dedicate this monument. ”

“ On the 9th of January, 1779, he became lieutenant-colonel of the Fifty-sixth regiment, then stationed at Gibraltar, which had the honour of forming part of the garrison in the successful and gallant defence of Gibraltar against the combined power of France and Spain, from 1779 to 1783. On the 20th of November, 1782, he obtained the brevet rank of colonel; and on the 12th of October, 1793, Colonel Craig was promoted to the rank of major-general; on the 1st of January, 1798, he was advanced to that of lieutenant-general. ”

“ The cannon was afterwards landed from the ships and dragged up the rocks; the lines which covered the town of Palais were carried by assault, and the siege of the citadel was prosecuted with vigour. The garrison under their Governor, the Chevalier de St. Croix, made a gallant defence, but on the 7th of June were forced to surrender, and were permitted to march through the breach with the honours of war in consideration of their bravery. The capture of the island was thus achieved, with the loss of about eighteen hundred men killed and wounded. ”

“ When all have so distinguished themselves, it is scarcely possible to discriminate any as the most deserving of praise. Your Lordship will, however, observe how gloriously the brigade of Guards under Brigadier-General Dilkes, with the commanders of the battalions, Lieut.-Colonel the Honorable C. Onslow and Lieut.-Colonel Sebright (wounded) , as well as the three separated companies under Lieut.-Colonel Jackson, maintained the high character of His Majesty's household troops. Lieut.-Colonel Browne, with his flank battalion, Lieut.-Colonel Norcott, and Major Acheson deserve equal praise. ”

“ Major Ross, with the detachment of the third battalion of the Ninety-fifth Rifle regiment, was left, while the remainder of the division was withdrawn, and early the next morning crossed the Santi Petri river.
The favourable opportunity gained by British valour was not improved by the Spanish General, who did not strike a severe blow at the remains of the French army [37] retreating in disorder. The inactivity of the Spaniards continuing, the English army returned to Cadiz. ”

“ Richard Cannon, Principal Clerk of the Adjutant General's Office; and while the perusal of them cannot fail to be useful and interesting to military men of every rank, it is considered that they will also afford entertainment and information to the general reader, particularly to those who may have served in the Army, or who have relatives in the Service.
There exists in the breasts of most of those who have served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit de Corps—an attachment to everything belonging to their Regiment ”

“ To hold forth these bright examples to the imitation of the youthful soldier, and thus to incite him to emulate the meritorious conduct of those who have preceded him in their honorable career, are among the motives that have given rise to the present publication. ”

“ During the siege the SIXTY-SEVENTH had Lieutenants J. Adair and John Hannah severely wounded; Lieutenant Adair [16] was twice severely wounded by matchlock balls in the left arm and right side, on the 19th of March, in repulsing the sortie of the garrison of Asseerghur:—one serjeant, one drummer, and eleven rank and file were wounded. ”

“ The troops of both nations bore their fatigue, and performed their duty with the greatest alacrity and spirit, and deserve every commendation. Lieutenant-Colonel Prevost has in a former despatch particularly noticed the gallantry and good conduct of Ensign Nelson, of the SIXTY-SEVENTH, and Ensign John Dermot, of Roll Dillon's battalion. ”

“ In the official Reports made by the respective Commanders, ample justice has generally been done to the gallant exertions of the Corps employed; but the details of their services and of acts of individual [vi] bravery can only be fully given in the Annals of the various Regiments. ”

“ The battle of Vittoria, on the 21st of June, 1813, gained by the army under the Marquis of Wellington, changed the aspect of affairs in Spain, and the troops under Marshal Suchet made some retrograde movements. The Anglo-Sicilian army, under Lieut.-General Lord William Bentinck, advancing into Catalonia, proceeded to invest Tarragona. ”

“ On the 31st of March, part of the Bengal army, consisting of 2200 native troops, with 22 pieces of heavy ordnance, commanded by Brigadier-General Watson, joined the besieging force; and these guns were soon placed in battery, and opened on the fort. ”

“ The six companies arrived at Cadiz on the 9th of December, 1810, which was at that period besieged by a powerful French army, under Marshal Soult, who subsequently proceeded on an expedition into Estremadura, leaving Marshal Victor to blockade Cadiz. ”