Historical Record of the Sixth, or Inniskilling Regiment of Dragoons by Richard Cannon

Author:Richard Cannon [Cannon, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Reference, General, Nonfiction, Historical, Fiction, Literary, Reference & Language, Classics, Fiction & Literature
ISBN: 4064066151577
Google: AbKxDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Good Press
Published: 2019-12-18T05:00:00+00:00

The regiment was reviewed on Blackheath by King George II., who expressed his royal approbation of its appearance and discipline; it embarked at Gravesend on the 27th of July; and landed on the 3rd of August, a few miles above the city of Embden in Germany, where it encamped two days, and subsequently marched up the country to join the Hanoverians, Hessians, and Brunswickers. The regiment joined the army at Coesveldt on the 17th of August, and was reviewed on the 20th, with the other British corps, by His Serene Highness Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, who expressed his admiration of the condition of the several regiments after the march. After taking part in the movements of the army, the regiment went into winter quarters in the bishopric of Paderborn.

1759

The Inniskilling dragoons, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Harvey, took the field in the spring of 1759, and were formed in brigade with the Blues and first dragoon guards; the British were commanded by Lord George Sackville, and the allied army by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. The French monarch sent an immense body of troops to Germany, under the Duke de Broglio and Marshal Contades; and the allies, being so very inferior in numbers, were compelled to retire before their opponents.

After a series of retreats and occasional skirmishes, the enemy occupied a strong position near Minden, and the allied army encamped on Petershagen heath. Prince Ferdinand advanced, and having succeeded in drawing the French from their formidable post, a general engagement was fought on Minden heath on the 1st of August, when the astonishing valour of the British infantry decided the fortune of the day. The British cavalry were posted behind a wood on the right of the army, and towards the close of the action they were ordered forward to charge the French legions; but a misunderstanding on the part of Lord George Sackville occasioned some delay; the Inniskilling and other British dragoons, who were panting for an opportunity to distinguish themselves, were detained in a state of inactivity, and the victory was rendered less decisive than it otherwise would have been. The Marquis of Granby was afterwards appointed to the command of the British troops in Germany.

The allied army moved forward in pursuit of the enemy, whose line of retreat might be traced by scenes of devastation and the smoke of burning villages. The Inniskilling dragoons formed part of the division commanded by the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, who harassed and attacked the French during their retreat, occasioning them serious loss on several occasions; especially at Grubenhagen, Eimbec, and in the defiles of Minden. On the 25th of August the Sixth dragoons, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Harvey, arrived, with the remainder of the Hereditary Prince's division, at Schonstadt. During the night between the 27th and 28th of August, the Inniskilling dragoons, with a detachment from the first dragoon guards and a battalion of English grenadiers, commanded by Colonel Beckwith, marched in the direction of Wetter to surprise the corps commanded by the celebrated Colonel Frischer, amounting to about two thousand men, in quarters at that town.

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