Justice to the Maimed Soldier by Eric Gruber von Arni

Author:Eric Gruber von Arni [Arni, Eric Gruber von]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, General, Europe, Great Britain, Stuart Era (1603-1714), Military, Veterans, Medical, Military Medicine
ISBN: 9781351924443
Google: 6TcrDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2017-07-05T04:57:49+00:00

The Flanders Campaign

Six months earlier, following Cromwell's conclusion of an alliance with France in March 1657, the war against Spain, initiated by the attack on Hispaniola and the unplanned seizure of Jamaica, had spread to Europe. Under the terms of the French alliance, and with the prospect of England gaining sovereignty of the continental port of Dunkirk, 6,000 soldiers were offered for service alongside the French army then fighting in the Spanish Netherlands. Recruiting started almost immediately with the regiments stationed in and around London being ordered to recruit to double their normal strengths in order to raise six new regiments for foreign service. On 2 May the six newly formed regiments mustered on Blackheath, well armed and in high spirits under the command of General Sir John Reynolds with Major General Thomas Morgan as second-in-command.72 Dr John French, who had recently resigned his post as physician at Ely House, accompanied the expedition as Physician-General, but sadly died at Boulogne in October. He was succeeded by Dr Saltonhall who, like French, was granted a £50 pay advance prior to his departure for the Continent.73 Although an apothecary, Abel Clark, accompanied the expedition, the army seems to have been almost totally reliant upon regimental stocks for its medical supplies whilst the policy for casualty treatment reverted to reliance upon repatriation for all but minor injuries. Once again, previous experience was ignored and no thought was given to casualty reception arrangements in the coastal ports.

After landing at Boulogne in May, the English troops came under the overall command of the French Marshall Turenne who immediately marched them over 100 miles inland to Vervins hoping to use them in his siege of Cambrai. During the march their ranks were infiltrated by several Royalist spies who, by offering financial rewards, tempted many into deserting to the Duke of York's forces serving with the Spanish at Mons. One group of daring deserters even absconded with Reynolds' official treasure chest! Inevitably, constant marching and exposure to the elements brought a trail of sickness in their wake and the numbers of sick and lame steadily increased. Many English soldiers were invalided to the French military hospital in St. Quentin. Eventually the English Ambassador in Paris, Sir William Lockhart, persuaded the French Court to abide by the terms of the original alliance treaty and the English army began to retrace its steps towards the Channel coast.

Map 6.4 The Flanders campaign, 1657-1658

Source: Author's drawing.

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