Richard Cannon - Historical Record of the Third, Or the King's Own Regiment of Light Dragoons

THE QUEEN CONSORT'S REGIMENT OF DRAGOONS.

NAMES of the OFFICERS of HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN CONSORT'S REGIMENT OF DRAGOONS.

1687

During the summer the regiment was encamped on Hounslow Heath, where it was reviewed by the King; it was also encamped on the same ground in the summer of 1687; and took part in several mock-engagements, which were exhibited by an army of upwards of ten thousand men, in presence of their Majesties, and a numerous concourse of people.

1688

The King, having openly declared himself a Roman Catholic, resolved to give public audience to a nuncio from the Pope, Ferdinand d'Adda, who had been consecrated Archbishop of Amasia in the King's Chapel at St. James's, and the Duke of Somerset, who was Lord of the Bedchamber in waiting, was directed to attend the legate into His Majesty's presence. This command his Grace refused to obey, with a laudable firmness which astonished the King, alleging the laws of England made such attendance treason; he was consequently deprived of his regiment and of his post at court. The King conferred the Colonelcy on the Lieutenant-Colonel, Alexander Cannon, under whom it was again encamped on Hounslow Heath.

While pursuing a course of tyrannical and ill-advised measures against the laws and religion of the country, the King learnt with astonishment and indignation, that the Prince of Orange was embarking an army for England to aid the noblemen and gentlemen who were opposed to papacy and arbitrary government; the Queen's Dragoons, with several other corps, were ordered to Ipswich, under the command of Major-General Sir John Lanier, to endeavour to preserve Landguard fort, and to oppose the Prince if he should attempt to land there. His Highness, however, landed at Torbay on the 5th of November, 1688, when the regiment was ordered to Salisbury, and from thence to Warminster, where the advance-post of the King's army was established.

While the regiment was stationed at Warminster, the Lieutenant-Colonel, Richard Leveson, Captain St. George, with several other officers and a number of men, being stanch Protestants and zealous advocates for their religion, and for the welfare of their country, quitted their post and joined the Prince of Orange. The remainder of the regiment continued with King James' army and retreated towards London. His Majesty having quitted England and retired to France, the regiment was re-united at Dunstable, and the Prince of Orange conferred the colonelcy on Lieutenant-Colonel Leveson, in succession to Colonel Cannon, who adhered to the interest, and followed the fortunes of King James.

1689

On the accession of King William III. and Queen Mary, the Regiment did not lose its title of "The Queen's," but that designation was not used, and numerical titles not having been then introduced, it was usually styled Leveson's regiment; it was, however, again called "The Queen's," after its return from Ireland in 1692.

Under its new sovereign the regiment was quickly employed in active service. King James proceeded from France to Ireland, and finding an army, levied by Earl Tyrconnel, ready to support the Roman Catholic interest, he soon reduced the greater part of that country to submission to his authority. King William sent the veteran Duke Schomberg with an army to Ireland, to rescue that country from the power of papacy; and Leveson's dragoons embarked at Highlake on the 21st of August, for the same destination. Having landed near Carrickfergus, they joined Duke Schomberg's camp a mile beyond Belfast, on the 30th of August, and were reviewed on the following day.

The army quitted Belfast on the 2nd of September, and advancing towards Newry on the 3rd, found the town in flames, and the enemy fled; Leveson's troopers and some Inniskilling horse, rode forward in pursuit, but were unable to overtake the rear of the fugitive army.

A camp was afterwards formed at Dundalk, and, on the 13th of September, as a party of the regiment was cutting forage in the fields, a detachment of the enemy appeared; the dragoons instantly threw down their forage and advanced to meet their opponents, who, though superior in numbers, faced about and retired. On the 21st of September the enemy appeared in force, displaying their royal standard, but retired without venturing to attack the camp; when a party of Leveson's Dragoons galloped forward in pursuit, and overtaking the enemy's rear, killed five men. On the 17th of October, as a detachment of the regiment and some Inniskilling horse, were reconnoitring, they advanced with great audacity to the immediate vicinity of King James' camp, and a party of Irish horse gained a pass in their rear to cut off their retreat; but the gallant dragoons, by a determined charge forced their way through the defile, killed four opponents, and brought off six prisoners.

These instances of bravery gave Duke Schomberg a high opinion of the regiment, and about midnight on the 27th of October, he sent out two hundred of Leveson's troopers with some Inniskilling horse and French protestants, who dashed across the country to the neighbourhood of Ardee , routed the enemy's out-guards, and captured a drove of oxen and some horses, with which they returned in triumph to the camp at Dundalk.

In November the army went into winter quarters in the north of Ireland, and a party of Leveson's troopers was stationed at a frontier post at Tandrogee. On the 26th of November, sixty men of the regiment accompanied Colonel Cambron, while making a reconnoisance of the enemy's post at Charlemont ; when they discovered a party from the garrison posted in the hedges near the place. The Dragoons, with their characteristic intrepidity, dismounted, drove the enemy from the hedges in gallant style, killed seven men upon the spot, and captured two Irish musketeers, twenty horses, and a number of cattle, with the loss of one man who was killed by a shot from the town, and eight men, whose ardour led them too forward in the pursuit, and who were surrounded and made prisoners.

1690

In February, one squadron of the regiment formed part of a reconnoitring party under Major-General Sir John Lanier; and on arriving in the vicinity of Dundalk, Leveson's dragoons dismounted, – stormed Bedloe's Castle , – killed ten of the garrison, – took the remainder prisoners, – and burnt the building. The same party captured about fifteen hundred head of cattle, and afterwards returned to Newry, – having lost one lieutenant, three dragoons, and four horses, killed, in this expedition.

Although no general engagement had occurred, Leveson's dragoons, by their spirited conduct on all occasions, had become celebrated in the army; Colonel Leveson was foremost on every occasion of danger, the men were proud of their commander, and the character of the corps was already established, when King William III. arrived in Ireland to command the Army in person. His Majesty landed at Carrickfergus on the 14th of June, and proceeded from thence to Belfast, where he was met by the principal officers of the army. Leveson's troopers were, at this time, at Newry, with a division of the army commanded by Major-General Kirke; and on Sunday, the 22nd of June, a squadron of the regiment, under the orders of Captain Crow, and a company of Kirke's (now second) foot, commanded by Captain Farlow, were ordered forward to reconnoitre the enemy's camp at Dundalk.

1690

This party was on the march at an early hour, and having advanced through a pass, to the grounds where the enemy had erected a fort in the preceding campaign, but had afterwards abandoned it, they were suddenly saluted by a volley from some infantry who had concealed themselves in the fort; at the same time five hundred of the enemy's horse were seen through the misty dawn advancing to charge them. Never were men in greater danger than that to which this little band was exposed; Leveson's troopers, being in advance, stood their ground boldly, but were driven back by the superior numbers of their antagonists. The enemy's horsemen being checked by the fire of Farlow's musketeers, the dragoons returned to the charge and used their broad swords with good effect; the pikemen joined in the charge and the Irish were driven back; but not knowing the numbers of their opponents, the dragoons and pikemen retired through the pass in good order. The loss on this occasion was twenty-two men killed and several wounded, and Captain Farlow, who commanded the foot, was taken prisoner. The enemy's loss was greater, and their Commanding Officer was killed by one of Leveson's troopers. Another party of the regiment was sent forward on the following morning, and ascertained that the enemy had left the camp at Dundalk, and were retreating towards Ardee.