Near the end of May the remainder of the regiment was sent
to Flanders, where it joined the army under the command of Field-Marshall the Earl of
Stair. During the years 1743-44, they were quartered in different parts of that country,
and by their quiet, orderly, and kind deportment, acquired the entire confidence of the
people among whom they mixed. The regiment "was judged the most trust-worthy guard of
property, insomuch that the people in Flanders choose to have them always for their
protection. Seldom were any of them drunk, and they as rarely swore. And the
elector-palatine wrote to his envoy in London, desiring him to thank the king of Great
Britain for the excellent behavior of the regiment while in his territories in 1743 and
1744, and for whose sake he adds, 'I will always pay a respect and regard to a Scotchman
in future'.
Lord Semphill, who succeeded the Earl of Crawford in the colonelcy of the regiment in
1740, being appointed in April 1745 to the 25th regiment, Lord John Murray, son of the
Duke of Athole, succeeded him as colonel of the Highlanders. During the command by the
titles of its successive commanders, as Lord Crawford's. Lord Semphill's, and Lord John
Murray's Highlanders.
Baffled in his efforts to prevent the elevation of the Grand Duke of Tuscany to the
imperial throne, the King of France resolved to humble the house of Austria by making a
conquest of the Netherlands. With this view he assembled an immense army in Flanders under
the command of the celebrated Marshal Saxe, and having with the dauphin joined the army in
April 1745, he, on the 30th of that month, invested Tournay, then garrisoned by 8000 men,
commanded by General Baron Dorth, who defended the place with vigor. The Duke of
Cumberland, who arrived from England early in May, assumed the command of the allied army
assembled at Soignies. It consisted of twenty battalions and twenty-six squadrons of
British, five battalions and sixteen squadrons of Hanoverians, all under the immediate
command of his royal highness; twenty-six battalions and forty squadrons of Dutch,
commanded by the Prince of Waldeck; and eight squadrons of Austrians, under the command of
Count Konigseg.
Though the allied army was greatly inferior in number to the enemy, yet as the French army
was detached, the duke resolved to march to the relief of Tournay. Marshall Saxe, who soon
became aware of the design of the allies, drew up his army in line of battle, on the right
bank of the Scheldt, extending from the wood of Barri to Fontenoy, and thence to the
village of St. Antoine is sight of the British army.
The allied army advanced to Leuse, and on the 9th of May took up a position between the
villages of Bougries and Maulbre, in sight of the French army. In the evening the duke,
attended by Field-Marshall Konigseg and the Prince of Waldeck, reconnoitered the position
of Marshall Saxe. They were covered by the Highlanders, who kept up a sharp fie with
French sharp-shooters who were concealed in the woods. After a general survey, the Earl of
Crawford, who was left in command of the advance of the army, proceeded with the
Highlanders and a party of hussars to examine the enemy's outposts more narrowly. In the
course of the day a Highlander in advance observing that one of the sharp-shooters
repeatedly fired at his post, placed his bonnet upon the top of a stick near the verge of
a hollow road. This stratagem decoyed the Frenchman, and whilst he was intent on his
object, the Highlander approaching cautiously to a point which afforded a sure aim,
succeeded in bringing him to the ground.
Having ascertained that a plain which lay between the positions of two armies was covered
with some flying squadrons of the enemy, and that their outposts commanded some narrow
defiles through which he allied forces has necessarily to march to the attack, the Duke of
Cumberland resolved to scour the plain, and to dislodge the outposts, preparatory to
advancing upon the besieging army. Accordingly at an early hour next morning, six
battalions and twelve squadrons were ordered to disperse the forces on the plain and clear
the defiles, a service which they soon performed. Some Austrian hussars being hotly
pressed on this occasion by the French light troops, a party of Highlanders was sent to
support them, and the Frenchmen were quickly repulsed with loss. This was the first time
the Highlanders stood the fire of the enemy in a regular body, and so well did they acquit
themselves, that they were particularly noticed for their spirited conduct.
Resolving to attack the enemy next morning, the commander-in-chief of the allied army made
the necessary dispositions. Opposite the space between Fontenoy and the wood of Barri, he
formed the British and Hanoverian infantry in two lines, and posted their cavalry in the
rear. Near the left of the Hanoverians he drew up the Dutch, whose left was towards St
Antoine. The Franch in their turn completed their batteries, and made the most formidable
preparations to receive the allies. At two o'clock in the morning of the 11th of May, the
Duke of Cumberland began his march, and drew up his army in front of the enemy. The
engagement began about four by the guard and the Highlanders attacking a redoubt, advanced
on the right of the wood near Vezon, occupied by 600 men, in the vicinity of which place
the dauphin was posted. Though the enemy were entrenched breast-high they were forced out
by the guards with bayonets, and by the Highlanders with sword, pistol, and dirk, the
latter killing a considerable number of them.
The allies continuing steadfastly to advance, Marshal Saxe, who had, during three attacks,
lost some of his bravest men, began to think of a retreat; but being extremely unwilling
to abandon his position, he resolved to make a last effort to retrieve the fortune of the
day by attacking his assailants with all his forces. Being far advanced in a dropsy, the
Marshall had been carried about the whole day in a litter. This he now quitted, and
mounting his horse, he rode over the field giving the necessary orders, whilst two men
supported him on each side. He brought forward the household troops of the King of France:
he posted his best cavalry on the flanks, and the king's body guards, with the flower of
the infantry in the center. Having brought up all his field-pieces he, under cover of
their fire and that of the batteries, made a combined charge of cavalry and infantry on
the allied army, the greater part of which had, by this time, formed into line by
advancing beyond the confined ground. The allies, unable to withstand the impetuosity of
this attack, gave way, and were driven back across the ravine, carrying along with them
the Highlanders, who had been ordered up from the attack of the village, and two other
regiments ordered from the reserve to support the line. After rallying for a short time
beyond the ravine, the whole army retreated by order of the duke, the Highlanders and
Howard's regiment (the 19th) under the command of Lord Crawford, covering the rear. The
retreat, which was commenced about three o'clock in the afternoon, was effected in
excellent order. When it was over his lordship pulled off his hat, and returning thanks to
the covering party, said "that they had acquired as much honor in covering so great a
retreat, as if they had gained a battle". The carnage on both sides was great. The
allies lost, in killed and wounded, about 7,000 men, including a number of officers. The
loss of the French is supposed to have equaled that of the allies. The Highlanders lost
Captain John Campbell of Carrick, whose head was carried off by a cannon-ball early in the
action. (Captain John Campbell of Carrick was one of the most accomplished gentleman of
his day. Possessing very agreeable manners and bravery, tempered by gaiety, he was
regarded by the people as one of those who retained the chivalrous spirit of their
ancestors. A poet, a soldier, and a gentleman, no less gallant among the ladies than he
was brave among men; he was the object of general admiration; and the last generation of
Highlanders among whom he was best known, took great pleasure in cherishing his memory,
and repeating anecdotes concerning him. He married a sister of General Campbell of Mamore,
afterwards Duke of Argyll). Ensign Lachlan Campbell, son of Craignish, and 30 men; Captain
Robert Campbell of Finab; Ensigns Ronald Campbell, nephew of Craignish, and James
Campbell, son of Glenfalloch; 2 sergeants, and 86 rank and file wounded.
Before the engagement, the part which the Highlanders would act formed a subject of
general speculation. Those who knew them had no misgivings; but there were other persons,
high in rank, who looked upon the support of such men with an unfavorable eye. So strong
was this impression "in some high quarters, that, on the rapid charge made by the
Highlanders, when pushing forward sword in hand nearly at full speed, and advancing so
far, it was suggested that they inclined to change sides and join the enemy, who had
already three brigades of Scotch and Irish engaged, which performed very important
services on that day". All anxiety, however, was soon put an end to by the decided
way in which they sustained the national honor.
Captain John Munro of the 43d regiment, in a letter to Lord-president Forbes, thus
describes the battle: - "A little after four in the morning, the 30th of April, our
cannon began to play, and the French batteries, with triple our weight of metal and
numbers too, answered us; about five the infantry was in march; we (the Highlanders) were
in the center of the right brigade; but by six we were ordered to cross the field, (I mean
our regiment, for the rest of our brigades did not march to attack), a little village on
the left of the whole, called Fontenoy. As we passed the field the French batteries played
upon our front, and right and left flanks, but to no purpose, for their batteries being
upon rising ground their balls flew ovr us and hurt the second line. We were to support
the Dutch, who, in their usual way, were very dilatory. We got within musket-shot of their
batteries, when we received three full fires of their batteries and small arms, which
killed us forty men and one ensign. Here we were obliged to skulk behind houses and hedges
for about an hour and a half, waiting for the Dutch, who, when they came up, behaved but
so and so. Our regiment being in some disorder, I wanted to draw them up in rear of the
Dutch, which their general would scarce allow of; but at last I did it, and marched them
again to the front. In half an hour after the Dutch gave way, and Sir Robert Munro thought
proper we should retire; for we had then the whole batteries from the enemy's ground
playing upon us, and three thousand foot ready to fall upon us. We retired; but before we
had marched thirty yards, we had orders to return to the attack, which we did; and in
about ten minutes after had orders to march directly with all expedition, to assist the
Hanoverians, who had got by this time well advanced upon the batteries upon the left. They
behaved most gallantly and bravely; and had the Dutch taken example from them, we had
supped at Tournay. The British behaved well; we (the Highlanders) were told by his royal
highness that we did our duty well. By two of the clock we all retreated; and we were
ordered to cover the retreat, as the only regiment that could be kept to their duty, and
in this affair we lost sixty more; but the duke made so friendly and favorable a speech to
us, that if we had been ordered to attack their lines afresh, I dare say our poor fellows
would have done it". (Culloden Papers, No. CCXLIII. "On this occasion the Duke
of Cumberland was so much struck with the conduct of the Highlanders, and concurred so
cordially in the esteem which they had secured to themselves both from friends and foes,
that, wishing to show a mark of his approbation, he desired it to be intimated to them,
that he would be happy to grant the men any favor which they chose to ask, and which he
could concede, as a testimony of the good opinion he had formed of them. The reply was
worthy of so handsome an offer. After expressing acknowledgements for the condescension of
the commander-in-chief, the men assured him that no favor he could bestow would gratify
them so much as a pardon for one of their comrades, a soldier of the regiment, who had
been tried by a court-martial for allowing a prisoner to escape, and was under sentence of
a heavy corporal punishment, which, if inflicted, would bring disgrace on them all, and on
their families and country. This favor, of course, was instantly granted. The nature of
this request, the feeling which suggested it, and, in short, the general qualities of the
corps, struck the Duke with the more force, as, at the time he had not been in Scotland,
and had no means of knowing the character of its inhabitants, unless, indeed he had formed
his opinion from the common ribaldry of the times, when it was the fashion to consider the
Highlander 'as a fierce and savage depredator, speaking a barbarous language, and
inhabiting a barren and gloomy region, which fear and prudence forbade all strangers to
enter").
The Highlanders on this occasion were commanded by Sir Robert Munro of Fowlis, their
lieutenant-colonel, in whom, besides great military experience, were united all the best
qualities of the soldier. Aware of the importance of allowing his men to follow their
accustomed tactics, he obtained leave of the Duke of Cumberland to allow them to fight in
their own way. He accordingly "ordered the whole regiment to clap to the ground on
receiving the French fire; and instantly after its discharge they sprang up, and coming
close to the enemy, poured in their shot upon them to the certain destruction of
multitudes, and drove them precipitately through their lines; then retreating, drew up
again, and attacked them a second time after the same manner. These attacks they repeated
several times the same day, to the surprise of the whole army. Sir Robert was everywhere
with his regiment, notwithstanding his great corpulency, and when in the trenches he was
hauled out by the legs and arms by his own men; and it is observed that when he commanded
the whole regiment to clap to the ground, he himself, stood upright, receiving the whole
fire of the enemy; and this because, (as he said) though he could easily lie down, his
great bulk would not suffer him to rise so quickly. His preservation that day was the
surprise and astonishment not only of the whole army, but of all that heard the
particulars of the action".
The gallantry thus displayed by Sir Robert and his regiment was the theme of universal
admiration in Britain, and the French themselves could not withhold their need of praise,
"The British behaved well", says a French writer, "and could be exceeded in
ardor by none but our officers, who animated the troops by their example, when the
Highland furies rushed in upon us with more violence than ever did a sea driven by
tempest". I cannot say much of the other auxiliaries, some of whom looked as if they
had no great concern in the matter which way it went. In short, we gained the victory; but
may I never see such another!". Some idea may be formed of the havoc made by the
Highlanders from the fact of one of them having killed nine Frenchmen with his broadsword,
and he was only prevented from increasing the number by his arm being shot off. |
