Birth of A Regiment

Sir Edward Dering was commissioned to raise a regiment of Foot.  The first muster  took place 28th March 1689  of about 900 men and in August they embarked for it first campaign. They served through out three years in Ireland which ended with the fall of Limerick and the withdrawal of the French in August 1692.

Blenheim (1704):

The 24th, or Marlborough's Regiment, were posted to Brigadier General Archibald Row's Brigade.  At 12:30 p.m. Marlborough gave the order to advance.  Row's five battalions, with the 24th on the right of the line advanced.  The Brigadier had given strict orders that there should be no halting to fire until he himself struck the palisades with his sword.   About a 100 paces from the breastworks a heavy musket fire depleted the ranks but the living pressed on. As the Brigadier touched the tip of his sword on the works he fell mortally wounded.  The men fired a volley and then rushed themselves on the defenses with bayonets and swords.  Because of the superiority of strength and the advantages of their position the Brigade was forced to retire.

The 24th and what was left of the Brigade plus reinforcement they made another assault.  This time made some of the defenders fall back but they where overwhelmed by the fire of the 27 battalions and they could not push on or defend their position so they withdrew.  A changed of plans when the French diverted 7 battalions from the center to reinforce the their right flank, now the strength of the garrison  rose to 12,000 men.  The British surrounded them and trapped the 27 French battalions was a significant contribution to their defeat.

 Warburg (1760):

 Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, commanding the Allied Army, called for British reinforcements, and accordingly where sent.  Prime Minister Pitt described it this way "six of our best battalions", including the 24th.

At the Battle of Warburg where some 30,000 French  was routed.  Today it is known as a cavalry action but the foot soldiers played a large roll in the early stages of the battles.  The Grenadier Companies, including those of the 24th, put a wide flanking movement which resulted in a 4 hour struggle of fire and movement, while the battalion companies were heavily engaged in the centre and on other flanks.  The 24th losses were relatively light for the actions they were in, 1 officer,  7 soldiers killed and 124 wounded.

Irish Establishment (1769-April 1776):

Observations on His Majesty's 24th Foot 1772

Officers: Salute well, made a good appearance, Uniform agreeable to the King's regulations.

Non-comm.: Made a good appearance.

Drummers & Fifers: Beat and played well

Men: Young and well made, clean under arms, steady and attentive, hats well cocked, spatter dashes according to regulation.

Clothing: In good order and according to the King's regulations.

Arms & Accoutrements: Clean and in good order.

Recruits: 45 enlisted since last review.

Complaints: None

Non Efft. Acct.: Properly setteled to 24th June 1771.

Orderly books: Properly kept.

Manual Exercise: Well performed and according to King's regulations.

Maneuvers: Marched by Grand Divisions-March by Company's- Form the Battalion- 2 rounds by Companies from flanks to the center- 2 round by Grand  Division from center to the flanks-once by wings- a volley- march to the front slow time- march to the front quick time-march to the rear quick time-form a column from the center by Grand Divisions-prepare to attack-charge bayonets quick time-pass the defile-form battn. and fix 2 rounds by Companies-volley oblique to the flanks- repass the defile by relaxing from the flanks-form the square-2 rounds in the square by firings-form the battn.,-2 rounds to the rear by Grand Divisions oblique from the center to the flank-Indian files- form Battn. at which an irregular fire is begun,-retreat from the left by Grand Divisions-form the poaneo-2 rounds by companies-form Battn. to the left and fire a volley-changed front-fire in 2 lines retreating-volley.

Genl. Remarks: This Regiment made a very good appearance and fired well and is very fit for service._____Blayney, Lt. Genl.

Country of the men of the 24th 1772

English-320, Scotch-21, Irish-54, Foreign-5

Ages of the men of the 24th 1772

45y-7, 40y-36, 35y-48, 30y-76, 25y-73, 20y-109, 18y-51

Service of the men of 24th 1772

30y-2, 25y-3, 20y-11, 15y-91, 10y-78, 8y-5, 7y-4, 6y-15, 5y-9, 4y-3, 3y-57, 2y-65, 1y-57

The War for American Independence (May 1776 - October 1777):

The South Wales Borderers (24th Foot) by CT Atkinson (1937)

THE FIGHT FOR BEMIS HEIGHTS

Starting about 10 a.m. Fraser's men, with one company of the Twenty-Fourth as advanced guard, made good progress, and though delayed by another ravine did not at first encounter much resistance. About midday a halt was made to let the other columns come up and rather before 2 p.m. the advance was resumed. Opposition was now encountered, and though at first not more than the advanced guard could deal with, it soon stiffened and became serious. Firing could now be heard to the left, where the centre column had run into the enemy in force, and Fraser had to detach the Light Infantry and two companies of the Twenty-Fourth, one of them Anbury's. These companies, falling briskly on the enemy's flank, did what was needed and the centre was soon moving on again, but shortly afterwards, when Fraser's men were approaching Freeman's Farm, the Americans developed a really serious attack upon him, trying to turn his right.

Fraser, meanwhile, was dealing very effectively with his opponents, but he was already ahead of the centre and could advance no further without quitting an advantageous position on high ground. He was able, however, to check an attempt to outflank the centre and eventually General Phillips brought up guns from the left and lent the hard-pressed centre such effective support that, on the arrival of Riedesel's Germans, the Americans fell back, a simultaneous thrust by Fraser contributing to their discomfiture.Pursuit was out of the question. Dusk was coming on: losses had been heavy,¹ the 62nd indeed had lost 200, over half their numbers, and the men were exhausted by the long and stubborn fight. Burgoyne's dispatch² is full of praises of their gallantry, while Fraser's judicious choice of his position and skilful handling of the situation earned emphatic commendation. But it had been a Pyrrhic victory, and though next day a short advance was made and a position occupied round Freeman's Farm overlooking the Mill Creek ravine and within cannon shot of the enemy's lines, no more could be done.

The Americans were fortifying themselves energetically; they had been too hard hit to fancy attacking again just yet, but reinforcements were flocking to join Gates and delay was all in their favour. The next fortnight brought little change in the situation. Had Burgoyne retired at once he could probably have made good his retreat. The Americans were in no condition to press him, still less to intercept him. Unluckily he conceived that his instructions were absolute and that his main duty was to prevent Gates from joining the force employed against Howe, who had defeated Washington on the Brandywine (September 11th) two days before Burgoyne crossed the Hudson and occupied Philadelphia six days after the fight at Freeman's Farm. He wrote later that he looked on his army as "to be hazarded and devoted", and that "the loss of his retreat to Canada" would be a less misfortune "than to let Gates join Washington".

Moreover, on September 21st a messenger arrived from New York, announcing that Clinton was about to attack Fort Montgomery on the Lower Hudson and hoped that this would facilitate Burgoyne's operations. In view of this Burgoyne felt doubly bound to hang on; accordingly he dispatched three messengers, one of them Scott, now Captain-Lieutenant of the Twenty-Fourth,³ to tell Clinton he could hold on till October 12th. Scott, after thrilling adventures, got through to Clinton (October 8th) three days 1777 after Clinton had stormed the two forts which barred his advance up the Hudson, but by then Burgoyne was past saving.

Anbury, writing on October 6th, gives a vivid picture of Burgoyne's force at this time. "We have gained little more by our victory save honour" he wrote.⁽¹⁾ The Americans, whose right was "already unassailable", were "working with incessant labours to strengthen their left" and the British position was most unsatisfactory. The enemy had the advantage of ground; to reconnoitre or get intelligence was hard, the Canadians and Indians were deserting freely, having no stomach for hard fighting. Supplies were hard to obtain, and with the opposing forces so close together rest was not easy to get, the men had to sleep in their accoutrements and the officers " in their, cloaks". At night there was constant firing and the picquets were constantly engaged. However, the troops seemed habituated to fire, "the men eat and sleep under it and seemed indifferent to it".⁽²⁾ Casualties among the officers were frequent: American sharp-shooters were skilled in picking them off. They fared as the men did, few had any provisions of their own or any liquor, having relied for such things on sutlers following the army. " Throughout the campaign the men had not had a morsel of bread", having to mix up their flour into cakes and bake them as best they could on a stone before a fire,⁽³⁾ while they " very seldom had spirits to cheer them up after fatiguing days in clearing away the woods for encampments, repairing roads and constructing bridges".

After October 3rd even the scanty allowance hitherto available was reduced by half, and on October 7th Burgoyne in desperation moved out with ten guns and 1500 men, including most of the Twenty-Fourth, now commanded by Captain Strangeways. His object was to seek a passage through the woods round the enemy's left, failing which he hoped by dislodging the enemy to secure an unmolested retreat. Starting at 11 a.m. Burgoyne had made quite good progress when an attack suddenly developed upon him. Gates had detected his move and attacked him in force in front while another column under Morgan endeavoured to turn the British right.

Gates' attack developed first against Burgoyne's left, which was promptly supported by the grenadiers. Staved off here, the attack then spread to the Germans in the centre, while Morgan's movement began to develop against the right. Burgoyne now realized that he must fall back and was posting the Twenty-Fourth and Light Infantry to cover the retirement, when additional pressure developed against the centre and the Germans began to waver. Fraser promptly hurried the Twenty-Fourth and the Light. Infantry across to their help and restored the situation, for the moment. But in achieving this Fraser himself was mortally wounded by a sniper and though he was carried back to the British lines it was only to die that night.

Fraser's last exploit allowed the bulk of the force to retire in some order to their lines, though at the sacrifice of six guns whose teams and crews had all been shot down. Anbury, who was among those left in the lines, describes how first the batmen and other details who had taken advantage of the attack to attempt a forage had come rushing back when the fighting started, how a stream of wounded soon began to follow them, and how eventually the troops fell back, Riedesel, the Brunswicker, Phillips and Burgoyne himself among the last, with the Americans hard at their heels.

A fierce attack now developed against the British lines. Lord Balcarres, the Major of the 53rd, now commanding Fraser's detachment, put up a most gallant defence of his section of the defences, beating off all the enemy's attacks, but the Canadians on his right soon gave way and, though even this did not enable the Americans to dislodge Balcarres, they outflanked the German grenadiers and Chasseurs under Colonel Breymann who were posted to the right rear of the camp. The capture, just before sunset, of Breymann's position made a further retention of the lines impossible, but a retirement was safely effected to the heights along the river bank where the hospitals had been established and where the bat-teaux were. Arnold, the life and soul of the American attack, had been wounded, or it might have been harder to get away. Besides losing the much lamented Fraser the Twenty-Fourth had had Captain Jones and Ensign Foster wounded, but the casualties among the men are not recorded. Burgoyne's total loss is put by some accounts at 500.

Above the hospitals three redoubts had been constructed with a good command of open country and the troops hoped very much to see the Americans attempt an advance across the open. For a moment, Anbury relates,¹ they seemed about to do this but fell back the moment the British guns opened fire and never gave the troops the chance they wanted. However, the position was quite untenable and the only chance of avoiding a catastrophe was an immediate retreat before the Americans could interpose between Bur-goyne and Fort Edward, twenty miles away. To have a prospect of success not only should the wounded have been left behind but the remaining guns and the batteaux also, so that the march could be pressed.

After dark that evening (October 8th) a move was begun, the remnants of the "Advanced Corps " being detailed as rear-guard. It poured with rain, the half-starved men were wet and weary, the Germans utterly despondent and listless, and it was 11 p.m. before the rear-guard could quit their position. The wounded had been left behind, but at 9 a.m. next day Burgoyne halted his men near Saratoga to let the batteaux overtake them (Anbury). Here three companies of the Twenty-Fourth were posted in a redoubt covering a creek to observe the enemy and give warning of an attack.² This redoubt was constructed of logs breast high and only gave real shelter at its angles, the rest being under fire from sharp-shooters in the trees who proved excellent marksmen. If a cap were hoisted on a stick it was promptly hit.

The Twenty-Fourth had enough spirit left to do this "in derision", but they were not allowed to retaliate, as Burgoyne did not wish to provoke another action, for which he had not enough ammunition. To their disgust therefore the men were not allowed to drive off the snipers, while, to make matters worse, the snipers completely prevented men approaching the stream by day to get water³ and the only water available was a muddy spring and that found in holes and small pools. All the tents had been left behind, and everyone was wet through and shivering with cold. Moreover, the delay allowed not only the batteaux but the Americans to overtake them, and though the march was resumed that evening the troops, being delayed by the artillery, did not get much beyond the Fishkill stream during the night. Next morning they found some Americans, who had crossed the Hudson above them, preparing to dispute their passage to Fort Edward. These were cleared away, apparently by the Twenty-Fourth, for the regiment is recorded⁴ to have had nearly 30 casualties, among them Captain Strangeways, in a fight at Saratoga. A party was now sent forward to seize the ground covering the ford opposite Fort Edward. Barely had this party started before the Americans began pressing in on the rear-guard, whereon Burgoyne recalled the advanced party, a fatal step which allowed more Americans to get ahead and occupy the ground above the ford in such force that all chance of reaching Fort Edward was gone.

¹ The Twenty-Fourth's are not given, but the wounded included Major Agnew, Captains Blake and Ferguson and Ensign Doyle.

² Cf. C.O. v, 236.

³ He had succeeded Coote, who got the Captaincy vacated by Agnew's promotion to Major in place of Grant.

¹ Hadden shows him as moving in two parallel columns connected by a deployed company of the Twenty-Fourth in front.

¹ i, 264. ² Anbury, n, 7. ³ Anbury, n, p. 3.

⁴ MS. Records of Regiment.

Time Line (1689 - 1785):

8 March 1689 - Sir Edward Dering Bart receives a commission to raise a Regiment of Foot, Maidstone and Dartford.

July 1689 - Service in Ireland

May 1692  - Guildford

September 1694- March 1695 - Maidstone, Essex, Suffolk and London

March 1696  - London, then Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire

November 1697 - 14 May 1700  - Ireland

28 August 1713 - September 1719  - Ireland

November 1719-April 1734  - Ireland

March 1735-April 1735  - Abingdon, Cirencester, Wallingford, Witney, Faringdon,Wantage and Highworth.

June 1739-October 1742  - West Indies- Cartegena, Jamaica

February 1744- April 1744  - St Albans, Barnet, and Tower of London

29 March 1746 - September 1749  - Fort William and Scotland

August 1750-May 1751  - Canterbury, Chatham and Dover

June 1752-July 1756  - Minorca

May 1757-June 1757  - Leicester, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Amersham and the Isle of Wight

October 1759-May 1760 - Dartford, Ipswich, Warley, Chelmsford

1764-1769 - Gibraltar

April 1776-1781 - Canada, America War for Independence, Saratoga (1777)