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Part IV
With the 1/3 and the 4th Grenadiers, were keeping to their original line of advance but the other three where veering slightly to the left of the spur. The 1/3 had the bravest of the brave leading them along with him was the hero of Jena and countless other battles General Friant over ran the battery of Cleeves, and also started to push back one of the Brunswick battalions, and also pushed back the 30th and the 73rd British foot. (30th Foot the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1702The regiment was raised in February 1702, and saw service as marines, titled as the 1st Regiment of Marines. They converted back to conventional infantry in 1714. In 1751, they were numbered the 30th Regiment of Foot, and in 1782 took a county title as the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot.
73rd The 73rd Regiment of Foot also known as MacLeod's Highlanders after its founder Lord MacLeod , was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The second is as the 1st Battalion 73rd (Highland) Regiment of Foot (MacLeod's Highlanders) which was raised in 1777 in Scotland . A second battalion was raised in 1778. The regiment served in Gambia in West Africa in 1779 and in the Mysore War from 1780 where they served alongside the 2nd/43rd Highlanders who would become the future 73rd Foot. In 1786 the MacLeod's Highlanders became the 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot (MacLeod's Highlanders) which would eventually become the Highland Light Infantry .
1st Battalion
in 1809 the regiment raised a second battalion and lost its Highland status due to recruiting difficulties, becoming the 73rd Regiment of Foot. The 1st Battalion embarked at Yarmouth for a seven month journey to New South Wales, Australia where in 1810 they received a draft of men from the 102nd Regiment of Foot. The battalion left Australia in 1814 for Ceylon under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Giels (whose children, along with hundreds of wounded men of the regiment, would perish in the wreck of the Arniston after visiting him there[1]).Aussie at Waterloo no almost!
2nd Battalion
In 1809 the 2nd/73rd Foot was raised in Nottingham from local militia companies. It remained in England until 1813 when it was shipped to Sweden , Germany and The Netherlands for a series of minor actions.
In 1814 the battalion found itself in Flanders and in 1815 part of Wellington's Army in Belgium . The regiment was in Major-General Halkett's Brigade in Lieut.General Sir Charles Alten's 3rd Division. The 2nd/73rd Foot fought in the Battle of Quatre Bras two days before Waterloo. They lost 53 men killed and wounded. At the Battle of Waterloo itself, the regiment was charged by French Cavalry no less than 11 times during the battle and bombarded by French artillery. It remained in square without breaking. The 2nd/73rd lost 6 officers and 225 men killed and wounded, the second heaviest casualties suffered by a line infantry regiment, after the 1st 27th (Inniskillings) which lost 450 out of 700 men in holding their square and Wellington's line. After Waterloo the battalion was part of the Army of Occupation in Paris before moving back to England. The 2nd Battalion disbanded in 1817 sending 300 men to the 1st Battalion in Trincomalee .
A few moments later the Guard was that is the 4th Grenadiers Middle Guard pushed into the other half of Halketts brigade and pushed the 33rd and 69th backward.(33rd It was originally raised in 1702 as the Earl of Huntingdon's Regiment of Foot; during that period of history regiments were known by the names of the Colonel of the regiment. It fought in numerous campaigns across Europe, winning its first battle honour at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743, which was the last time a British monarch led the army into battle. Regiments were officially numbered in 1751, and the 33rd Regiment of Foot (1st West Riding Regiment) became the official title. On (1 July 1881), following the Childers Reforms (a continuation of the Cardwell's Reforms of the armed forces) the 33rd was amalgamated with the 76th Regiment of Foot to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Halifax Regiment (Duke of Wellington's). This title was intensely resented, by the men of the 33rd. The title only lasted a few months before being changed again on (30 June 1881), in a revised appendix to General Order 41, to Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). It was often referred to as the 'West Riding Regiment, which was the name denoted on the shoulder titles. Further changes moved the parentheses and the title was first changed to Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, then Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).
On (6 June 2006), the regiment amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and The Green Howards, all Yorkshire-based regiments in the King's Division, to form the Yorkshire Regiment.
The 33rd itself had a good reputation for its professionalism and capability, which was seemingly unequalled by any other regiment of the British Army for some time. It was because of their professionalism in the field during the American War of Independence, the regiment was given the nickname 'The Pattern'; this then became the standard of soldiering which all other regiments should attain.
American Revolution
The 33rd saw much action during the American War of Independence, with its first engagement at the Siege of Charleston in early 1776, when that town was besieged by British forces. In August of that year, the 33rd were involved in the Battle of Long Island. After heavy fighting which lasted several days, the Americans evacuated their remaining forces to Manhattan. The British were victorious. The British forces suffered about 400 casualties, and the Americans over 2,000. Long Island remained in British control until 1784.
The regiment's next action came a month later, in September at the Battle of Harlem Heights. It was a small skirmish: besides some Hessian troops, the only other British regiment was the 42nd Regiment of Foot, now the famous Black Watch, an equally fearsome and professional regiment. The British force, initially without the 33rd, encountered Knowlton's Rangers, a scouting force sent by George Washington. A small skirmish ensued with the Americans subsequently retreating. Washington then sent another force to lure the British further up the northern plateau, which he held, along with a second force to move around the flank of the British. The British took the bait and advanced further up the plateau. The American flanking force was encountered by the British, which showed them the imminent danger they faced. After some further fighting, the British retreated to a field, where they were joined by the 33rd and a number of Hessian battalions. After further fighting, the Americans retreated.
The regiment was also involved in the Battle of Fort Washington. After that, the 33rd were not involved in a major battle until September 1777, when they took part in the Battle of Brandywine, where the British suffered 550 casualties and the Americans about 1,000. The regiment took part in further action that year, at the Battle of Germantown and at Whitemarsh, where they fought the Americans who had retreated from the fighting at Germantown.
The following year was just as active, with the 33rd seeing action at the Battle of Monmouth, an engagement that became the largest one-day battle of the war. The 33rd was also part of the defence of Newport and Quaker Hill, as well as the Battle of Old Tappan, which occurred in the closing months of the year.
Two years later, in 1780, the 33rd Regiment was besieging Charleston. By 11 May, the American General Benjamin Lincoln began to negotiate terms of surrender. The following day Lincoln, along with over 7,000 American soldiers, surrendered to the British forces under the command of Lieutenant-General Henry Clinton. In August that year, the 33rd were involved at the Battle of Camden. It was a victory for the British. Approximately 324 British were killed or wounded and about 1,000 Americans were killed or wounded, with another 1,000 being taken prisoner.
Guilford Court House
Main article: Battle of Guilford Court House
The year 1781 proved to be the deadliest but most successful year for the 33rd. The regiment took part in the Battle of Wetzell's Mill, but the more famous action took place that same month during a battle at Guilford Court House.
On (14 March 1781), Lord Cornwallis, the British commander, was informed that General Richard Butler was marching to attack his army. With Butler was a body of North Carolina Militia, plus reinforcements from Virginia, consisting of 3,000 Virginia Militia, a Virginia State regiment, a Corp of Virginian "eighteen-month men" and recruits for the Maryland Line. They had joined the command of Major General Nathanael Greene, creating a force of some nine to ten thousand men in total. During the night, further reports confirmed the American force was at Guilford Court House, some 12 miles (20 km) away. Cornwallis decided to give battle, though he had only 1,900 men at his disposal.
At dawn on (15 March 1781), before the men had a chance to have breakfast, Cornwallis started for Guilford, arriving there at mid-day.[1] Banastre Tarleton's Light Dragoons had been in the vanguard of the approach up the road and were briefly engaged by Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee's Dragoons (Lee's Legion) some 4 miles (6 km) short of the Guilford Court House. The British 23rd Regiment of Foot sent reinforcements forward, and Lee withdrew, having suffered badly at the hands of Tarleton's Light Dragoons in previous actions at Tarrant's House and Weitzell's Mill.
Unknown to Cornwallis, the Americans were actually deployed in three lines across the Salisbury road. The first, mostly manned by North Carolina Militia units, was behind the fence. To the west of this line were Colonel William Washington's 3rd Continental Light Dragoons and Virginian light infantry. To the east were Lieutenant Colonel Lee's Dragoons. His second, manned by Virginian Militia was about 300 yards to the rear of the first. To the rear of this final line was the court house and General Greene's command post.
After a twenty-minute cannonade, Cornwallis began his attack around 1:30 pm. His left flank, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel James Webster, was made up of the 33rd and the 23rd Regiments, supported by the Grenadier company and 2nd Battalion of the Brigade of Guards, (fifteen men from each company of the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards and the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, formed a composite battalion of Foot Guards to be sent to North America. The composite battalion was subsequently split into two battalions). At Guilford Court House, they were then under the command of Brigadier General O'Hara. The Light infantry of the Guards and the German Yäegers (Jagers) remained in the woods to the west. To the right, under the command of Maj-Gen Leslie were the 71st Frasers Highlanders and the Prussian General, Julius von Bose's, Hessians, with the 1st Battalion of Guards in support. Following on were Tarleton's Light Dragoons, plus 1 troop of the 17th Light Dragoons, ready to go where circumstances required.
The British moved forward in line. However, the wooded terrain, the width of the battlefield, and uneven resistance hindered a coordinated advance, and British forces arrived piecemeal at the third line. At the climax of the battle, British Guards and American Continentals engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
The 71st Regiment then came through the woods. The 2nd Battalion of Guards turned and charged back on the Americans, supported by the Grenadiers who had also advanced, pushing Washington's men back into the woods. Over to the left, elements of the 23rd Regiment started to appear, and part of Tarleton's Light Dragoons charged up the road. The Americans turned and retreated, leaving behind their field guns and ammunition wagons. The 33rd Regiment then appeared, having overcome many difficulties on their advance. They had been heavily engaged by the American right flank, first crossing then re-crossing a ravine to consolidate and regroup. They were soon followed by the Light Infantry of the Guards. Cornwallis ordered the 23rd and 71st Regiments with part of the Cavalry to pursue the Americans, though not for any great distance.
The battle had lasted only ninety minutes, and although the British technically defeated the American force, they lost over a quarter of their own men. The 33rd suffered 11 killed and 63 wounded out of a force of 300 all ranks, having already lost 28 men in preceding actions.
Green Spring
The 33rd also fought at the Battle of Green Spring in July of that year. Their last engagement of the war was at the Siege of Yorktown, when they were part of the outnumbered British forces. The British surrendered on 19 October, having little ammunition, food and supplies left. There was also no sign of Henry Clinton's relieving force, which arrived in the Chesapeake Bay on 24 October, far too late to affect the outcome.
Waterloo
The 33rd landed at Willemstad on (17 December 1814), and worked in conjunction with the Russian contingent under Benckendorff and the Prussians under Bülow the regiment, under the command of Lt-Col Elphinstone. There was a considerable amount of inconclusive manoeuvring before finally action against the French near Antwerp on 13 January, around the village of Merxem. The French were routed at bayonet point with no casualties suffered by the 33rd. By early March 1815, the Regiment was again under the command of the Duke of Wellington, this time at the Battle of Waterloo. They had taken part in the action of the previous day, at the Battle of Quatre Bras. Having taken up positions at Waterloo, the 33rd was part of the 5th Brigade under the command of Major General Sir Colin Halkett, which comprised, in addition the 2nd Bn 30th Foot, and 2nd Bn 69th Foot. The Brigade was part of the 3rd Division under the command of General Count Sir Charles Alten, which was in turn part of I Corps, under the command of William, Prince of Orange.
The 33rd was involved in heavy fighting and at the end of the battle the Regiment's casualties numbered 11 officers and 128 men killed or wounded. The British and their Allies were victorious, but at a price, suffering about 15,000 casualties. The Prussians suffered 7,000 casualties. The French suffered 32,000 dead or wounded, as well as around 8,000 taken prisoner.
69th The regiment was raised by the redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot in April 1758, ranked as the 69th Regiment of Foot. In 1782 they took a county title as the 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot.
General de Brig Kliff Marbot
II Corps Art Res Division .Commander
Marechal de Camp AN
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