Dragon Rampant: The Royal Welch Fusiliers at War I never saw any regiment in such order, said Wellington before the Battle of Waterloo, it was the most complete and handsome military body I ever looked at. The object of the Duke's admiration was the 23rd Regiment of Foot the famous Royal Welch Fusiliers and this is their story during the tumultuous and bloody period of the wars with France between 1793 and 1815. Based on rare personal memoirs and correspondence and new research, this compelling book offers fresh insight into the evolution of the British Army. Scorned by even its own countrymen in 1793, it was transformed within a generation into a professional force that triumphed over the greatest general and army of the time. The men of the Royal Welch Fusiliers come alive as Graves tracks them across three continents, joining them in major battles and minor skirmishes, surviving shipwrecks and disease. We come to know such fighting men as the intrepid Drummer Richard Bentinck, the eccentric Major Jack Hill, and their beloved commander, Lt-Col. Harvey Ellis, who led his Fusiliers in some of the most famous actions only to fall at the greatest of them all Waterloo. This is a book that will appeal to all those interested in the Napoleonic wars, contemporary tactics and the meaning and the cost of courage. |
Contents
Prologue Near Merbe Braine Netherlands Morning of 18 June 1815 | 1 |
Chapter 1 Well behaved and orderly regiment The Long Years of a Short Peace 17841793 | 9 |
Chapter 2 The army was suffering in a most shameful manner The West lndies Britain and Europe 17931799 | 23 |
Chapter 3 Our men attacked like wolves Egypt and Gibraltar July 1800June 1803 | 37 |
Chapter 4 Where are the men to come from? 1st Battalion Britain Germany and Denmark 18031807 2nd Battalion Britain 18041808 | 51 |
Chapter 5 The excellence of the Fusilier Brigade 1st Battalion Britain and North America 18081809 | 69 |
Chapter 6 At every league dropped hundreds of our comrades 2nd Battalion Spain and Walcheren 18081809 | 85 |
Chapter 7 The finest Brigade in the army 1st Battalion Nova Scotia Portugal and Spain April 1809May 1811 | 109 |
Chapter 10 We paid Jack Frenchman in his own coin 1st Battalion Portugal and Spain November 1812July 1813 | 177 |
Chapter 11 My people only thought of fighting 1st Battalion Spain and France July 1813June 1814 | 201 |
Chapter 12 And gentle peace returning 1st and 2nd Battalions Britain June 1814March 1815 | 225 |
Chapter 13 Remember the old times boys this is their last try The Waterloo Campaign 1815 | 237 |
Epilogue The deeds of the good old Fusiliers done due justice The Fates of Men a Woman and a Regiment 18152010 | 261 |
Abbreviations Used in Notes | 273 |
Notes | 275 |
Bibliography | 290 |
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Common terms and phrases
1st Battalion 23rd Foot 2nd Battalion 4th Division 7th Foot Abercromby advance Albuera arrived artillery attack Badajoz battle bayonet began Beresford Booker Britain British Army Browne campaign Captain casualties cavalry Ciudad Rodrigo Cole Colonel Ellis column comrades Corunna Crowe Dalmer Drummer enemy fighting fire flank force fought France French Fusilier Brigade ground guns Henry Ellis Hill to mother infantry Inspection Jack Hill Jeremiah John July June killed Kirby ORWF Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant General Sir light companies London MacDonald to father Major Martinique miles military militia Moore morning moved musket Napoleon nearly night North Offley ordered Pakenham Peninsula Peninsular War Portugal Portuguese position ranks received recruiting Reg Recs regiment remembered retreat Richard Bentinck ridge road round shot Royal Welch Fusiliers RWFM Salamanca Sergeant soldiers Soult Spain Spanish Steevens Thomas Pearson Thorpe took town troops veteran village Wachholtz Waterloo Wellington Welsh wounded