109-763: The 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons was a cavalry regiment in the British Army , first raised in 1689 as Sir Albert Cunningham's Regiment of Dragoons . One of the regiment's most notable battles was the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690. It became the 6th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Dragoons in 1751. The regiment also fought with distinction in the Charge of the Union Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo and again as part of
218-590: A French conquest of Europe. The Boyne also had strategic significance for both England and Ireland. It marked the beginning of the end of James's hope of regaining his throne by military means and probably assured the triumph of the Glorious Revolution. In Scotland, news of this defeat temporarily silenced the Highlanders supporting the Jacobite rising , which had been led by Bonnie Dundee who
327-416: A great quantity of provisions amounting to twenty tons of bread, flour, wheat, and malt, was sent to Enniskillen by water. Thirteen commissioned officers were detained as prisoners, but the two hundred common soldiers were taken to Enniskillen, and were employed in erecting the fort, which was then approaching completion. The regiment was numbered the 7th Dragoon Regiment in 1690 and fought with distinction at
436-837: A horsed cavalry role to a motorised one, re-equipping with armoured cars previously used by the Royal Tank Corps. Other regiments followed suit; in April 1939, the Royal Armoured Corps was formed to encompass the eighteen mechanised cavalry regiments of the line alongside the eight battalions of the Royal Tank Regiment , but did not include the Household Cavalry. The remaining two regular cavalry regiments were based in Palestine, and following
545-756: A minority of them had functional muskets. In fact, some of them carried only farm implements such as scythes at the Boyne. Furthermore, the Jacobite infantry who actually had firearms were all equipped with the obsolete matchlock musket. The French and Irish troops wore a white rallying mark, as a compliment to the Bourbons and to distinguish them from the Williamites. William sailed from Hoylake in Cheshire , landing at Carrickfergus, County Antrim on 14 June O.S. and marched south. Referring to Dublin , he
654-556: A mounted ceremonial regiment. There are also four yeomanry regiments of the Army Reserve , of these, three serve as light cavalry and one as an armoured regiment . Each yeomanry light cavalry unit has been paired with a regular unit of the same role, the armoured yeomanry unit is paired with the two regular armoured units (and a further armoured unit which is not cavalry). All except the Household Cavalry are part of
763-623: A number more would convert to the armoured role during the Second World War . However, in the reorganisation of the reserve forces in the late 1930s, many Yeomanry regiments were reorganised as artillery units , and transferred into the Royal Artillery . The Royal Armoured Corps itself formed a number of armoured regiments, converted from territorial infantry battalions, and the Reconnaissance Corps (taken into
872-656: A result, the Imperial Yeomanry was created in January 1900 as a volunteer cavalry corps. Some 34,000 men were sent to South Africa on one-year enlistments through 1900 and 1901, the majority coming initially from existing regiments of yeomanry. Many companies were raised and sponsored by yeomanry regiments—for example, the Leicestershire Yeomanry sponsored the 7th (Leicestershire) and the 65th (Leicestershire) Companies—and these regiments later took
981-449: A small force of Irish dragoons in picquet under Neil O'Neill unsuccessfully opposed. James thought that he might be outflanked and sent a large part of his army, including his best French troops along with most of his artillery, to counter this move. What neither side had realised was that there was a deep, swampy ravine at Roughgrange. Because of this ravine, the opposing forces there could not engage each other, but literally sat out
1090-579: A year before. Moreover, they had only been raised recently and had seen little action. However, this battle would give William cause to evaluate them more favourably, due to the impressive behaviour of the English troops, such as the Duke of Beaufort's Regiment of Foot. James’s flag was erected at the town of Donore , on the opposite side of the river Boyne. The Jacobites were 23,500 strong. James had several regiments of French troops, but most of his manpower
1199-763: Is also known, the Declaration for the Liberty of Conscience, that granted religious freedom to all denominations in England and Scotland and also due to James II's promise to the Irish Parliament of an eventual right to self-determination. Conversely, for the Williamites in Ireland, the war was about maintaining Protestant rule in Ireland. They feared for their lives and their property if James and his Catholic supporters were to rule Ireland, nor did they trust
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#17327869581331308-524: Is described by Thomas Witherow : Tuesday proved to be a day of incessant rain, so that all military operations were for the time suspended; but a Council of War was held by the Enniskilleners, and, as it was in vain to think of overtaking Sutherland, it was resolved to attack the party in Belturbet. Next day, Wednesday the 19th of June, they marched forward, and when within two miles of the town,
1417-678: The 5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade in the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division in December 1914 for service on the Western Front . During the split between Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State, the regiment was among the few Irish units retained. In 1921 it was renamed from the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons to The Inniskillings (6th Dragoons). It amalgamated with 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards to form 5th/6th Dragoons in 1922. The regimental museum, along with that of
1526-568: The Battle of Beachy Head , a far more serious event in the short term; but on the continent the Battle of the Boyne was treated as an important victory. Its importance lay in the fact that it was the first proper victory for the League of Augsburg, a precarious alliance between the Vatican and Protestant countries. The victory motivated more nations to join the alliance and in effect ended the fear of
1635-743: The Battle of Dettingen in June 1743 and the Battle of Fontenoy in May 1745 and the Battle of Rocoux in October 1746 as well as the Battle of Lauffeld in July 1747 during the War of the Austrian Succession . The regiment was renamed the 6th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Dragoons in 1751. The regiment then fought at the Battle of Minden in August 1759 and the Battle of Wetter also in August 1759 during
1744-544: The Battle of the Boyne in July 1690. In 1691 it was renamed Echlin's Dragoons (also known as the Enniskillen Horse ). In June 1715, the regiment, by then called Stair's Dragoons or The Black Dragoons, deployed one squadron to suppress riots at Manchester , and then in November 1715 deployed troops at the Battle of Sheriffmuir during the Jacobite rising . The regiment went to Flanders in 1742 and fought at
1853-456: The Irish government , and is about one mi (1.6 km) to the west of the main river crossing point. The battle's other main combat areas, at Duleek, Donore and Plattin, along the Jacobite line of retreat, are marked with tourist information signs. On 4 April 2007, in a sign of improving relations between unionist and nationalist groups, the newly elected First Minister of Northern Ireland,
1962-711: The Orange Order was founded in 1795 amid sectarian violence in County Armagh , the two events were combined in the late 18th century. The Battle of the Boyne remains a controversial topic today in Northern Ireland , where some Protestants remember it as the great victory over Catholics that resulted in the sovereignty of Parliament and the Protestant monarchy. In recent decades, "The Twelfth" has often been marked by confrontations, as members of
2071-747: The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers , is housed in Enniskillen Castle . The regimental chapel is in St Macartin's Cathedral, Enniskillen . Enniskillen Castle and the regiments raised at Enniskillen during the Williamite Wars are inextricably linked. The Inniskilling Dragoons were quartered there many times since their formation. The badge of the regiment also features a depiction of the castle. The regiment's battle honours were as follows: The colonels of
2180-553: The Royal Regiment of Horse Guards they formed the Household Cavalry. The same year, the remaining four Horse regiments were retitled as the 4th through 7th Dragoon Guards. Some thirty-four regiments of fencible cavalry — regiments raised for home service only—were raised in 1794 and 1795, in response to an invasion scare; all had disbanded by the end of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1802. At
2289-618: The Seven Years' War . The Union Brigade was composed of three regiments of heavy cavalry, one English (The Royal Dragoons ), one Scottish The Scots Greys and one Irish (the Inniskillings), hence their brigade title. The Inniskillings were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Muter , who was wounded during the battle and took charge of the Brigade on the death of Major-General Sir William Ponsonby . "The Union Cavalry Brigade
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#17327869581332398-721: The Special Reserve , rather than the Territorials, and were no longer considered Yeomanry. The last major use of conventional cavalry by the Army was in the First World War . However, the anticipated war of manoeuvre on the Western Front never took place, and the cavalry forces were never employed in their intended role; instead, many saw intermittent service as dismounted infantry. This was especially true of
2507-509: The Treaty of Limerick in 1691. This allowed over 14,000 Irish soldiers under Patrick Sarsfield, to leave for France and allowed most Irish Catholic land owners to keep their land provided they swore allegiance to William of Orange. However, the Protestant dominated Irish Parliament rejected these terms, not ratifying the treaty until 1697—and then not in full—and imposed a tough Penal Code resented by Irish Catholics for many years. Originally,
2616-523: The Twelfth of July commemoration was that of the Battle of Aughrim , symbolising British Protestants' victory in the Williamite war in Ireland . At Aughrim, which took place a year after the Boyne, the Jacobite army was destroyed, deciding the war in the Williamites' favour. The Boyne, which, in the old Julian calendar , took place on 1 July O.S., was treated as less important, third after Aughrim and
2725-435: The heavy cavalry (Dragoon and Dragoon Guard regiments). Henceforth, all newly raised regiments of cavalry would be denoted Light Dragoons. By 1783, the 7th to 14th Dragoons had become the 7th to 14th Light Dragoons, changing from heavy to light roles. The various troops of Horse Guards and Horse Grenadier Guards were regimented in 1788, forming the 1st Regiment of Life Guards and 2nd Regiment of Life Guards ; together with
2834-475: The recall several times but were so out of hand that no notice was taken. Instead they went off on a wild rampage down the interval between the French Divisions, NOT through the troops themselves; many Greys were shot by the surprised and somewhat bewildered rear French battalions, who were still advancing, unaware of the confusion on their own front, or of the defeat of their leading brigade. In fact,
2943-594: The Battle of the Boyne sprawls over a wide area west of the town of Drogheda in the Republic of Ireland . In the County Development Plan for 2000, Meath County Council rezoned the land at the eastern edge of Oldbridge, at the site of the main Williamite crossing, to residential status. A subsequent planning application for a development of over 700 houses was granted by Meath County Council and this
3052-595: The Boer capitals, which was captured on 5 June 1900. They took part in the battles of Diamond Hill (June 1900) and Belfast (August 1900), and in the following cavalry advance on Barberton in the Eastern Transvaal . The regiment subsequently joined a column under the command of Colonel Michael Rimington in the Orange River Colony , taking part in miscellaneous raids and drives there throughout
3161-580: The Boyne The Battle of the Boyne ( Irish : Cath na Bóinne IPA: [ˈkah n̪ˠə ˈbˠoːn̠ʲə] ) took place in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II , and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and James's daughter), had acceded to the Crowns of England and Scotland in 1689. The battle was fought across the River Boyne close to
3270-475: The Boyne, including their very effective irregular cavalry, were Ulster Protestants , who called themselves " Enniskilliners " and were referred to by contemporaries as " Scots-Irish ". These "Enniskilliners" were mostly the descendants of Anglo-Scottish border reivers ; large numbers of these reivers had settled around Enniskillen in County Fermanagh . The opposing armies in the battle were led by
3379-506: The Boyne. The battle itself was fought on 1 July O.S. (11 July N.S. ), for control of a ford on the Boyne near Drogheda , about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) north-west of the hamlet of Oldbridge . As a diversionary tactic, William sent about a quarter of his men under the cover of morning mist to cross the river at Roughgrange, about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Donore and about 6 mi (9.7 km) south-west of Oldbridge. The Duke of Schomberg's son, Meinhardt , led this crossing, which
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3488-655: The British Army's Royal Armoured Corps . The British Army , in the modern sense of the standing army under the Crown, was formed following the Restoration of King Charles II in 1661. At this point, the small standing forces included the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Troops of Horse Guards and the Royal Regiment of Horse ; some of these had been raised in exile and some as part of the New Model Army . The horsemen of
3597-689: The Eleventh Night. On this night, Protestants ignite bonfires all over Northern Ireland to celebrate the commencement of the Twelfth Night. The reason they use bonfires to symbolize the event dates back to the pagan celebrations of Midsummer , Bealtaine and Samhain , where fire is used as a symbol of celebration. Many object to the use of bonfires in Loyalist celebrations today, especially because many bonfires now include "the burning of flags, effigies and election posters." The site of
3706-668: The English troops suffered severely from fever and the army's move south was blocked by Jacobite forces; both sides camped for the winter. In an Irish context, the war was a sectarian and ethnic conflict, in many ways a re-run of the Irish Confederate Wars of 50 years earlier. For the Jacobites , the war was fought for Irish sovereignty, religious tolerance for Catholicism, and land ownership. The Catholic upper classes had lost or had been forced to exchange almost all their lands after Cromwell's conquest , as well as
3815-942: The French general Lauzun . William's commander-in-chief was the Duke of Schomberg. Born in Heidelberg , Germany, Schomberg had fought for a few different countries and had formerly been a Marshal of France , but, being a Huguenot , was compelled to leave France in 1685 because of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes . The Williamite army at the Boyne was about 36,000 strong, composed of troops from many countries; Only around half of them were British. Around 20,000 troops had been in Ireland since 1689, commanded by Schomberg. William himself had landed in Carrickfergus on 14 June O.S. He met Schomberg at nearby Whitehouse , and then proceeded south through Belfast . Loughbrickland
3924-580: The French infantry, expecting what they thought must be the main cavalry attack (by their own massive standards), finally brought themselves to halt, made an effort to form to receive Cavalry , and finally fell back in considerable confusion." The regiment was deployed to the Crimea in April 1854 but during the voyage the regiment's transport ship Europa sank with the loss of the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Willoughby Moore, and 17 of his men. Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Dalrymple White took over command of
4033-567: The Governor of the town Gustav Hamilton raised three regiments to fight on the side of William of Orange . An oath was taken by each man upon a bible: I, D. H., do hereby testify and declare, and upon the Holy Evangelists swear, that I will own and acknowledge Gustavus Hamilton, Esq., Chief Governor of this town of Enniskillen, and shall give due obedience to him and my superior officers in all his and their commands, and shall to
4142-899: The Grand Alliance with a shared hostility to the Catholic Louis XIV of France, who at the time was attempting to establish dominance in Europe and to whom James was an ally. The previous year William had sent the Duke of Schomberg to take charge of the Irish campaign. He was a 75-year-old professional soldier who had accompanied William during the Glorious Revolution . He brought an army of 20,000 men, which arrived at Bangor . Under his command, affairs had remained static and very little had been accomplished, partly because
4251-488: The Irish Jacobites. William was already Stadtholder of the Netherlands and was able to call on Dutch and allied troops from Europe as well as England and Scotland . James was a seasoned officer who had proved his bravery when fighting in Europe, notably at the Battle of the Dunes . However, recent historians have suggested that he was prone to panicking under pressure and making rash decisions, which it has been suggested may have been due to poor health associated with
4360-400: The Jacobite cavalry, commanded by James II's son James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick , counter-attacked. Having secured the village of Oldbridge, the Williamite infantry tried to hold off successive Jacobite Irish cavalry attacks with disciplined volley fire, but many were scattered and driven into the river, with the exception of the Blue Guards. When William saw his Dutch Guards isolated on
4469-513: The Jacobite cavalry. The Williamites were not able to resume their advance until their own horsemen managed to cross the river and, after being badly mauled, particularly the Huguenots, managed to hold off the Jacobite cavalry. William's second-in-command, the Duke of Schomberg, and George Walker were killed in this phase of the battle. The Irish cavalry finally gave up when Danish infantry commanded by Wurttemberg and cavalry led by Godert de Ginkel (about 11 or 12 squadrons), who had both crossed
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4578-402: The Orange Order attempt to celebrate the date by marching past or through what they see as their traditional route. Some of these areas, however, now have a nationalist majority who object to marches passing through what they see as their areas. Many nationalists still see these marches as provocative, whilst Unionist marchers insist that it is part of their historical right to celebrate. Since
4687-414: The Reverend Ian Paisley , was invited to visit the battle site by the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern later in the year. Following the invitation, Paisley commented that "such a visit would help to demonstrate how far we have come when we can celebrate and learn from the past so the next generation more clearly understands". On 10 May, the visit took place, and Paisley presented the Taoiseach with
4796-466: The Roman Catholic king James II of England and Ireland (VII of Scotland) and, opposing him, his nephew and son-in-law, the Protestant king William III ("William of Orange") who had deposed James the previous year. James's supporters controlled much of Ireland and the Irish Parliament. James also enjoyed the support of his cousin, Louis XIV, who did not want to see a hostile monarch on the throne of England. Louis sent 6,000 French troops to Ireland to support
4905-440: The Royal Armoured Corps in 1944) several mechanised reconnaissance units, all of which were classed with the cavalry. Other war-formed units included twelve Territorial Army battalions of the Royal Tank Regiment , converted from infantry in 1938 and 1939, and six new line cavalry regiments, the 22nd through 27th. These were arbitrarily termed as hussars, lancers or dragoons, but with no meaning; none would survive past 1948. After
5014-401: The Stuart line. William, although a seasoned commander, had yet to win a major battle. William's success against the French had been reliant upon tactical manoeuvres and good diplomacy rather than force. His diplomacy had assembled the League of Augsburg , a multi-national coalition formed to resist French aggression in Europe. From William's point of view, his taking power in England and
5123-464: The Territorial Army, all in the light reconnaissance role, with five regiments of the Royal Artillery , eight of the Royal Engineers and eleven of the Royal Signals titled as "Yeomanry" and retaining lineages from a yeomanry regiment. The 31 British cavalry regiments created by the Childers Reforms in 1881 were amalgamated into eight regiments by 2015. The table below gives an overview of this process. There are currently 9 regiments of cavalry in
5232-436: The War, this is not entirely accurate. All of the yeomanry units raised second- and third-line regiments from new recruits, and on the outbreak of war some seventeen Cavalry Reserve Regiments were formed. Few of these units saw active service, instead serving to train and equip men for the front-line regiments, or as reserve units for home defence. The Tank Corps —the forerunner of the Royal Tank Regiment—was formed in 1917, but
5341-417: The Williamite War in Ireland continued until the signing of the Treaty of Limerick in October 1691, James fled to France after the Boyne, never to return. The battle was a major encounter in James's attempt to regain the thrones of England and Scotland, resulting from the Invitation to William and William's wife, Mary, from the 'immortal seven' English peers to take the throne to defend Protestantism. But
5450-500: The anniversary of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 on 23 October O.S. In 1752, the Gregorian calendar was also adopted in Ireland . However, even after this date, "The Twelfth" continued to be commemorated at Aughrim, on 12 July NS, following the usual historical convention of commemorating events of that period within Great Britain and Ireland by mapping the Julian date directly onto the modern Gregorian calendar date (as happens for example with Guy Fawkes Night on 5 November). But, after
5559-428: The battle as artillery engaged. The Williamite forces went on a long detour march which, later in the day, almost saw them cut off the Jacobite retreat at the village of Naul . At the main ford near Oldbridge, William's infantry, led by the elite Dutch Blue Guards under Solms , forced their way across the river, using their superior firepower to slowly drive back the Jacobite foot soldiers, but were pinned down when
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#17327869581335668-410: The battle honours of their sponsored companies when they returned from overseas service. All Imperial Yeomanry battalions were equipped as mounted infantry , using infantry organisation and terminology (note "battalion" and "company", rather than "regiment" and "squadron"); this proved highly useful in South Africa, where fast-moving infantry was invaluable for a fluid war spread over enormous areas. As
5777-411: The battle. The Jacobite army abandoned the city and marched to Limerick , behind the River Shannon , where they were unsuccessfully besieged . Soon after the battle, William issued the Declaration of Finglas , offering full pardons to ordinary Jacobite soldiers, but not to their leaders. The battle was overshadowed in Britain by the defeat of an Anglo-Dutch fleet by the French on the previous day at
5886-418: The blood of foes streaming down over the hilt, and running up my very sleeve....now we were lost in their ranks - now in little bands battling - now in good order together, now in and out." In the words of Colonel Paget of the Light Brigade "It was a mighty affair, and considering the difficulties under which the Heavy Brigade laboured, and the disparity of numbers, a feat of arms which, if it ever had its equal,
5995-418: The conflict had broader and deeper European geopolitical roots, of the League of Augsburg and the Grand Alliance against the expansionist ambitions of Catholic Louis XIV of France, or of the House of Bourbon against the House of Habsburg . If the battle is seen as part of the War of the Grand Alliance , Pope Alexander VIII was an ally of William and an enemy to James; the Papal States were part of
6104-425: The custom of that time the regiment was named Cunningham's Dragoons (or Conyngham's Dragoons) - after its commanding officer, Sir Albert Cunningham (or Conyngham) and ranked as the 6th Dragoons. It would later become known as the "Enniskillen Dragoons", after Hamilton's headquarters at Enniskillen Castle . Inniskilling was the original name of the town - anglicised from Irish meaning 'Island of Kathleen'. Since then
6213-400: The dragoons of both parties came in sight of each other. After an exchange of shots, the horse of the enemy were driven back and pursued into Belturbet, and the Enniskillen horse surrounding the church and churchyard, kept them there till the foot came forward and secured possession of the adjoining buildings. Having taken up their position in the houses overtopping the churchyard, they so galled
6322-474: The enemy side of the river and without any protection from natural obstacles he was extremely worried according to an eyewitness: But when he saw them stand their ground and fire by platoons, so that the horse were forced to run away in great disorder, he breathed out…, and said he had seen his Guards do that which he had never seen foot do in his life. The Blue Guards had formed up in three separate squares and were, by using platoon fire , able to drive away
6431-418: The engagement before finally setting off for Brussels with his trophy. The rest of the French columns believed what they saw could only be an advance guard, and were now under the mistaken impression that they were being attacked by large numbers of cavalry. The Royal Dragoons and 6th/Inniskilling Dragoons charged Donzelot 's Division and the Eagle of the 105th Regiment was taken by the Royal Dragoons. These were
6540-458: The ensuing campaign in Ireland was just another front in the war against France in general, and Louis XIV in particular. James II's subordinate commanders were Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell , who was Lord Deputy of Ireland and James's most powerful supporter in Ireland; Sir James Fitz Edmond Cotter , Brigadier General in command of all the Jacobite forces in counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary, and an intimate of James II ; and
6649-432: The establishment by another five line regiments, along with amalgamating the regiments of the Household Cavalry . The Yeomanry had been reduced even further in the post-war years; most regiments were amalgamated in the 1950s and then reduced to cadres in the late 1960s, with a sizable fraction being converted to infantry, artillery, or support roles. By the end of the Cold War, there were five regiments of "pure" Yeomanry in
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#17327869581336758-582: The field relatively unscathed. James's loss of nerve and speedy exit from the battlefield enraged his Irish supporters and he was derisively nicknamed Séamus a' chaca ("James the shit") in Irish. The war in Ireland had not ended, however. The Franco-Irish Jacobite army regrouped in Limerick and fought off a Williamite assault on the city in late August. It was not until the following year and battle of Aughrim that their forces were broken and after another siege of Limerick , they surrendered to William's general Godard de Ginkel. The war in Ireland formally ended with
6867-451: The first contingent of volunteers returned, and the lessons of the war were absorbed by the Army, it was decided to convert the Yeomanry into mounted infantry along the same lines. The new Yeomanry regiments, appropriately retitled as "Imperial Yeomanry", comprised four companies of mounted infantry with carbines, and a machine-gun section; by 1903, an additional nineteen regiments of Imperial Yeomanry had been raised, with several perpetuating
6976-435: The forces of the Honourable East India Company . The outbreak of the South African War in 1899 caused some sharp setbacks for the British forces, leading to a high demand for additional troops to be despatched, especially light cavalry. However, it was not possible to embody the Yeomanry for overseas service; they were raised to be only liable for service in the British Isles, to resist invasion or for internal security. As
7085-483: The garrison with their shot that at the end of two hours it consented to surrender. The conditions were that all the prisoners should have their lives, and that the officers, in addition, should be allowed to retain their clothes and money. The result was that nearly three hundred prisoners and a great booty fell to the victors, consisting of two barrels of powder, seven hundred muskets, fifty-three dragoon horses, and as many red coats as served for two companies. In addition,
7194-439: The heavy cavalry, with nine regiments of hussars and five of lancers in the light cavalry. By this point, the distinction between heavy and light cavalry regiments had effectively vanished, as both fought in the same manner and were equipped in the same way—with the exception of the lancers, who retained their lances . In 1862 the army received a further four regiments of cavalry, the European light cavalry regiments formerly part of
7303-528: The last year of the war, which ended with the Peace of Vereeniging on 31 May 1902. Following the end of the war, 257 officers and men of the regiment left Cape Town on the SS Orissa , which arrived at Southampton in late October 1902, and another 138 men arrived at Queenstown the following month on the SS Orient . After their return, the regiment was stationed at Curragh . The regiment subsequently went to India. They eventually returned from Mhow in India in August 1914 and landed at Marseille as part of
7412-512: The latest flintlock muskets . The Danish infantry was commanded by General Ernst von Tettau . There was also a large (3000) contingent of French Huguenot troops fighting with the Williamites. William did not yet have a high opinion of his English and Scottish troops, with the exception of the Ulster Protestant "skirmishers" who had held Derry in the previous year; the English and Scottish troops were felt at this stage to be politically unreliable, since James had been their legitimate monarch up to
7521-440: The lineages of volunteer units in South Africa or of previously disbanded Yeomanry regiments. In 1908, the reserve forces underwent significant reforms; the Yeomanry and the infantry Volunteers were consolidated into the Territorial Force . The Yeomanry dropped its designation of "Imperial Yeomanry", and most regiments converted back from the mounted infantry role to become lancers, hussars or dragoons. Four regiments were assigned to
7630-461: The midst of such smoke, cheer, and clatter, as never before stunned a mortal's ear. it was glorious! Down, one by one, aye, two by two fell the thick skulled and over-numerous Cossacks.....Down too alas! fell many a hero with a warm Celtic heart, and more than one fell screaming loud for victory. I could not pause. It was all push, wheel, frenzy, strike and down, down, down they went. Twice I was unhorsed, and more than once I had to grip my sword tighter,
7739-433: The name has changed around 20 times before finally settling on its present spelling of Enniskillen. After the relief of the Siege of Derry in 1689 the regiment continued its pursuance of the Williamite Wars. On 19 June an attempt was made to force contact with Jacobite forces under the command of Brigadier Sutherland. The "Enniskilliners" came upon a force of horse and foot at the churchyard of Belturbet and what followed
7848-462: The names of their colonels; in 1751, in an attempt to reduce confusion, regiments were assigned numbers in order of their seniority. The cavalry regiments of the line were numbered in three separate sequences; 1st through 4th Horse, then 1st through 3rd Dragoon Guards, then 1st through 14th Dragoons. "Dragoon Guards" was a new title, and did not denote a Guards' role; it was adopted by the three senior horse regiments in 1746, when George II reduced them to
7957-432: The nineteenth century, seeing occasional service quelling riots and helping to maintain public order. By the turn of the century, in 1801, the Household Cavalry establishment consisted of three regiments of guards, while the line cavalry had some twenty-seven regiments of dragoons and dragoon guards. The heavy cavalry consisted of twelve regiments, the 1st to 7th Dragoon Guards and the 1st to 6th Dragoons—the missing regiment
8066-469: The only two Eagles captured during the entire Waterloo campaign. At this point the divisions of Marcognet and Donzelot were not completely shaken, although contrary to romantic legend, the Union Brigade did not, and could not, defeat an Army Corps of some 16,900 infantry on their own. Having carried out a highly successful defensive action in support of infantry, the Union Brigade lost all cohesion and refused to recognize or hear any orders. The Greys were given
8175-546: The outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, the regiment was sent to South Africa . It formed part of General French′s force in the operations around Colesberg , and afterwards one squadron took part in the relief of Kimberley in February 1900. The squadrons of the regiment then rejoined, and formed part of the cavalry brigade which served in all the engagements in the general advance on Pretoria , one of
8284-773: The outbreak of war retained their horses until 1940 (the Royal Dragoons ) and 1941 (the Royal Scots Greys ). Following mechanisation, the few remaining distinctions of unit type became meaningless; cavalry regiments moved between the heavy and light armoured roles regardless of their names. Seven regiments of the Yeomanry, previously affiliated with the Royal Tank Regiment, were taken into the Royal Armoured Corps on its formation, and
8393-474: The period were equipped as cuirassiers , with armour on the head and the body; the regulations of Charles II, in 1663, provided for them to be armed with "a sword and a case of pistols ... each Trooper of our Guards to have a carbine besides". By the start of the eighteenth century, the cavalry establishment had been divided into household and line units. The household establishment consisted of four troops of Horse Guards and two of Horse Grenadier Guards, while
8502-476: The promise of tolerance, seeing the Declaration of Indulgence as a ploy to re-establish Catholicism as the sole state religion . James had already antagonised English Protestants with his actions. In particular, they dreaded a repeat of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , which had been marked by widespread killing. For these reasons, Protestants fought en masse for William of Orange. Many Williamite troops at
8611-700: The ranks of the Gordons. The head of the French Division was now only 20 yards away and the Greys simply walked into the 1st/45th Infantry of the Line. There was no gallop and no charge ." It is clear from the French report that they did not expect to see British cavalry materializing through the ranks of the British infantry. When the cavalry hit them, the 45th were in the act of forming line, and their 1st battalion
8720-723: The regiment and led it in action at the Battle of Balaclava in October 1854. The first assault line consisted of the Scots Greys and one squadron of the Inniskillings, a total of less than 250 sabres. Only when the RSMs declared themselves happy with the alignment did Scarlett order his bugler to sound the 'Charge'. The idea of a charge conjures up images of the Light Brigade dashing forward at speed but Dragoons were larger men with much heavier equipment so their charge
8829-601: The regiment were as follows: On 1 July 1751 a royal warrant provided that in future regiments would not be known by their colonels' names, but by their "number or rank" Successor regiment names: Cavalry regiments of the British Army There are 13 cavalry Regiments of the British Army each with its own unique cap badge, regimental traditions, and history. Of the currently nine regular cavalry regiments, two serve as armoured regiments , three as armoured cavalry regiments, three as light cavalry , and one as
8938-540: The regular Army, and a further 4 Yeomanry regiments in the Army Reserve . In British terminology, a cavalry or armoured "regiment" is a battalion -sized unit. Armoured regiments are equipped with Challenger 2 main battle tanks (being replaced by Challenger 3 ): Regular: Reserve: Armoured cavalry regiments are equipped with Warrior armoured fighting vehicles (being replaced by Ajax); they have no paired reserve units: Light cavalry regiments are equipped with Jackal vehicles: Regular: Reserve: Battle of
9047-434: The regular establishment was composed of nine regiments of Horse and eight of Dragoons. The "horse" regiments would in theory fight mounted as cavalry, while dragoons were originally mounted infantry - they would fight dismounted, but were provided with horses for swift movement. By the middle of the century, the term had come simply to mean light cavalry . Regiments were, at this time, known by semi-permanent nicknames or by
9156-645: The right to hold public office, practice their religion, and sit in the Irish Parliament . To these ends, under Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnel , they had raised an army to restore James II after the Glorious Revolution. Sir James Fitz Edmond Cotter being the commander-in-chief of all King James 's forces in the counties of Cork, Kerry, Limerick, and Tipperary. By 1690, they controlled all of Ireland except for Derry and Enniskillen . The majority of Irish people were Jacobites and supported James II due to his 1687 Declaration of Indulgence or, as it
9265-537: The river further downstream, advanced towards them. The Jacobites retired in good order. William had a chance to trap them as they retreated across the River Nanny at Duleek , but his troops were held up by a successful rear-guard action. The Dutch secretary of King William, Constantijn Huygens Jr. , has given a good description (in Dutch) of the battle and its aftermath, including subsequent cruelties committed by
9374-433: The same time, a large number of troops of volunteer cavalry were raised on a county level, consisting of local gentry and yeoman farmers; from the latter they took the description yeomanry . These troops formed into yeomanry regiments, organised broadly by county, around 1800; their history thereafter is complex, with many disbanding, reforming, and changing title intermittently. However, most remained in existence throughout
9483-433: The skilled Jacobite cavalry screened the retreat of the rest of their army, and in addition William was always disinclined to endanger the person of James, since he was the father of his wife, Mary . The Jacobites were badly demoralised by the order to retreat, which lost them the battle. Many of the Irish infantrymen deserted, abandoning clothing in their escape. The Williamites triumphantly marched into Dublin two days after
9592-524: The start of the Troubles , the celebrations of the battle have been seen as playing a critical role in the awareness of those involved in the unionist/nationalist tensions in Northern Ireland. Better policing and improved dialogue between the sides in the 21st century have made for more peaceful parades. There are also traditions set to happen on 11 July, the eve of the Twelfth Night, known as
9701-469: The status of dragoons in order to save money. The first "light horse" regiment was raised in 1745, for service in the Second Jacobite rising , and proved so successful that light troops were added to most cavalry regiments in 1755. In 1759, five complete regiments (the 15th to 19th) of Light Dragoons were formed, and the distinction was made between the light cavalry (Light Dragoon regiments) and
9810-605: The successful Charge of the Heavy Brigade against superior numbers at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War . The First World War sounded the death knell for mounted cavalry as it became apparent that technology had moved forward with greater destructive power and made horsed cavalry redundant on the modern battlefield. The British Army reorganised and reduced its cavalry corps by disbanding or amalgamating many of its famous cavalry regiments. The Inniskillings
9919-524: The town of Drogheda in the Kingdom of Ireland , modern-day Republic of Ireland , and resulted in a victory for William. This turned the tide in James's failed attempt to regain the British crown and ultimately aided in ensuring the continued Protestant ascendancy in Ireland . The battle took place on 1 July 1690 O.S. William's forces defeated James's army, which consisted mostly of raw recruits. Although
10028-440: The traditions and honours of both "parents" to be perpetuated. Before the Second World War , cavalry recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 2 inches tall, but could not exceed 5 feet 9 inches. They initially enlisted for six years with the colours and a further six years with the reserve. In October 1928, a new era began as the 11th Hussars became the first regular cavalry regiment to "mechanise", to change from
10137-400: The utmost of my power and ability defend him, them, and this place, with the country adjacent, together with the Protestant religion and interest, with my life and fortune, against all that shall endeavour to subvert the same. So help me God, and the holy contents of this book. One of the regiments raised was a cavalry unit of Dragoons (mounted troops), first established on 20 June 1689. As was
10246-405: The victorious soldiers. The casualty figures of the battle were quite low for a battle of such a scale—of the 50,000 or so participants, about 2,000 died. Three quarters of the dead were Jacobites. William's army had far more wounded. At the time, most casualties of battles tended to be inflicted in the pursuit of an already-beaten enemy; this did not happen at the Boyne, as the counter-attacks of
10355-410: The war, the regular cavalry was quickly reduced to its pre-war establishment, and reduced further by the 1957 Defence White Paper ; as a result of this, seven regular cavalry regiments were lost through amalgamation, leaving two household, sixteen line regiments. The subsequent round of cuts, in 1969–71, saw a further three line regiments disappear, and the 1990 Options for Change defence review reduced
10464-464: The yeomanry regiments; indeed, the 74th (Yeomanry) Division was composed entirely of yeomanry regiments serving as infantry, and in 1918 many regiments began to be formally converted to infantry units. However, mounted cavalry did play a major role in the Sinai and Palestine theatre , most notably at the Battle of Beersheba . While it generally appears that no new regiments of cavalry were raised during
10573-620: Was appealed against by local historians to An Bord Pleanála (The Planning Board). In March 2008, after an extremely long appeal process, An Bord Pleanála approved permission for this development to proceed. Further plans have been submitted for hundreds more homes and a link to the River Boyne Boardwalk. The Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre at Oldbridge house is run by the Office of Public Works , an agency of
10682-497: Was at once thrown into violent confusion, already shaken by the fire of the 92nd. The regimental eagles were carried by the 1st battalion of all French infantry regiments, and in a few minutes the Greys were in the midst of the battalion, at which stage Sergeant Charles Ewart of Captain Vernor's troop captured the eagle of the 45th. He was ordered to take it to the rear, which he reluctantly did, but sat on his horse for sometime watching
10791-605: Was certainly never surpassed in the annals of cavalry warfare, and the importance of which in its results can never be known." In 1861 the regiment was renamed the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons . The regiment saw action in the response to the Indian Rebellion in 1857 and was next deployed during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. The regiment was in Scotland from 1895 until 1897, when it was posted to Ireland. After
10900-399: Was heard to remark that "the place was worth fighting for". James chose to place his line of defence on the River Boyne , around 30 mi (48 km) from Dublin. The Williamites reached the Boyne on 29 June. The day before the battle, William himself had a narrow escape when he was wounded in the shoulder by Jacobite artillery while surveying the fords over which his troops would cross
11009-614: Was killed the previous July at the Battle of Killiecrankie . The battle was a general victory for William. Owing to the political situation mentioned above, Catholic institutions amongst William's continental allies hailed his victory with bell-ringing. The battle caused the Jacobites to abandon the city of Dublin, which was occupied by William's forces, without a fight. Despairing of his hopes for victory, James II fled to Duncannon and returned to exile in France, even though his army left
11118-453: Was more of a trot. Floundering at obstacles such as ditches or coppices they headed towards the massed ranks of Russian cavalry, pressing on inexorably at a mere 8 miles an hour. Slow they may have been but the effect of these heavy cavalrymen slamming into the much lighter Russian cavalry stunned their enemy. A letter from a Captain of the Inniskillings illustrates the mellee which followed: "Forward - dash - bang - clank, and there we were in
11227-488: Was not considered as "cavalry" until the 1940s. Following the War, and the subsequent reduction in the strength of the Army, it was apparent that future warfare would involve much less of a role for cavalry. As such, the regular force was reduced from 31 regiments of cavalry to 22. Unlike previous reductions, however, this was carried out by the amalgamation of regiments rather than the disbanding of junior regiments; this allowed
11336-692: Was now ordered forward. The 6th/Inniskilling Dragoons passed through the ranks of the Royal Scots and the Black Watch, and the Royal Dragoons, further to the right, went through the 28th Foot and passed the right flank of the Royal Scots. The Greys, who had been in a theoretical reserve position, according to W. A. Thorburn, late curator at the National War Museum of Scotland, " moved straight to their front, which took them through
11445-471: Was one of those affected. It saw service for two centuries, including the First World War , before being amalgamated with 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards to form 5th/6th Dragoons in 1922. In 1689 James II Stuart , the dethroned King of England, landed in Ireland with aid provided by the French in an attempt to overthrow William of Orange . During the Defence of Enniskillen in 1689
11554-431: Was provided by Irish Catholics, with some English and Scottish Jacobites also present. The Jacobites' Irish cavalry, who were recruited from among the dispossessed Irish gentry , proved themselves to be high-calibre troops during the course of the battle. However, the Irish infantry, predominantly peasants who had been pressed into service, were not trained soldiers. They had been hastily trained, poorly equipped, and only
11663-431: Was the 17th Light Dragoons . In 1806, the 10th Light Dragoons became the 10th Hussars , taking a title made popular by Continental cavalry; the 5th, 15th and 18th followed in 1807. In 1816 three more regiments changed their title to "Lancers", and in 1818 two more dragoon regiments became light dragoons. By 1861, the last light dragoons retitled as hussars, leaving three regiments of dragoons and seven of dragoon guards in
11772-486: Was the 5th Dragoons , disbanded for mutiny in 1799 without renumbering younger regiments—while the light cavalry consisted of the 7th through 29th Light Dragoons and two regiments of German cavalry on the British establishment. Many of the light cavalry regiments were disbanded after the Napoleonic Wars ; at their peak in 1794, there had been some 33 regiments of light dragoons, but by 1822 the most junior regiment
11881-472: Was the rallying point of the scattered divisions of the army. He arrived there with another 16,000 in June 1690. On 30 June O.S. William had reached the top of a hill near the southern border of County Louth. William's troops were generally far better trained and equipped than James's. The best Williamite infantry were from Denmark (7000) and the Netherlands (6000), professional soldiers equipped with
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