History of the British Army. To return to our narrative. The fifth was selected as one of the regiments appointed to receive militiamen in the expedition to Holland in 1799. It did not accompany the advanced part of the army under General Sir Ralph Abercrombie; and consequcutly lost a glorious opportunity of adding to its old renown. It was, however, amply indemnified, by being placed under the immediate command of prince William of Gloucester, and by bearing a very conspicuous part during the action of the 19th of November, when Lieutenant-general Sir James Murray Pulteney made a successful attack upon the strong posts of the entrenched enemy at Oud-karspel, and of which such honourable mention was made in the Duke of York's dispatches. They likewise bore a conspicuous part in the battles that afterwards took place ; and the flank companies, which, with similar detachments from other corps, formed the reserve under Colonel Macdonald, were very actively employed. The grenadiers, on one of these occasions, behaved so well that they were distinguished by the particular thanks of the field officer who commanded them. Nor did this valuable regiment lose any of its wonted vigour and resolution when our prospects of success began hourly to diminish in this unfortu nate attempt to push our first triumphs beyond the bounds of rational expectation. As late as the 12th of October, the fifth regiment of foot was still in front of the enemy, and exhibited such proofs of courage and perseverance, that the following flattering testimony of the general good conduct of both battalions appeared in public orders. "GENERAL ORDERS.-Prince William desires Colonel Bligh and the first battalion of the fifth regiment will accept his thanks for the gallant manner in which they attacked the enemy, when he was passing the canal opposite to Weakle, and Lieutenant-colonels Talbot and Lindsey, of the second battalion of the fifth, for their exertions on the 10th October, 1799.” The badge of the fifth regiment is St. George and the Dragon. The facings are a gosling green. Before we conclude this article, it cannot be thought superfluous to make an observation relative to the apparent contradiction which is manifested between the actual situation in the line of the fifth regiment with regard to the sixth; the latter, from the date of its establishment, appearing to be a older regiment. The same singular circumstance attends the fourth or king's own; which in point of original formation is junior to the fifth. These seeming contradictions are accounted for in the following manner. When the regiments in question were first raised, they were not placed upon the British establishment, but sent by James the second for the service of the States General. On the abdication of that monarch, and the subsequent election of William prince of Orange by the majority of the British nation, the fourth, fifth, and sixth, were numbered and taken into the line, accordFOL. IL, NO 10. 20 History of the British Army. ing to the periods at which they landed from Holland. Thus, for instance the fourth, which had been originally raised after the fifth, arrived in Eng land before that corps, and took precedence; the sixth, which had been levied before the fifth, returned to its native country at a later period than either, and was consequently placed according to that date. When the Scotch brigade was restored to England by the Dutch, a claim was made upon the same ground, and the fifth regiment was stated as a case in point. But neither the Scotch nor the Irish brigades have hitherto succeeded in their applicationsto be placed in the line. The fifth regiment was originally raised in 1674. It has been successively commanded by the following colonels: James viscount Clare, John Fenwick, bart., Henry Wisely, Thomas Monk, Thomas Tolamache, Edward Lloyd, Thomas Fairfax, Thomas Pearce, John Cope, Alexander Irwine, K. B., George Whitefoord, Lord George Bentinck, Studholme Hodgson, Hugh eart Percy, the honourable Edward Stopford, Alured Clarke, K. B. ILLUSTRATION OF THE SEAT OF WAR. ITINERARY FROM GRANADA TO MALAGA. We left Granada in the afternoon of the 8th of March, 1809, in continuation of our journey to Malaga. From Granada to Malaga is 65 English miles. The road is as follows; From Granada to Alhama 25 miles,-to Velez Malaga 20,-to Malaga 20; total 65 miles. After crossing the Genil, upon leaving Granada, the road continued a very fertile and beautiful plain, which smiled in all the freshness of an English May. Nothing, as I have repeatedly said, can be more picturesque and beautiful than the interior country of Spain. A traveller of any fancy cannot help amusing himself with the fairy dreams as he passes through these lovely vales and summer fields. Perhaps the proverb,-to build castles in Spain, owed its origin to something of this kind. The country is sometnes like a park. How delightfully, thought I, might an Englishman of small fortune cultivate a small estate in a country like this. About seven pounds per acre is the purchase of agricultural land at a distance from cities and towns, and the land wants nothing but that ordinary skill which every one possesses in England to reward the husbandman thirty fold. About sunset we came to a deep valley, into which we descend/ed, and crossed the Cazin, a clear and rapid stream, near a small Illustration of the Seat of War. village of the same name. The steep ascent up the opposite side of the valley is nearly half a league. The road thence passes through a deep cleft in the rocks to the town of Alhama. Even by the light of the stars it was easy to discern the romantie situation of the town as we wound up the hill, and the ensuing morning enabled me to survey it more particularly. It is seated chiefly on a rocky height, elevated more than three hundred feet above the level of a small stream which flows in the valley beneath, and is here called the Tajo, or river of Alhama. The view from that part of the town overhanging the stream is particularly beautiful. The rock is here nearly perpendicular, and we see beneath our feet a charming valley, bordered on each side by steep and romantic cliffs, the summits and hollows of which are covered with trees. At the bottom are several mills turned round by the rushing stream, and at the distance of two miles lower down to the left we discern a rocky glen, through which foams a mountain current, and falls into the river Alhama. Alhama is a town, which, at one period of the Spanish history, swarmed with inhabitants; it is still a very considerable place, and has a Moorish castle in ruins. It is really astonishing, how much more artificially and substantially that people built their cities whilst in Spain to what they have builded them in Africa. In Africa they are barbarians; in Spain they had all the arts of life, elegance, and even luxury. So much is it the power of fortune to degrade a people. On the following morning, March 9th, we left Alhama and continued forwards for Velez Malaga, a distance of twenty miles. The road is wretched, being rough, and having no labour employed upon it. The country, however, vied in beauty with any scene we had yet seen. On the left was a ridge of mountains called the Sierra Tereda. The road itself passed through a lovely plain thickly set with oaks. Twelve miles from Alhama we; reached the pass of Zafaraga, between high mountains. The road was now so rough as to be scarcely passable, but as we descended and approached the town of Velez Malaga, the country again be came beautiful; the road leading amidst gardens of oranges and lemon trees, close upon the bank of the small river Velez. Nearer, Illustration of the Seat of War. the town are long avenues of trees bordering the road, through which we first discover a white tower on the summit of the hill, Proceeding a little farther the whole town is discovered, pleasantly situated on the side of a bill fronting the west. Veles Mulaga was the Menoba of the Romans; it is a very consideratie town, and very romantically situated. The Moors, andred, have displayed great taste in the site of their towns and caties de cue can have an adequate idea of what these people ener sex, un. They have seen the remains of them in the kingdam að Grenada. They were formerly a warlike, rich, and luxu sp. They are now a nation of gipsies and robbers, burnt Sự 13 the saễs x Arica. They still remember Granada in their BUY WAVES, DIČ Supplicate Mahomet to restore them to the garjea of me words. They remind me of that beautiful passage in a. sonicex * By the waters of Babylon they sat down and erot, wood she remembered thee, O Sion." We remained at Vacz by De dig% Ou ne isoa ag morning, the 10th of March 1809, we left Vever Manga for a reading to reach it in good time, The country through welch the road passed was highly cultivated, and admirably well watered. After some time we passed over the bed of the susail river Velez, bordered on each side by lofty white poplars. About four miles forward, we came in sight of the sea. Our road led directly down to it, and then turning to the right continued along the shore nearly to Malaga. The water was smooth, and instead of dark forests and rugged ridges, I beheld fishermen dragging their nets, small barks at anchor, and farther out the distant white sails of vessels, which, although going with a favourable breeze, scarcely seemed to move along the horizon, Here and there on the right were plantations of the sugar cane, By degrees we left the shore, and ascended a rising ground, which projected so far into the water as to render it tedious to go round t. Martello towers stood as telegraphs from height to height all the coast. As we approach Malaga, the first objects which en are the ruins of some old Moorish towers on a hill to the the town, and the cathedral rising above all the other buildMule, the shipping which it shelters, the new custom Illustration of the Seat of War. house, and the Alameda or public walk, adorned with an elegant fountain, and planted with trees, are next seen in succession, We then entered the town, and took up our residence at the hotel of the Four Nations, where we found some English gentlemen. We remained at Malaga about five days; after which we passed to Gibraltar. Such was our itinerary from England to Lisbon,-thence to Elvas, thence to Seville,-thence to Granada,-thence to Mala ga, and thence to Gibraltar, MILITARY CORRESPONDENCE. MILITARY CHRONOLOGY. Continued from page 253 of our preceding Number. 1776 June The British determine to attack New York, Charles town, and the whole of the colonies from the rear by the way of Canada. 1777 June 28th The attack upon Charles town miscarries. August General Howe takes Long Island; defeats the Americans at Lavoisier's new system of the action of gunpowder. Jan. 2d Cornwallis expelled from New Jersey, after an action at June Burgoyne commences his march from Canada. Aug. 6th Action at Bennington-a detachment of Burgoyne's army defeated. July 23d Howe, instead of supporting Burgoyne, undertakes an use- Oct. 17th Burgoyne capitulates, after several actions at Jaratoga. Oct. 4th Action at German town-Washington's attack fails. Nov. 11th Fort Redbank unsuccessfully attacked, and evacuated by the 1778 Jan. 26th Alliance of France with America. 1779 June27th Sea fight off Ushant between Keppel and'd'Ouilliers. June19th D'Estaing compels the British to abandon Philadelphia by a demonstration against Newport. Dec. 23d The British take Savannah. June Spain declares war against England. Commencement of the siege of Gibraltar. March The attack of the British on Charles town miscarries, 1780 Jan. 17th Rodney defeats Langara off Cape St. Vincent. Aug.16th Action at Camden-Cornwallis defeats Gates, and enters Aug. 10th Six thousand French, under Rochambeau, land in Rhode island. Sept. General Arnold changes sides. Dec 20th England declares war against Holland. |