Historical Record of the Seventeenth or The Leicestershire Regiment of Foot: From Its Formation in 1688 to 1848

The SEVENTEENTH regiment encamped in the grassy meadows of Candahar nearly two months, and afterwards marched along a valley of dismal sterility to the Turnuck River; then, advancing up the right bank, entered the country of the Ghilzees, and arrived before Ghuznee, a fortress of great strength, garrisoned by three thousand Affghans under Prince Mahomed Hyder Khan, well provided with stores, and every gate, excepting one, blocked up with masonry.

Before daylight on the morning of the 23rd of July, one of the principal gates was destroyed by an explosion of gunpowder; and the British troops rushed in at the opening and captured the strong fortress of Ghuznee by storm. The SEVENTEENTH regiment, commanded by Lieut. – Colonel Croker, had the honour to take a conspicuous share in the capture of this fortress: it led the assault of the citadel, which was captured with little loss, and at five o'clock in the morning its colours were waving triumphantly on the fortress. The loss of the regiment was limited to one private killed and six men wounded. A standard was captured by the SEVENTEENTH, but was afterwards lost by the wreck of a transport in which a part of the regiment was embarked.

From Ghuznee the British army advanced upon Cabool, the capital of Eastern Affghanistan; the army of Dost Mahomed Khan refused to fight in his cause, and the British, proceeding by triumphant marches to the capital, restored Shah Shooja-ool-Moolk to the capital of his dominions in the early part of August.

On the 18th of September the Bombay portion of the "Army of the Indus" left Cabool en route for India. The column reached Ghuznee by the same road it had advanced, and from thence proceeded to Quetta, where it arrived on the 31st of October.

The SEVENTEENTH regiment was afterwards detached, under Major-General Sir Thomas Willshire, against the Khan of Khelat, to reduce this treacherous chief to submission. On the morning of the 13th of November, after a previous march, some fighting, and the assault of the heights commanding the approach to Khelat, on which the enemy had six guns in position, the gate of this strong fortress was blown open, and the second and SEVENTEENTH British and thirty-first Bengal regiments charged into the town in the face of two thousand Beloochees, the élite of the nation, who disputed every foot of ground to the walls of the inner citadel. British valour was, however, triumphant, and the capture of the last stronghold of Beloochistan was accomplished. In this desperate defence the Khan and many of his chiefs were slain. Here also, as at Ghuznee, a standard was taken by the regiment.

The regiment had six rank and file killed; Captain L. C. Bourchier, three serjeants, and twenty-nine rank and file wounded.

Lieut. – Colonel Croker caused the names of Colour-Serjeants J. Dunn and Mills to be entered in the records of the regiment, on account of their bravery at Khelat.

The Chiefs, who had joined in hostile designs against the British interest, having been removed, and a friendly monarch placed on the throne of Affghanistan, a medal was given by the Government of India to the officers and soldiers present at the storming of Ghuznee, which the Queen authorized them to accept and wear.

Her Majesty Queen Victoria was graciously pleased to approve of the regiment bearing on its colours the words "Affghanistan," "Ghuznee," and "Khelat," to commemorate its distinguished conduct in enduring the toils and privations of the campaign in Affghanistan with patient fortitude; its gallantry at the storming of Ghuznee on the 23rd of July; and its heroic conduct at the taking of Khelat on the 13th of November, 1839. Lieut. – Colonel Croker and Major Pennycuick were nominated Companions of the Order of the Bath; and the latter obtained the brevet rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Lieut. – Colonel Croker, Brevet Lieut. – Colonel Pennycuick, and Major Deshon were nominated members of the order of the "Dooranée Empire," newly instituted by Shah Shooja, on being restored to the throne of Affghanistan. Major Deshon received the brevet rank of Lieut. – Colonel, and Captain Darley that of Major.

Soon after the capture of Khelat, the regiment continued its journey back to the British territory in India, and arrived in Scinde in December.

1840

On the 6th of February, 1840, the regiment embarked in boats on the great river Indus, and sailed to Tatta, where it arrived on the 13th; eight days afterwards it marched for Kurrachee; and on the 16th of March four companies, and the head-quarters, embarked on board the Hannah transport, and were wrecked on a sand-bank off the mouth of the Indus on the following day. They re-embarked on board the Bernice steamer on the 26th of March, and arrived at Bombay on the 29th of that month.

General Sir Josiah Champagné, G.C.H., died in the beginning of this year; and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the regiment by General Sir Frederick Augustus Wetherall, G.C.H., from the sixty-second regiment.

The regiment embarked from Bombay in April, for Panwell, from whence it proceeded to Poona, leaving a detail on duty at Bombay.

1841

On the 2nd of June, 1841, the regiment left Poona, and arrived at Bombay in ten days. On the 22nd of September the head-quarters and four companies embarked from Bombay for Arabia Felix, and on the 2nd of October arrived at Aden, the capital of a pleasant and fertile district near the mouth of the Red Sea, where a detachment of the regiment arrived from Bombay in October, and another in November.

On the evening of the 5th of October, 1841, a detachment, amounting to about six hundred men, selected from the troops at Aden, proceeded, under the command of Lieut. – Colonel Pennycuick, to attack an Arab force, which had caused much inconvenience by preventing supplies being received from the country. After a severe skirmish of two hours' duration, in the hottest part of the following day, the troops destroyed the Arab post of Sheik Othman, and returned to Aden on the evening of the 6th, having traversed upwards of forty miles of ground in about twenty-two hours.

1842

The head-quarters of the regiment remained at Aden, in Arabia Felix, during the year 1842. In February a detachment proceeded from Bombay to Poona, and in November a detachment marched from Poona to Ahmednuggur: in December four officers and thirty-four rank and file arrived at Aden from Poona.

1843

On the 18th of December, 1842, the venerable General Sir Frederick Augustus Wetherall, G.C.H., after a service of sixty-seven years, and attaining the age of eighty-eight years, died, and Her Majesty Queen Victoria was pleased to confer the colonelcy of the regiment on Lieut. – General Sir Peregrine Maitland, K.C.B., from the seventy-sixth regiment, on the 2nd of January, 1843.

1844

During the years 1843 and 1844 the regiment remained at Aden. In July and August, 1844, the detached wing at Ahmednuggur was affected with cholera. In the course of fifteen days one hundred and eight cases occurred; the deaths during the period amounted to thirty-two. Amongst them was Brevet Lieut. – Colonel Deshon, an officer of the highest talents and character.

During the latter part of the year 1844, and beginning of 1845, a company of the regiment was employed on field service in the southern Mahratta country, where, at the assault of the fort of Munscentosh, four privates were killed; Lieutenant Gardiner, who commanded the company, and one serjeant and five rank and file, were wounded.

1845

The head-quarters of the regiment embarked at Aden on the 13th of March, 1845, and arrived at Bombay on the 7th of April. The left wing marched from Ahmednuggur on the 11th of December, and joined the head-quarters at Bombay on the 26th of the same month.

1846

In the beginning of January, 1846, the regiment, having been selected for field service, embarked at Bombay for Scinde, and on the 11th of January marched from Kurrachee, en route to Bhawulpore; it arrived at Sukkur on the 3rd of February, and on the 16th of that month proceeded on its march towards the Punjaub; but accounts being received of the termination of the war in that country, the troops advanced no further than Bhawulpore, on the Sutlej, where the regiment remained until the 12th of March, when it returned to Sukkur, from whence it embarked for Kurrachee on the 9th of August, 1846.

1847

The regiment embarked at Bombay on the 13th of March, 1847, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Pennycuick, K.H., in the freight-ships Ann and John Brewer, and arrived at Gravesend on the 6th of August, from whence it marched to Canterbury. In November the regiment was removed to Dover.

1848

Apprehensions were entertained that the public peace would be disturbed by the several meetings of Chartists in the vicinity of the Metropolis on Monday, the 10th of April, 1848; and as they appeared determined to unite on Kennington Common, in order to proceed from thence in procession to the House of Commons with their petition, the Government took the usual precautionary measures to prevent tumultuous assemblages of the people. Accordingly the regiment was ordered to proceed from Dover to London on the 8th of April, but happily the meetings dispersed more quietly than was anticipated, and the regiment marched to Portsmouth on the 13th of that month, in which garrison it remained until the 26th of July, when it proceeded to Chatham, where the regiment is doing duty at the period of the termination of this record, on the 1st of November, 1848.

1848

SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF THE SEVENTEENTH OR THE LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT

Solomon Richards

Appointed 27th September, 1688

Solomon Richards served on the Continent in the reign of King Charles II., and in the autumn of 1688 he was nominated by King James II. to raise a corps of pikemen and musketeers, now the SEVENTEENTH regiment of foot, of which he was appointed Colonel on the 27th of September, 1688. At the Revolution he transferred his services to the Prince of Orange, afterwards King William III., who sent him, with his regiment, to the relief of Londonderry. He returned to England, at the suggestion of the governor of Londonderry, who stated the place could not be defended against the army advancing to attack it, and King William, disapproving of his conduct, deprived him of his commission. He was not afterwards employed in the army.

Sir George St. George

Appointed 1st May, 1689

No record of the services of this officer, previous to his appointment to the colonelcy of the SEVENTEENTH regiment on the 1st of May, 1689, has been met with. He served the campaign of 1694 in Flanders; and in 1695 he exchanged to a newly-raised regiment, which was disbanded in 1798.

James Courthorpe

Appointed 1st May, 1695

James Courthorpe entered the army in the time of King Charles II., and afterwards commanded a company of foot. He was appointed Colonel of one of the regiments raised for the reduction of Ireland in 1689; and in 1695 he exchanged to the SEVENTEENTH foot. He served in the Netherlands under King William III., and was killed at the head of his regiment when storming the breach of Terra Nova at the Castle of Namur, on the 30th of August, 1695.

Sir Matthew Bridges

Appointed 1st September, 1695

After a progressive service in the subordinate commissions, this officer was appointed Lieut. – Colonel in the SEVENTEENTH regiment; he distinguished himself at the storming of the breach of Terra Nova at the Castle of Namur, on the 30th of August, 1695, when he was wounded. King William III. conferred the colonelcy of the regiment upon him, and he served under His Majesty until the treaty of Ryswick in 1697; and subsequently commanded his regiment in Ireland. The date of his decease has not been ascertained.

Holcroft Blood

Appointed 26th August, 1703

This officer was the son of the celebrated Colonel Thomas Blood, who made a desperate effort to carry off the crown from the Tower of London in the reign of King Charles II., for which the Colonel was afterwards pardoned, in consequence of his previous services in the Royal cause. Holcroft Blood served on board the fleet, in the war with Holland, in 1672 and 1673; and he subsequently entered the French army as cadet in the guards of Louis XIV., where he made great proficiency in the study of fortifications. At the Revolution in 1688 he returned to England, and was appointed to a commission in Colonel Seymour's regiment, in which corps he rose to the rank of major. He served in Ireland, where he was employed as an engineer, and evinced ability at the sieges of Athlone and Limerick: he also distinguished himself at the siege of Namur in the Netherlands, in 1695; and was promoted to the lieut. – colonelcy of the SEVENTEENTH regiment. He accompanied the SEVENTEENTH to Holland in 1701, and in 1702 he served as a principal engineer at the sieges of Venloo and Ruremonde, where he displayed great ability. He particularly distinguished himself at the storming of Fort St. Michael, at Venloo, where "he showed the part of a brave officer, charging with the men sword in hand, and killing an officer of the enemy's grenadiers, who made a vigorous opposition with his party."¹⁰ The talents and bravery of Colonel Blood procured him the favour of the great Duke of Marlborough, who obtained for him the colonelcy of the SEVENTEENTH regiment and the command of the British artillery on foreign service on the Continent, with the rank of brigadier-general. At the memorable battle of Blenheim in 1704, Brigadier-General Blood highly distinguished himself; and, by bringing nine field-pieces into action at a critical moment, greatly contributed to the gaining of that splendid victory: by a General Order issued in the evening of that day, all the trophies captured were placed under his care. Towards the close of the campaign he accompanied the Duke of Marlborough to the Moselle, and was engaged in the capture of several places in that quarter. He continued in the command of the British artillery on the Continent, and his services were associated with the forcing of the French lines at Helixem and Neer Hespen in 1705, and the splendid victory at Ramilies in 1706. On the 1st of January, 1707, he was promoted to the rank of Major-general. He died at Brussels on the 20th of August, 1707.

James Wightman

Appointed 20th August, 1707

James Wightman was many years an officer in the SEVENTEENTH regiment, with which corps he served in the Netherlands under King William III. He accompanied the regiment to Holland in 1701, and served the campaigns of 1702 and 1703 under John Duke of Marlborough. He was promoted to the lieut. – colonelcy of the regiment in 1702, and to the rank of colonel in the army in August 1703. He served in Portugal and Spain under the Earl of Galway; was nominated Brigadier-general on the 1st of January 1707, and to the colonelcy of the SEVENTEENTH regiment in August following: in 1710 he was promoted to the rank of Major-general. He served in Scotland under the Duke of Argyle during the rebellion of the Earl of Mar, and commanded a division of infantry at the battle of Dumblain: he wrote an account of the battle, which was published at the time. In 1719 he commanded the King's troops at the battle of Glenshill, when he forced the Highlanders to disperse, and the Spanish troops to surrender prisoners of war. His services were rewarded with the government of Kinsale. He died suddenly at Bath, of a fit of apoplexy, in September, 1722.

Thomas Ferrers

Appointed 28th September, 1722

This officer served under the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough, and was promoted to Captain and Lieut. – colonel in the foot-guards; in May, 1705, he was advanced to the rank of Colonel, and in 1710 to that of Brigadier-general. Being conspicuous for loyalty at a period when Jacobin principles were prevalent in the kingdom, he was commissioned to raise a regiment of dragoons, which was disbanded in 1718; and in the following year he was appointed Colonel of the thirty-ninth foot, from which he was removed, in September, 1722, to the SEVENTEENTH regiment. He died about three weeks afterwards.

James Tyrrell

Appointed 7th November, 1722

James Tyrrell was appointed Ensign in a regiment of foot on the 6th of February, 1694, and he served under King William III. in the Netherlands. He distinguished himself in the wars of Queen Anne; and was promoted to the colonelcy of a newly-raised regiment of foot in April, 1709. At the peace of Utrecht his regiment was disbanded; and in 1715 he raised a regiment of dragoons for the service of King George I., which was disbanded in November, 1718: in 1722 His Majesty gave him the colonelcy of the SEVENTEENTH regiment. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-general in 1727; to that of Major-general in 1735; and Lieut. – general in 1739. He died in August, 1742.

John Wynyard

Appointed 31st August, 1742

John Wynyard was many years an officer of the SEVENTEENTH regiment of foot, with which corps he served in the Peninsula in the war of the Spanish succession, and in Scotland during the Earl of Mar's rebellion. On the 10th of July, 1718, he was promoted to the lieut. – colonelcy of the regiment; and his zealous attention to all the duties of his situation was rewarded, in November, 1739, with the colonelcy of the fourth regiment of marines, which was then newly raised, from which he was removed, in 1742, to the SEVENTEENTH regiment, which corps he had commanded many years with reputation. He died in 1752.

Edward Richbell

Appointed 14th March, 1752

This officer entered the army in the reign of Queen Anne, and served with reputation under the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough. He evinced a constant attention to the duties of his profession, and was promoted, on the 18th of May 1722, to the lieut. – colonelcy of the thirty-seventh regiment. He distinguished himself in the war of the Austrian succession, and was promoted to the colonelcy of the thirty-ninth regiment on the 14th of June, 1743. In 1746 he commanded a brigade under Lieut. – general St. Clair, in the expedition against Port L'Orient; and in 1752 he was removed to the SEVENTEENTH regiment. He died in 1757.

John Forbes

Appointed 25th February, 1757

John Forbes obtained a commission in the army on the 10th of April, 1710; after a progressive service in the subordinate commissions, and distinguishing himself in the war of the Austrian succession, he was promoted to the lieut. – colonelcy of the Scots Greys on the 29th of November, 1750: in 1757 he was advanced to the colonelcy of the SEVENTEENTH regiment. He was nominated Adjutant-general to the expedition against Louisburg in 1757; and afterwards appointed Commander-in-chief of the troops in the southern provinces of North America, with the rank of Brigadier-general. He died on the 11th of April, 1759.

The Honorable Robert Monckton

Appointed 24th October, 1759

The Honorable Robert Monckton, son of John, first Viscount Galway, served in the army in the war of the Austrian succession; and in February, 1751, he was promoted to the lieut. – colonelcy of the forty-seventh regiment: in 1757 he was nominated Colonel-commandant of the second battalion of the sixtieth regiment. He commanded a brigade, under Major-general James Wolfe, in the expedition against Quebec, and evinced great gallantry and ability on several occasions; he was shot through the lungs at the battle on the heights of Abraham, on the 13th of September; but recovered of his wound, and was nominated Lieut. – governor of Annapolis Royal, and Colonel of the SEVENTEENTH regiment. In 1761 he was appointed Governor and Commander-in-chief of the province of New York; and promoted to the rank of Major-general. Soon afterwards he was selected to command the land-forces of an expedition against the French island of Martinique, which he captured, after overcoming numerous difficulties, early in 1762. He was nominated Governor of Berwick and Holy Island, and afterwards of Portsmouth, which place he represented in Parliament several years. He was promoted to the rank of Lieut. – general in 1770. His decease occurred on the 21st of May, 1782.

George Morrison

Appointed 29th May, 1782

This officer served many years on the staff of the army; he was advanced to the rank of Lieut. – colonel in 1761, at which period he held the appointment of Deputy-quartermaster-general; and in 1763 he was placed at the head of that department. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1772, and to that of Major-general in 1777; in 1779 he was appointed Colonel of the seventy-fifth regiment (afterwards disbanded), from which he was removed, in 1782, to the SEVENTEENTH, and also promoted to the rank of Lieut. – general. He was appointed to the fourth regiment of foot in 1792; and promoted to the rank of General in 1796. He died in 1799.

George Garth

Appointed 8th August, 1792

This officer served thirty-seven years in the first regiment of foot-guards, in which corps he was appointed Ensign and Lieutenant at the commencement of hostilities with France in 1755. In 1758 he obtained the rank of Lieutenant and Captain, and he afterwards served in Germany under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick: on the 6th of February, 1772, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and Lieut. – colonel. When the American war commenced, his services were extended to that country, where the foot-guards had opportunities of distinguishing themselves. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1779; was nominated Major in his regiment in March, 1782, and advanced to the rank of Major-general in November following: in 1789 he was appointed Lieut. – colonel in his regiment. King George III. was pleased to confer on Major-general Garth the colonelcy of the SEVENTEENTH regiment in 1792; also to promote him to the rank of Lieut. – general in 1796, and to that of General in 1801. General Garth was subsequently appointed Lieut. – governor of Placentia. He died in 1819.