From Fraser's Magazine. THE IRISH BRIGADE IN THE SERVICE OF FRANCE (1698-1791). THE existence of a brigade of soldiers in the service of France, composed exclusively of British subjects, and annually rearuited from our shores, is a very striking fact, and one whose causes and significance may have been too much overlooked by modern politicians. No one can fail to be struck by this who happens to read a work on the Irish Brigade, by Mr. J. C. O'Callaghan, to which we have had occasion to refer in the course of our researchThe book itself is bad, full of inaccuracies and exaggerations, and unmistakably disloyal in its tone, yet it is interesting, and it affords food for much serious reflection. on the Continent. Accordingly a body of over five thousand men and officers of the Irish army sailed for France in the transports which had brought over De Lauzun's forces to Ireland. On landing at Brest these Irish troops were formed into three regiments, commanded respectively by Lord Mountcashel, the Honourable Daniel O'Brien, afterwards Lord Clare, and the Honourable Arthur Dillon; Lord Mountcashel being commander-in-chief of the whole brigade. Although this body, which was afterwards known by the name of the "Old Brigade," was the forerunner of the real Irish Brigade, yet the latter famous corps can hardly be said to have been finally organized for nearly ten years more. Nevertheless Lord Mountcashel's Irishmen did good service to the cause of The origin of the Irish Brigade in the France during the years 1690 and 1691, in service of France can hardly be assigned Savoy against Victor Amadeus, and in to any definite date; for although the Spain against the Duke of Medina Sidonia. Brigade was not fully and finally organ-Within three months after the conclusion ized until 1698, yet the first germ of its existence may be discovered nearly thirty years before. es. of the treaty of Limerick, more than eighteen thousand Irishmen Jacobites or otherwise-passed over into France As early as the year 1671, Charles II. with James II. Among them was a large had permitted the Comte de Hamilton to proportion of trained soldiers, who had levy a body of over fifteen hundred men been recruited in Ireland during the reigns in Ireland for the service of the King of of Charles II. and James II., and who in France. This regiment was known by the virtue of the capitulation of Limerick were name of the régiment de Hamilton, and was permitted to accompany their fallen monproken up at the Count's death in 1676, arch to his asylum in France. Some of and its members drafted into other French the regiments had been only lately raised corps. Among them was a young Irish- for the service of James in Ireland, but the man of the name of Lee, who afterwards," King's" dismounted dragoons dated from at Lord Mountcashel's death in 1694, 1685, the regiment of Mountcashel from succeeded to the command of his regiment 1683, and the Royal Foot Guards from the first and not the least distinguished 1662. These eighteen thousand Irish of the Irish Brigade. There had been troops in the pay of the French king, alIrish troops in the Spanish service ever though two-thirds of them were nominally since the desertion of Sir Edward Stanley in the service of James, fought bravely for in 1587; and from 1652 to 1658 a regiment the cause of France, until the peace of of cavalry and one of infantry, both en- Ryswick secured for a brief period the tirely composed of Irishmen, fought under tranquillity of Europe. Their ranks were the banners of France. But although constantly recruited from Ireland, and, these troops by their valour tended to without giving any credence to the exagcreate a reputation for the Irish soldierygerated statements of Mr. O'Callaghan on on the continent of Europe, they can not this point, we can well believe that a conbe said to have been in any way connected siderable number of Irish Roman Cathowith the Irish Brigade of the eighteenth lics found their way to France during the century, or to have any claim upon our six years immediately following the treaty attention here. In the spring of 1690, of Limerick; and, indeed, throughout the when James was hard pressed in Ireland, greater part of the eighteenth century he implored Louis XIV. to send him over Jacobite agents were established in varisome French troops, whose experience and ous parts of Ireland for the purpose of prestige would be invaluable to his irregu- enlisting men for the French service, and lar and dispirited army. Louis accordingly their efforts appear to have been completesent over about six thousand men to Ire-ly successful. land, under the Comte de Lauzun, but The first service in which the Irish Bridemanded in exchange a similar number gade was appointed to take a part after its of Irish troops, to aid him in his own wars organization in 1692 was an expedition TO As by the peace of Ryswick Louis XIV. had acknowledged William of Orange to be the lawful King of Great Britain, it was manifestly impossible for him any longer to allow the army of James, as such, to remain in his dominions. Unwilling, however, to banish the soldiers who had so ably assisted him in his struggles with the League of Augsburg, the French king determined to take the greater part of James's troops into his own service, and by uniting them with the brigade of Mountcashel, already mentioned as being in his own army, to organize an Irish Brigade or band of mercenaries into which all future refugees from Ireland might be enlisted; and while thus providing a career for themselves, might assist his own troops in future wars. The army of James numbered over 12,000 men, and the brigade of Mountcashel about 6,000, making together more than 18,000 men, out of which early in 1698 was formed the new Irish Brigade. The reorganization of the Irish troops was attended with considerable difficulty, from the extraordinary number of officers which were to be found among their ranks, and which may easily be accounted for by the peculiar origin of the regiments. It was found impossible to include the greater part of these Irish officers in the new Brigade; but they were allowed to retain their rank, and received a small allowance from the treasury of France. Dissatisfied with this treatment, they presented a petition to the French king, setting forth at some length their real or imaginary griev ances in true Irish fashion; in answer to which the generous Louis formed them into a distinct corps of officers, to serve wherever he might be desirous of employing them, and granted them the full pay attached to their nominal rank. This corps of "reformed " officers, as they were called, proved a valuable adjunct to the Brigade during the early part of its career, and was itself distinguished upon many occasions. against England. This proposed invasion to retire, leaving Catinat master of the was in the early part of the year 1702 an, hands of the Germans. Marshal Villeroi, important military centre. A gallant hurrying from his quarters with a slender Spanish officer, Don Diego de la Concha, escort, was taken prisoner; Crenan and was commandant of the citadel, and Mar- Montyon were also taken, De la Concha shal Villeroi, as commander of the French and Desgrigny were mortally wounded, and Spanish troops, had made the city his D'Entragues was killed; and the Germans head quarters during the winter. The were already congratulating themselves Marquis de Crenan and the Comte de on their victory, when a body of men, Revel, distinguished French generals, held who had been despatched to take possessubordinate commands, and Colonels Ar- sion of the Po Gate, at which the Prince thur Dillon aud Walter Bourke, with some de Vaudemont would have to enter the 600 men of the Irish Brigade, raised the town, found the road barred by a small entire strength of the garrison to about detachment of Irish, under the command of 5,000 men. At no great distance lay Major O'Mahony, who defended the way Prince Eugene at the head of a small until the remainder of their countrymen, force, too weak to besiege Cremona, and together with a few Spanish and French yet conscious of the immense importance troops, came to their assistance; and, in of its reduction. He accordingly through- spite of repeated charges, both of cavalry out the winter devoted his particular at- and grenadiers, they occupied the fortifi tention to the surprise of the town; and cations of the gateway, and, despatching having put himself into communication fifty of their number to break down the with a priest of the name of Cozzoli living bridge of boats, so as to prevent Vaudewithin Cremona, he contrived to have a mont from attacking them in the rear, they subterranean passage opened from the showed a bold front to the Germans in the main sewer of the city into the priest's city. For upwards of nine hours did this house. The greatest laxity of discipline devoted band resist every attempt made prevailed among the garrison, and the by Eugene to force their position. In vain sentries on the walls were both few and did the flower of the German infantry adcareless. Eugene had no difficulty in vance resolutely against their barricades; introducing by degrees about 500 men in vain did the terrible Austrian cuirassiers through the subterranean passage into sweep over all obstacles and penetrate into the priest's keeping, and preparations were the midst of the Irish: the Irish remained accordingly made for an attack on the firm. The Baron de Freiberg, one of morning of the 1st of February, 1702. In the bravest officers in the Austrian army, addition to his own corps of about 4,000 vowed that he would dislodge them or men, the Prince ordered De Vaudemont, perish in the attempt; his troops were at the head of 5,000 more, to march round beaten back, and he himself was slain. the city, and, crossing the river Po by a Negotiations were tried with no better bridge of boats on the west, to enter the effect. Eugene sent an Irishman in his town by the gate known as the Po Gate, own service, one MacDonnell, to treat and effect a junction with the forces of with O'Mahony, thinking that the persuaEugene within its walls. The attack was sions of a compatriot could not but be well planned, and early in the morning successful, but the messenger was taken the gates of All Saints and Saint Margaret prisoner and the Prince defied. At length, were opened by Father Cozzoli's cellar- about three o'clock in the afternoon, Eumen, and Eugene might have taken pos- gene, seeing that De Vaudemont could not session of the city almost without striking cross the river to join him, and unable to a blow, had not Monsieur d'Entragues, a hold the town with his actual force, was French officer of rank, happened to be re- compelled slowly and reluctantly to retire, viewing a regiment of marines in one of carrying with him a marshal of France the squares of the town at four o'clock in and other distinguished prisoners, but leav the morning. These troops opposed the ing Cremona as he had entered it in the entrance of the Germans with the greatest morning, a Spanish and not a German bravery, and although they were soon city. In their heroic defence of Cremona overpowered by Eugene's superior force, the Irish were reduced from 600 to 250 the noise of the conflict aroused the sleep-men, having lost no less than 87 officers ing garrison, and gave time for a hurried and 263 men. The large proportion of arming and assembling of the other troops. Before the allies had recovered from their surprise, however, Eugene had installed himself in the Podesta, or Town Hall, and all the eastern part of the city was in the officers among the killed and wounded was the result of the peculiar organization of the Brigade already referred to, and which must always be borne in mind in considering the results of any encounter in which the Irish troops were engaged. | During the years 1705 and 1706, the The Marquis de Revel, now the commander Irish took part in the various military opof Cremona, selected O'Mahony as the erations in Italy, Germany, and Spain, and officer to be sent to apprise Louis XIV. of were especially distinguished at the battle the failure of Eugene's attempt, and the of Calcinato. But our space forbids us to delighted monarch, to mark his apprecia- enter into any details of the military option of O'Mahony's services and those of erations of these years, or those which the Irish generally, received him with immediately followed, and we must conspecial favour, made him a handsome pres- tent ourselves with saying that the inent, and settled on him a pension of a fluence of the Irish Brigade at Almanza, thousand livres. at Oudenarde, at Malplaquet, and at Dettingen, was not of any considerable importance. We must, therefore, pass over a period of forty years in a somewhat abrupt manner in order to be able to devote our attention to the most celebrated if not the most glorious event in the annals of the Irish Brigade. Beyond their savage persecution of the Camisards in the Cevennes, nothing worthy of note is recorded of the Irish troops from Cremona until the great French defeat in 1704. The Brigade at Blenheim formed part of the division of Marshal Marcin, which was opposed to the allied forces under Prince Eugene; and, although On the 1st of May, 1645, Marshal Saxe not more than two thousand strong, they invested Tournay, which by virtue of the distinguished themselves by their gallant Barrier Treaty was garrisoned by Dutch conduct throughout the day; and when, troops. Although broken down in conat its close, the defeat of Tallard by Marl-stitution and so weak as to be unable even borough rendered it necessary for Marcin to mount his horse, the mind of the great to draw off his division, to the Irish, under Marshal was as clear and as active as the command of Lord Clare, was assigned ever; and the eighty thousand Frenchthe important and honourable duty of men who composed his army were not to protecting the retreat. In this position be beaten, as braver Frenchmen have been they opposed a successful resistance to beaten in our own time, by any defect in Prince Eugene, and thus while the main generalship. Ere the army had been long body of the Allies under the Duke of before Tournay, the Duke of Cumberland, Marlborough obtained a complete victory who commanded the allied forces in the over Marshal Tallard, the division of Mar- Netherlands, set out from Brussels to cin was enabled to effect its retreat in tol- raise the siege, at the head of a force comerably good order. In the Italian cam- posed of English, Hanoverian, Dutch, and paign of the next year, the Irish mustered Germans, to the number of about fifty in much greater force than at Blenheim, thousand men, of whom nearly twenty and in the undecisive battle of Cassano thousand were British. Marshal Saxe, between the Duc de Vendôme and Prince leaving about fifteen thousand men Eugene they attracted general attention keep the garrison of Tournay in check, by their valour; and the great French advanced to meet the allies, and estab commander himself, who was not given to lished himself in a strong position on the flattery, wrote of them in the highest plain of L'Escaut, having the village of terms to Louis XIV. At the battle of Antoin to his right, with the wood of Ramillies the brigade sustained a severe Barré to his left, and his right centre restloss in its colonel, Charles, fifth Viscounting upon the little village of Fontenoy. Clare, together with a great number of inferior officers and men. This Lord Clare was one of the bravest of the brave officers who distinguished the Irish Brigade; his daring charges had turned the forture of the day at the first battle of Blenheim, and his skill and courage had saved the retreating army of Marcin at the second. It was while endeavouring to rally the flying troops at Ramillies that he received the wounds of which he soon afterwards died. He was succeeded in his title and in the nominal command of his regiment by his infant son, afterwards the Marshal Thomond and the hero of Fontenoy. to Strong as was this position by nature, it was fortified and protected in front by redoubts, and the only possible approach, the narrow and rugged space between Barré and Fontenoy, was commanded by no less than one hundred and ten pieces of cannon. The French army was inspirited by the presence of both the King and the Dauphin; and Marshal Saxe, anxious to secure a safe retreat for the royal party in case of accidents, stationed large detachments of troops to guard the bridges over the Scheldt and to keep up communications in his rear. The absence of these troops as well as those which had been left before Tournay reduced the Mar for the defence of the royal position, were directed full upon the victorious column; and the household troops, the reserves, and the Irish Brigade, which had not yet been engaged, were drawn together by Marshal Saxe and hurled against the English flank with the energy of despair. So distinguished were the Irish troops in this charge that to them is usually ascribed the fortune of the day. For the English, unassisted by cavalry and abandoned by the entire Dutch force, were staggered by this final onslaught; they halted, wavered, and fell into confusion. At length, savs Voltaire, "ils se raillèrent; mais ils cédèrent; ils quittèrent le champ de bataille sans tumulte, saus confusion, et furent vaincus avec honneur." The Irish Brigade on this eventful day was composed of the regi ments of Clare, Dillon, Bulkeley, Roth, Berwick, Lally, and Fitzjames, commanded These two gallant officers won for themselves undying laurels at the battle of Fontenoy, and lived to serve their adopted country with equal honour both in peace and war. But distinguished as was their career, there was an officer in the Irish Brigade at Fontenoy who was destined to play a more prominent part in the world's history than either Count Dillon or Lord Clare, and whose name has acquired a lasting reputation among the number of the brave and unfortunate. shal's army to about fifty-five thousand pieces of cannon which had been reserved men, a force not much greater numerically than that of the allies, but far superior in one respect; namely, that it was free from the jealous counsels and the divided action which prevailed in the opposite camp. At six o'clock on the morning of the 11th of May the cannonade began. The Dutch, under the Prince of Waldeck, undertook to carry Antoin and Fontenoy by assault; but being unable to penetrate the enemy's lines at either of these points, and having suffered severely from the fire of the French batteries, they retreated in confusion to a distant part of the field, and could not be prevailed upon to take any further part in the action. A detachment of British troops, under General Ingoldsby, which had been despatched to penetrate the wood of Barré and storm the redoubts beyond it, also failed; but the Duke of Cumberland, with the main body of the army, consisting of about fourteen by Count Arthur Dillon and Lord Clare. thousand English and Hanoverian troops, advanced steadily through the terrible cross_fire of the enemy's batteries upon the French centre. The nature of the ground prevented the cavalry from accompanying this column of attack, but a few light field-pieces were dragged along by the infantry. As soon as the Guards, who were in the front of the English column, arrived within fifty paces of the enemy, their commander, Lord Charles Hay, made a formal salute, and called upon the French Guards to fire. "Messieurs," said the Count d'Anteroche, 66 nous ne tirons jamais les premiers; tirez vous-mêmes !" These courtesies soon gave place to more serious proceedings; and the English, after a deadly volley, moved slowly but steadily forward, driving back the Guards and the various French regiments which successively opposed their advance. Like a During the absence of Lally and his great wave the British column moved on, Irish contingent in the East, the Brigade overwhelming every obstacle in its irre- at home, from a combination of causes, sistible progress, and the stoutest hearts fell rapidly into decay. It had risen to its in the French army quailed at its approach. highest pitch of fame, at Fontenoy, but reThe French infantry was beaten, the ceived a death-blow in the peace of AixFrench cavalry was in confusion, many of la-Chapelle. From that day it begau to the bravest of the French officers were decline. The eight years of peace, folkilled, and defeat seemed inevitable. lowed by seven years of war in which the Marshal Saxe implored the King to re- French arms were seldom successful, treat while there was yet time, and not to tended greatly to demoralize the Irish expose any longer a life so valuable to France to the dangers attendant upon a general retreat. But Louis determined to stand his ground, and ordered the Marshal to make a final effort to retrieve the fortunes of the day. At the suggestion of Count Lally, colonel of one of the Irish regiments which bore his name, four But it is not possible in an article like the present to find space for any account of the life of COUNT LALLY. The history of his command in India alone would furnish materials for a volume, and, indeed, occupies a considerable space in the pages of one of the most valuable writers on the military history of that country. regiments, while the repeal of so many of the more stringent laws against the Roman Catholics in Ireland soon after the accession of George III. enabled the Irish to serve in the army of their lawful sovereign, and thus took away what had been doubtless one of the chief inducements to enlist in a foreign service. |