Prelude to Waterloo, Adam's Light Brigade (52nd, 71st and 95th), Shorncliffe Lectures Volume 2

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Preface The passing of 200 years since the events described in this second volume of the Shorncliffe Lectures Series furthers the aims of the Shorncliffe Trust by publishing new insights from our annual lecture series, and using original or rare texts, contemporary newspaper accounts and documents to further the understanding of the our shared history and where possible telling the stories of the people involved, as well as broadening our understanding of the importance of Shorncliffe in the history of light infantry.

This volume explores the experiences of the 52nd and 95th Regiments in Holland that ultimately formed Sir Frederick Adams’s brigade in Henry Clinton’s Division at Waterloo, part of Hill’s II Corps. These famous light regiments trained at Shorncliffe Camp were a mixture of Peninsula veterans who had formed part of the famous Light Division under the likes of Craufurd and new recruits. They formed the reserve at Waterloo and were among the most seasoned regiments on the field that day.

The eminent military historian of the early 20th Century, Sir John Fortescue, wrote in 1920 and is still so true today:1

The campaign of Waterloo has been made the subject of whole libraries of books in all languages and has been subjected to examination so microscopic as to be without parallel in military history…. Writers have too often approached it with some ulterior motive… To such mistreatment many, indeed the majority, have added the mistake of regarding it as an isolated event, whereas, to take one detail only, it is impossible for one who has not deeply studied Graham’s campaign of 1814 in the Netherlands [Holland], to understand how bad Wellington’s troops really were.

Taking Fortescue’s advice, this volume traces from late 1813 the 2/52nd and the Provisional Battalion of the 95th Rifles that comprised the Light Brigade of Sir Thomas Graham’s poorly equipped and trained force to support the newly proclaimed Principality of the Netherlands. These remained there until they formed part of Wellington’s Army in April 1815. It is interesting that these four companies of the 95th were still wearing the same tattered uniforms that they had marched out of Shorncliffe Camp, almost two years before.2

The 1/52nd, 1/71st and all three battalions of the 95th Rifles were an important part of the Wellington’s Peninsula Army. In the spring of 1814 were in Southern France. By June they had returned to Southern England and Ireland to prepare for redeployment in America.

With the return of Napoleon Bonaparte in March 1815, it was inevitable that the great armies of Europe would clash again and this volume follows the build-up to

1 Fortescue (1920) Volume X, p405. 2 Caldwell and Cooper (1995) p41.

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Waterloo (18 June). Another volume will take its starting point from the 17 June 1815, through the 18th and the aftermath of the battle and the pursuit of Napoleon. It examines the fortunes of the survivors and the wounded, and culminated in the occupation of France and years of peace.

Chapter 7 gives the Standing Orders of Major General Adam who commanded the Light Brigade in Clinton’s 2nd Division in the important months between the formation of his Brigade and the start of the Waterloo Campaign. Major General Adam instructed that all officers would memorise the first three sections of General Robert Craufurd’s Standing Orders for the Light Division. General Craufurd died of his wounds on the 24 January 1812 after the assault on Cuidad Rodrigo in Spain. For completeness, the complete instructions by Craufurd are reproduced in Chapter 8.

At the Sir John Moore ceremony held by the Shorncliffe Trust on 18 January 2015, we were honoured by the attendance of the Royal Gurkha Rifles who

were marking the start of their 200 year service in the British Army.

A future volume will look at the Battle of Waterloo where Adam’s Brigade of the 1/52nd, 1/71st and 2/95th & 3/95th were instrumental in breaking the final Imperial Guard attack that precipitated the French rout and ensuing victory of the Allied armies.

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The Shorncliffe Trust restarted these lectures in November 2014. The Shorncliffe Trust originally called The Shorncliffe Redoubt Preservation Society (Est. 2006) and in 2013, it was renamed The Shorncliffe Trust.3 As a registered charity4 our aims are

To preserve and conserve Shorncliffe. To develop and improve the features of historic interest at Shorncliffe with

public amenities and the preservation of a site of historic interest. To educate the public in the history of the military and the social impact

of military history by the provision To create and maintain a museum.

The site encompasses over two centuries years of continuous military, social and cultural history. The Trust intends to tell the story of Shorncliffe (and the men and women who trained and lived there) from its earliest days defending Britain against invasion, to its role in the birth of the modern army through the role of Sir John Moore, it’s extension through the Victorian period to the Edwardian and the First and Second World war and beyond to the modern day role of Royal Gurkha Rifles who were founded in 1815.

Acknowledgements Richard Brown of Ken Trotman Publishing and the Trustees of The Shorncliffe Trust to permit the indulgence of adding to the very successful first volume of this series. Peter Hesleden of the Tower Theatre in Shorncliffe for hosting the Shorncliffe lectures. Also we would wish to thank the insightful comments and support from a number of eminent historians including Andrew Bamford who wrote an excellent book on the campaign, Digby Smith, Gareth Glover who edited the important Sir Henry Clinton Correspondence, and Erwin Muilwijk who was kind enough to correct the varied spellings of the places in Holland.

The comments and discussions with Roger Joyce, Chris Shaw and Major Rob Yuill (retired), who is Assistant Regimental Secretary in Heritage for the The Rifles RHQ in Winchester as well as the members of the Sandgate Society and the Shorncliffe Trust has kept us to our task. Not least to thank Anna Barratt, Steven Head and James Ward for proof-reading this volume.

Susan Law, Secretary of the Shorncliffe Trust Dr Stephen Summerfield, Loughborough University

February 2015

3 Currently the four trustees are Christopher Shaw, Des Mullaney, Susan Law and Vincent Law. 4 Registered Charity Number 1152185.

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Contents PREFACE 3 

Acknowledgements 5 Gazetteer 6 

CONTENTS 7 Figures 8 Maps 9 Order of Battles 9 Tables 9 

CHAPTER 1: SHORNCLIFFE AND LIGHT INFANTRY 11 Joining the Light Infantry at Shorncliffe 13 

CHAPTER 2: HOLLAND, 1813 15 Interwoven British and Dutch History 15 November 1813 22 December 1813 26 

CHAPTER 3: HOLLAND, 1814 35 January 1814 35 February 1814 49 March 1814 63 April 1814 67 May 1814 69 June 1814 70 July 1814 71 August 1814 71 September 1814 72 October 1814 72 November 1814 73 December 1814 73 

CHAPTER 4: BELGIUM AND HOLLAND, 1815 74 January, 1815, 77 March 1815 78 April 1815 84 May 1815 88 

CHAPTER 5: TOPOGRAPHY OF FRANCE AND BELGIUM 91 Rivers 91 Roads and Communications 94 Fortresses and Fortified Towns 95 Climate, Resources 99 Supply Difficulties 99 

CHAPTER 6: NAPOLEON INVADES BELGIUM, JUNE 1815 102 Wellington’s Army 104 12 June 1815 108 

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14 June 1815 108 15 June 1815 111 16 June 1815 – Ligny and Quatre Bras 114 

CHAPTER 7: EXTRACTS FROM MAJOR-GENERAL ADAM’S LIGHT BRIGADE ORDERS 119 

April 1815 119 May 1815 121 June 1815 125 

CHAPTER 8: CRAUFURDS SYSTEM FOR THE LIGHT BRIGADE. 127 STANDING ORDERS 129 SECTION I: Preparations for the March. 129 SECTION II: Of the March 131 SECTION III 138 SECTION IV: Duties in Camp or Quarters. 142 SECTION V: Issue of Provisions 147 SECTION VI: Fatigue and Foraging Parties. 148 SECTION VII: Commissariat. 149 SECTION VIII. 151 

CHAPTER 9: BIOGRAPHIES 154 CHRONOLOGY 163 

1812 163 1813 165 1814 167 1815 171 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 173 

Figures Figure 1: The gradual build-up of British and KGL in Holland (1813-14). 31 Figure 2: Strength of the 2/52nd (Dec 1813-Apr 1815) in Holland. 32 Figure 3: Strength of the 1/95th Rifles (Dec 1813-Apr 1815) in Holland. 32 Figure 4: Strength of the 2/95th Rifles (Dec 1813-Apr 1815) in Holland. 33 Figure 5: Strength of the 3/95th Rifles detachment (Dec 1813-Apr 1815) in Holland. 33 Figure 6: The rapid build-up of British and Kings German Legion in Belgium from March 1815 to the occupation of Paris in July. [Andrew Bamford (2014a)] 74 Figure 7: The strength of the 1/52nd Regiment (March – July 1815) 75 Figure 8: The strength of the 1/71st Regiment (March – July 1815) 75 Figure 9: The effective strength of the 1/95th Rifles (March – July 1815) 76 Figure 10: The effective strength of the 2/95th Rifles (March – July 1815) 76 Figure 11: The effective strength of the 3/95th Rifles (March – July 1815) 77 

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Maps Map 1: The United Provinces (Hewson Clarke, 1816) 16 Map 2: Expedition to Holland 1813-14 (Anon, 1883) 21 Map 3: Antwerp, January-February 1814 (Fortescue, 1920). 34 Map 4: Campaign in Holland 1814 (Fortescue, 1920) 38 Map 5: Detail of the Antwerp-Hoostraten-Merxen area, 24 April 1814. 44 Map 6: Contemporary map of the Antwerp-Merxen area by Captain van de Capelle. 43 Map 7: Bergen op Zoom, 8 March 1814 (Fortescue, 1920). 65 Map 8: Movement in Belgium of the 2/95th Rifles (26 Mar-18 June 1815) 82 Map 9: Europe showing the boundaries of France. (Robinson, 1906) 93 Map 10: Map of the border of France and Belgium (Robinson, 1906). 96 Map 11: The Ferraris and Capitaine Maps of 1797. 100 Map 12: Wellington’s Cantonments and Couverture, June 1815 (Becke, 1936). 107 Map 13: Wellington’s Orders for assembly sent at 5pm, 15 June 1815. (Becke, 1936) 110 Map 14: Wellington’s Orders sent at 10pm and midnight, 15 June 1815. (Becke, 1936) 113 Map 15: Concentration of the Anglo-Allied Army on the 16 June 1815. (Becke, 1936) 115 

Order of Battles OOB 1: Graham’s force, 25 December 1813. 29 OOB 2: General Sir Thomas Graham’s Force, 10 January 1814 37 OOB 3: General Sir Thomas Graham force, 10 February 1814 62 OOB 4: British force assaulted Bergen op Zoom on 8 March 1814. 63 OOB 5: General Sir Thomas Graham on 15 April 1815 68 OOB 6: Clinton’s Division in II Corps: Lt-Gen Sir Rowland, 1st Baron Hill. 86 

Tables Table 1: Orders to 1st Corps (Prince of Orange) at 5pm on 15th June 1815. 111 Table 2: Orders to 2nd Corps (Lord Hill) at 5pm on 15th June 1815. 112 Table 3: Orders to the Reserve (Wellington) at 5pm on 15th June 1815. 112 Table 4: Orders to the Cavalry (Earl of Uxbridge) at 5pm on 15th June 1815. 112 Table 5: British and Hanoverian garrison troops on 15th June 1815. 112 

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Chapter 2: Holland, 1813

The British-Dutch rivalry for supremacy of the sea was by 1813 already over two centuries old. Combined with the importance of the natural deep water harbours was a great threat to the maritime nation of Britain. After all, it was from Holland that the last successful invasion of England was carried in 1688.

Interwoven British and Dutch History The Eighty Years War was the Dutch War for Independence from Spain (1568-1648). The last thirty years (1618-48) was submerged in the Thirty Years War. In 1579, the seven rebellious provinces of the Netherlands were united by the Union of Utrecht and formed the Republic of the United Provinces. The Act of Abjuration (26 July 1581) was the formal declaration of independence of the northern Low Countries from the Spanish king. The Peace of Westphalia (1648) confirmed the independence of the United Provinces from Spain.

During this period known as the Golden Age, the Dutch provinces became the most important trading centre of Northern Europe replacing Flanders (now Belgium). In 1602, the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) was founded and financed by shares that established the first modern stock exchange. In 1609, the Bank of Amsterdam was established to finance the growing trade within the region. The republic was governed by city-merchants called the regents. Every city and province had its own government and laws with sovereignty would be vested in the various provincial Estates, the governing bodies of the provinces. The Estates-General, with its representatives from all the provinces, would decide on matters important to the Republic as a whole. The head of each province was the Stadtholder of that province who was normally from the House of Orange.

The Republic and England were major rivals in world trade and naval power and fought a series of three naval wars. The First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-54) was ended by the Treaty of Westminster (1654). After the English Restoration, The Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665-67) was caused by Charles II belief that thought a naval war would weaken the Dutch traders and strengthen the English economy. In June 1667, Admiral de Ruyter ended the war by his raid on the Royal Navy in the Medway and burnt the fleet at Chatham dockyard. The Dutch recovered their trade, while the English economy was seriously hurt and its treasury nearly bankrupt. In 1672, Louis XIV invaded from the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium) and England declared war on the Republic, (the Third Anglo-Dutch War). This resulted in the Prince William III of Orange, aged 20, being elected Stadtholder and captain-general. The country was

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Map 3: Antwerp, January-February 1814 (Fortescue, 1920).

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Chapter 3: Holland, 1814

January 1814 6 January –

DUKE OF YORK to GENERAL TAYLOR,52 Belvoir Castle. January 6th.

... Most fully do I agree with you in all you say about the composition of Sir Thomas Graham’s force, and the necessity of his having a proportion of cavalry joined to it without which he cannot act, or even keep any position with any safety? You know that the infantry was everything which we could scrape together on the spur of the moment with the idea of their being placed in garrison, and not to be employed on the field. I am therefore much afraid that they bear a much greater proportion of old men and boys than we could wish.... Could the Allies have been able to push on at the first moment into Flanders and Brabant, I am perfectly convinced they might have moved on almost without firing a shot, at least to the line of the French frontier… ..,. Your interview with General Benckendorff must have been rather a curious one, and the General appears to be a complete Cossack. I think Graham was quite right in refusing to garrison Breda in the first instance. I shall be most anxious to learn the success of your intended movement upon Antwerp. Frederick [Duke of York].

8 January –There were rumours of French attacks being imminent led to joint plan with the Prussians. Lieutenant Shaw of the 2/52nd recalls:53

About this time, reports became rife that the French were to attack us. We accordingly made a night march. It was the custom for the company mess to carry a bottle of old rum, to be used in case of illness among the officers. It was my fate to be seized with sudden illness, and the surgeon ordered me to have a drink out of the bottle, which was carried by my brother Sub, now lieutenant-Colonel, commanding the ___ I saw him look rather queer; he gave me the bottle without saying a word, and I was too ill to speak. On putting it to my lips, there was not a drop in it; for on a cold night it is difficult to resist the temptation of Brandy.

Unable to move on, I remained behind the column, expecting to be taken prisoner; but an officer of the Rifles, who was well mounted, perceiving my situation, rode up to me, and although he could himself walk with difficulty, dismounted, and, tying his horse to a tree, bade me mount him when I found himself a little better. I had never seen this officer before. I had no kind of acquaintance with him, nor he with me; and it may be imagined by those who have been in similar situations how I appreciated such conduct. I should do

52 Taylor(1913) p117. 53 Shaw (1837) Volume 1 p16-18.

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Chapter 4: Belgium and Holland, 1815

Even before the reappearance of Napoleon, the fledgling country of Belgium and Holland was reinforced by British, King’s German Legion, Hanoverian, and the newly raised Dutch and Belgian Corps that took a central role in the Waterloo Campaign. When Napoleon abdicated, the regiments that had not already departed for America due to contrary winds and the reappearance of Napoleon meant that they were once more sent to the continent

Figure 6: The rapid build-up of British and Kings German Legion in Belgium from March 1815 to the occupation of Paris in July. [Andrew Bamford (2014a)]

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Chapter 8: Craufurds System for the

Light Brigade. WE shall not presume to enter into any recommendation of the following Orders. The perfection to which the division was brought, for ·which they were originally intended, and the acknowledged ability of their· author, will, we conceive, be sufficient to justify their publication.

It may not, however, be improper to give an epitome of their history.

The General had always thought that a system for the march of Divisions in the field was a desideratum in the British Army, and the bad effects of the want of such a system were strongly felt by him in the retreat from Sahagun to Vigo, in 1808.

Upon that occasion he pointed out many great errors in the conduct of the march, &c. and although the truth of his remarks was not then generally admitted, he never lost sight of his ideas on the subject. That march was certainly conducted under circumstances little favourable to the promotion of any regulated plan, and was moreover of too short duration to bring any system to the test of proof. An opportunity, however, soon followed, affording whatever the author could desire.

From June, 1809, when General Craufurd arrived in Lisbon with the Light Brigade, till the disastrous period of his death at Ciudad Rodrigo, in 1812, it may be said that he was constantly occupied in bringing these Standing Orders for the use of his Division, to perfection.

It will be recollected and strongly felt by those who served under him in the Peninsula, how great a change of sentiment took place, on the subject of the General’s proposed regulations, and, indeed, that the excellence of his system soon became acknowledged.

It may be right to add, that scarcely any of the following orders were formed in the closet. Whatever General Craufurd observed as worthy of remark, he noted down in his pocket book, and from these memoranda made upon the spot, the Orders were afterwards arranged. Thus they were, in fact, derived from actual practice in the field, and -afterwards systematized at leisure.

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