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                           HISTORICAL RECORD

                                OF THE

                   THIRD, OR THE KING'S OWN REGIMENT

                                  OF

                            LIGHT DRAGOONS:

                              CONTAINING

              AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
                               IN 1685,

                    AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
                               TO 1846.


                              COMPILED BY
                         RICHARD CANNON, ESQ.,
               ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, HORSE GUARDS.

                       ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES.

                                LONDON:
                     PARKER, FURNIVALL, & PARKER,
                          30, CHARING CROSS.

                             M DCCC XLVII.

        LONDON: Printed by W. CLOWES and SONS, Stamford Street,
                  For Her Majesty's Stationery Office.




GENERAL ORDERS.


                                                          _HORSE GUARDS,
                                                     1st January, 1836._

His Majesty has been pleased to command, that, with a view of doing
the fullest justice to Regiments, as well as to Individuals who have
distinguished themselves by their Bravery in Action with the Enemy,
an Account of the Services of every Regiment in the British Army
shall be published under the superintendence and direction of the
Adjutant-General; and that this Account shall contain the following
particulars, viz.,

---- The Period and Circumstances of the Original Formation of the
Regiment; The Stations at which it has been from time to time employed;
The Battles, Sieges, and other Military Operations, in which it has
been engaged, particularly specifying any Achievement it may have
performed, and the Colours, Trophies, &c., it may have captured from
the Enemy.

---- The Names of the Officers, and the number of Non-Commissioned
Officers and Privates, Killed or Wounded by the Enemy, specifying the
Place and Date of the Action.

---- The names of those Officers, who, in consideration of their
Gallant Services and Meritorious Conduct in Engagements with the Enemy,
have been distinguished with Titles, Medals, or other Marks of His
Majesty's gracious favour.

---- The Names of all such Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and
Privates as may have specially signalized themselves in Action.

And,

---- The Badges and Devices which the Regiment may have been permitted
to bear, and the Causes on account of which such Badges or Devices, or
any other Marks of Distinction, have been granted.

  By Command of the Right Honourable
                            GENERAL LORD HILL,
                                              _Commanding-in-Chief_.

                                                 JOHN MACDONALD.
                                                 _Adjutant-General._




PREFACE.


The character and credit of the British Army must chiefly depend
upon the zeal and ardour by which all who enter into its service are
animated, and consequently it is of the highest importance that any
measure calculated to excite the spirit of emulation, by which alone
great and gallant actions are achieved, should be adopted.

Nothing can more fully tend to the accomplishment of this desirable
object than a full display of the noble deeds with which the Military
History of our country abounds. To hold forth these bright examples
to the imitation of the youthful soldier, and thus to incite him to
emulate the meritorious conduct of those who have preceded him in their
honourable career, are among the motives that have given rise to the
present publication.

The operations of the British Troops are, indeed, announced in the
"London Gazette," from whence they are transferred into the public
prints: the achievements of our armies are thus made known at the time
of their occurrence, and receive the tribute of praise and admiration
to which they are entitled. On extraordinary occasions, the Houses of
Parliament have been in the habit of conferring on the Commanders,
and the Officers and Troops acting under their orders, expressions
of approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery; and these
testimonials, confirmed by the high honour of their Sovereign's
approbation, constitute the reward which the soldier most highly prizes.

It has not, however, until late years, been the practice (which appears
to have long prevailed in some of the Continental armies) for British
Regiments to keep regular records of their services and achievements.
Hence some difficulty has been experienced in obtaining, particularly
from the old Regiments, an authentic account of their origin and
subsequent services.

This defect will now be remedied, in consequence of His Majesty having
been pleased to command that every Regiment shall in future keep a full
and ample record of its services at home and abroad.

From the materials thus collected,