Defense of the
Dutch Republic 1793
Dutch During the
Revolutionary Wars Part 11
The First British Troops Arrive
by Geert van Uythoven, Netherlands
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As usual, British troops were occupied around the world, to defend British colonies and British interest, with few regular troops on the British Isles itself. However, the necessity for Great Britain to commit troops in the Dutch Republic could not be ignored. On 14 February Lord Auckland, British ambassador in the Dutch Republic, wrote to Lord Grenville: "Though I have no doubt that it was tight to send back all our ships from Flushing, [2] and though I can easily understand that it would be difficult and inexpedient for us to furnish even one or two English battalions, I ought not to conceal from you it is a subject of doleful complaint to our friends, and of malignant triumph to our adversaries in this country, to say and to write that in this moment of extreme crisis, England leaves the Republic without a guinea, a soldier, or a ship, to get out of the scrape as well as she can! I have received some provoking remonstrances on this subject, to which it would not be difficult to give answers.
It is, however, a truth that the Republic may be considered at least as an immense magazine including provisions, military chest, etcetera, and that the success of the enemy against her would be of the most fatal consequence to the war. . . .... This was followed on the 15th by: "... It would, however, be of great consequence if the Duke of York were here, accompanied by three or four English officers who have seen actual service; and under the pretext (even if it cannot be immediately realized) that His Royal Highness is to be followed by some English battalions. ... Half a dozen active and enterprising young lieutenants of the navy would be of use; a frigate or two at Helvoet, and four or five cutters and sloops, to run up to Willemstadt if we wished it, would be important. The entrance at Helvoet is safe and good. ....
When it was decided that troops would be send to aid the Dutch Republic, on 20 February orders were given to the three 1st battalions of the Foot Guards to make themselves ready for foreign service. The companies would be augmented to consist of four sergeants, two drummers and 71 privates, however three days later the number of privates was changed to 56. The three guard battalions would form a brigade, commanded by Major General Gerard Lake. The brigade would be augmented with a composite grenadier battalion of four companies, formed from two grenadiers companies of the 1st Regiment, and one from both other Regiments. The composite grenadier battalion was commanded by Colonel Leigh of the 3rd Guards Regiment.
On the 25th the Guards Brigade, nearly 2,000 men, embarked in Greenwich, the King himself present at their embarkation. On the 27th the transports put to sea, protected by the Lizard (frigate 6th Rate 28, Captain Williams) and the Racehorse (Sloop 16). As proposed by Lord Auckland in his letters, the second son of King George III,
Frederick August, Duke of York and
Albany, led the British expeditionary force. The choice of the Duke of York for this mission is not so strange as it would seem. The Dutch Stadtholder William V had a very weak personality, and, although by right being Captain-General of the army, and Admiral-General of the fleet, in no way possessed the qualities necessary to lead the Dutch defence in such difficult times. Command in the field was held by his sons, the hereditary Prince William of Orange, and his brother, Prince Frederic of Orange. Both sons were young and inexperienced. Lord Auckland, British Ambassador in the Dutch Republic, wrote on 15 February 1793 to Lord Grenville: " I have a farther motive for wishing to see His Royal Highness [i.e. the Duke of York] here. The young Princes of Orange are high-spirited; but I will not be answerable for the steadiness of the father when the hour of danger approaches." So what was needed was a British commander, who would be acceptable for the Dutch to lead also the Dutch army under both princes of Orange. Only one person could meet this demand: the Duke of York.
York's instructions were unclear. He was to support the Dutch in their defence, and to guide both princes. At the same time it was made perfectly clear to him that he would have to husband his guards. They would have to stay within immediate reach of their transports, 'in case their services would be required elsewhere'. In time he would be reinforced by more British, Hanoverian and Hessian troops, but it was unclear when these would arrive. Further, it was still to be seen if the Dutch Republic would be able to defend itself against the French at all! So York decided not to undertake risky operations, and to restrict himself mainly to garrison duty until he had sufficient forces at his disposal and the situation would be more clear. Not for the last time during the next 23 years a British commander looked back over his shoulder, to the coastline and harbours to re-embark his army. On 1 March, the British transports reached the fortress-city Hellevoetsluis, after having narrowly escaped a gale. This fortresscity was already indicated by Lord Auckland in his letter to Lord Grenville as being safe. Here the battalion of the 3rd Foot Guards disembarked to garrison this fortress with four companies. The three remaining companies garrisoned the fortress-city Brielle. They would remain there until the 25th, on which date they were relieved by the newly arrived 14th Foot. The remainder of the brigade moved on to the Island of Dordrecht. The Duke of York decided on yet another change of the organisation of the brigade. The battalionswere stripped from even more men to form a light company, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Perryn. The light company was attached to the composed grenadier battalion, which from now on was to be known as the Flank Battalion, consisting of five companies.
Defense of the Dutch Republic 1793 Dutch in Revolutionary Wars Part 11
The Dutch During the Revolutionary Wars
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