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Some Selected Reports from Whitehall



June 27th, 1747.




This Afternoon a Messenger arrived from his Royal Highness the Duke, with Letters, dated from the Head Quarters at Heer, the 3d of July, N.S. to the Right Honourable the Earl of Chesterfield, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State, with the following Particulars.

Published by Authority.

ON the 1st Day of July, N.S. his Royal Highness the Duke proposed marching to take Possession of the Camp between Tongres and Bilsen; but upon observing that the Enemy march'd down in two large Columns from Tongres, with a Design, as it was thought, to get Possession of the Heights of Erdern and Millem, or to fall down upon the Head of our Columns which were marching from Gerlick that Way, his Royal Highness ordered the Prince of Wolfenbuttle to take Possession of the Villages of Gross and Klein Spaw with the Infantry of the Cour de Reserve, and to place his Cavalry on the Right on a small Plain there was between that and the Grande Commanderie. His Royal Highness went to the Left to see if there was Time to form our Cavalry for the Reception of the Enemy; but before the Head of our Cavalry could come up, the Enemy had already formed three Lines of Cavalry upon the Heights of Erdern.
As we were no longer Masters of those Heights, we formed our Right at the Commanderie, occupying all the Heights and Villages in our Front as far as Kessett, in a Line with Maestricht; and the Austrians formed a very considerable Flank back upon Bilsen from the Commanderie.

That whole Day we passed under Arms over-against each other, and lay all Night upon our Arms.

Next Morning, at Break of Day, the Enemy made several Counter-marches over-against us, and at Nine in the Morning we judged that they had no farther Design to attack us that Day ; when soon after, Sir John Ligonier sent Lieutenant Colonel Forbes to acquaint his Royal Highness, that he imagined the Enemy was just going to attack us, or to endeavour to out-flank us, and cut us off from Maestricht : Upon which his Royal Highness went immediately to the Left, and desir'd the Marshal to put the Right instantly under Arms.
About an Hour after that his Royal Highness was arrived there, and had made his Dispositions, and placed his Batteries, the Enemy appear'd form'd in a deep Column, twelve Battalions a-breast, in order to attack a small Enclosure with about four or five small Houses in it, where we had four Battalions posted; and about that Village alone almost the Whole of the Action was, which lasted about four Hours, after it had been taken and retaken four Times; and when we had made ourselves Masters of it by the Assistance of our own detached Troops, which came to us from the Right, the Line of Foot without the Village began to give Way a little; they were however again put in Order.
His Royal Highness then went to form that Part of the Cavalry which had been in Disorder, but found himself cut off by some Squadrons of French Cavalry, which had broke in, and was obliged to retire to our Cavalry, who by that Time, had charged and broke the Enemy's first Line; and afterwards, while his Royal Highness was with them, charged a second Time, and broke the Enemy again; but pursuing them too far, received a Fire from some Foot, who lay behind the Hedges, which gave the French Cavalry Time to form again; and then they forced ours to retire.
In the mean Time our Infantry retreated towards Maestricht, to the Place where we joined. His Royal Highness marched towards Lunakin with all the Cavalry, to favour the Retreat of the Dutch and, the Right Wing; which was effected, so successfully, that they lost nothing but some few Men by Cannon-shot.
Sir John Ligonier and Count Issenbourg, had the misfortune to be taken in the last Attack that our Horse made. Our Loss is but very inconsiderable in Comparison of that of the Enemy, whose Prisoners own above 8000 Men. We have about 700 Prisoners of theirs, and they have not so many of ours.
His Royal Highness gives the greatest Commendation of his Majesty's British and Electoral Troops, of which there was not a Squadron or a Battalion, which did not charge and beat the Enemy more than once.
We have lost no Colours; but the Greys, his Royal Highness, and Adlebsen's, have each lost a Standard ; in Return, we have taken four Standards and four Colours. The Garrison of Maestricht is reinforced by two English, three Austrian, and five Dutch Battalions.
It was only our Left Wing, and some few Dutch, who were engaged with almost the Whole of the French Army.

LIST of Officers Killed, Wounded and Missing.

{Lt. Col. Macdougal,}
{Capt. Preston,}
{Capt. Blair,}
{Lieut. Heron,}Wounded
North British Dragoons,{Cornet Ogilvy,}
{ " Herrington,}
{ " Ballantain,}
{ " Brown,}
{
{Cornet Hunt,}Missing
{Qr. Mr. Carlisle}



Rich's{Cornet and Adjutant Simpson}Missing



{Lieut. Gordon,}Killed
{Cornet Hay,}
Rothes's{
{Lieut. Armstrong,}Wounded
{Qr. Mr. Seaman}



Cope's{Cornet Balmere}Missing



{Lt. Col. Lord Robert Sutton}Wounded
{
{Capt. Otway}Missing
{ " Hall,}Missing
His Royal Highness the Duke's,{ " Kirk,}Missing
{Lieut. Kirk}Missing
{Cornet Kenton}Missing
{Qr. Mr. Evans}Missing
{ " Simpson}Missing



Third Regiment{Ensign Brown}Killed



{Capt. Hacker,}Killed
{Ensign French,}
{
Buffs,{Capt. Crosby,}
{ " Stoyte,}Wounded
{Capt.Lt. Jocelyn,}
{Mr. Mills, Voluntier}



{Lt.Col. Martin,}
{Major Lafacesille,}
Wolfe's{Capt. Catherwood,}
{Lieut. Conwany,}Wounded
{Ensign Wilson,}
{ " Webb,}
{ " Hamilton,}
{
{Capt. Magot}Killed



{Lieut. Haddock,}Killed
{
Pulteny's{Capt. Stafford,}
{Ensign Naylor,}Wounded
{ " John Hollyday,}



{Lt.Col. Williams}
{Major Petitot,}
{Capt. Masters,}
{Lieut. Goddard,}
Major General Howard's{Lieut. Browne,}Wounded
{ " Martin,}
{ " Philips,}
{Ensign Dobson,}
{ " Fuller,}



Scotch Fusilier's{Capt. Leslie,}Wounded



{Capt. Johnson,}Killed
{
{ " Fortescue}
{ " Izard,}
{ " Baldwin,}
Welsh Fuziliers{Lieut. Eyre,}
{ " Rich,}Wounded
{ " Gregge,}
{ " Aday,}
{ " Macklachlan,}
{ " Hewit,}
{ " Oakes,}



{Lieut. Knight,}Killed
{
Craufurd's{Capt. Laurie,}
{Lieut. Stephens,}Wounded
{ " Gore,}



{Major. Roper,}Killed
{
{Lt.Col. Ross,}
Douglas's{Capt. Fuller,}
{Lieut. Rogers,}Wounded
{ " Farquhar,}
{ " Ross}



{Lt.Col. Lockart,}
{Major Lacey,}
{Capt. Kerriell,}
{Lord Glasgow,}
Johnsons's{Lieut. Gardiner,}Wounded
{Lieut. Edmonstone,}
{ " Cope,}
{Ensign Monypenny,}
{ " Francombe,}
{ " Morrise,}



{Major Petrie}Killed
{Lieut. Brodie}
{
{Lt.Col. Jackson,}
{Capt. Morgan,}
{ " Dod,}
Fleming's{ " Gore,}
{Lieut. Aikland,}Wounded
{Ensign Vachan,}
{ " Duncan,}
{ " Elrington,}
{ " Strong,}
{ " Potter,}
{Capt. Pechell omitted}



ROYAL ARTILLERY.

Major Michelson,}
Lieut. M'Leod,}
" Farrington,}Wounded
" Dexter,}
" Stephens,}
" Gogney,}



Capt. Farquherson,}Missing
Lieut. Crauford,}



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