Within months of its original raising the regiment was despatched to join
Marlborough's army in Holland. After five months and only two battles it was sent to Portugal, along with five other of Marlborough's best regiments, where it remained for the next six years. The 33rd fought in many battles including Valencia de Alcantara (1705), Zaragossa (1710), and less favourably at
Almansa and
Brihuega. It was only one of the two foot regiments not to be disbanded and in 1743 the regiment was sent to Germany, where it distinguished itself in the
Battle of Dettingen, gaining its first
battle honour, then again at the
Battle of Fontenoy in 1745 and again in Rocoux and Lauffeld in 1747. During the late 18th century, the regiment gained the familiar nickname
The Havercakes, due to its
sergeants carrying
oatcakes on the tip of their swords to attract new recruits.
American Revolution The 33rd itself had a good reputation for its professionalism and capability, which was seemingly unequalled by any other regiment of the British Army for some time. It was because of their professionalism in the field during the
American War of Independence, that the regiment was given the nickname 'The Pattern'; the regiment then became the standard of soldiering which all other regiments should attain. The 33rd saw much action during the American War of Independence, with its first engagement at the
Battle of Sullivan's Island (First Siege of Charleston) in early 1776, when British forces attempted an assault on that city's defences. In August of that year, the 33rd were involved in the
Battle of Long Island, in which a heavy defeat was inflicted on the Americans, who evacuated their remaining forces to the island of
Manhattan. The regiment's next action came a fortnight later, on 16 September at the
Battle of Harlem Heights. After the British had landed and seized New York, a force of British light infantry pursuing an American scouting patrol advanced too far from their lines and found itself in danger of being cut off in an unexpected counterattack. The 33rd formed part of Lord Cornwallis' Reserve Corps sent in support to cover their withdrawal. The regiment was also involved in the
Battle of Fort Washington. After that, the 33rd were not involved in a major battle until September 1777, when they took part in the
Battle of Brandywine, where the British suffered 550 casualties and the Americans about 1,000. The regiment took part in further action that year, at the
Battle of Germantown and the
Battle of White Marsh, where they fought the Americans who had retreated from the fighting at Germantown. On 14 March 1781,
Lord Cornwallis, the British commander, was informed that General
Richard Butler was marching to attack his army. With Butler was a body of
North Carolina Militia, plus reinforcements from
Virginia, consisting of 3,000 Virginia Militia, a Virginia State regiment, a Corp of Virginian "eighteen-month men" and recruits for the
Maryland Line. They had joined the command of Major General
Nathanael Greene, creating a force of some four to five thousand men in total. During the night, further reports confirmed the American force was at Guilford Court House, some 12 miles (20km) away. Cornwallis decided to give battle, though he had only 1,900 men at his disposal. Cornwallis' troops included Bose's Hessian Regiment and the 71st commanded by Major General
Alexander Leslie and the 23rd and 33rd commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Webster of the 33rd. The second line comprised the two battalions of Foot Guards, the Light Infantry and the Grenadiers commanded by Brigadier
Charles O'Hara of the 2nd Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards. There was then a reserve consisting of Tarleton's Light Dragoons. A few months later, in September, his brother lent him more money and with it he purchased a
lieutenant-colonelcy in the 33rd. The regiment took part in the disastrous
Flanders Campaign and the retreat from Germany, and embarked, from
Bremen, for England on 13 April 1795. Wesley was promoted to full
Colonel by seniority on 3 May 1796 and changed his name to Arthur Wellesley in 1798.
India In 1799 the regiment took part in the
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in a Division commanded by Colonel Arthur Wellesley, as part of a
British East India Company army, commanded by Major General Harris, with Major General Sir David Baird as second in command. Arthur's eldest brother Richard Wellesley, 2nd Earl of Mornington, later 1st Marquess Wellesley, had just become Governor General of India. So in addition to the 33rd, Arthur, who had now become Colonel Arthur Wellesley, was given command of the 10,000 men of the
Nizam of Hyderabad. They had a decisive part to play in the
Battle of Seringapatam. The regiment, involved in bitter fighting with
Tipu Sultan's warriors, were repulsed with heavy losses when they attacked a wood, which was strongly defended by the Sultan's forces. The 33rd rallied and fought further actions throughout the battle, with the British emerging decisively victorious and Tipu Sultan being killed. The regiment won a battle honour for its involvement in the action.
Napoleon's Return and Waterloo between 1812 and 1816. Note the brighter scarlet of the officer on the right. By early March 1815, the regiment was again under the command of the Duke of Wellington, this time during the
Hundred Days campaign of Napoleon. Having taken part in the action of the previous day, at the
Battle of Quatre Bras, they took part in the action at
Waterloo; the 33rd was part of the 5th Brigade under the command of
Major General Sir
Colin Halkett.
West Indies Having departed from Paris on 23 December 1815, the regiment spent the post Waterloo period, from January 1816 to 1821, in uneventful garrison duties in
Guernsey,
Stirling,
Glasgow,
Ulster and
Dublin. In 1822, the regiment was posted to
Jamaica. The
West Indies were notorious as the death bed of the British Army because of the high mortality rate from
malaria,
dysentery,
yellow fever and other such endemic diseases. At the
Battle of Alma, bitter fighting took place, with the 33rd being part of the Light Division under the command of
Sir George Brown. The British advanced up the slope towards the Russian positions. The British formations became intermingled, turning into a mass of soldiers, rather than the professional, neat formations used on parade. As they charged, numerous Russian troops came down the slope to meet them. The British halted and fired, causing so many casualties the Russians were forced to retreat. The British line reorganised and moved up the slope towards the Great Redoubt, with the 33rd being the first to attack the defence works. The 33rd suffered heavy casualties: 7 officers and 232 men in the hand-to-hand combat that ensued. At the
Battle of Inkerman, the 33rd were again involved in some bitter fighting, in which the British infantry advanced despite heavy losses and a strong defence by the Russians. The fighting was fierce, at times some soldiers resorting to attacking their enemy with the butts of their guns. The 33rd suffered further casualties: 3 officers and 61 men. The 33rd was involved in the
Siege of Sevastopol, which lasted for 11 months. By 1856, the war was over but for little gain. The 33rd was committed to Abyssinia in October 1867 and embarked on 21 November, arriving at Annesley Bay on 4 December; but did not disembark for three days due to the chaos on shore.
Lord Napier arrived in early January 1868 and the expedition started from the advance camp at
Senafe at the beginning of February. It took two months to reach their objective, advancing through rough terrain. In his despatch to London Lord Napier reported: "Yesterday morning (we) descended three thousand nine hundred feet to
Bashilo River and approached
Magdala with 'First Brigade' to reconnoitre it. Theodore opened fire with seven guns from outwork, one thousand feet above us, and three thousand five hundred men of the garrison made a gallant sortie which was repulsed with very heavy loss and the enemy driven into Magdala. British loss, twenty wounded". As the British force moved on to Magdala, Tewodros II sent two of the hostages on parole to offer terms. Napier insisted on the release of all the hostages and an unconditional surrender. Tewodros refused to cede to the unconditional surrender, but did release the European hostages. The British continued the advance and assaulted the fortress. (The native hostages were later found to have had their hands and feet cut off before being sent over the edge of the precipice surrounding the plateau.) On reaching the gate there was a pause in the advance, as it was discovered the engineer unit had forgot their powder kegs and scaling ladders and were ordered to return for them. General
Staveley was not happy at any further delay and ordered the 33rd to continue the attack. Several officers and the men of the 33rd Regiment, along with an officer from the Royal Engineers, parted from the main force and, after climbing the cliff face, found their way blocked by a thorny hedge over a wall. Private
James Bergin, a very tall man, used his bayonet to cut a hole in the hedge and Drummer
Michael Magner climbed onto his shoulders through the hedge in the gap and dragged Bergin up behind him as Ensign Conner and Corporal Murphy helped shove from below. Bergin kept up a rapid rate of fire on the Koket-Bir as Magner dragged more men through the gap in the hedge. As more men poured through and opened fire as they advanced with their bayonets the defenders withdrew through the second gate. The party rushed the Koket-bir before it was fully closed and then took the second gate breaking through to the Amba. Ensign Wynter scrambled up onto the top of the second gate and fixed the 33rd Regiments Colours to show the Plateau had been taken. Private Bergin and Drummer Magner were later awarded the
Victoria Cross for their part in the action. Tewodros II was found dead inside the second gate, having shot himself with a pistol that had been a gift from Queen Victoria. When his death was announced all opposition ceased. The regiment later received the battle honour
Abyssinia. ==Volunteers==