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46 (Talavera) AD Battery Royal Artillery

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1 History
2 The Battery Today

[edit] History

46 (Talavera) Bty, Royal Artillery has a long and interesting history dating back to the American War of Independence. The battery was initially raised as the 6th Company of the 7th Battalion, Royal Irish Artillery at Chapel Izod, Dublin in 1770 and carried out general duties in Ireland.

[edit] The Americas

Their first foray into armed conflict came when they were despatched from Dublin to Cork to take part in Lieutenant General Burgoyne's New York campaign of 1777. Under the command of Capt Thomas Jones, Royal Artillery, they set sail for Quebec on the 12 April 1777 aboard the vessel HMS Royal George. They disembarked at Quebec (the exact date is unclear) and joined up with the main force of Burgoyne's army.

The mission was to displace the Continental Army from their strongholds at Ticonderoga, Albany and then to move onto New York. This would in turn weaken the Americans and allow the British to try and re-take the colonies and re-establish them under the British crown.

However, they met fierce resistance from the men defending fort Ticonderoga. It was only when Mount Defiance was taken that fort Ticonderoga was subdued and then taken. Maj Gen St Clair who commanded the American garrison managed to remove his main supplies and troops from the fort and through stealth divided his forces and supplies to prevent the British from benefiting from their defeat.

St Clair hoped to unite his forces at the town of Skensboro, so he sent his supply flotilla along lake Champlain under the command of Colonel Long with the orders to make for Skensboro, whilst he would make his way to the same town via Hubardton and Castleton.

Unfortunately for St Clair, Burgoyne had sent out a force of approximately 900 troops under Generals Fraser and Riedesel to track down the retreating American army.

On the 7th of July the British surprised and routed the American forces. So much panic and chaos was caused that one American commander, Col Seth Warner was heard to shout "Scatter and meet me in Manchester"(Vermont)to his troops.

The Americans suffered 324 casualties from their 600 troops, whilst the British suffered 35 killed and 148 wounded.

Lt Gen Burgoyne pursued the supply flotilla under the command of Col Long and caught up with him at Skensboro. Long, unable to hold the town and losing most of his supplies continued to retreat south toward Fort Edward. He made it to fort Edward on the 12 July and was met there by General Schuyler, commander of the Continental Army's Northern Department.

Reinforcements arrived at Fort Edward under the command of Gen Benedict Arnold. Burgoyne made a major blunder by taking the land route from Skenesboro to Fort Edward - a distance of some 22 miles. He chose not to take the easier route via lake Edward and as a consequence arrived on the 29th july 1777, some 20 days after departing Skenesboro to be met at Fort Edward by a deserted garrison. This delay allowed the Americans to escape what could have been a very severe beating at the hands of the British.

These events caused great problems for Burgoyne. Firstly he lost any advantages gained during the early part of his campaign, and secondly, his army's supplies were too thinly stretched to be of great value. It was from this position that Burgoyne faced the American forces at Bennington on the 16th august 1777.

Here he lost one tenth of his army and 4 of his German artillery pieces. Also, he lost all of his dragoons. This was a devastating blow to him, as he was a dragoon himself and felt that they could win him the campaign. In total some 900 troops were lost to the Americans.

Burgoyne's army had not been resupplied for some time, so foraging parties were sent out to try and find food. During one of these forays the American forces took 20 British troops prisoner and inflicted many casualties. Burgoyne threatened to have anyone found foraging beyond the British front line hung. He then resupplied them to stop the need for foraging.

Burgoyne lost all his native American trackers through desertion because the Americans let it be known that Gen Arnold had magic powers. This left the British without any real knowledge of what was ahead of them.

By force of luck on the 19th of September 1777 Burgoyne heard the Americans reveille call and was able to establish their position. He advanced his army in three columns toward the enemy. General Frazer commanded the right flank which consisted of light infantry, grenadiers, American Loyalists, sharpshooters and artillery (4x 6 pounders and 4x 3 pounders).

In the centre was Burgoyne along with General Hamilton commanding. His group consisted of the battalion companies of five regiments and artillery including the Royal Irish with their(3x 6 pounders and 3x 3 pounders)commanded by Capt Thomas Jones RA. On the left flank was Maj Gen von Riedesel with the majority of his German troops and also the Hesse Hanau Artillery.

According to reports made by eyewitnesses, Lt Haddon serving under Capt Jones reported that:

The enemy had taken possession of the wood and engaged the British, who had taken cover behind two log huts on Freemans farm. Capt Jones RA hastened to their support and sent me to advance with two guns so as to lay down shot on the enemy. Lt Reid was stationed alongside of Capt Jones. We came under some withering fire and I requested Brig Gen Hamilton to supply some infantry because 19 out of 20 men were out of action. None were forthcoming, so I told General Philips of my plight and he immediately ordered Capt Jones to give me all the men from one of Lt Reids guns. I was also ordered to withdraw a little. Capt Jones accompanied me himself.

Capt Jones was very soon wounded by fire from the enemy, which had not been stopped due to the 62nd being almost wiped out. I supported Capt Jones for some time in my arms but had to carry him back behind our lines and was lucky to get there. The 9th who were held in reserve moved into the fray and supported the retreat of the 62nd. The grenadiers and the 9th laid down heavy fire suppressing the Americans and allowing us to regain the advantage.

Another eyewitness is Capt Pausch of the Hesse Hanau Artillery. He noted that: 'The losses of the Royal Artillery in todays action was very severe, one Capt Johns(Jones) was mortally wounded and died the following morning.' He also reported that over thirty Royal Artillery men had been killed or wounded.

On the 7th October 1777 a second battle occurred but this was the last kickings of a dying horse because in the month or so since the first battle the British had been fought to a standstill, and through lack of supplies and ammunition were forced to surrender to numerically superior forces.

In letters written to Lord Townsend, Master of British Ordinance:

Lt Slack lately returned from Quebec. I am informed that none from that campaign behaved more nobly than the drafts from the Royal Irish Artillery. I am sorry they have suffered so much, but it is the lot of brave men who, so situated, prefer a glorious discharge of their duty to a desertion of it.

General Phillips wrote a letter in praise of the Royal Irish Artillery, in which he stated:

I to report to you, my lords, that the Corps of Artillery which I commanded has acted during the campaign with the greatest spirit, and has received the complete approbation of General Burgoyne and the applause of the entire army.

In the action of the 19th September (1777) the artillery was of infinite use; and the brigade commanded by Capt Jones with Lieutenants Hadden and Reid, was particularly engaged, and maintained their posts to the last, although in doing it every man, except five,was either killed or wounded.

[edit] The Peninsular War

After the American wars the Royal Irish Artillery found itself serving in various conflicts throughout the Empire, namely:

Flanders 1794
West Indies 1795
Irish rebellions 1798

The honour title 'Talavera' was gained during the Peninsular War at the town of Talavera de la Reyna in Spain.

On the 27th-28th July 1809 the men of CD Sillery's Company, RA fought to defend the initial retreat of the army, which had been brought about by the disobedience of the Spanish forces (desertion of the right flank positions in the evening).

The following day the battery was posted to the North of Talavera and began engaging in counter battery fire - very quickly silencing the French guns on the right flank that evening.

The following day the battery began engaging 14x 8 pounder guns and 6x 8" Howitzers from 6am till noon. The men of Sillery's company stopped the French advance in its tracks and the actions of the battery allowed the retreat to take place.

The subsequent regrouping and attack led to the defeat of Napoleon's army at Talavera. The divisional commander General Sir John Shearbrooke thanked the battery personally for their extremely steady, effective and accurate fire, which had contributed most considerably to the final victory at Talavera.