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The Horse Grenadier Guards, usually referred to ''Horse Grenadiers'' were a series of
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...
troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop Ro ...
s in the British
Household Cavalry The Household Cavalry (HCav) is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). These regiments are divided between the Household Cavalry Regiment st ...
between 1687 and 1788, who used grenades and other explosives in battle. Originally attached to the Horse Guards, they became independent for a century before being disbanded. However, the men of the troops formed the basis of the new troops of Life Guards.


History


Origins

The origins of the Horse Grenadiers lie in the ''grenadiers a cheval'' of the French ''l'armee''. Louis XIV added a troop of 154 to the Maison Militaire du Roi in December 1676, making it perhaps the most impressive regiment in Europe. Charles II was eager to copy the exciting new innovation of grenade technology.
Grenadier A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...
s, soldiers specially trained to carry and use
hand grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...
s, first appeared in the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...
in 1677. Particularly tall and strong soldiers were usually picked to become grenadiers, because of the weight of extra equipment that they carried. Their use became general in the British Army in 1678, when a
company A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
from each
infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine ...
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
was picked and trained as grenadiers. It was at this time that the horse grenadiers were first raised.


Purposes

Their intended role was to reinforce the troops of Horse Guards, which were composed of gentlemen volunteers. The horse grenadiers, however, were recruited as in the rest of the army.
John Evelyn John Evelyn (31 October 162027 February 1706) was an English writer, landowner, gardener, courtier and minor government official, who is now best known as a diarist. He was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society. John Evelyn's diary, or memo ...
, in his ''
Diary A diary is a written or audiovisual record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digital. A personal ...
'' entry for 5 December 1683, described the appearance of the horse grenadiers:
The King had now augmented his guards with a new sort of dragoons, who carried also granados, and were habited after the Polish manner, with long picked caps, very fierce and fantastical.
In 1680 the Horse Grenadiers had been briefly disbanded due to protest from anti-militarists in the backlash to the Popish Plots. But the King was insistent that they provided much needed protection, and they were promptly reinstated in 1683. The Exclusion Parliaments attempted to dismiss the standing army and separate the militia from the king's command. In May 1679 they passed another Disbanding Act, calling for disbanding of all troops and the prohibition of domestic quarter billeting without householder consent. The controversy caused the downfall of Tory minister Earl of Danby. From August the Horse Grenadiers were all quartered at the Royal Mews, Charing Cross, stabling for 222 horses. These grenadiers functioned as
mounted infantry Mounted infantry were infantry who rode horses instead of marching. The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry. According to the 1911 ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', "Mounted rifles are half cavalry, mounted infantry merely specially mo ...
, riding with the Horse Guards but fighting with
grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade gener ...
s and
musket A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually di ...
s on foot. (Contemporary
dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
s fought in a similar manner, but without grenades.) To The King's Troop of Horse Guards were attached 80
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...
s, officered by one
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
, two
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
s, three
sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other un ...
s, and three
corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...
s, and accompanied by two
drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drums. Most contemporary western bands that play rock, pop, jazz, or R&B music include a drummer for purposes including timekeeping and embellishing the musical timbre. The drummer' ...
s and two hautboys. The grenadiers attached to The Queen's Troop of Horse Guards and The Duke of York's Troop of Horse Guards had no drummers, two sergeants and two corporals, and only sixty privates per troop. Apparently no grenadiers were raised for the 4th Troop then extant. However, The Earl of Dover's Troop of Horse Guards, raised in May 1686, did receive a grenadier contingent. In November 1687, the horse grenadiers were separated from the Horse Guards as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Troop of Grenadiers, one for each of the four existing troops of Horse Guards. As with the Horse Guards, the captains commanding the troops were ranked as Captain & Colonel. The 4th Troop was disbanded in 1689, together with the Horse Guards troop it accompanied, after the abdication of James II.


Revolutionary 'common men'

The Horse Grenadier Guards fought at the
Battle of the Boyne The Battle of the Boyne ( ga, Cath na Bóinne ) was a battle in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II of England and Ireland, VII of Scotland, and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and J ...
, under the command of Hon. George Cholmondeley, then a
lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel ...
in the 1st Horse Guards. One of the Horse Grenadiers was reportedly the first casualty of the battle. They then saw foreign service during the
Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...
, fighting dismounted at the Battle of Steenkerque. In 1693, the three troops were amalgamated into one troop, known as the ''Horse Grenadier Guards'', and Cholmondeley was made Captain and Colonel. Another troop, the Scots Troop of Grenadiers, was raised in 1702 as part of the Scottish Army, it was associated with the 4th or Scots Troop of Horse Guards. These became part of the British establishment in 1709, and the Scots grenadiers became the 2nd Troop of the Horse Grenadier Guards, while the English troop was 1st Troop. From June 1691, the Leuze, to the
Peace of Ryswick The Peace of Ryswick, or Rijswijk, was a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city of Rijswijk between 20 September and 30 October 1697. They ended the 1688 to 1697 Nine Years' War between France and the Grand Alliance, which included England, ...
, the Horse Guards and Horse Grenadiers had been exclusively in Britain and saw little action. Most of the Life Guards were deployed as King William III's bodyguard, but others were as troops of Horse Grenadiers as a regiment of horse. During the reigns of Queen Anne and George I they were deployed to keep the peace. The rivalry between the two regiments was intense. While Life Guards escorted General Schomberg to a royal reception, the Horse Grenadiers were relegated to the baggage train. They considered they were being treated as if second rate. But thanks to the Life Guards class as private gentlemen, an insult to Lord Albemarle in 1719 only required an apology; the matter never reached court. 'Private gentlemen of the right quality' were expected to join a Household regiment as they were expected to carry out public duties. By contrast Walpole's policy of isolationism from continental wars frustrated the Blues and Royals, who were used to police riots and on anti-smuggling patrols.


Battle Troop Commanders

In the person of Earl of Cholmondeley the Horse Grenadiers had a successful commander of 1st Troop until 1733. Less competent were the Earl of Dundonald and Lord Forester both of 4th Troop. One of the problems was the standardization of pay, a technique known as "Off-reckonings" varied enormously between regiments. Lord Shannon did a better job 1735–40. However, in 1742, the 3rd and 4th (Scots) Troops of Horse Guards were sent abroad for service in the
War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...
, and the 2nd Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards went with them. The brigade was engaged at the
Battle of Dettingen The Battle of Dettingen (german: Schlacht bei Dettingen) took place on 27 June 1743 during the War of the Austrian Succession at Dettingen in the Electorate of Mainz, Holy Roman Empire (now Karlstein am Main in Bavaria). It was fought between ...
, where it guarded
George II George II or 2 may refer to: People * George II of Antioch (seventh century AD) * George II of Armenia (late ninth century) * George II of Abkhazia (916–960) * Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051) * George II of Georgia (1072–1089) ...
on the field. It sustained less than twenty casualties owing to improved breastplate armour, out of an allied total of 2,000. When on 25 March 1745, the Duke of Cumberland was appointed Commander-in-chief and arrived in Flanders, the Horse Grenadiers were put into a brigade with Life Guards, and Blues, under Lord Craufurd. Two troops of Horse Grenadiers and Two from Life Guards constituted the Household Cavalry. This arrangement was abolished by royal decree on 18 June 1788, to be replaced by two regiments of Life Guards.White-Spunner, p.261 One distinguished Horse Grenadier was General Onslow, Colonel of 1st Troop, who was a divisional commander in Flanders under Cumberland. The regiment took part in all royal escorts providing the van and rearguards; with Life Guards around the King's body in the centre. The brigade also fought at the Fontenoy and helped to cover the Allied retreat from the field. With the outbreak of the
Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took p ...
, the Household Cavalry was recalled from Europe. The losses of 1756–7, prompted one Horse Grenadier officer, George Elliot to re-evaluate the reasons for their defeat. He tackled questions such as the purchasing of commissions, dragoon tactics, care and size of horses, and the quality of leadership and discipline. On 20 October 1760, at his last public engagement, George II reviewed the Horse Grenadiers with Life Guards in Hyde Park. Two of the regiment would ride escort in the king's funeral cortege on 13 November as it trundled into Westminster Abbey. The King went out on a high note after the army's notable victories in 1759 and 1760 gave him real hope. Thereafter, the military service of the Horse Grenadier Guards was only employed in occasional actions against rioters. They took part in the
Massacre of St George's Fields The Massacre of St George's Fields occurred on 10 May 1768 when government soldiers opened fire on demonstrators that had gathered at St George's Fields, Southwark, in south London. The protest was against the imprisonment of the radical Member ...
in 1768 and the Spitalfield Riots in 1769. A party of Horse Grenadier Guards had to be called out to protect Sir George Savile's house in 1780 during the
Gordon Riots The Gordon Riots of 1780 were several days of rioting in London motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment. They began with a large and orderly protest against the Papists Act 1778, which was intended to reduce official discrimination against British ...
, their last significant action. By 1775, the drummers and hautboys were replaced by four
trumpeter The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard B ...
s.


Royal service and Empire

During George III's intensely political reign, the Household cavalry were called upon to intervene in elections in the name of the king. In 1784, they were required to support Sir Cecil Wray against
Charles James Fox Charles James Fox (24 January 1749 – 13 September 1806), styled ''The Honourable'' from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the arch-riv ...
at the Westminster hustings. A total of 280 troopers were ordered to vote Tory.
"All Horse Guards, Grenadier Guards, Foot Guards and Blackguards, that have not polled for the destruction of Chelsea Hospital... are desired to meet at the Gutter Hole opposite the Horse Guards, where they will have a full bumper of knock-me down and plenty of soapsuds before they go in to poll for Sir C Wray." read a Fox party poster.
In 1788, army reforms broke up the "gentlemen's club" of the Horse Guards, and a decisive mood prevailed in parliament for Pitt to act. The two extant troops of Horse Guards became the Life Guards, and the private gentlemen who had heretofore made up the ranks of the regiment were largely pensioned off. The Horse Grenadier Guards were disbanded at the same time, and many of the men transferred to the Life Guards, making up the bulk of the new regiment. The wholesale replacement of aristocrats by common troopers gave the Life Guards the derisory nickname of "Cheeses" or "Cheesemongers". The royal Duke of York, Commander-in-Chief wrote to the former Lord Broome, Earl Cornwallis, who had so spectacularly lost the colonies:
"I have no doubt that Your Lordship will not regret the reduction of the Troops of Horse Guards and Horse Grenadiers as they were the most useless & the most unmilitary Troopes that ever were seen. I confess that I was a little story for the Horse Grenadiers because they were to a degree Soldiers, but the Horse Guards were nothing but a collection of London Tradespeople."
One reason for the symptom of declining reputation was poor pay. But after the reforms regimental prestige rose as officers wanted to purchase a commission just for the honour of serving. Generous retirement annuities were negotiated by Colonel of Horse Grenadiers, the Duke of Northumberland and his deputy, Lord Howard de Walden. Their regiment became a 'feeder' to 1st and 2nd Life Guards. Traditionally chosen for their size and strength, the Horse Grenadiers' more professional complexion changed the character of the 'gentlemanly' Life Guards. In 1806 Northumberland took over as Colonel of The Blues. The duke was a popular figure who reduced rents through a period of failed harvests, and an effective colonel. He had served with the Horse Grenadiers in the Seven Years' War. The Horse Grenadiers disappeared after 1788 as the amalgamated part of the Life Guards two regiments. Devonshire's long black jackboots, and the flash cord of the grenades from the Horse Grenadiers were used in the design of the modern ceremonial cartouche of the 1850s.White-Spunner, p.597


Captains & Colonels, 1st Troop, Horse Grenadier Guards

* 1693 Hon. George Cholmondeley (4 October 1693 –2 February 1715) * 1715 Richard, Lord Lumley (2 February 1715 –11 December 1717) * 1717 Hon. John Fane (11 December 1717 –7 August 1733) * 1733 Sir Robert Rich (7 August 1733 –13 May 1735) * 1735 Sir Charles Hotham (13 May 1735 –10 February 1738) * 1742 Richard, Viscount Cobham (25 December 1742 – 25 April 1745) * 1745 Richard Onslow (25 April 1745 –16 March 1760) * 1760 Thomas, Earl of Effingham (30 October 1760 –19 November 1763) * 1763 John West, Viscount Cantelupe (21 November 1763 –21 March 1766) * 1766 John, Baron Howard de Walden (21 March 1766 –8 June 1788) '' On 8 June 1788 1st Troop was absorbed by 1st Troop Horse Guards


Captains & Colonels, 2nd Troop (Scots), Horse Grenadier Guards

* 1702 William, Lord Forbes (12 May 1702 –4 May 1704) * 1704 John, Earl of Crawford (4 May 1704 –December 1713) * 1714 George, Earl Marischal (5 January 1714 –1 June 1715) * 1715 Henry, Earl of Deloraine (1 June 1715 –17 July 1717) * 1717 George, Lord Forrester (17 July 1717 –21 April 1719) * 1719 Hon. Henry Berkeley (21 April 1719 –May 1736) * 1737 Francis, Earl of Effingham (21 June 1737 –25 December 1740) * 1740 John, Earl of Crawford (25 December 1740 –1 April 1743) * 1743 James, Baron Tyrawley (1 April 1743 –25 April 1745) * 1745 John, Earl of Rothes (25 April 1745 –5 June 1745) * 1745 William, Earl of Harrington (5 June 1745 –1 April 1779) * 1779 Jeffery, Baron Amherst (21 April 1779 –23 March 1782) * 1782 Prince Frederick Augustus (23 March 1782 –1 November 1784) * 1784 Hugh, Duke of Northumberland (1 November 1784 –8 June 1788) ''On 8 June 1788 2nd Troop were absorbed by 2nd Troop Horse Guards''


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Horse Grenadier Guards Cavalry regiments of the British Army Positions within the British Royal Household Former guards regiments Household Cavalry