Dillon Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Dillon's Regiment was first raised in Ireland
in 1688 by Theobald, 7th Viscount Dillon
for the Jacobite
side in the Williamite War. He was then killed at the Battle of Aughrim
in 1691.
The regiment went to France in May 1690 as part of Lord Mountcashel
's brigade, in exchange for some veteran French regiments. After the Treaty of Limerick
in 1691 the regiment remained in the service of the kings of France
under its present name. It was next commanded in France by Theobald's younger son Colonel Arthur Dillon
until 1733. The formation continued to recruit from the Wild Geese
Irish exile community. By 1757 its uniform was the Irish Brigade
's red coats (a carry over from its Jacobite origins), with the black facings indicating the regiment. A member of the Dillon family remained hereditary colonel-proprietor of the regiment up to 1747. Three caretaker commanders led the regiment until the last Dillon commander was old enough to take over in August 1767, as Louis XV wanted to maintain the link with the family which had given so much service.
As a part of the Irish Brigade this regiment covered itself in glory at the battle of Fontenoy
in 1745, but with heavy losses. It was reinforced by a merger with the régiment de Lally in 1762 and with the régiment de Bulkeley in 1775. From 1777 to 1782 the Dillon regiment fought as part of the French expeditionary force in the American Revolutionary War
, capturing Grenada
in 1779.
The Irish Brigade remained loyal to the King at the beginning of the French Revolution
and this led to its dissolution in 1791. The constituent regiments lost their traditional titles and uniforms at this time. Along with the other non-Swiss foreign units, the Dillon Regiment was transferred into the regular French Army as line infantry, and given the designation of 87th Line Infantry Regiment before being dissolved as a separate entity in 1793. The second battalion had been destroyed in Saint-Domingue
in 1792 and its survivors absorbed into the British Irish Brigade operating in the Caribbean. Its first battalion then became the 157th Line Infantry Regiment and the reconstituted second battalion the 158th Line Infantry Regiment. Arthur Dillon, the last colonel of the French regiment was guillotine
d in 1794 during the Reign of Terror
.
's British Catholic 'Irish Brigade' in 1794. These consisted of the greater part of the officers who had emigrated from France, and a new raising on the Dillon lands in Ireland. Henry Dillon, a brother of Arthur Dillon was given command of the regiment. However on campaign in Jamaica and Haiti, it had such losses, mainly due to the unhealthy climate, that it was disbanded in 1798. The flags and ensigns were returned to Charles, Lord Dillon
, head of the Dillon family in Ireland.
(Edward) Dillon's Regiment: (Edward) Dillon's Regiment of Foot was raised in northern Italy in 1795, by Col. Edward Dillon formerly of the Irish Brigade in France, to fight for the English in the Mediterranean. It consisted of various foreign troops, and French emigre officers. It was at Minorca
(1799–1801) and fought with distinction in Egypt (1801), and then stationed on Malta (1805–1808). At that stage it consisted mainly of 450 Spaniards and Sicilians. Later serving in the Peninsular War
, it was part of a provisionally named Roll-Dillon battalion, and consisted predominantly of Swiss troops who refused to serve the French Republic. They served in the Anglo-Italian Division: under General William Clinton
at the Battle of Castalla
in 1813. This regiment was disbanded in 1814.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1688 by Theobald, 7th Viscount Dillon
Theobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon
Theobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallin was a supporter of King James II and was attainted on 11 May 1691 in the Williamite War...
for the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
side in the Williamite War. He was then killed at the Battle of Aughrim
Battle of Aughrim
The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite War in Ireland. It was fought between the Jacobites and the forces of William III on 12 July 1691 , near the village of Aughrim in County Galway....
in 1691.
The regiment went to France in May 1690 as part of Lord Mountcashel
Justin McCarthy, Viscount Mountcashel
Justin McCarthy, Viscount Mountcashel was a Jacobite general in the Williamite War in Ireland.McCarthy was the younger son of Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty, from the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty who had lands in County Desmond. The family had had their property confiscated under the...
's brigade, in exchange for some veteran French regiments. After the Treaty of Limerick
Treaty of Limerick
The Treaty of Limerick ended the Williamite war in Ireland between the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange. It concluded the Siege of Limerick. The treaty really consisted of two treaties which were signed on 3 October 1691. Reputedly they were signed on the Treaty Stone, an...
in 1691 the regiment remained in the service of the kings of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
under its present name. It was next commanded in France by Theobald's younger son Colonel Arthur Dillon
Arthur Dillon (1670-1733)
Arthur, count of Dillon was a Jacobite soldier from Ireland who served in the French army.- Career :...
until 1733. The formation continued to recruit from the Wild Geese
Flight of the Wild Geese
The Flight of the Wild Geese refers to the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland...
Irish exile community. By 1757 its uniform was the Irish Brigade
Irish Brigade (French)
The Irish Brigade was a brigade in the French army composed of Irish exiles, led by Robert Reid. It was formed in May 1690 when five Jacobite regiments were sent from Ireland to France in return for a larger force of French infantry who were sent to fight in the Williamite war in Ireland...
's red coats (a carry over from its Jacobite origins), with the black facings indicating the regiment. A member of the Dillon family remained hereditary colonel-proprietor of the regiment up to 1747. Three caretaker commanders led the regiment until the last Dillon commander was old enough to take over in August 1767, as Louis XV wanted to maintain the link with the family which had given so much service.
As a part of the Irish Brigade this regiment covered itself in glory at the battle of Fontenoy
Battle of Fontenoy
The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...
in 1745, but with heavy losses. It was reinforced by a merger with the régiment de Lally in 1762 and with the régiment de Bulkeley in 1775. From 1777 to 1782 the Dillon regiment fought as part of the French expeditionary force in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, capturing Grenada
French capture of Grenada 1779
The Capture of Grenada was an amphibious expedition on July 2 of 1779 by French forces of the Comte D'Estaing against the British defenders of Grenada, as part of the American Revolutionary War.-French capture:...
in 1779.
The Irish Brigade remained loyal to the King at the beginning of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and this led to its dissolution in 1791. The constituent regiments lost their traditional titles and uniforms at this time. Along with the other non-Swiss foreign units, the Dillon Regiment was transferred into the regular French Army as line infantry, and given the designation of 87th Line Infantry Regiment before being dissolved as a separate entity in 1793. The second battalion had been destroyed in Saint-Domingue
Saint-Domingue
The labour for these plantations was provided by an estimated 790,000 African slaves . Between 1764 and 1771, the average annual importation of slaves varied between 10,000-15,000; by 1786 it was about 28,000, and from 1787 onward, the colony received more than 40,000 slaves a year...
in 1792 and its survivors absorbed into the British Irish Brigade operating in the Caribbean. Its first battalion then became the 157th Line Infantry Regiment and the reconstituted second battalion the 158th Line Infantry Regiment. Arthur Dillon, the last colonel of the French regiment was guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
d in 1794 during the Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
.
Shadow formations
(Henry) Dillon's Regiment: Émigré elements of the French regiment passed into PittWilliam Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
's British Catholic 'Irish Brigade' in 1794. These consisted of the greater part of the officers who had emigrated from France, and a new raising on the Dillon lands in Ireland. Henry Dillon, a brother of Arthur Dillon was given command of the regiment. However on campaign in Jamaica and Haiti, it had such losses, mainly due to the unhealthy climate, that it was disbanded in 1798. The flags and ensigns were returned to Charles, Lord Dillon
Charles Dillon, 12th Viscount Dillon
Charles Dillon-Lee, 12th Viscount Dillon, KP, PC was Member of Parliament for the English borough of Westbury ....
, head of the Dillon family in Ireland.
(Edward) Dillon's Regiment: (Edward) Dillon's Regiment of Foot was raised in northern Italy in 1795, by Col. Edward Dillon formerly of the Irish Brigade in France, to fight for the English in the Mediterranean. It consisted of various foreign troops, and French emigre officers. It was at Minorca
Capture of Minorca
In November 1798 a British expedition captured the island of Minorca from Spain. A large force under General John Stuart landed on the island and forced its Spanish garrison to surrender in eight days with only some bloodshed...
(1799–1801) and fought with distinction in Egypt (1801), and then stationed on Malta (1805–1808). At that stage it consisted mainly of 450 Spaniards and Sicilians. Later serving in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, it was part of a provisionally named Roll-Dillon battalion, and consisted predominantly of Swiss troops who refused to serve the French Republic. They served in the Anglo-Italian Division: under General William Clinton
William Henry Clinton
General Sir William Henry Clinton GCB was a British general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars as well as the First Miguelist War...
at the Battle of Castalla
Battle of Castalla
In the Battle of Castalla on 13 April 1813, an Anglo-Spanish-Sicilian force commanded by Lieutenant General John Murray, 8th Baronet fought Marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet's French Army of Valencia and Aragon. Murray's troops successfully repelled a series of French attacks causing Suchet to retreat....
in 1813. This regiment was disbanded in 1814.