The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-18 00:00:00

TILE GRENADIER GUARDS.

The 200th anniversary of the formation of the
First, or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards, was
celebrated on Saturday evening by a sumptuous
festival, held in the Banquet-hall of St. James's
Palace. The distinguished corps whose origin was
thus brilliantly commemorated traces its first estab-
lishment to a period of history long previous to the-
existence of a regular standing army in this coun-
try. Before the reign of Henry VII. it does not
appear that our kings had even a body guard, much
less any considerable number of troops accoutred
and ready for immediate action ; and before the
date of the Civil Wars the Royal Guard were the
only permanent soldiers in England. This dispute
between Charles I. and his Parliament related to
the command of the militia. In 1655, Cromwell
having allied himself with Louis XIV., Charles IL
quitted the French Court and joined the Spaniards
in the Netherlands against the Grand Monarque.
The Loyalist English who had shared the exile of
their Sovereign were enrolled by his brother, the
Duke of York, and in 1657 were formed into six

regiments. The first of these, in which were col-
lected some of the foremost adherents of the expa.
triated King, was called " The Royal Regiment o
Guards." The Spanish campaign proving unsuc

cessful, this regiment, with the rest of the army,
retreated before Dunkirk. Dispersed, without
pay or subsistence, among the border towns of
Flanders during the next few years, the Royal
Regiment of the Guards, by one of the first com-
missions of the restored King, re-embodied in 1660,
under Thomas, Lord Wentworth, the colonel, and
remained at Dunkirk until that town was sold to
the French in 1662. It then returned to England,
and three Tears later was united to the establish-
ment of the King's Regiment of Guards, raised at
the Restoration under Col. John Russell, brother to
the Earl of Bedford. The two regiments combined
then comprised 24 companies of 100 men each, to
which four companies of Grenadiers were subse-
quently added, and they received the style of the
"First Regiment of Foot Guards." The further
title of " Grenadiers " was conferred upon them by
the Prince Regent, in commemoration of having de-
feated the French Imperial Guard at Waterloo.
The services rendered by this splendid regiment in
the campaigns of Marlborough, Lake, 'Wellington,
and other famous captains are familiar matters of
history.
The gorgeous banquet-hall of the Palace, which
was brilliantly illuminated, and its walls decorated
with the colours, standards, and trophies of the
regiment, formed into the most graceful devices,
presented a dazzling scene. The great bulk of the
company attended in plain evening dress, but the
cluster of stars, orders, crosses, and medals, which
most of them displayed, unmistakeably betokened
their military rank and renown. The monotony of
civil costumes was agreeably relieved by the uni-
forms of those officers of the corps who happened
that day to be on regimental duty.
The guests began to assemble shortly after half-
past 7 o'clock, and passed through a double file of
Grenadier Guards, posted along the grand staircase
and corridors of the Palace, into a handsome and
spacious reception room. At a quarter-past 8 o'clock
his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, the colonel
of the regiment, who was to preside, arrived, accom-
panied by his Royal Highness the Commander-in-
Chief, and was ushered into the dining-hall, fol-
lowed by the rest of the guests to the number of
nearly 200, the band of the Grenadiers playing the
National Anthem.

The company included his Royal Highness the
Prince Consort, his Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge, Sir Richard Airey, Colonel Ridley
(Scots Fusileer Guards), the Equerry to his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Equerry to
his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, Mr. H.
Cox, Sir C. Yorke, Lord de Grey and Ripon, Rev.
R. Browne (Chaplain to the Brigade), Lord Rokeby,
Lord Combermere, :,Sir James Scarlett, Sir John
Kirkland (Agent), Mr. White (Solicitor), Colonel
Martin, Sir E. Lugard, Mr. C. Hammersley, Lord
F. Paulett, C. 8., the Chaplain-General, Colonel
Parker, Mr. Dolby, Mr. Liley, Mr. Atkinson, Cap
tan Hamilton (Cavalry Guards), Lieutenant Cun-
inghame (Cavalry Guards), Sub-Lieutenant Cun-
inghame (Cavalry Guards), Captain :Valet, Captain
Bathurst, Captain Smith, Lieutenant Hayter, Mr.
Pickford, Lieutenant-Colonel Lord F. Fitzroy,
Major Barnard, Lieutenant Farmer, Captain Ha-
milton, Mr. Girdwood, Captain Hon. A. Annesley,
Mr. Blenkins, Mr. J. Wardrop, Lieutenant Vyner,
Captain A. C. H. D. Pennant, Lieutenant
Elliot, Lieutenant-Colonel Randolph, Captain
Verschoyle, Lieutenant Viscount Hinching-
brooke, Captain Stuckley, Lieutenant Clinton,
Captain Jlahnstone, Lieutenant Fluyder, Lieutenant-
Colonel Hume, C. 8., Lieutenant-Colonel Lord A.
Hay, Lieutenant Hope, Lieutenant-Colonel M.
Bruce, Lieutenant-Colonel Cooper, Lieutenant Nor-
ton, Major Pearson, Colonel Lewis, Colonel Hon. J.
Lindsay, Colonel Lambert, Colonel Hamilton, Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Higginson, Colonel Hon. R. Curzon,
Lieutenant-Colonel Montresor, Lieutenant-Colonel
Cust, Captain Alexander, Lieutenant Hon. C. Edg-
cumbe, Colonel Burnaby, Captain Phillips, Colonel
Stuart, Lieutenant Bridges, Captain the Earl of
Carrick, Captain Clayton, Lieutenant Hon. F. Stan-
ley, Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard, Lieutenant-
Colonel De Horsey, Colonel Prince Edward, kc.,
C. 8., Colonel Burrard, Captain Bramston, Captain
Viscount Hood, Lieutenant Viscount Mahon, Lieu-
tenant-Colonel King, Captain Hon. S. Tracy, Capt.
-Wynne, Lieutenant Viscount Uffington, Captain
E wart, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir C. Russell, Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Sir W. Wallace, Lieutenant-Colonel
Hogge, Lieutenant Seymour, Captain Anstruther,
Captain P. Murray, Captain Sir J. M. Bur-
goyne, Lieutenant-Colonel Cure, Lieutenant-Colonel
Fox, Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, Lieutenant Fox,
Lieutenan tPakenhatu,Lieutenan t- Colonel Bradford,
Captain Thynne.
The following ex Guardsmen were also present:
—General Lord Downes, Colonel Vernon Harcourt,
Colonel Hatten, Sir Harry Verney, Colonel Hon. C.
Lindsay, Sir Ralph Anstruther, Colonel Hudson,
Colonel Hopwood, Mr. H. Oswald, Captain Nichol-

son, Major-General Stanhope, Mr. John Balfour,

Captain Dawson, M.P., Mr. J. Shaw Stewart, Ma-
jor-General Ridley, C. 8., Lord Charles Fitzroy,
Colonel Eyres, Lieutenant-Colonel J Peel, M.P.,
Colonel Thornton, Lord Sandwich, Major-General
Craufurd, Major-General Hon. R. Bruce, Colonel
Brownrigg, C. 8., General Angerstein, Mr. Henry
Compton, Lieutenant-Colonel Purves, Lieutenant-
Colonel Fitzroy, Mr. E. Jekyll, Sir F. Bathurst,
Colonel BagOt, General Arbuthnot, Mr. Buckworth

Powell, Colonel Cartwright, Lord Sefton, Mr. J.

W. Pickford, Captain Munro, Colonel J. Johnst-m,
Colonel Fletcher, Mr. C. Pole, Lord Braybrooke,
Colonel G. Fitzroy, Mr. Alex. Mitchell, Mr. F. C.
Brooke, General Sir William Moore, Mr. Robert
Bruce, Mr. C. H. Turner, Sir George Nugent, Col.
Reynardson, C. 8., the Duke of Manchester, Colonel
Rous, General Sir H. F. Davie, Colonel Dixon,
Colonel Johnstone, Lieutenant-Colonel Greenwood,
Lieutenant-Colonel Hatton, Mr. It. Lloyd, Sir H.
Fletcher, Mr. J. Murray Drummond, General Rob-
bins, Lord Blantyre, Lieutenant- Colonel Clinton,
Colonel lion. A. Gordon, C.B„ Colonel G. Camp-
bell, Lord Grantley, Mr. C. Brandling, Sir Thomas
Moncrieff, Mr. C. Balfour, Sir C. Rowley, General
Reeve, Mr. Alexander Kinloch, Lieutenant-Colonel
the Hon. A. Egerthn, Sir J. Ferguson, Colonel J.
Reeve, the Hon. J. St. Clair, Lord W. Thynne,
General Fludyer, Lieutenant-Colonel Musters, Sir
James Drummond, Mr. G. Fitzhugh, Colonel the
Hon. A. Foley, General Gaseoigne, Sir C. Lindsay,
General Fox, Sir J. Whicheote, Captain Morant,
General Sir J. Eustace, K.C.B. Mr. Balfour, M.D
Colonel P. Pennant, M.p., Colonel Goulburn M
" n
General T. Wood, Colonel Jodrell, Colonel thea Hor-
n.
H. Forester, Mvjor-General Davies, and Lieute-
nant-Colonel F. Davie.

The dinner WitS provided by the Messrs. Staples,
of the Albion. The fine band of the regiment was
stationed in an adjoining apartment, and performed
a choice selection of operatic music during the
evening.
- - - -

On the removal of the cloth,
The health of " her Majesty the Queen" was re-
ceived with much enthusiasm.
Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis, the acting Colonel of
the Grenadier Guards, then gave " his Royal

Highness the Prince Consort, our Colonel." (This
toast was drunk also amid enthusiastic cheering).
His Royal Highness the PRINCE CONSORT then
rose and said :—Gentlemen,--I am vary much gra-
tified at the kindness you have evinced by the
manner in which you have received the last toast.
(Cheers.) I feel justly proud of the distinction

conferred upon me eight years ago, when I was
appointed to succeed the immortal Duke of Wel-
lington in the command of this regiment (cheers),
since which I have held that honourable post
which not only connects me with you officially,
but brings me into intimate, and, I trust, cordial
personal relations with you. (Cheers.) It is on
an occasion like the present that the considera-
tion must be suggested to my mind in its fullest
force, of how much honour and distinction are
involved in the title of Colonel of the Grenadier
Guards. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, we are assem-
bled here to-day to celebrate the 200th anniversary
of the formation of this regiment as at present con-
I stituted. During the last 200 years, which embrace
the most glorious period of the history of our coun-

try, this regiment has taken an important and dis
tinguished part in the most brilliant events of that
history. (Cheers.) It has fought at sea and on land,
in most parts of Europe, in Africa, in America ; and
whether fighting the French, the Dutch, the
Spaniards, the Moors, the Turks, or the Russians,
it has always stood to its colours, upheld the honour
of the British name, and powerfully contributed to
those successes which, under God's blessing, make '
this country stand proudly forth among the nations
of the earth. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I need not re-
call to you its deeds, for they arc all present, I am
sure, to your minds ; but I cannot refrain, on an oc-
casion like this, from pointing to some, at least, of
the long and uninterrupted list of victories with
which the name of the Grenadier Guards is asso-
ciated. (Cheers.) I must point to the celebrated
siege and capture of Namur, to the first defence
of Gibraltar, to the capture of Barcelona and Valen-
ciennes, to the battles of Blenheim, Ramillies,
Oudenarde, and Malplaquet ; and to the battle of
Dettingen, aye, and of Fontenoy ; for, although in
the last-named field the victory did not finally re-
main with the Allies, it hai been fairly won by
the distinguished prowess of the Grenadier Guards.
I must point to the capture of Cherbourg, which
just 100 years ago looked defiance upon our shores ;
nor must I omit the battles of Lincelles, Corunna,
Barossa, the Pyrenees, St. Sebastian, Nivelles, Nive,
and Waterloo, where in the last and terrible strug-
gle with Napoleon this regiment acquired its title
of Grenadier Guards, by having vanquished in fair
fight those noble and devoted Imperial Guards, who
until they were met by the British bayonet were
held to be invincible. (Cheers.) The battles of the
Alma and of Inkerman, and the long-protracted
siege of Sebastopol, bring down to our own day the
glorious annals of which this corps may well be proud.
(Cheers.) But, gentlemen, the duty of the British sol-
dier is, unfortunately, not confined to opposing the
external enemies of his country. It has been his fate
sometimes to stand in arms even against his own
countrymen—a mournful task, which I trust we
shall never see again imposed upon him. (Cheers.)
In such circumstances the soldier is upheld by the
consideration that while implicitly obeying the
commands of his Sovereign to whom he has sworn
fidelity, he is purchasing for his country by his
blood that internal peace and supremacy of the law
which form the only basis of the liberties as well as
the prosperity of the nation. This regiment, origi-
nally sprung from the Royalists who clung to
Charles 11. during his exile, have always proved
true to their Sovereign, whether they contended on
the field of Sedgemoor in defence of James 11.
against the Duke of Monmouth, or struggled heroi-
cally for five long years in the cause of George 111.
against his revolted American subjects. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, that same discipline which has made
this regiment ever ready and terrible in war has
enabled it to pass through long periods of peace
amid the temptations of a luxurious metropolis,
without impairing its vigour or its energy, to live
in harmony and good brotherhood with its fellow
citizens, and to point to the remarkable fact that
the household troops have for two centuries past
formed the permanent garrison of London. (Cheers.)
While always at the command cf the civil power to
support order and law, they have never themselves
disturbed that order, or given cause of disquietude,
either by insolence or by licentiousness. (Cheers.)
Let us trust that these same noble qualities may
still shine forth for centuries to come, and that the
Almighty will continue to favour and protect this
little band of devoted soldiers (Cheers.) Gentle-
men, let us on our part manfully do our duty,
mindful of the deeds of our predecessors, loyal to
our Sovereign, and jealous of our country's honour.
(Cheers.) I give you, then, " Prosperity to the Gre-
nadier Guards, and the health of Colonel Lewis,
long an honoured member of the corps, and now its
able and zealous commanding officer." (Loud
cheers.)
Col. LEWIS said—ln the name of the regiment
and myself I beg to return our grateful acknowledg-
ments for the distinguished honour your Royal
Highness has done us in proposing our healths,
and to his Royal Highness the Commander-in-
Chief and all present for the flattering way in which
the toast has been received. The eloquent and
graphic account your Royal Highness has given of
your regiment—(cheers)—leaves me nothing to add
but that the contemplation of the gallant deeds it
has performed during the last 200 years, in which
it has taken a conspicuous part in every continental
war, and never failed to win additional laurels to
the British arms, and the feeling that our names
are associated, as it were, with heroes whose memo-
ries will ever be cherished with veneration and
gratitude by the British nation, may well make
every officer present, now serving or who has
served in your Royal Highness's regiment, feel
doubly proud of belonging to so distinguished a
corps. (Cheers.) I shall very soon be called upon
to resign my proud command, and I therefore take
this opportunity of assuring your Royal Highness
that the great and kind interest you always evince
in everything connected with your regiment is
most fully appreciated by all your officers—(cheers)
—and for myself I can only add that I shall ever
retain a deep and grateful sense of the kindness
your Royal Highness has so unvaryingly shown me
since I have had the honour of commanding your
regiment. (Cheers.)
The PRINCE CONSORT—Gentlemen, the toast

which I have now to propose to you is " The health
of the-Prince of. Wales and the rest of the Royal
Family." (Cheers.) The Prince.of Wales joined
the army at the age of 17, a year and a half ago,
but his studies up to the present time have not en-
abled him to take any military duties upon himself.
While at Edinburgh last year he, however, availed
himself of the presence of the 16th Lancers to make
himself acquainted with the evolutions of cavalry
and to learn his drill. (Cheers.)
The toast was drunk with the usual honours.

The PRINCE CONSORT—Gentlemen, I beg that
you will now drink to our sister service, the navy.
(Cheers.) The wooden walls of Old England now
constitute, as they always have done, the chief
defence of our country, the protection of our com-
merce, and the link which binds together our vast
and widely-scattered empire. (Cheers.) Modern
science has effected greater changes in that service
than in perhaps any other human pursuit; and
foreign nations are starting with us, as it were, from
the same point of departure in the common race of
naval preparation. But there is that confidence in
Englishmen, in their superiority on the unstable
element, which has a powerful influence in main-
taining their pre-eminence, and gives us a sure gua-
rantee of future successes. (Cheers) I would only
express my opinion, in which I trust most of those
here will agree that that service has at no time been
in a higher state of efficiency than at present. (Loud
cheers.)
The PRINCE CONSORT,—Gentlemen, you will be
all anxious now to drink ta the army—that army
of which the brigade of Guards, and this regiment
In it, form an integral part—integral not only from
its organisation, but from its feeling and spirit.
(Cheers.) The country has no less reason to be
proud of its army than
of its navy. And, although
in mere point of numbers it cannot boast of any
superiority over others, or even of an an equality
with them, in proportion to our population, our army