The British Grenadiers
The Battle of Monmouth
Grenadiers were the heavy infantry of 18th-century armies. Normally, British regiments were composed of 10 companies – 8 line companies, 1 light infantry company, and 1 grenadier company. Agile, intelligent men were chosen for the light infantry while the regiment’s biggest men were placed in the grenadier company. Tall bearskin caps made the grenadiers appear even larger.
During most of the Revolution, the British grouped their light infantry companies and grenadier companies into light infantry and grenadier battalions. At Monmouth, the heaviest fighting fell to the two battalions of British grenadiers.
Sidebar:A Grenadier Describes the Attack on the Hedgerow
Such a march may I never again experience. …the sun beating on our heads with a force scarcely to be conceived in Europe, and not a drop of water …
We rose on a small hill … notwithstanding a heavy fire of Grape, when judge of my inexpressible surprise, General Clinton appeared at the head of our left wing accompanied by Lord Cornwallis, and crying out ‘Charge, Grenadiers, never heed forming’; we rushed on amidst the heaviest fire I have yet felt.
I had the fortune to find myself … in the midst of a large body of Rebels who had been driven out of the wood by the 1st Battalion of Grenadiers, accompanied by not more than a dozen men who had been able to keep up with us; luckily the Rebels were too intent on their own safety to regard our destruction. Lt. Bunbury of the 49th killed one of them with his sword, as we all might have done, but seeing a battalion running away with their colours, I pushed for them with my few fellows I had, but to my unutterable disappointment they out ran us in a second. … Our battalion lost 98, 11 officers killed and wounded.
Lt. William Hale, 45th Regiment, 2nd Grenadiers, in a letter to his parents, July 4, 1778.
Marker can be reached from Freehold Road (County Route 522), on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
