Page:Sketch of the life and character of His Royal Highness the late Duke of York (1).pdf/7

 7 The Duke of York entered the service on the 1st of November 1750, as Colonel in the army, was appointed shortly after to the command of the Horse Grenadier Guards, and, in October, 1784, to that of the Coldstream Regiment of Guards. He returned to the Continent in 1791, for the purpose of serving as a volunteer in the Prussian army, in the event of a war with Russia, which, however, did not take place. It was not long after his return to England, that His Royal Highness was called into actual and severe public services. Troops were em. barked for Holland, and His Royal Highness was selected for the command of a small corps of British troops, destined to co-operate in the defence of Holland, which had been invaded by a French army, under General Domourier. The Duke having, upon this occasion, been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General, proceeded, with a brigade of guards, and some artillery, which landed at Helvoet Sluys, on the 1st of March, and the successes of the Austrian arms having soon after removed the war from the frontiers of Holland, he joined the allied Austrian and Prussian army. The first military operations, in which His Royal Highness assisted, occurred in the neigh- bourhood of Tournay, and near St Amand and Vicogne, in the month of May, in the course of which he was promoted to the rank of General. In the subsequent battle of Famars, on the 23d May, he commanded a principal column of the allied army, and bore a distinguished shore in the success of that brilliant day, the result of which was, the investment and siege of Valen- ciennes. The direction of this operation was en-