In October, 1709, Lord Polwarth was succeeded in the colonelcy by William Kerr, brother of the duke of Roxburgh.
The gallant achievements of the forces under the great duke of Marlborough had, in the mean time, removed the theatre of war from the frontiers of Holland to the confines of France; Louis XIV. assembled an immense army to preserve the interior of his kingdom from the power of his opponents; and Queen Anne sent additional corps to the scene of contest. KERR'S dragoons were selected to proceed to the Netherlands; their establishment was augmented, in March, 1711, to sixty men per troop; and in the same month they embarked at Leith, but were driven back to the Frith and detained by contrary winds until the end of April, when they sailed for Holland.
Having been detained by the weather, the regiment did not arrive until the army had taken the field, and the men and horses had suffered by being so long on board of ship; they consequently remained in Holland for a short time in quarters of refreshment, and afterwards commenced their march for the frontiers; but when passing through Brabant, they were ordered to halt at Brussels. The regiment appears to have remained in reserve during the campaign of this year.
Taking the field in the spring of 1712, the regiment formed part of the army commanded by his grace the duke of Ormond, which advanced to the confines of France, and was ready to carry the war into Picardy; but the French monarch, finding his generals overmatched, and his armies beaten and dispirited, agreed to the conditions of a treaty of peace. A suspension of hostilities was proclaimed, and the army retired to Ghent, and after encamping a short period went into quarters.
In the summer of 1713 the regiment was ordered to embark at Dunkirk for Ireland. The royal dragoons had, in the mean time, returned from Spain dismounted[4], and the government, contemplating the disbanding of KERR'S regiment, directed its horses to be embarked for Dover and delivered to the royal dragoons. The following order was received on this subject:--
"OUR will and pleasure is, that upon the embarkation of our regiment of dragoons under your command, for our kingdom of Ireland, you cause all the horses belonging to the non-commissioned officers and private dragoons thereof to be delivered over to such person or persons as shall be appointed to receive the same; your said regiment being to continue unmounted until further orders.