The death of this valuable officer, which occurred in 1668, made room for the appointment of _John Earl of Middleton_, whose commission, as Governor of Tangier, and as Colonel of the Queen's Regiment, is dated the 15th of May, 1668.
It was during the colonelcy of the Earl of Middleton, when war had been resumed with the ferocious Moors, that this regiment had the honour of numbering amongst its volunteers the man who afterwards became the most successful and most celebrated general of his age;--'the man who never fought a battle which he did not gain, or besieged a town which he failed to reduce,--JOHN CHURCHILL, DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH.' Mr. Churchill was at this time about twenty years of age, and held an ensign's commission in the Foot Guards, but made his first essays, in actual service, beneath the walls of Tangier, where he eagerly engaged in the frequent sallies and skirmishes of the garrison, giving, in this desultory warfare, the first indication of his active and daring character.
After an administration of nearly seven years, the Earl of Middleton died in the fortress, on the 25th of January, 1675[10]. He was succeeded in the command of _Tangier_, and also in the colonelcy of the Queen's Regiment, on the 5th of March, 1675, by _William O'Brien, Earl of Inchiquin_.
Tangier had by this time so increased in strength and importance, that its occupation by the English was become an object of jealousy, not only to the natives of the country, but to all European powers. The fortifications had been rendered secure, and the harbour had been improved, and now afforded a safe anchorage. These important points had not been attained without great opposition from the Moors, and much credit was given to the garrison for their conduct and steady perseverance in the arduous duties they had to perform. We find acknowledgment made of them by the journals of the day in the following terms:--'Many and various have been the warlike exploits of the heroic English against the barbarians, during the possession of this famous garrison of Tangier, so much renowned throughout the world, standing as commandress of those seas, and a protection to shipping from the Turkish pirates.' The Oxford Gazette of the same period also contains a letter from Tangier, reporting a threatened attack from a French fleet, and adds, 'the soldiers, far from being surprised at the news, are infinitely rejoiced at it, expecting them with much impatience.' Thus we find the Queen's Regiment was ever at its post, and had for eighteen years, almost single-handed, maintained this important fortress, in defiance of numerous assaults from the equally destructive effects of war and climate.