September, when the batteries in the bay of St. Lunaire were
destroyed, and the troops marched into the interior, while the
fleet proceeded to the bay of St. Cass, thus alarming the country
with the view of producing the return of the French army from
Germany. Upon the troops being re-embarked at St. Cass, the enemy
attacked the rear-guard and occasioned considerable loss. Towards
the end of September the regiment landed at Cowes, and, having
encamped a short period near Newport, went into winter quarters.
[Sidenote: 1759.]
During the summer of 1759 the regiment was encamped at Chatham
under Lieut.-General John Campbell, afterwards Duke of Argyle.
[Sidenote: 1760.]
In the course of the year 1760 the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment was
encamped at Sandheath under Lieut.-General the Earl of Ancram.
[Sidenote: 1761.]
In the spring of 1761 a force proceeded under the command of
Major-General Studholme Hodgson against _Belle-Isle_, a French
island in the Bay of Biscay, off the coast of Brittany. The
expedition appeared before _Belle-Isle_ on the 7th of April,
and a landing was attempted on the following day, but without
success;--other endeavours to secure a landing on different points
of the island proving also unsuccessful, orders were given to
desist from the attempt, and the men returned to the boats, and
proceeded back to their several ships. Many of the boats were
destroyed or damaged in these efforts, and about five hundred men
were lost in killed, wounded, and missing.
Major-General Hodgson subsequently received the following
reinforcements, of which the THIRTY-SIXTH formed part:--
Regiments. Commanding Officers. Men.
Third foot, Major J. Biddulph 800
Thirty-sixth foot, Lieut.-Colonel W. Preston 800
Seventy-fifth foot (afterwards } Lieut.-Colonel C. Parry 800
disbanded) }
Eighty-fifth foot, Second }
battalion, (afterwards } Major Sir Hugh Williams 600
disbanded), }
-----
3,000
=====
A landing was effected by Brigadier-General Hamilton Lambert on the
22d of April, on the rocks near Point Lomaria, where the difficulty
of ascending the precipice had made the enemy least attentive to
that part. Beauclerk’s grenadiers (Nineteenth foot), with Captain
Patterson, of that regiment, gained the summit before the enemy saw
what was intended, who immediately marched a body of three hundred
men to attack them; the grenadiers, however, maintained their
ground till the remainder of Brigadier Lambert’s troops arrived.
The success thus gained was promptly followed up; the French were
eventually repulsed, and three brass field-pieces, with a few
prisoners, were captured.
The cannon was afterwards landed from the ships and dragged up the
rocks; the lines which covered the town of Palais were carried by
assault, and the siege of the citadel was prosecuted with vigour.
The garrison, under their governor, the Chevalier de St. Croix,
made a gallant defence; but on the 7th of June were forced to
surrender, and were permitted to march through the breach with the
honours of war, in consideration of their bravery. The capture
of the island was thus achieved, with the loss of about eighteen
hundred men killed and wounded.
This conquest was regarded with great pride by the British
nation; but the island was restored to France, at the peace of
Fontainebleau in 1763, in exchange for Minorca, which had been
taken by the French at the commencement of the war.
During the remainder of the year 1761 the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment was
stationed in South Britain.
[Sidenote: 1762.]
The THIRTY-SIXTH regiment during 1762 continued to be quartered
in South Britain. In January war was declared against Spain, and
in the summer of that year the regiment was encamped at Sandheath
under Lieut.-General Edward Carr. Negociations for peace were
shortly afterwards commenced, and the preliminary articles were
signed at Fontainebleau by the Duke of Bedford on the 3d of
November 1762.
[Sidenote: 1763.]
On the 10th of February 1763 the treaty of Fontainebleau was
concluded at Paris, the ratifications were exchanged on the 10th of
March, and peace was proclaimed in London on the 22d of that month.
[Sidenote: 1764.]
The THIRTY-SIXTH regiment embarked on the 17th of March 1764 for
Jamaica, in which island it was stationed for some years.
[Sidenote: 1765.]
Major-General Richard Pierson was removed from the Sixty-third
to the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment on the 11th of September 1765, in
succession to Lieut.-General Lord Robert Manners, appointed to the
Third dragoon guards.
[Sidenote: 1773.]
In 1773 the THIRTY-SIXTH returned home from Jamaica, and the
regiment arrived in England in June of that year.
[Sidenote: 1774.]
On the 6th of August 1774, the light infantry companies of the
Third, Eleventh, Twenty-first, Twenty-ninth, Thirty-second,
THIRTY-SIXTH, and Seventieth regiments assembled at Salisbury,
where they were formed into a brigade, and disciplined under the
command of Major-General the Honourable Sir William Howe until the
4th of October following, when they were reviewed by His Majesty
King George III. in Richmond Park, and were afterwards ordered to
rejoin their respective regiments.
[Sidenote: 1775.]
The war with the American colonies commenced in April 1775, but the
THIRTY-SIXTH regiment did not proceed to that country; on the 10th
of September following it embarked at Portsmouth for Ireland, where
it was stationed for the seven following years.
[Sidenote: 1778.]
Colonel the Honourable Henry St. John, Lieutenant-Colonel of the
Sixty-seventh regiment, was appointed Colonel of the THIRTY-SIXTH
on the 27th of November 1778, in succession to Lieut.-General
Richard Pierson, removed to the Thirteenth dragoons.
[Sidenote: 1782.]
A letter, dated the 31st of August 1782, conveyed to the regiment
His Majesty’s pleasure that county titles should be conferred
on the infantry, and the THIRTY-SIXTH was directed to assume
the designation of the HEREFORDSHIRE regiment, in order that a
connexion between the corps and that county should be cultivated,
which might be useful in promoting the success of the recruiting
service.
On the 6th of September 1782, the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment was brought
from Ireland, and placed on the British establishment, and occupied
Hilsea barracks, near Portsmouth.
The contest with the American colonists had involved Great Britain
in war with France, Spain, and Holland; but on the 30th of November
1782, the preliminary articles of peace were signed at Paris
between Great Britain and the United States of America, and the
treaty was concluded in the ensuing February.
[Sidenote: 1783.]
In the year 1783, peace was concluded between England, France,
Spain, and Holland. A new field of service was about to open for
the THIRTY-SIXTH, that regiment having been selected to proceed to
the East Indies, for which country it embarked at Portsmouth on
the 10th of March 1783, and arrived at Madras in July following,
while the British were engaged in hostilities against the powerful
Sultan of the Mysore, Tippoo Saib, who, on the death of his father,
Hyder Ali, in December of the preceding year, had succeeded to the
dominions of that soldier of fortune.
The regiment, being thirteen hundred strong, was immediately
transferred from the Indiamen into King’s ships, and proceeded,
under the command of Brevet-Colonel Allan Campbell, to the relief
of _Mangalore_, on the Malabar coast, which had been invested by
Tippoo Saib on the 18th of May 1783, and was gallantly defended
by the second battalion of the Forty-second regiment (afterwards
numbered the Seventy-third regiment) and some native corps.
Meanwhile the general peace, which had been entered into with the
European Powers, deprived Tippoo of his French allies, and the
Sultan entered into negotiations for terminating the war between
Mysore and the British. The troops under Brigadier-General Macleod
appeared in sight of Mangalore on the 24th of November 1783, but on
the 1st of December, in consequence of the following circumstances,
the ships sailed to the southward.
Some boats with Sepoys having at this period been wrecked near
_Cannanore_, upon the Malabar coast, about two hundred of them
were seized and detained by Ali Rajah Biby, the Queen of that
country; repeated applications were made for their release, but
without success, and Brigadier-General Norman Macleod determined to
take satisfaction for these injuries, immediately after the relief
of Mangalore. Tippoo Saib desired him to desist, and claimed the
ruler of the Cannanore country as his ally.
The THIRTY-SIXTH regiment proceeded under the command of Major the
Honourable John Knox to _Cannanore_, which was captured by the
troops under Brigadier-General Macleod in December 1783.
[Sidenote: 1784.]
On the 11th of March 1784 peace was concluded with Tippoo Saib, the
Sultan of Mysore; one of the articles of the treaty stipulated,
that the fort and district of _Cannanore_ should be evacuated and
restored to Ali Rajah Biby, the Queen of that country.
[Sidenote: 1785 to 1788.]
During the years 1785, 1786, 1787, and 1788, the THIRTY-SIXTH
regiment occupied cantonments at Poonamallee, Arcot, Vellore, and
Wallahabad.
[Sidenote: 1789.]
The insatiable ambition of Tippoo Saib, the Sultan of the Mysore
territory, soon involved the British Government of India in another
war; he appeared near the confines of the country of Travancore,
at the head of a powerful army, made unreasonable demands on the
Rajah, a British ally, and commenced hostilities towards the end of
December 1789.
[Sidenote: 1790.]
A force was consequently directed to be assembled, in March 1790,
at Wallahabad, under the orders of Colonel Thomas Musgrave of the
Seventy-sixth regiment; it was put in movement on the 29th of that
month, and proceeded towards Trichinopoly, at which place the
troops arrived on the 29th of April, where the following corps had
been collected under the command of Colonel Bridges:--Two King’s
regiments, the THIRTY-SIXTH and Seventy-second; the Second and
Fifth Native cavalry; the First, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Sixteenth,
Twentieth, and Twenty-third Coast sepoys. At the same time Colonel
Deare, with three companies of Bengal artillery, joined, the whole
being under the orders of Major-General Musgrave, to which rank he
had been promoted on the 28th of April 1790.
On the 24th of May Major-General (afterwards Sir William) Medows
assumed the command, and reviewed the army, which was directed to
proceed towards the Coimbatore country.
Advancing from Trichinopoly on the 26th of May, and penetrating the
enemy’s country, the army arrived, after a march of about fifty
miles, on the 15th of June, at the fort of Caroor, where the troops
encamped eighteen days, while provisions were being collected and
a magazine formed. Leaving this place on the 3d of July, the army
marched to Daraporam, which was abandoned by the enemy; a garrison
was left at this place, and the army marched through a beautiful
country to the city of Coimbatore, where the British arrived on
the 22nd July; here the army halted, and detachments were sent
off to reduce Dindigul, Errode, and Palghautcherry. About the
end of July, Colonel, afterwards General Sir John Floyd, of the
Nineteenth light dragoons (since disbanded), with the Cavalry of
the army and a brigade of Native infantry, was ordered to take
possession of the small and weak fort of _Sattimungulum_, in which,
after its capture, he placed a battalion of sepoys. At this period
the army was separated in three divisions, one at Coimbatore,
one at Sattimungulum, sixty miles in advance, and one besieging
Palghautcherry. Tippoo resolved to attack, and if possible destroy,
the division in advance before the main body could arrive to its
support. The troops from Coimbatore were accordingly ordered to
march, to reinforce Colonel Floyd.
In the beginning of September a detachment of troops under Colonel
Oldham, of which the THIRTY-SIXTH formed part, marched from
Errode to join Colonel Floyd at _Sattimungulum_, which place was
reached in three days. Colonel Floyd’s entire force now consisted
of His Majesty’s Nineteenth light dragoons and sixteen troops
of Native cavalry, His Majesty’s THIRTY-SIXTH regiment and five
battalions of Native infantry, eleven guns, and a due proportion of
artillerymen and officers. Detachments of cavalry were sent almost
every day to scour the country towards the Gudzelhetty Pass, and
they generally brought in a few of the enemy’s horse, belonging to
Syde Saib’s party, stationed at the foot of the Ghauts, who were
much distressed for provisions and forage, his people having been
constantly obliged to cross the Boovany, in order to procure grain
in the different villages, in which places they were generally
taken prisoners; their horses were very small and bad. A deposit of
grain and provisions was in the meantime formed in this frontier
station for the use of the army under Major-General Medows, which
was destined to ascend to Mysore by the Gudzelhetty Pass early
in October. On the 11th and 12th of September it was reported in
camp that Tippoo, in person, had descended the Gudzelhetty Pass
with a large army of cavalry and infantry, with several pieces
of artillery. On the morning of the 12th of September Tippoo’s
army, estimated at about thirty thousand cavalry, infantry, and
artillery, descended the Gudzelhetty Pass, and crossed the Boovany
river at daybreak of the following morning. A reconnoitring party
of British cavalry, under Major Child, encountered the enemy’s
advance guard of cavalry on the 13th, and compelled it to recross
the river. On the 12th at night orders had been given to Major
Darley to march with his regiment of Native cavalry towards the
Pass early in the morning, to support Major Child, and he had not
proceeded three miles, when he perceived a large body of cavalry
advancing, and was immediately charged by them; being so much
pressed on all sides, he was obliged to take post and keep off
the enemy while his ammunition lasted, which was nearly expended,
when Colonel Floyd, with the remainder of the cavalry, came to his
support, to whom he had sent information on first perceiving the
enemy; this reinforcement fortunately arrived just in time, as
Major Darley’s regiment was in a very dangerous situation.
Colonel Floyd, unperceived by Tippoo’s forces, charged them in
flank with three troops of the Nineteenth light dragoons, supported
by the remainder of the regiment, entirely routed them, and pursued
them to the river; it was supposed that the enemy had nearly
five hundred killed on the ground, and a great number drowned in
endeavouring to recross the river, which was fordable in very few
places, while those were deep and dangerous.
The infantry moved about two miles from the camp in order to give
support if necessary. The encampment being confined, and change of
situation requisite, orders had been already issued for a change
of ground, which was situated about a mile from the position then
occupied, near to Damicotta; the tents were accordingly struck
early on the 13th of September.
Colonel Floyd, having dispersed the body of cavalry, the troops
were ordered to return to camp, which they had not reached a
quarter of an hour, when some guns were opened from the opposite
side of the river, whose shot came direct into the lines: the lines
immediately turned out, and the tents, which were scarcely pitched,
were ordered to be struck. The enemy was perceived in great force
on both sides of the river; and three columns, two of infantry and
one of cavalry, on the same side of the river with the British
detachment, could be distinguished marching with rapidity round the
left flank, which the foe seemed endeavouring to penetrate; the
opening of the guns on the opposite side, and showing force there,
being intended to withdraw attention from his intended attack,
Colonel Floyd moved out the infantry to a commanding ground, with
the British right towards the river, and the left extended so as to
cover _Sattimungulum_, and prevent the enemy getting on his flank.
The first line consisted of the First Native battalion on the
right; the THIRTY-SIXTH King’s regiment, the Fifth and Twenty-fifth
Native battalions on the left; the cannon consisted of one
eighteen-brass-pounder, two twelve-pounders, and eight sixes.
The ground between the British and that occupied by the forces of
Tippoo Saib was low and intersected with thick hedges; the British
left was covered by stony rugged ground, difficult of approach; the
enemy formed his line nearly parallel to the British, having his
left extended to the river at about twelve hundred yards distance.
Before the troops had well taken up their position, the enemy
opened some guns; the ground was exceedingly stony, as was most
of the county adjacent, which in a great manner prevented Tippoo
making use of his cavalry during the day. The British cavalry
formed a second line, about half a mile in the rear; the baggage
was moved under the cover of some hills about the same distance
in the rear and on the right flank of the cavalry; the enemy kept
firing from three or four guns from the opposite side of the river
during the whole of the day, the British right being within shot
of them, to which one battalion was fronted to hinder him from
crossing the river, as it was fordable in that part. One native
battalion (the sixteenth) remained in the fort, where it had been
stationed some time.
When the cannonade first commenced it was about eleven o’clock,
A.M. Soon after the British had taken up their ground the enemy
opened about sixteen guns, and in a short time had the range of the
line very exactly. Colonel Deare, of the Bengal Artillery, who was
on the right giving some necessary directions, was shot through
the body shortly after the commencement of the action. At about
one o’clock the axletrees of the two twelve-pounders broke, and
rendered those two guns useless; these were the best the British
had for the purpose.
Finding that the men were beginning to suffer very much, as
nearly every ball struck the line, Colonel Floyd, not wishing to
give up his advantageous position, ordered the men to lie down,
which preserved the lives of several. The troops obeyed these
directions, and sustained with the greatest coolness and fortitude
the galling fire of the enemy. The cannonade continued without the
least intermission until it was quite dark, about eight at night.
Tippoo’s forces, supposing from the inactivity of the British
during the day that a night attack was meditated, withdrew about
six miles back on the road by which they had advanced that morning.
The British were not able to do the enemy much injury, for the
six-pounders scarcely reached his line; the slaughter among the
draught cattle was very great, nearly two-thirds of them being
killed. The THIRTY-SIXTH had Lieutenant Dennis Kelly Armstrong and
twenty-five men killed; Lieutenant John Vallancy and about forty
men were wounded.
When the cannonade ceased, every assistance was given to the
wounded; from the situation of the baggage and stores no
refreshment could be procured for the men except a dram of arrack,
the cattle carrying water for the men having been mostly killed,
and the drivers fearing to come to the lines, water was much
wanted. A council of war was held during the night, in which
it was agreed to force a way through the enemy’s lines about
three o’clock in the morning of the 14th of September, and join
Major-General (afterwards Sir William) Medows, to whom information
had been sent on the night of the 12th or morning of the 13th.
Every endeavour was made to repair the two twelve-pounders, and
settle the other guns so as to move; the want of cattle was so
great that it was impossible to draw all the guns; the baggage
was searched, and all the private draught bullocks that could be
obtained were brought to the lines, but on trial would not move the
guns. The necessary instructions were given for the march, which
was to take place, from the left, in the following manner:--The
grenadiers of the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment to lead, provided with
instruments for spiking the enemy’s guns; the Twenty-fifth Native
battalion next, then the Fifth battalion; the battalion companies
of the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment; the Sixteenth and First Native
battalions; the light company of the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment in the
rear. The cavalry were to march in a separate column on the left.
The sixteenth battalion of sepoys was ordered to be withdrawn from
the fort about twelve at night, but did not arrive until five, to
which may be attributed the engagement on the 14th, as the troops
would otherwise have been two hours’ march in advance of the enemy.
It was only found possible to repair one of the twelve-pounders,
and that with much exertion; upon collecting all the bullocks that
could be obtained, the eighteen-pounder, two six-pounders, and
two tumbrils were obliged to be left on the ground, besides the
broken down twelve-pounder; one wheel of the eighteen-pounder had
been much damaged, as was the timber, and one of the six-pounders;
unfortunately the followers, the people with the baggage, and the
wounded, who were moved behind one of the hills in the rear, being
out of danger, were not properly informed of the intended march,
and were left almost to the mercy of the enemy’s horse. The first
they knew of the movement was seeing the line in motion, and every
one then endeavoured to make the best of his way to it; some of
the dooly-men ran off, as did most of the followers, leaving the
sick and a great portion of the baggage on the ground; when it was
sufficiently light, it was perceived that the enemy had left the
position occupied by him during the night. The British line moved
off about five o’clock, and was obliged to lift the guns on by
hand, which caused the troops to get on very slowly. Before the
ground had been well quitted, it was covered by the enemy’s troops,
who could be seen cutting down every straggler they met; they came
close on the rear, annoying it as much as they could; all the
wounded and sick as were able to make their way to the line were
placed on the guns, and such officers’ horses as could be found;
in a short time the guns were laden with them as much as could by
any method be placed on them, which much increased the difficulty
of moving, the soldiers being chiefly obliged to drag the guns. The
march was continued unmolested except by small parties of horse,
until the troops arrived within about four miles of _Shawoor_, five
miles from _Sattimungulum_. The country was very close, and there
being but one road between two rugged hills, the British formed one
column, the cavalry leading; these moving faster than the infantry
had reached Shawoor, and were most of them dismounted collecting
forage, when Tippoo’s forces were perceived on some rising ground
on the right flank, gaining on the British with great rapidity. The
centre of the line had just reached some rising ground, when the
enemy opened two guns; the second shot killed and wounded four men
of the THIRTY-SIXTH regiment. The line kept still moving forward,
the enemy closing on it in all directions, his cavalry making
several charges in front, and particularly on the rear; some of his
infantry had by this time got very close without being perceived,
as the country was much intersected with hedges, and annoyed the
line greatly with musketry and rockets, particularly the centre
and rear. The line halted, and fronted the enemy. When the British
musketry commenced, the enemy’s horse had formed completely round
the troops, and were making constant charges at the line in all
directions, several times coming close to the ranks; the most
numerous attacks were on the rear flank; the light company of the
THIRTY-SIXTH was much pressed, and several were killed and wounded;
this company continued the arduous conflict until the ammunition
was expended, when charging with the bayonet Captain William
Hartley of the THIRTY-SIXTH was killed.