BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, 1758-1814
Louisburg, 1758--Quebec, 1759--Monte Video, 1807--Detroit,
August 12, 1812--Miami, April 23, 1813--Niagara, July 25,
1814--Bladensburg, October 24, 1814.
LOUISBURG, JULY 25, 1758.
The following regiments are authorized to bear this honour:
Royal Scots.
East Yorkshire.
Leicester.
Cheshire.
Gloucester.
Royal Sussex.
South Lancashire.
Sherwood Foresters.
North Lancashire.
Northampton.
King's Royal Rifles.
Wiltshire.
It commemorates the siege and capture of the fortress of Louisburg
(Cape Breton's Island, North America) from the French in July,
1758. The army, which was under the command of General the Lord
Amherst, numbered 12,000 of all ranks, and was distributed as
follows:
First Brigade--Brigadier Whitmore: 1st Royal Scots, 22nd
(Cheshires), 40th (South Lancashire), 48th (Northampton), and 3rd
Batt. 60th (King's Royal Rifles).
Second Brigade--Brigadier James Wolfe: 17th (Leicester), 35th
(Royal Sussex), 47th (Loyal North Lancashire), and 2nd Batt. 60th
(King's Royal Rifles).
Third Brigade--Brigadier Lawrence: 15th (East Yorkshire), 28th
(Gloucester), 45th (Sherwood Foresters), and 58th (Northampton).
The grenadiers and light companies of the various regiments were,
as was customary in those days, organized into separate battalions.
The force, which was convoyed by twenty-three ships of the line,
under Admiral Boscawen, on which the 62nd (Wiltshires) were serving
as marines, arrived at Gabarus Bay, a little to the westward of
the fortress, on June 8, 1758. The country was well known, for
Commodore Sir R. Warren, with some colonial troops, had wrested it
from the French in 1745. A reconnaissance revealed three possible
landing-places, and, to make assurance trebly sure, Amherst
determined to threaten all three, whilst the true attack should
be made by Wolfe's brigade, with the grenadier and light infantry
battalions, at Freshwater Cove, about three miles from the city.
CASUALTIES AT THE SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF LOUISBURG, JULY 25, 1758.
+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Artillery | - | 1 | 4 | 5 |
|Royal Scots | 2 | 4 | 13 | 27 |
|15th E. Yorks | 2 | 3 | 27 | 26 |
|17th Leicester | 1 | 3 | 11 | 33 |
|22nd Cheshire | - | 3 | 7 | 15 |
|28th Gloucester | - | 1 | 12 | 25 |
|35th R. Sussex | - | 4 | ? | ? |
|40th S. Lancs | - | 1 | 8 | 21 |
|45th Sherwood Foresters | - | - | 10 | 14 |
|47th N. Lancs | - | - | 9 | 30 |
|48th N'hampton | 1 | 1 | 8 | 17 |
|58th N'hampton | - | 1 | 2 | 11 |
|60th King's Royal Rifles | 1 | 1 | 24 | 57 |
|78th[4] | 4 | 3 | 17 | 41 |
+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
The landing was stubbornly contested by the French, but, thanks to
the gallantry of Major Scott, at the head of the light infantry
battalion, Wolfe was enabled to effect his object with a loss of
about 100 killed and wounded. Lawrence's brigade was immediately
thrown ashore, and by nightfall Amherst had pitched his camp to the
westward, and just out of the range of the guns of the fortress.
The task of disembarking the siege material was exceedingly
arduous, and Amherst, owing to the nature of the ground, was
compelled to restrict the siege operations to the western face of
the fortress. Wolfe, however, was detached to move round the city,
and seize some works on the northern side of the harbour. This he
effected with but slight loss, and was enabled by a daring _coup
de main_ to occupy a commanding position some 300 yards distant
from the northernmost bastion. Thanks to the powerful and cordial
co-operation of the fleet, Amherst carried on the bombardment with
ceaseless vigour. By the end of July the walls were so battered
that they could barely withstand the shock of their own guns,
and on the 27th of that month the French General surrendered
unconditionally, with 5,600 men.
QUEBEC, SEPTEMBER 12, 1759.
The following regiments are authorized to bear this honour:
Oxford Light Infantry.
North Lancashire.
Northampton.
King's Royal Rifles.
East Yorkshire.
Royal Sussex.
Gloucester.
It commemorates that glorious eleven weeks' campaign which
culminated in the capture of Quebec and established British
supremacy in Canada. It is doubly memorable owing to the fact that
the two opposing commanders, Wolfe and Montcalm, fell in the hour
of victory, and that vanquished as well as victor are held in
veneration by friend and foe alike.
The capture of Louisburg and the successes over the French in West
Africa, as well as on the continent of North America, determined
Pitt to carry out the scheme formulated in the preceding year for
the capture of Quebec. Wolfe, who had so distinguished himself
at Louisburg, was, to the surprise of the army, nominated to the
command, having under him three Brigadiers--Monckton, Townsend,
and Murray. The former had as a regimental commander shown himself
possessed of every capacity for high command. The force, which
numbered about 8,000 men, was composed of ten battalions of the
line: two of grenadiers, made up from the flank companies of all
regiments in North America; two of light infantry; and a corps of
local troops styled "Roger's Rangers," men inured to war and of
proved capacity. The distribution of the force was as under:
First Brigade--Brigadier Murray: 35th (Royal Sussex), 48th
(Northampton), and 3rd Battalion King's Royal Rifles.
Second Brigade--Brigadier Townsend: 28th (Gloucester), 47th
(North Lancashire), and 2nd Battalion King's Royal Rifles.
Third Brigade--Brigadier Monckton: 15th (East Yorkshire), 43rd
(Oxford Light Infantry), 58th (Northampton), and Fraser's
Highlanders.
It was not until June 27 that Wolfe landed, without resistance,
on the Island of Orleans, just below Quebec, and on the following
day Monckton's brigade, with some heavy guns, was thrown across
to the right bank of the St. Lawrence. Emboldened by the passive
attitude of the French Commander, who seemed averse to adopt
any offensive measures, Wolfe moved the brigades of Murray and
Townsend to the left bank of the St. Lawrence, below the French
entrenched camp, whilst he himself, still holding on to the Isle
of Orleans, threw up batteries on the left bank _below_ the city.
This dissemination of his forces constituted a grave danger, but
Montcalm took no advantage of such a palpable error. On July 31
a determined attempt to assault the city was repulsed, our loss
being upwards of 500 killed and wounded, and the spirits of the
besiegers sank to zero. The British Admiral pointed out to Wolfe
that the proper course to pursue was to transfer his main force to
a position on the right bank of the St. Lawrence, above Quebec, so
as to prevent Montcalm from obtaining supplies or reinforcements
from Montreal. This proposition was concurred in warmly by the
General, and early in September Townsend and Murray took up their
new position to the west of the citadel. On September 13 Wolfe, by
a most daring midnight movement, scaled the Heights of Abraham, and
so encompassed the fall of what was considered an impregnable city.
Shot in the wrist early in the fight, the heroic young commander
still led on his men, until, just as the French were falling back,
he received a second ball in the groin, and finally fell at the
head of the 28th (Gloucesters), at the moment of victory. The
command now devolved on Townsend (Monckton having been disabled by
a severe wound), and he pressed forward the siege with vigour. On
September 18 General Ramesay, who had succeeded Montcalm in command
of the French, signed the capitulation of a city which was little
better than a mass of shapeless ruins. The praise for the capture
of Quebec is due to Wolfe; but Quebec was but an incident in the
long-drawn-out campaign which resulted in transferring Canada from
the Bourbon to British rule, and the credit for this belongs to a
General little remembered in these days--General the Lord Amherst.
CASUALTIES DURING THE OPERATIONS AT QUEBEC, 1759.
+-------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+-------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Staff | 1 | 5 | - | - |
|Royal Artillery | - | - | 1 | 14 |
|15th E. Yorks | 1 | 11 | 13 | 107 |
|28th Gloucesters | 1 | 7 | 18 | 100 |
|35th R. Sussex | 3 | 10 | 29 | 69 |
|40th S. Lancashire | 1 | 7 | 1 | 29 |
|43rd Oxford L.I. | - | 3 | 12 | 33 |
|47th L.N. Lancashire | 1 | 3 | 16 | 49 |
|48th N'hampton | 1 | 4 | 13 | 47 |
|58th N'hampton | 1 | 8 | 17 | 129 |
|60th King's Royal Rifles (3rd Batt.) | 4 | 13 | 22 | 176 |
|60th King's Royal Rifles (4th Batt.) | - | 1 | 2 | 30 |
|78th Seaforth Highlanders | 3 | 11 | 35 | 138 |
|Grenadiers of Louisburg | 1 | 7 | 13 | 112 |
|Roger's Rangers | 2 | 2 | 21 | 26 |
|Royal Marines | - | - | 8 | 22 |
+-------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
MONTE VIDEO, 1807.
A battle honour borne by the
South Staffords.
South Lancashire.
Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Rifle Brigade.
The expedition to South America redounds little to the credit of
our arms, and, as is well known, ended in disaster. A few words
are necessary as to its inception. Prior to the expedition to the
Cape of Good Hope in 1806, the Admiral, Sir Home Popham, who was
in command of the naval forces in the South Atlantic, had been at
some pains to impress upon Pitt, the Prime Minister, the immense
advantages that would accrue to our trade by the conquest of the
Spanish possessions in South America; and though it would appear
that Popham was not entrusted with any mission in furtherance of
his design, there is no doubt that Pitt did look with considerable
favour on his proposals, and a force under General Crawford was
actually despatched to make a descent on the western shore of the
continent, and to occupy Chili or Peru. Popham, however, did not
lose sight of his own scheme, which was the conquest of Buenos
Ayres; and no sooner were we in possession of the Cape than he
persuaded Sir David Baird to place General Beresford, with the 38th
(South Staffords) and the 71st (Highland Light Infantry) at his
disposal. With these and the St. Helena Regiment, which consisted
of an infantry battalion and a company of artillery, Popham sailed
across the Atlantic, and early in June appeared off the coast
near Monte Video. After reconnoitring Mondanado, Popham decided
that an attack on Monte Video was impracticable, and, overcoming
the scruples of Beresford, proceeded to Buenos Ayres. The troops
were landed a short distance from the city, and, after a short
skirmish, the Spaniards, completely surprised, surrendered. The
troops engaged at the first capture of Buenos Ayres were the 71st
(Highland Light Infantry), a naval brigade, consisting of seamen
and marines, and the St. Helena Regiment, the casualties only
amounting to 4 men killed, an officer and 15 men wounded.
The Spaniards soon recovered from their surprise, and, realizing
the weakness of our force, took measures for the recapture of the
city. On August 12 a body of some 12,000 men appeared before Buenos
Ayres, and at the end of the day, our men being entangled in the
streets, and the 71st having lost 165 killed and wounded, Beresford
felt himself obliged to surrender.
When the news of the disaster reached England, reinforcements
were at once despatched to the coast, and Baird was ordered to
send all troops he could spare from the Cape. The command of the
new expedition was entrusted to Sir Samuel Auchmuty, whilst the
naval forces were placed under Admiral Sterling, Popham being
recalled for the purpose of undergoing trial by court-martial. On
arriving at Mondanado, Auchmuty found the troops from the Cape.
These were unprovided with artillery, and there was much difficulty
in securing the necessary provisions. Meat there was in plenty,
but for flour and other food-stuffs the troops were dependent on
England. After consultation with the Admiral, it was decided to
make an attack on Monte Video as a necessary preliminary to the
recapture of Buenos Ayres, and the release of the troops in the
hands of the Spaniards (close on 1,500 in number). On January 18,
1807, the force was successfully disembarked at Carretas, some
seven miles to the eastward of Monte Video. A reconnaissance proved
that the defences of the city were far more formidable than had
been reported, and on the 19th the Spaniards made a sortie, in
which they displayed a gallantry which our men had by no means
anticipated. Heavy guns were landed from the fleet, and breaching
batteries erected within 1,000 yards of the citadel. The Admiral
also landed upwards of 1,400 seamen and marines to assist the
troops. The General did not possess the means for a regular siege,
and, risky though the experiment was, he determined to carry the
place by storm so soon as a practicable breach was effected. On
the night of January 24 Sir Samuel made the preparations for the
assault. The storming column was composed of the Rifle Brigade, the
light and grenadier companies of all the regiments of the force,
with the 38th (South Staffords). The 40th (South Lancashire) and
the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) were in immediate support, whilst
the General held in reserve the 47th (North Lancashire), a company
of the 71st (Highland Light Infantry), 700 seamen and marines,
and the details of the 17th Lancers, 20th and 21st Light Dragoons.
The night was very dark, and it was found that the Spaniards had
repaired the breach with timber faced with damp hides, to avoid the
contingency of their being set on fire; but the Rifle Brigade and
light infantry battalion forced their way over all obstacles in the
face of a very determined resistance, and by daybreak we were in
possession of the town. The conduct of our men during the actual
assault and during the occupation called forth the warmest praise
of the General.
CASUALTIES DURING THE OPERATIONS AT MONTE VIDEO.
+----------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Navy | - | 2 | 6 | 32 |
|17th Lancers (dismt. troop) | - | - | - | 4 |
|20th Light Dragoons | - | - | 1 | 3 |
|21st Light Dragoons | - | - | - | 4 |
|Royal Artillery | - | 1 | 1 | 4 |
|38th S. Staffs | 2 | 10 | 29 | 98 |
|40th S. Lancs | 4 | 5 | 18 | 76 |
|47th Loyal N. Lancashires | - | - | 3 | 16 |
|72nd Seaforths | - | 1 | - | - |
|83rd R. Irish Rifles | - | 1 | - | - |
|87th R. Irish Fusiliers | 3 | 3 | 60 | 80 |
|95th Rifle Brig. | 1 | 3 | 15 | 45 |
|Light Infantry Battalion | 1 | 6 | 66 | 99 |
+----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
In the month of March the troops, under General Crawford, which
had been destined for the Chilian coast arrived at Monte Video,
and General Whitelock assumed command. An advance was now made
on Buenos Ayres, which resulted in the capitulation of our force
and the trial of the Commander-in-Chief. This disaster cast no
reflections either on the gallantry of our troops or the skill
of Auchmuty. At the same time, it is impossible to think of this
battle honour without recalling the unfortunate circumstances
connected with the two attacks on Buenos Ayres.
NORTH AMERICA, 1812-1814.
The war in North America in the early years of the nineteenth
century gave rise to much hard fighting, and though at the close
of the campaign in the Iberian Peninsula we were enabled to send a
number of our seasoned regiments as reinforcements, the operations
were by no means creditable to our arms.
On the institution of the Land General Service Medal in 1847
(commonly called the Peninsular Medal), a certain number of
engagements which had taken place in North America were included in
the list of those for which the medal was granted, and clasps were
issued for the following actions:
Fort Detroit, August, 1812.
Châteaugay, October 26, 1813.
Christler's Farm, November 11, 1813.
But in the distribution of battle honours the two last names were
not authorized to be borne on the colours of the regiments engaged.
In the case of Christler's Farm an application for permission
to bear this honour on behalf of the 89th Regiment (now the 2nd
Royal Irish Fusiliers) met with a decided refusal. On the other
hand, four battle honours were granted to regiments to commemorate
engagements for which the medal was not issued--namely, Queenstown,
Miami, Niagara, and Bladensburg.
DETROIT
is borne only on the colours of the Welsh Regiment, and
commemorates the services of the old 41st Regiment at the affair
which took place in the vicinity of Fort Detroit, on August 16,
1812, when its casualties amounted to 1 officer and 3 men killed, 1
officer and 10 men wounded.
QUEENSTOWN
records the services of the Welsh Regiment and the Berkshires in
the affair of October 26, 1813, in which their casualties were--
+---------------------------------------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|41st Welsh | - | - | 2 | 18 |
|49th Berkshire | - | 2 | 8 | 30 |
+---------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
MIAMI
This, again, is an honour which was granted alone to the Welsh
Regiment as a recognition of its services in the affair of April
23, 1813, when the casualties were 11 men killed, 1 officer and 38
men wounded.
NIAGARA
is borne on the colours and appointments of the
19th Hussars.
Royal Scots.
Royal Warwick.
Welsh Regiment.
King's Liverpool Regiment.
Royal Canadians.
Royal Irish Fusiliers.
South Lancashire.
In the _London Gazette_ of July 25, 1814, the above regiments, as
well as the 103rd Regiment, were authorized to add this battle
honour to their other distinctions. In November, 1815, the 104th
Regiment were also awarded the honour.[5] The casualties at this
engagement were--
LOSSES AT NIAGARA.
+------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|19th Hussars | - | - | - | 2 |
|Royal Artillery | - | - | - | 15 |
|Royal Scots | 1 | 3 | 15 | 112 |
|8th King's Liverpool | - | 3 | 12 | 57 |
|41st Welsh Regiment | - | - | 3 | 34 |
|89th R. Irish Fusiliers | 2 | 11 | 27 | 177 |
|100th Royal Canadians | - | - | - | - |
|103rd Regiment | - | 1 | 6 | 46 |
|104th Regiment | - | - | 1 | 5 |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
BLADENSBURG, AUGUST 24, 1814.
This honour is borne on the colours of the following regiments:
King's Own (Royal Lancaster).
Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Essex.
Shropshire Light Infantry.
The campaign on the Canadian frontier had been waged with varying
fortune: sometimes success attended our arms, at others we suffered
considerable reverses. We were fighting, however, under many
disadvantages. The bulk of our forces were employed in Spain, or
in the abortive expedition to the Low Countries. The abdication
of Napoleon, however, set free a portion of our troops, and a
brigade was despatched, under the command of Major-General John
Ross, from the South of France to North America. It consisted of
the 4th (King's Own), the 41st (Welsh), and the 44th (Essex). On
arrival at Bermuda it was met by the 21st (Royal Scots Fusiliers),
and by Admiral Cochrane, commanding the naval forces on the
station. The Admiral had been in the habit whilst blockading the
coast of landing at the mouth of the Potomac River, and making
incursions into the country, accompanied only by a few Marines.
He pointed out to the General the feasibility of an attack on
Washington, the young capital of the United States. On August 15
the General, accompanied by the Admiral, landed and made a lengthy
reconnaissance up the Patuxent River, which runs parallel to the
Potomac, and a short distance to the east. The landing presented
no difficulties, and on the 20th the whole of the brigade, having
arrived, were disembarked without opposition at a place called
Benedict, on the right bank of the Patuxent, only fifty miles from
Washington. On the following day the force moved to Nottingham
in three columns. The right, under Colonel Brooke, of the 44th,
consisted of the 4th (King's Own) and the 44th (Essex); the
centre, commanded by Colonel Patterson, of the 21st (Royal Scots
Fusiliers), comprised that corps and a strong naval brigade;
whilst the left column, which was under Colonel Thornton, of
the 85th (King's Light Infantry), was made up of that regiment
and the light companies of the other three battalions, and was
accompanied by the little artillery force, which consisted of but
a couple of 3-pounders and a howitzer. On August 22 the brigade
reached Marlborough, a small town sixteen miles from the capital,
and here Ross learnt that a body of American troops, about 6,000
strong, was drawn up for the defence of Washington at Bladensburg,
to the north of the city. Leaving some marines to guard his lines
of communication at Marlborough, Ross pushed on, the left column,
under his own personal command, leading, and on the morning of the
24th he found the enemy. The action was soon over, and by nightfall
Ross entered Washington, having captured ten of the enemy's guns.
Whether the subsequent burning of the Capitol was justified or not
is a question that everyone will decide for himself. Suffice to
say that public property to the extent of close on half a million
sterling was destroyed, in addition to several ships on the stocks,
and that we carried away 206 guns. Our losses were by no means
heavy. In justice to the memory of the General, it should be put on
record that a perfectly orderly entry into the city was effected,
and that all firing had long since ceased when, as he and the
Admiral were passing through the city, some shots were fired from a
private house, and that by his orders that house was set on fire.
The flames spread to neighbouring buildings, and before they could
be stopped the Capitol was in flames.
The raid--for raid it was--was looked upon as a decided success,
and Ross, who had succeeded in carrying off the greater part of
the guns found in Washington, determined to carry out a similar
raid on Baltimore. This, too, was successful, but it was achieved
at the loss of the gallant General, who was one of the four
officers who fell in the engagement outside Baltimore on September
12. The action of Bladensburg is commemorated not only on the
colours of the four regiments which were present, but the family
of the General were authorized by royal licence to add the word
"Bladensburg" to their own name of Ross.
CASUALTIES AT BLADENSBURG.
+------------------------+-----------+-----+-----+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Artillery | - | - | - | 6 |
|R. Engineers | - | - | 2 | - |
|4th King's Own | 1 | 7 | 23 | 56 |
|21st R. Scots Fusiliers | - | 2 | 2 | 11 |
|44th Essex | - | - | 14 | 35 |
|85th K. Shropshire L.I. | 2 | 11 | 12 | 53 |
|Royal Marines | - | - | 6 | 1 |
|6th West India | - | - | 1 | - |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
[Illustration: BATTLEFIELDS IN SOUTHERN INDIA]