BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN THE WEST INDIES, 1759-1810
West Indies, 1759-1810--Guadeloupe, 1759--Martinique,
1762--Havana--St. Lucia, 1778--Martinique, 1794--St. Lucia,
1796--St. Lucia, 1803--Surinam--Dominica--Martinique,
1809--Guadeloupe, 1810.
The battle honours conferred for services in the West Indies cover
the half-century from the capture of Guadeloupe in 1759 to the
third capture of the same island in the year 1810. The appended
tables of casualties show that our losses in action were by no
means contemptible, but these did not represent one-tenth of those
we suffered from disease or from neglect of the most elementary
precautions against the effects of the climate on our troops.
In the event of our being at war with those nations which had
possessions in the West Indies, the islands formed convenient bases
for operations against our North American Colonies, as well as
harbours of refuge for the innumerable privateers which preyed upon
our commerce. When war unhappily broke out between our Colonies and
the Mother-Country, it became more than ever a matter of paramount
necessity that no Power but ourselves should hold possession of
these islands. Unfortunately, at the end of each successive war
England, as has ever been her custom, restored her conquests
to their original holders, with the inevitable result that our
soldiers and sailors were called upon to sacrifice their lives
in the recapture of the islands in pursuance of the time-worn
policy of English Cabinets. In the course of fifty years St. Lucia,
Guadeloupe, and Martinique were thrice wrested from the French, and
the two last-named islands thrice restored. Up to the year 1909 the
battle honours "Martinique" and "Guadeloupe," which figured on the
colours and appointments of some of our regiments, had been granted
only for the capture of those islands by Sir George Beckwith in the
years 1809 and 1810. Last year it was determined (and very rightly)
that the previous expeditions, which dated back to 1759, were also
worthy of being recorded, and an Army Order was issued in the month
of November, 1909, announcing that the King had been graciously
pleased to approve of the undermentioned honorary distinctions
being borne on the colours and appointments of a certain number
of regiments present in the following expeditions: "Havana";
"Guadeloupe, 1759"; "Guadeloupe, 1810"; "Martinique, 1762";
"Martinique, 1794 and 1809"; "St. Lucia, 1778, 1793, and 1803."
In any case where a regiment had been awarded the same distinction,
but with different dates, it was to bear on its colours or
appointments one distinction only, with the dates. Thus, so far as
Martinique is concerned, the East Yorkshire Regiment will have on
its colours "Martinique, 1762, 1794, 1809."
The services performed by our troops in the many expeditions for
the reduction of the Island of Guadeloupe have been scantily
recognized. So far as I have been able to ascertain, the first
capture of the Island of Guadeloupe took place in the year 1702,
when the Yorkshire Regiment lost 2 officers killed and 3 wounded;
the 20th (Lancashire Fusiliers) 3 officers killed and 5 wounded;
and the 35th (Royal Sussex), 2 killed, 3 wounded, and no less than
16 by disease.
Then came the expedition of 1759, with which I deal at length, and
for which a battle honour was granted.
In the year 1794 we once more captured the island, the losses being:
+----------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Artillery | 2 | - | 3 | 57 |
|Roy. Engineers | - | 1 | 1 | 3 |
|E. Yorkshire | - | 1 | 3 | 31 |
|R. Scots Fus. | - | 4 | 6 | 97 |
|35th R. Sussex | - | 4 | 9 | 47 |
|39th Dorsets | - | - | 3 | 18 |
|56th Essex | - | 2 | 6 | 35 |
|60th K.R.R. | 2 | - | 6 | 107 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
For this expedition no battle honour was granted.
In the year 1814 Guadeloupe was handed over to the French, but
on Napoleon's escape from Elba in 1815 it declared for him, and
a fresh expedition became necessary for which no distinction has
yet been awarded. Possibly, in due course of time, the dates 1702,
1794, and 1815 may be added to the name "Guadeloupe" on the colours
of the regiments which participated in those long-forgotten, but by
no means bloodless, expeditions.
Late in the year 1758 it was determined by the Cabinet to effect
the reduction of the colonial possessions of France. With the
capture of the Settlements on the West Coast of Africa I have
nothing to do. For their reduction no battle honour was granted.
The campaigns, which resulted in the reduction of Louisburg and
Quebec are narrated on pp. 37 and 38. I now propose to deal with
the expeditions which led to the honour "Guadeloupe, 1759";
"Martinique, 1762"; and "Havana" being inscribed on the colours and
appointments of our regiments.
GUADELOUPE, 1759.
By the Army Order of November, 1909, the above battle honour was
conferred on the following regiments:
Buffs.
King's Own (Lancaster).
Gloucester.
South Staffords.
Royal Highlanders.
North Staffords.
Manchester.
York and Lancaster.
Thus, a century and a half after the event, the services of our
troops at the second capture of the Island of Guadeloupe received a
tardy recognition.
In November, 1758, the Buffs, King's Own, Gloucester, North
Stafford, Manchester, and York and Lancaster Regiments embarked
at Spithead for Barbados, where they were joined by the South
Staffords and the Royal Highlanders, Lieutenant-General Peregrine
Hopson assuming the command. The force was divided into four
brigades, under Colonels Robert Armiger, George Haldane, Cyrus
Trapaud, and John Clavering, whilst Major-General the Hon. John
Barrington joined as second in command. It was also strengthened by
a detachment of 500 artillerymen, under Major S. Cleveland, R.A.,
and a battalion of Marines, under Colonel Rycaut, making a total
of about 6,800 men. On January 13, 1759, the expeditionary force
sailed for Martinique, where the French were well prepared for
defence, and no landing was attempted. Three days afterwards the
armament stood on to Fort Royal Bay, Martinique, and, under cover
of the guns of the fleet, the troops disembarked. On the following
morning a sharp skirmish took place, in which the French were
driven out of some entrenched buildings, our casualties amounting
to 100 killed and wounded; but it was found impossible to follow up
the enemy owing to the denseness of the jungle and the absence of
roads.
General Hopson, who was suffering from a mortal disease, appears
to have formulated no plan of operations for the reduction of
Martinique, and on the following morning the troops re-embarked
without opposition, and the fleet stood on to Guadeloupe, arriving
before that island on January 22. Basse Terre, the capital of
the southern island (for Guadeloupe practically consists of
the two islands, Guadeloupe, or Basse Terre and Grande Terre),
was bombarded by the fleet and utterly destroyed, the Governor
withdrawing his troops to a well-entrenched and most formidable
position some miles distant. The disembarkation of the troops
was consequently unopposed, but our outposts were much worried
day and night by incessant firing and desultory attacks from the
French, who had taken refuge in the surrounding jungle. The General
again seemed to have no definite plan of operations, and contented
himself with strengthening his position on the inland side of the
capital. Our troops suffered terribly from the climate. By the end
of January 600 men had been invalided to Antigua, and 1,500 were on
the sick-list.
The Commodore was a man of action, as also, indeed, was General
Barrington; but the former was independent of General Hopson, the
latter was not. About the middle of February Commodore Moore sailed
round to Port Louis, on the northern island, where he found a good
harbour. He at once bombarded its defences, forced the garrison to
surrender, and disembarked a battalion of Marines, thus securing
for Hopson a second base.
On February 16 the Commander-in-Chief died, and Barrington
determined to put an end to the inaction which was demoralizing
the troops. Leaving the 63rd (Manchester) Regiment to hold Basse
Terre (the defences of which on the land side had been considerably
strengthened), Barrington embarked the rest of his troops and
occupied Port Louis, whence he despatched Colonel Crump, of the
4th (King's Own), who had succeeded to the command of Haldane's
brigade, to effect the reduction of the French settlements in the
northern island. Early in April Brigadier Clavering was detached
with his brigade (reduced to 1,300 men) to destroy the French
position at Arnouville, in Guadeloupe itself. In this attack the
4th (King's Own) and the 42nd (Royal Highlanders) particularly
distinguished themselves, and in the middle of the month Clavering
was able to join hands with Crump, who had been withdrawn from the
Grande Terre, and to march southwards along the coast. Position
after position was carried until Clavering finally drove the French
from their entrenchments at Capesterre, in the south-west of the
mainland, where the inhabitants compelled the French commander to
sue for terms; and on May 1 the possession of Guadeloupe passed
into our hands.
CASUALTIES DURING EXPEDITION TO GUADELOUPE, 1759.
+--------------------------------+----------------------+--------------+
| | _Officers._ | _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +------+-------+-------+------+-------+
| |Killed|Wounded|Died of|Killed|Wounded|
| | | |Disease| | |
+--------------------------------+------+-------+-------+------+-------+
|Royal Artillery | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
|Royal Navy | 1 | 1 | - | 30 | 68 |
|3rd Buffs (East Kent Regiment) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 19 |
|4th King's Own (Lancaster Regt.)| 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
|38th Regt. (South Staffords) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 37 |
|42nd (R. Highlanders) | 1 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 32 |
|61st (2nd Gloucesters) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 16 |
|63rd (1st Manchesters) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
|64th (1st N. Staffords) | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
|65th (1st York and Lancaster) | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
+--------------------------------+------+-------+-------+------+-------+
NOTE.--I am indebted to the courtesy of the Army Council for
this hitherto unpublished return of the rank and file killed and
wounded at Guadeloupe.
MARTINIQUE, 1762.
This distinction was conferred on the following regiments by an
Army Order in November, 1909:
East Yorkshire.
Leicester.
Cheshire.
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Gloucester.
Royal Sussex.
South Stafford.
South Lancashire.
Welsh.
Royal Highlanders.
Oxford Light Infantry.
Northampton.
King's Royal Rifles.
The employment of our troops on the Continent of Europe and in
Canada had prevented the Cabinet from carrying out the designs
for the capture of the Islands of Dominica, Martinique, and St.
Lucia; but the fall of Louisburg and Quebec set sufficient forces
at liberty to enable Pitt in the early part of 1762 to carry out
the long-deferred expedition. Its command was entrusted to General
the Hon. Robert Monckton, an officer of considerable experience,
who had more recently distinguished himself in command of a
brigade under Wolfe at Quebec. Carlisle Bay (Barbados) was the
point selected for the mobilization of the expeditionary force,
and there, at Christmas, 1761, the Commander-in-Chief arrived with
eleven battalions from North America. He was joined shortly by Lord
Rollo with five more battalions from Canada, and by General Ruffane
with four seasoned regiments fresh from the capture of Belleisle; a
couple of regiments from Guadeloupe, and two from Antigua, brought
the force at Monckton's disposal to some 12,000 men, distributed in
five brigades, under Brigadier W. Havilland, W. Ruffane, F. Grant,
Lord Rollo, and Hunt Walsh.
On January 5, 1762, escorted by a powerful fleet under Lord Rodney,
the expeditionary force left Barbados, and on the 7th had arrived
at St. Ann's Bay, the southernmost harbour in Martinique. Our
knowledge of the island was very defective. More than one attempt
at disembarkation proved ineffective, owing to the want of roads
by which the troops might advance, and it was not until the 16th
of the month that the entire force was landed at Case Navire,
a little to the north of the capital, Port Royal. A series of
works, dominated by powerful entrenchments on the hills, Morne
Tortenson and Morne Grenier, had been thrown up for the defence
of Port Royal. On January 24 the first-named position was carried
by Brigadiers Havilland and Walsh, with a loss of 33 officers and
357 men killed and wounded, and three days later the Morne Grenier
was taken, with a loss of about 100 of all ranks. On February
12, finding further resistance useless, the French commander
capitulated, and Monckton, in conjunction with Lord Rodney, who was
in command of the fleet, despatched detachments for the capture
of St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent, which fell into our
hands without offering any resistance. Our casualties during the
operations in Martinique were as follows:
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|4th K.'s Own | 1 | 1 | 8 | 23 |
|15th E. Yorks | - | - | 4 | 15 |
|17th Leicesters | - | - | 4 | 17 |
|22nd Cheshires | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|27th Inniskilling Fusiliers| - | 2 | 4 | 19 |
|28th Gloucs. | - | 2 | 5 | 9 |
|35th R. Sussex | - | 2 | 4 | 19 |
|38th S. Staffs | - | - | 2 | 13 |
|41st Welsh | - | 1 | 1 | 6 |
|42nd Royal Highlanders | 2 | 11 | 12 | 76 |
|43rd Oxford L.I. | - | - | - | - |
|48th N'hampton | - | 2 | 9 | 15 |
|60th K.R.R. | - | 3 | 12 | 42 |
|65th York and Lancaster | - | - | - | 3 |
|69th Welsh | - | - | 2 | 6 |
|75th W. Riding Regiment | - | - | - | 3 |
|77th Middlesex | 1 | 1 | 4 | 21 |
|90th Scot. R. | - | - | 3 | 17 |
|91st Argyll Highlanders | - | - | - | - |
|98th N. Staffs | - | - | 2 | 5 |
|100th Royal Canadians | - | 1 | 4 | 8 |
+---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
It will be seen from the above list, copied from the _London
Gazette_ (in which the 42nd are styled "Royal Hunters"!), that many
regiments suffered casualties which have not been authorized to
assume the honour "Martinique, 1762."
HAVANA.
The regiments authorized by the Army Order of November, 1909, to
bear this battle honour are:
Royal Scots.
Norfolk.
East Yorkshire.
Leicester.
Cheshire.
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Gloucester.
Border.
Royal Sussex.
South Lancashire.
Royal Highlanders.
Oxford Light Infantry.
Essex.
Northampton.
King's Royal Rifles.
A perusal of the following brief account of the campaign will show
that, if the ruling holds good under which the 5th Lancers, 18th,
19th, and 20th Hussars, together with many infantry regiments, are
permitted to bear the battle honours won by their predecessors,
there are other regiments equally entitled to inscribe "Havana" on
their colours and appointments than the fifteen above mentioned,
and three at least which have more claim to the battle honour
"Moro" than the Essex.
The campaign was decided on by the Ministry in the early spring of
1762, General the Earl of Albemarle being nominated to the chief
command, with orders to co-operate with Admiral of the Blue, Sir
George Pocock, who was at the time commanding the fleet in the
West Indies. The troops were composed of 4,000 men despatched from
England with the Commander-in-Chief; 8,000 were furnished by the
large forces then garrisoning the West India Islands, and 4,000
were detached by Sir Jeffrey Amherst from the forces in North
America. For transport service on shore, the Governor of Jamaica
raised a body of 1,500 negroes. These were augmented on the arrival
in Martinique of Lord Albemarle by the _purchase_ of 500 more! A
small force of cavalry was improvised by the Commander-in-Chief,
and placed under the orders of Captain Suttie, of the 9th Foot. The
whole force assembled at Martinique on May 5, 1762. It would appear
that Lord Albemarle, following the custom of the day, formed a
couple of Light Infantry Battalions from the light companies, and a
couple of Grenadier battalions from the grenadier companies of the
regiments under his command, the Light Infantry being placed at the
disposal of Colonel Guy Carleton, afterwards Lord Dorchester. The
entire force was brigaded as under:
First Brigade--Brigadier-General W. Havilland: Royal Scots, 56th
(Essex), and the 60th (King's Royal Rifles).
Second Brigade--Brigadier-General H. Walsh: 9th (Norfolks), 27th
(Inniskilling Fusiliers), and the 48th (Northamptons).
Third Brigade--Brigadier-General John Reid: 34th (Border
Regiment), 35th (Royal Sussex), 43rd (Oxford Light Infantry), and
the 75th (Gordon Highlanders).
Fourth Brigade--Brigadier-General F. Grant: 17th (Leicesters),
42nd (Royal Highlanders)--two battalions, two companies of the
65th (York and Lancaster), and three companies of the 4th (King's
Own), and four of the 77th (Middlesex).
Fifth Brigade--Brigadier-General the Lord Rollo: 22nd
(Cheshires), 40th (South Lancashires), 72nd (Seaforths), and the
90th (Scottish Rifles).
Colonel Leith: Royal Artillery, 357 men.
Of these, Brigadiers Havilland, Hunt-Walsh, and Lord Rollo had been
employed in the reduction of the island of Martinique, and it will
be noticed that a large proportion of the regiments had fought
under Wolfe at Quebec, or Studholme Hodgson at the capture of
Belleisle, or under Monckton at Martinique. Owing to the nature of
the ground, considerable difficulty was experienced in constructing
the siege batteries, which were armed with heavy guns from the
fleet, the stores and ammunition being conveyed to the front by
the corps of negroes purchased in Martinique by the General. In
consequence of the scarcity and badness of the water, the troops
suffered terribly. The seamen and Marines escaped the sickness
which more than decimated the army, and the Admiral landed a body
of 800 Marines to lighten the labours of the army.
On July 1 a heavy bombardment commenced, the fleet standing in to
aid. In this the _Dragon_, _Cambridge_, and _Marlborough_ suffered
severely. For a time the fire of the defence slackened, only to
be renewed with increased vigour in a couple of days. On the 21st
the garrison made a gallant sortie, which was repelled with equal
gallantry by the 90th Light Infantry, under Colonel Stuart. From
this date the defence gradually slackened, and on July 30 the
General determined to assault the Moro, which was the key of the
situation. The storming-party, which was under the command of
Colonel Stuart, of the 90th, was composed as follows:
1st Royal Scots 6 officers, 107 N.C.O.'s and men.
90th Light Infantry 8 " 53 "
Marksmen 8 " 29 "
the 35th Regiment in support. The assault was admirably planned,
and carried out with dashing gallantry.
CASUALTIES DURING THE EXPEDITION TO HAVANA, FROM DATE OF LANDING TO
CAPITULATION ON AUGUST 13, 1762.
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| | _Officers._ | _N.C.O.'s and Men._ |
| +-------+--------+--------+-------+--------+--------+
| _Regiments._ | | |Died of | | |Died of |
| |Killed.|Wounded.|Disease.|Killed.|Wounded.|Disease.|
+------------------+-------+--------+--------+-------+--------+--------+
|Royal Artillery | 2 | - | 2 | 25 | 49 | 25 |
|Engineers | - | 2 | - | - | - | - |
|1st Royal Scots | 2 | 3 | - | 34 | 78 | 12 |
|4th (K.O. Lancs.) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - |
|9th Foot (Norfolk)| 1 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 31 | 28 |
|15th Foot | | | | | | |
| (E. Yorks) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 20 | 10 |
|17th Foot (Leics.)| 1 | 2 | - | 3 | 2 | 26 |
|22nd Foot | | | | | | |
| (Cheshire | | | | | | |
| Regiment) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 28 |
|27th Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| Inniskilling | | | | | | |
| Fusiliers) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 23 | 13 |
|28th Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| Gloucester | | | | | | |
| Regt.) | - | - | - | 11 | 17 | 7 |
|34th Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| Border Regiment) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 70 | 85 |
|35th Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| Roy. Sussex | | | | | | |
| Regt.) | 1 | 2 | - | 19 | 26 | 17 |
|40th Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| South | | | | | | |
| Lancashire) | - | - | 1 | 9 | 13 | 10 |
|42nd (Royal | | | | | | |
| Highlanders) | - | - | 9 | 3 | 8 | 73 |
|43rd Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| Oxford L.I.) | - | 1 | - | 10 | 15 | 13 |
|46th Foot (2nd | | | | | | |
| Cornwall L.I.) | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
|48th Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| Northamptonshire)| - | - | 3 | 8 | 30 | 10 |
|56th Foot | | | | | | |
| (2nd Essex) | - | - | 2 | 36 | 83 | 85 |
|60th Foot (King's | | | | | | |
| Royal Rifles) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 63 | 13 |
|65th Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| York and | | | | | | |
| Lancaster) | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
|72nd Foot (1st | | | | | | |
| Seaforth | | | | | | |
| Highlanders) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 27 | 85 |
|77th Foot (2nd | | | | | | |
| Middlesex) | 1 | 3 | - | 3 | 8 | 16 |
|90th Foot (2nd | | | | | | |
| Scottish Rifles) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 35 | 49 |
|98th Foot (2nd N. | | | | | | |
| Staffords) | - | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 32 |
+------------------+-------+--------+--------+-------+--------+--------+
| Totals. | 15 | 19 | - | 284 | 586 | - |
+------------------+-------+--------+--------+-------+--------+--------+
In addition to the losses in action, it will be noticed that 39
officers and 641 N.C.O.'s and men died of disease.
With the Moro in our possession, the capitulation of the island was
a mere matter of time, and on August 14 the Captain-General signed
the articles of surrender of the Island of Cuba to the British
forces. Ninety-one officers and 29,700 of other ranks surrendered
as prisoners of war, and Admiral Pocock had the satisfaction of
taking possession of thirteen Spanish line-of-battle ships.
Our losses during the forty-four days' campaign had been
considerable, as the table of casualties on page 107 proves.
Hitherto the old 56th Regiment (now the Essex) has been the only
regiment entitled to carry the battle honour "Moro." The Royal
Scots have always, but as yet unsuccessfully, advanced their claim
to this distinction. The above facts show that the Scottish Rifles
and the Royal Sussex have an equal claim with the Royals to the
double distinction.
In conformity with our usual custom, the island was restored to
the Spaniards on the conclusion of the war, to be conquered by our
American cousins 130 years subsequently.
In those days the ardour of our sailors and soldiers was whetted by
the prospects of prize-money, and the capture of Havana, whilst it
brought wealth to the senior officers, brought consolation also to
all ranks in the shape of a rich distribution of doubloons.
DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZE-MONEY FOR THE CAPTURE OF HAVANA.
NAVY.
£ _s._ _d._
Commander-in-Chief 122,697 0 0
Commodore 24,539 0 0
Captain 1,600 0 0
Lieutenants 234 0 0
Warrant officers 118 0 0
Petty officers 17 5 0
Seamen 3 14 9
ARMY.
£ _s._ _d._
Commander-in-Chief 122,697 0 0
Lieut.-General 24,539 0 0
Major-General 6,816 0 0
Field Officers 564 0 0
Captains 184 0 0
Subalterns 116 0 0
Sergeants 8 18 8
Corporals 6 16 6
Privates and drummers 4 1 8
ST. LUCIA, 1778.
This honour was awarded in 1909 to the following regiments--
King's Own (Lancaster).
Northumberland Fusiliers.
East Yorkshire.
Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Gloucester.
Cornwall Light Infantry.
Border Regiment.
Royal Sussex.
South Lancashire.
Royal Berkshire.
--for their services at the capture of the island from the French,
and for its gallant defence a few days later against a vastly
superior force.
On the outbreak of war between France and England in 1778 the
French at once assumed the offensive in the West Indies by the
capture of Dominica on September 8, that island, with a garrison
of barely 500 men, being compelled to surrender to the Marquis de
Bouillé, who landed some 8,000 troops, drawn from the large forces
massed in Martinique and Guadeloupe, which, in pursuance of our
time-honoured custom, had been restored to France at the end of the
previous war in 1763. In the month of November a combined naval
and military expedition under Admiral Barrington and Major-General
James Grant left Barbados for the reduction of St. Lucia. It
numbered some 6,000 men, composed as under:
First Brigade--Brigadier Robert Prescott: 15th (East Yorkshire),
28th (Gloucester), 46th (Cornwall Light Infantry), and 54th
(Border Regiment).
Second Brigade--Brigadier Sir H. Calder: 27th (Inniskilling
Fusiliers), 35th (Sussex), 40th (South Lancashire), and 49th
(Royal Berkshire).
Third Brigade--Brigadier W. Meadows: 5th (Northumberland
Fusiliers), Grenadier Battalion and Light Infantry Battalion,
made up of the flank companies of all regiments present.
In addition, there were two companies of Royal Artillery and a
troop of Dragoons. Knowing that Admiral d'Estaing, with a fleet
outnumbering his own three to one, had already left Boston to
oppose him, Admiral Barrington set sail from Barbados on December
10, and the following day entered in Cul de Sac Bay, on the western
coast of the island. Two brigades were at once disembarked, and
they, carrying the French entrenchments, made themselves masters
of a strong position overlooking the main works of the enemy at
Castries. On December 12 the remainder of the troops were landed,
and an attack on the French entrenchments at the Morne Fortunée
was successfully carried out, and by evening we were in possession
of all the forts and batteries defending Castries Bay. Two days
later the French fleet, carrying 9,000 troops, appeared in the
offing, and d'Estaing at once attacked Barrington's squadron, which
was anchored across Cul de Sac Bay. Foiled there, he stood to the
northward, with the intention of turning General Grant's position
at Castries, and, under cover of the guns of the fleet, several
thousand French were landed. Here, however, they met with stout
opposition. Meadows, at the head of the Northumberland Fusiliers
and the Light Infantry Battalion, repulsing several most determined
attacks, in which the French lost 400 dead left on the field, with
some 1,200 wounded, our casualties in killed and wounded barely
reaching 175. D'Estaing re-embarked his men on the 28th, and
withdrew his fleet to Martinique, whereupon the French commandant
had no option but to surrender.
CASUALTIES AT THE CAPTURE OF THE ISLAND OF ST. LUCIA IN 1778.
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Artillery | - | - | 1 | 2 |
|4th King's Own | - | - | - | - |
|5th North. Fus. | - | 2 | 2 | 20 |
|15th E. Yorks | - | 1 | - | 1 |
|27th Innis. Fus. | - | - | - | - |
|28th Gloucester | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
|L.I. Battalion | - | - | 6 | 48 |
|35th R. Sussex | - | 1 | - | 1 |
|40th S. Lancs | - | 1 | 1 | 1 |
|46th Corn. L.I. | - | 1 | 3 | 9 |
|49th Berks | - | - | - | - |
|55th Border Regiment | - | 1 | - | 2 |
|Grenadier Batt. | - | - | 3 | 76 |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
NOTE.--I am indebted to the courtesy of the Army Council for the
above casualty list.
MARTINIQUE, 1794.
This distinction, awarded in 1909, is borne by the following
regiments--
Royal Warwick.
Norfolk.
East Yorkshire.
Royal Scots Fusiliers.
East Surrey.
North Stafford.
Northampton.
Dorset.
York and Lancaster.
--and commemorates the second capture of the island from the
French. Considerable care had been bestowed on the preparation of
this expedition. Its command was entrusted to capable hands, Sir
John Jervis--afterwards Lord St. Vincent--having charge of the
naval, and General Sir Charles Grey of the military forces. These
last were divided into five brigades:
First Brigade--Brigadier Sir C. Gordon: 15th (East Yorkshire),
39th (Dorset), and 43rd (Oxford Light Infantry).
Second Brigade--Brigadier Thomas Dunbar: 56th (2nd Essex), 63rd
(1st Manchester), and 64th (1st North Staffords).
Third Brigade--Brigadier J. Whyte: 6th (Royal Warwick), 58th (2nd
Northampton), and 70th (2nd East Surrey).
Fourth Brigade--Brigadier Campbell (subsequently replaced by
H.R.H. Duke of Kent): Three battalions, composed of the grenadier
companies of all regiments in Ireland and Flanders.
Fifth Brigade--Colonel Myers: Three battalions, composed of the
light companies of the same regiments.
Profiting by the experience of the expedition in 1762, a number
of gunboats--flat-bottomed craft, to assist in the disembarkation
of the troops--had been sent out from England in sections, and a
number of negroes purchased for the formation of a transport corps.
On February 3 the expedition set sail from Carlisle Bay, Barbados,
and two days later appeared off the island of Martinique in three
divisions, the Commander-in-Chief with the Third and Grenadier
Brigades, landing at Trois Rivières, in the extreme south; Dundas,
with his own and the Light Infantry Brigade, near Trinité, on the
east coast; and Gordon at Case Navire, a little to the north of
Port Royal, the capital. By February 12 Grey and Gordon, greatly
assisted by the guns of the fleet, had gradually converged on Port
Royal, driving the French before them, whilst Dunbar was steadily
pushing his way across the island from east to west. On February
17 St. Pierre (the commercial capital) surrendered to Dunbar, and
on March 8 Grey commenced to throw up siege batteries for the
reduction of the fortifications at Fort Royal; fourteen days later
Fort Louis fell to a combined assault of seamen and soldiers, and
on the 23rd General Rochambeau surrendered.
Leaving six battalions in the island, Grey, who had been reinforced
by the Buffs and Norfolks, embarked with these two regiments, the
Warwicks, 43rd (Oxford Light Infantry), 63rd (Manchester), and the
Grenadier and Light Infantry Brigades, for St. Lucia, which was
captured on April 2; then, proceeding to Guadeloupe, he effected
the reduction of that island by the end of May, not, however,
without very sharp fighting. The casualties we incurred at the
capture of Guadeloupe are given on p. 99. At the capture of St.
Lucia our losses were trifling; those at the capture of Martinique
are given below.
No less than 122 officers of the garrison died of disease before
the end of the year:
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Artillery | - | 3 | 10 | 18 |
|6th R. Warwick | 1 | - | 1 | 2 |
|8th King's Liverpool | 2 | - | - | - |
|9th Norfolks | 1 | - | - | 1 |
|12th Suffolks | 2 | - | - | - |
|15th E. Yorks | 2 | - | 3 | 4 |
|17th Leicesters | 1 | - | - | - |
|21st Roy. Scots Fusiliers | 3 | - | - | - |
|34th Border Regiment | 1 | - | - | - |
|35th R. Sussex | 1 | - | - | - |
|Royal Navy | 2 | 4 | 19 | 65 |
|Three L.I. Battalions | - | 2 | 20 | 62 |
|Roy. Engineers | - | 1 | 1 | 3 |
|38th S. Stafford | - | - | - | - |
|39th Dorsets | 1 | - | 1 | 4 |
|40th Loyal N. Lancashires | 1 | - | - | - |
|43rd Oxford L.I. | 2 | - | - | 3 |
|44th Essex | - | - | - | - |
|58th N'ampton | 2 | - | - | - |
|60th K.R.R. | 1 | - | - | - |
|64th N. Staffs | - | - | - | - |
|63rd Manchesters | - | - | 2 | 11 |
|70th E. Surrey | - | - | - | 2 |
|Three Grenadier Battalions | 1 | 4 | 30 | 74 |
+---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
ST. LUCIA, 1794.
No battle honour was conferred for the capture of the island on
this occasion.
Immediately after the capture of Martinique, on March 25, 1794,
General Sir George Grey, with Admiral Sir John Jervis, sailed for
St. Lucia with a force composed as under:
First Brigade--H.R.H. Prince Edward (afterwards Duke of Kent,
father of Queen Victoria): Comprising three battalions, made up
of the grenadier companies of the whole force in Martinique.
Second Brigade--Major-General Dundas: Comprising three light
infantry battalions.
Third Brigade--Colonel Sir C. Gordon: 6th (Warwick), 9th
(Norfolk), and 43rd (Oxford Light Infantry) Regiments.
On April 1 the squadron arrived off the island, and the Second
Brigade was at once disembarked under the guns of the _Winchelsea_,
the operation being executed, to use Sir John Jervis's words,
"with neatness and despatch, under the direction of Lord Viscount
Garlies." Colonels Blundell and Coote, at the head of their
battalions, advanced rapidly on the fortified position on the
Morne Fortunée, which was evacuated by the enemy, when the French
commander hoisted the white flag, and the island for the second
time in its history passed into the possession of the English.
Leaving Sir C. Gordon in command with the 6th and 9th Regiments as
garrison, Sir G. Grey returned to Martinique.
Owing to the exigencies of the service, and the inability of the
Ministry at home to realize the necessity of maintaining the troops
in the West Indies at a proper strength, Grey from time to time
was compelled to reduce the garrison, so that when, in the spring
of the following year, the negroes of St. Lucia, in common with
their fellows in the neighbouring islands, rose in revolt, the then
Governor, Colonel Stuart, had only some 400 men to make headway
against the revolt. In June the island was evacuated.
ST. LUCIA, 1796.
The only regiments authorized to bear the battle honour are the
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Shropshires.
Early in the year 1796 it became necessary to re-conquer
practically the whole of the French West India Islands--not,
indeed, from the armies of the French Republic, but from the hordes
of negroes, whose passions had been inflamed by revolutionary
agents, and whose ambitions had been fired by the pernicious
doctrines of "the rights of man." The command of the expeditionary
force was entrusted to Sir Ralph Abercromby, with whom was
associated the ever-to-be-remembered Sir John Moore. The total
force numbered some 18,000 men, distributed as under, and was
mobilized in Carlisle Bay, Barbados, in March, 1796:
Cavalry: 27th Light Dragoons and Royal Irish Artillery.
First Brigade: 14th, 27th, 28th, and 57th Regiments.
Second Brigade: 3rd, 19th, 31st, and 35th Regiments.
Third Brigade: 8th, 37th, 44th, and 55th Regiments.
Fourth Brigade: 38th, 48th, 53rd, and 63rd Regiments.
Fifth Brigade: 2nd, 10th, 25th, 29th, and 88th Regiments.
Sixth Brigade: 42nd (Highlanders), and two battalions composed
of the grenadier companies of all the regiments present.
Abercromby's first care was to throw reinforcements into Grenada,
which was still holding out, and on April 21 the convoy left
Carlisle Bay for St. Lucia. On the 26th Moore landed with the 14th
and 42nd, and on the following day he was reinforced by the 53rd,
57th, and the 2nd West India Regiment, under Brigadier Hope. By the
28th the whole of the force was ashore, but the operations dragged
on until May 15, when the whole island was in our hands. On the
17th of that month there had been a sharp engagement, in which
the 31st (East Surrey) lost heavily. Moore complained bitterly
of the troops, writing as follows: "It is hard to say whether
the officers or men are the worst." Moore was left in command at
St. Lucia, whilst Abercromby undertook the reduction of Grenada
and St. Vincent. Although the only regiments authorized to carry
the distinction "St. Lucia, 1796" are the Inniskilling Fusiliers
(27th), and Shropshire Light Infantry (53rd), reference to the
casualty lists shows that this selection casts an unnecessary slur
on the other corps which bore their fair share of fighting in the
reconquest of the island.
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|14th W. Yorks | - | 1 | 1 | 4 |
|27th Inniskillings | 1 | 6 | 22 | 65 |
|28th Gloucester | - | 3 | 3 | 18 |
|31st E. Surrey | 2 | 6 | 61 | 107 |
|42nd H'landers | - | 1 | - | 4 |
|44th Essex | - | 3 | 4 | 17 |
|48th N'ampton | - | 1 | 2 | 15 |
|53rd Shropshire L.I. | 3 | 13 | 46 | - |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
By the close of the year 1796, Moore had buried 1,500 of
his garrison. So terrible were the losses we incurred from
sickness--losses due to the neglect of the home authorities to
provide for the sick--that it was with a sense of relief the army
learnt the welcome news that, under the terms of the Treaty of
Amiens, St. Lucia was restored to the French. This retrocession,
however, necessitated its recapture in 1803.
NOTE.--The battle honour "St. Lucia, 1803," has been granted to
the Royal Scots and North Staffords for their services in the
expedition under General Grinfield, in which the 68th Durham
Light Infantry and 3rd West India Regiment also shared.
CASUALTIES.
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Scots | - | 2 | 9 | 45 |
|3rd W. India R. | - | 2 | 4 | 23 |
|64th North Staffords| - | 4 | 6 | 33 |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
SURINAM, 1804.
The regiments authorized to bear this distinction are the
Bedfordshire and the North Staffords.
It commemorates the capture of this colony from the Dutch by
a combined naval and military expedition on the resumption of
hostilities with Holland after the Treaty of Amiens. The colony had
been captured in 1799 by Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour and General
Trigge, but had been restored to the Dutch in 1802.
Carlisle Bay (Barbados) was the rendezvous, the squadron being
under the command of Commodore Samuel Hood, whilst the troops were
commanded by Major-General Sir Charles Green. These consisted of
the 16th (Bedfords), 64th (North Staffords), and the 6th West India
Regiment. Leaving Barbados on April 6, 1804, the squadron, delayed
by adverse and light winds, did not arrive off the mouth of the
Surinam River until the 25th, when the Dutch commander was invited
to surrender. To the summons he returned a truculent reply; and
the troops, divided into two brigades, under Colonels Maitland
and Hughes, were thrown ashore, reinforced by a naval brigade 600
strong. The defence was feeble, and in three days the place fell
into our hands. Our loss was trifling, falling on the naval brigade
and the North Staffords, neither the Bedfords nor the West India
Regiment suffering any casualties.
CASUALTIES AT THE CAPTURE OF SURINAM, 1804.
+------------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Naval Brigade | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
|N. Staffords | - | 2 | 2 | 8 |
|Naval Brigade | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
|Bedfords | - | - | - | - |
|6th West India Regiment | - | - | - | - |
+------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
DOMINICA, 1805.
The only regiments authorized to bear this distinction are the Duke
of Cornwall's Light Infantry and the West India Regiment.
Our connection with the island dates back to the year 1762,
when, on June 11, it was captured by a joint naval and military
expedition under Colonel Lord Rollo and Commodore Sir James
Douglas, R.N., with the _Belliqueux_, _Dublin_, _Montague_, and
_Sutherland_. The troops concerned in this first capture were
detachments of the King's Own (Lancaster Regiment), the Cheshires,
and the Black Watch. The brunt of the fighting fell on the
Highlanders, who lost 2 officers and 19 men killed, 10 officers
and 74 men wounded. The possession of the island was confirmed to
us by the Treaty of Paris in the following year. In 1778 it was
taken from us by the French. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities,
the Governor, Major-General the Hon. W. Stewart, had reported
the precarious position of the island. His total force amounted
to 98 men of the 48th (Northamptons) and 28 gunners; of these
but 41 were fit for duty. On September 7 a French force of four
frigates, convoying 3,000 troops, appeared before the island, and
the Governor was perforce compelled to surrender to De Bouillé.
By the peace of 1783 the island was restored to us, but in 1805,
mindful of their former success, the French made a fresh attempt at
its capture. Five line-of-battleships, headed by the _Majestueux_,
of 120 guns, stood into the harbour and overwhelmed the town of
Roseau with their fire. The Governor, General Prevost, withdrew
to a second position, and refused all summons for surrender, when
the French, baffled, left him undisturbed. The garrison consisted
of the 46th Foot (now the 2nd Battalion of the Cornwall Light
Infantry), the 1st West India Regiment, and some local militia. The
casualties of the defenders were slight, but their services were
considered sufficiently meritorious for the following notification
in the _Gazette_:
"As a distinguished mark of the good conduct and exemplary valour
displayed by that regiment in the defence of the Island of Dominica
against a very superior French force on February 22, 1805, the 46th
Regiment is permitted to bear on its colours and appointments the
name 'Dominica.'" For many long years this was the only distinction
borne by that regiment.
The casualties were--
Cornwall Light Infantry: 11 men killed, 1 officer and 7 men
wounded.
The West India Regiment: 9 men killed, 2 officers and 8 men
wounded.
MARTINIQUE, 1809.
This distinction is borne by the
Royal Fusiliers.
King's Liverpool Regiment.
Somerset Light Infantry.
East Yorkshires.
Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
King's Own Scottish Borderers.
King's Own Royal Rifles.
Manchesters.
Scottish Rifles.
West India Regiment.
Under the terms of the Treaty of Amiens, Martinique, amongst our
many other conquests from France, was restored, thus necessitating
its recapture on the resumption of hostilities. Had it not been
for the fact that it was made a port of call and refit for all the
privateers in the Western Atlantic, the island might have been left
in peace; but in the interests of our commerce, as well as for
military reasons, its recapture was decided on, and General Sir
George Beckwith was entrusted with the command of the operations.
His divisional commanders were Lieutenant-General Sir George
Prevost and Major-General Maitland. The Commander-in-Chief himself
accompanied the First Division, which comprised the
First Brigade--Brigadier-General Hoghton: Royal Fusiliers, Royal
Welsh Fusiliers, and a wing of the 3rd West India Regiment.
Second Brigade--Brigadier-General Colville: 8th (King's Liverpool
Regiment), 13th (Somerset Light Infantry), and a wing of the 1st
West India Regiment.
Reserve Brigade: The 3rd and 4th Battalions of the King's Royal
Rifles and the 4th West India Regiment.
This force disembarked on January 30 at St. Luce Bay, on the
western coast of the island, and on the following day took
possession of the town of Trinité without opposition.
First Brigade--Colonel Riall: 63rd (Manchesters) and the York
Rangers (a colonial corps which did most excellent service in our
West India campaigns).
Second Brigade--Major-General Maitland: 15th (East Yorkshire),
the flank companies of the 46th (Cornwall Light Infantry), the
8th West India Regiment, and a body of local volunteers, known as
the York Light Infantry.
Reserve Brigade--Colonel Macnair (90th): 90th (Scottish Rifles)
and the 3rd West India Regiment.
This force disembarked on the south of the island, near the Three
Rivers--a spot at which considerable fighting had taken place
in our previous descents on the island--and here again Maitland
encountered some resistance. But his brigades, working over the
hills to the left, effected a junction with the Commander-in-Chief,
and by February 4, thanks to the effective co-operation of the
fleet, the French Governor surrendered.
Amongst the trophies were the colours, or rather the eagles, of
the 62nd and 80th Regiments of the French line. One of these
fell to the Royal Fusiliers, the other to the 90th, and the
Commander-in-Chief selected Captain Wilby, of the 90th, to carry
these trophies to England and depose them at the feet of the
King. These were the first eagles to be received in England, and
His Majesty was pleased to command that they should be escorted
in state by the regiments of the Household Brigade to St. Paul's
Cathedral, where they were received with all due solemnity. In the
early days of the reign of Queen Victoria these eagles were removed
to the chapel of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, where they may be
seen to this day.
CASUALTIES AT THE CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE, 1809.
+------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Roy. Fusiliers | 1 | 2 | 36 | 119 |
|8th K. Liverp. | 1 | 0 | 4 | 13 |
|R. Welsh Fus. | 0 | 1 | 19 | 101 |
|90th Scot. Rifles | - | 2 | 8 | 31 |
|W. India Regt. | - | - | 2 | 19 |
|L.I. Battalion | 1 | 5 | 26 | 71 |
+------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
In the year 1847, when the late Queen Victoria granted a medal to
the survivors of the wars against France, Martinique was included
in the list of campaigns for which the medal was to be conferred,
and a special clasp "Martinique" was issued with both the military
and naval General Service Medal.
By the Treaty of Amiens Martinique was handed over to the French,
but on Napoleon's escape from Elba it declared for the Emperor,
and General Leith was despatched with a strong force to recapture
the island. Fortunately, the Governor, recognizing the hopelessness
of resistance, surrendered without attempting a useless defence,
and so for a few months Martinique again became a British
possession, only to be handed back when Napoleon was safe under
restraint.
GUADELOUPE, 1810.
The regiments which are authorized to bear this honour are the
East Yorkshire.
Scottish Rifles.
East Surrey.
Manchester.
West India.
The island on three previous occasions had been captured, and
thrice restored to the French. Once again it became necessary to
take measures for its reduction. Sir George Beckwith, who had so
successfully carried out the conquest of Martinique in the previous
year, was selected for the command of the expedition, with Generals
Hyslop and Harcourt as Divisional Generals under him. The force was
distributed as under:
First Division: Major-General Hyslop.
Third Brigade--Brigadier-General McLean: 90th Light Infantry
(2nd Scottish Rifles), 8th West India Regiment, and a battalion
composed of the light companies of all the regiments present in
the West Indies.
Fourth Brigade--Brigadier-General Skinner: 13th (Somerset Light
Infantry), 63rd (Manchesters), and the York Rangers (a colonial
corps).
Second Division: Major-General Harcourt, who also commanded the
Third Brigade, which consisted of the 15th (East Yorkshire), 3rd
West India Regiment, and a second light infantry battalion.
Third Brigade--Brigadier-General Barrow: 25th (King's Own
Scottish Borderers), 2nd West India Regiment, and a battalion
composed of the grenadier companies of the regiments present.
Reserve Brigade--Brigadier-General Wale, under whom were placed
a battalion composed of the grenadier companies of the regiments
in the West Indies, a detachment of the York Rangers, and 300
artillerymen.
CASUALTIES AT THE CAPTURE OF GUADELOUPE, 1810.
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Staff | - | 2 | - | - |
|Royal Artillery | - | - | 1 | 3 |
|13th Somerset L.I. | - | 1 | 5 | - |
|East Yorkshire | - | 1 | - | - |
|40th Cornwall L.I. | - | - | - | 3 |
|King's Roy. R. | - | 2 | 4 | 11 |
|63rd M'chesters | - | - | - | 1 |
|90th Scottish Rifles | - | 1 | 3 | 9 |
|West India Regiments | - | 4 | 7 | 84 |
|York Rangers | 4 | 5 | 28 | 102 |
+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
In the year 1847 the General Service Medal was granted to the
survivors of this expedition, with a special clasp inscribed
"Guadeloupe."
In the year 1814, on the conclusion of the war with France,
Guadeloupe was once more restored; but on the escape of Napoleon
from Elba it threw off its allegiance to Louis XVIII., and declared
for the Emperor. Once more an expedition was organized for its
reduction, and though the futility of resistance was pointed out,
the garrison, by its unnecessary loyalty to a dead cause, compelled
the General to resort to force. The command of the 1815 expedition
was entrusted to Major-General Leith, the regiments selected being
the East Yorkshires, who have participated in every expedition
to the West Indies since the year 1759; the King's Own Scottish
Borderers; the 63rd (Manchesters); and the local West India
Regiments. The only casualties were--
+----------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|63rd M'chesters | - | 2 | 3 | 20 |
|W. India Regt. | - | 2 | 13 | 31 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+