SERVICES OF THE REGIMENT FROM 1829–48
On the 3rd December, 1829, Major the Hon. Henry Dundas, M.P.,
succeeded to the lieutenant-colonelcy, vice Cother, who retired.
[Sidenote: 1830.]
The regiment was stationed at Glasgow until the 16th August, 1830, when
it embarked on board steam-vessels for Belfast, in Ireland, and on
landing marched to Enniskillen.
During the stay of the regiment at Enniskillen, it furnished
detachments to Omagh, Lifford, Sligo, and Ballyshannon, and on the 1st
November, 1831, proceeded to Castlebar.
[Sidenote: 1832.]
The regiment was quartered at Castlebar until the 23rd October, 1832,
when it received a route for Limerick, at which place the head-quarters
arrived on the 29th of the same month.
During the stay of the regiment at Castlebar, it furnished detachments
to Drunnore, Westport, Foxford, Ballinrobe, and Tuam.
The cholera having made its appearance in the corps,[10] on the 26th
June, 1832, the whole of the men at head-quarters, consisting of 5
companies, and staff, were ordered into camp at Ballinew, about a
mile distant from the town, and remained encamped until the 5th of
September, when instructions were received to reoccupy the barracks.
The regiment lost 10 men by this disease at Castlebar, and 2 officers
fell victims to this malady at Ballinrobe.
The regiment removed to Limerick in 1832, when it furnished detachments
to Newcastle, Bruff, Galbally, Kilfinnan, Tipperary, and Killaloe.
The officers named in the margin[11] died at this station.
On the 11th August, 1833, the regiment received a route for Dublin,
where it arrived on the 19th of that month.
[Sidenote: 1834.]
On the 22nd of February, 1834, the regiment received a letter of
readiness to proceed to Cork for embarkation to Halifax, Nova Scotia,
and on the 5th of April the 1st division embarked on board the
_Innisfaile_ steamer, and landed at Cork on the next day; the
head-quarters division following a few days afterwards.
The separation of the service and depôt companies took place on the 1st
April, and the latter, under Major Trydell, proceeded to Mullingar.
During the stay of the regiment at Dublin, the officer named in the
margin[12] died.
The service companies, consisting of 2 field officers, 6 captains, 18
subalterns, 5 staff, 30 sergeants, 10 drummers, and 479 rank and file,
embarked at Cork, on board the freight ships _Brunswick_ and
_Rickers_, on the 21st April and 15th May, 1834, and landed at
Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 26th May and 20th June following.
Cholera having made its appearance in the town of Halifax, the three
companies at head-quarters were ordered into camp at Windmill Hill, a
short distance from the barracks, on the 8th September, and remained
encamped until the 1st October. The regiment only lost one man by this
disease.
On the 30th September of this year, Major-General Hastings Frazer, C.B.,
succeeded to the colonelcy of the regiment vice Lieutenant-General
Hodgson, removed to the 4th Foot.
The companies which had been stationed at Cape Breton, Prince Edward’s
Island, etc., since the arrival of the regiment at Halifax, returned to
the head-quarters on the 17th, 18th, and 20th July of this year.
[Sidenote: 1836.]
During this year the regiment remained stationary at Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
[Sidenote: 1837.]
The regiment remained in Nova Scotia until the 29th June, 1837, when,
in consequence of the unsettled state of Lower Canada, orders were
received for its embarkation for Quebec on board her Majesty’s frigate
_Vestal_ and _Champion_ sloop of war. The head-quarters landed on the
12th, and the remaining companies on the 13th July, occupying the
citadel barracks.
During the services of the regiment at Nova Scotia, a period of about
three years, it sustained a loss by deaths of 23 rank and file.
Upon the embarkation of the regiment, Major-General Sir Colin
Campbell, K.C.B., was pleased to issue a complimentary order,
Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. H. Dundas at this time commanding.
On the 3rd August, 1 sergeant and 20 rank and file proceeded to Gross
Isle, and returned to the head-quarters on the 19th October. On the 1st
November, Major Trydell, with two companies, embarked for Three Rivers,
and having remained at that post about ten days, received instructions
to proceed to Montreal.
On the 8th December the head-quarters and remaining four companies
received orders to embark the following day for Montreal, and landed at
that station on the 11th, occupying part of the Quebec Gate barrack.
On the 13th December the regiment formed part of the brigade under
Lieutenant-General Sir J. Colbourne, K.C.B., which proceeded
to attack St. Eustache, and were actively engaged in that day’s
operations.
The following morning the brigade proceeded to Benoit, and returned to
Montreal on the 17th December.
[Sidenote: 1838.]
In January of this year, two companies proceeded on sleighs to the
Upper Provinces, and after remaining some days at St. Thomas, distant
about 600 miles from Montreal, one of them, under the command of
Lieutenant Kelsall, proceeded to Amherstburg.
The brigands having come over from the American shore and taken
possession of Fighting Island, this company, with one of the 32nd,
proceeded on the 25th February to disperse them, which service they
effectually performed; the brigands leaving behind them a small piece
of cannon, with ammunition, muskets, etc. On the 3rd March, this
company was again actively employed against the brigands at Peel
Island, in conjunction with a part of the 32nd Regiment, and finally
rejoined the head-quarters with the other company on the 17th June.
The head-quarters remained at Montreal until the 6th May, when it
proceeded viâ the St. Lawrence to Kingston.
On the 11th November, Lieutenant Johnson, with 44 men of the regiment
and a party of marines, embarked on board her Majesty’s steamboat
_Experiment_, with a view to cut off two American schooners, laden
with some hundreds of brigands, and whom it was reported they intended
to land in the neighbourhood of Prescott. On their arrival, it was
discovered that these marauders had effected a landing about a mile and
a half below the town, and taken possession of a large stone mill and
adjacent houses.
On the morning of the 13th, an attack on the brigands was decided on,
and Lieutenant Johnson and a party, with the marines under Lieutenant
Parker, reinforced by a number of volunteers, proceeded to attack
them. The men advanced under a galling fire from the walls at some
distance from the mill, and speedily expelling them from this position,
compelled them to seek refuge in the mill and houses. Lieutenant
Johnson then attempted to storm one of the houses filled with brigands,
and in the act of doing so was killed, and four rank and file wounded.
Being destitute of artillery to batter the houses, the party was
ordered to retire. In this affair the brigands sustained a loss of
about 40 killed and 28 prisoners.
On the 16th of this month, Colonel Dundas and four companies of the
regiment, with some heavy artillery, landed at Prescott, and at once
took up position about 500 yards from the mill. The guns were brought
to bear on the houses with great effect, and it being now late, and
daylight wearing away, the lieutenant-colonel ordered the regiment to
advance, when a smart fire was opened by the brigands from one of the
houses, and as quickly replied to. The buildings on the left of the
mill being by this time gained, were set fire to, and the enemy, seeing
no prospect of escape, threw out a “white flag,” and about 130 of them
surrendered unconditionally.
Their killed in this affair amounted to about 30. The only loss
sustained by the regiment on this occasion was one private killed. The
four companies returned to Kingston the day following.
[Sidenote: 1839.]
During this year the regiment remained stationary at Kingston.
[Sidenote: 1840.]
On the 19th May, 1840, the officer named in the margin[13] died at this
station, and he was succeeded first by Lieutenant B. H. Browne, and on
his promotion Ensign William Nott was appointed adjutant. Ensign Nott
was promoted from the ranks, and performed the duties of adjutant most
efficiently for eleven years, when he became captain by seniority in
1851, at Kurrachee.
The regiment remained at Kingston, N. S., until the 20th and 21st May,
1840, when it embarked in steamboats for London and St. Thomas, N. S.,
and marched into quarters at these stations on the 29th and 30th of the
same month.
[Sidenote: 1841.]
On the 14th May, 1841, Lieutenant Wynniatt was accidentally drowned
while endeavouring to ford the River Thomas on horseback.
On the 4th October, 1841, Captain Colquhoun died at London (England)
while on leave of absence.
[Sidenote: 1842.]
The 1st division of the regiment, under the command of Brevet Major
Swinburne, marched _en route_ to Toronto on the 7th July,
1842; and the 2nd division or head-quarters, under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell, on the following day. The former arrived at
Toronto on the 14th, and the latter on the 15th July, 1842.
On the 2nd August, 1842, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel B. Trydell succeeded
to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the regiment, vice the Hon. H. Dundas,
placed on half-pay.
[Sidenote: 1843.]
The 1st division of the regiment proceeded on the 22nd May, 1843, to
Three Rivers, under the command of Major Swinburne. The 2nd division
and head-quarters proceeded to Quebec on the 23rd, and arrived there
on the 27th May. No. 4 company joined head-quarters at Quebec on the
30th May, leaving No. 1 and the Light Company at Three Rivers. Light
Company and No. 1 joined the head-quarters at Quebec on the 11th June,
1843, from Three Rivers.[14]
The regiment embarked for England at Quebec, Canada, on the 16th
June, 1843. The 1st division and head-quarters, under the command
of Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell, on board the _Countess_, London
freight ship, consisting of 3 captains, 5 subalterns, 3 staff, 28
sergeants, 8 drummers, and 502 rank and file, 54 women, and 110
children; and the 2nd division, under the command of Major Swinburne,
on board the _Jamaica_, freight ship, consisting of 1 captain, 4
subalterns, 1 staff, 10 sergeants, 2 drummers, 184 rank and file, 16
women, and 20 children, sailed together on the 17th June, 1843, and
both ships anchored at Spithead on the 10th July, 1843.
The 2nd division, under the command of Major Swinburne, landed at
Gosport on the 11th; and the 1st division and head-quarters, under the
command of Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell, on the 12th July, 1843.
The regiment was quartered in Forton Barracks, Gosport, until the 17th
July, when the 1st division proceeded by railroad, through London,
to Weedon, and the head-quarters division on the following day, at
which they occupied barracks until the 4th August, 1843, when the
head-quarters with two companies proceeded to Northampton, and the
remainder of the regiment was distributed in detachments at Birmingham,
Wolverhampton, Burslem, Coventry, Hanley, and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
On the 17th October, 1843, the regiment received the new percussion
muskets.
[Sidenote: 1844.]
In April, 1844, the regiment was again collected at Weedon, where
it remained till October, 1844, when the head-quarters and three
companies proceeded to Leeds, and the remainder furnished detachments
to York, Bradford, Sheffield, Keighley, Huddersfield, Halifax, and
Scarborough Castle.
[Sidenote: 1845.]
In June, 1845, the regiment was assembled at Manchester, where it
remained till 22nd July, when it proceeded by rail to Liverpool,
and embarked for Dublin, where it arrived the following morning,
and proceeded _en route_ to Limerick, Cahir, and Tipperary.
The head-quarters of the regiment were established at Limerick, and
furnished detachments also to Kilrush, the forts on the Shannon,
Rathkeale, Newcastle, Castleconnell, Croom, Ennis, and Clare Castle.
[Sidenote: 1846.]
In September, 1846, the regiment proceeded by divisions to Dublin, and
was assembled there in October. It occupied Richmond Barracks, and
subsequently detached companies to Aldboro’ House and Island Bridge
Barracks.
During the stay of the regiment at Dublin, Captain T. J. St. Aubyn died
while on leave of absence in Surrey.
[Sidenote: 1847.]
In May, 1847, the head-quarters proceeded to Kilkenny, and during
its stay there furnished detachments to Carlow, Castlecomer,
Carrick-on-Suir, Bagenalstown, Thomas Town, Wexford, Enniscarthy, New
Ross, Callan, and Graignenemagh.
[Sidenote: 1848.]
Lieutenant T. Lane died at Castlecomer on 26th June, 1848.
On the 1st September, 1848, Major-General Sir Frederick Stovin, K.C.B.
and K.C.M.G., succeeded General Frazer in the colonelcy of the regiment.
In September, 1848, the regiment was removed to Fermoy, whence it
furnished detachments to Fethard, Lismore, and Clogheen.