When the hopes of the Pretender had been annihilated by the battle of Culloden, on the 16th of April, 1746, part of the military force of the kingdom became disposable for other services, and the FIFTEENTH regiment was selected to form part of an expedition against the French possessions in Canada. Various circumstances occasioned the fleet to be detained so long, that this enterprise was deferred, and an attempt on the port of _L'Orient_, the principal station for the French East India Company's shipping and stores, was resolved upon. The expedition sailed from Plymouth on the 14th of September; on the 20th a landing was effected on the coast of France, and the troops assembled to oppose the debarkation were driven from the shore. On the following day, the British advanced in two columns towards _L'Orient_; the FIFTEENTH forming part of the second column. The French militia fired upon the troops from the woods, and put the men of one or two corps into some confusion, when Captain Honorable James Murray led the grenadier company of the FIFTEENTH forward with great gallantry, and dispersed the enemy. When the leading companies arrived at the village of _Plemur_, they were fired upon from the houses; but this resistance was speedily overcome, and the people were punished for their temerity. On arriving before L'Orient, the governor proposed to surrender; but the conditions demanded were not acceded to, in consequence of a report of the engineers stating the practicability of reducing the town. The siege was immediately commenced; but the artillery and stores with the expedition proved unequal to the undertaking, and the troops retreated to the coast, and re-embarked without molestation. Another descent was made on the French coast in October: the troops landing on the peninsula of _Quiberon_, capturing a fort with eighteen guns, and afterwards destroying the guns and forts in the peninsula, with those in the isles of Houat and Hedic. These services performed, the regiment returned on board the fleet and sailed for England. [Sidenote: 1748] [Sidenote: 1749] Negociations for a treaty of peace were commenced in 1748, at Aix-la-Chapelle. In 1749, the strength of the army was reduced, and the regiment proceeded to Ireland. After commanding the regiment thirty-four years, Lieut.-General Harrison died, in March of this year, and was succeeded by Colonel John Jordan, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the tenth dragoons, by commission, dated 15th of April, 1749. [Sidenote: 1751]