Historical Record of the Fifty-sixth, or the West Essex Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1755, and of its subsequent services to 1844. — John Shaqi
Historical Record of the Fifty-sixth, or the West Essex Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1755, and of its subsequent services to 1844.Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Fifty-sixth, or the West Essex Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1755, and of its subsequent services to 1844.
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 56th (West Essex) -- History
The head-quarters were removed to Fort Augusta in March, 1838,
and the health of the men was much improved; in January, 1839,
they were removed to Spanish Town; but returned to Fort Augusta in
August, and furnished detachments at Port Antonio, Up Park Camp,
Port Royal, &c.
[Sidenote: 1840]
Leaving Jamaica in March, 1840, the regiment sailed on board Her
Majesty’s ship Apollo, for North America, passing within sight
of the Havannah,--the scene of its former gallant exploits,--and
arriving at Halifax, where it was detained ten days in consequence
of the navigation of the river St. Lawrence being closed by
the ice. On the 24th of April it again put to sea, and arrived
at Quebec, on the 7th of May. At this period the Maine and New
Brunswick boundary question affected the amicable relations between
Great Britain and the United States; and the extensive system of
aggression pursued by the people of the State of Maine, rendered
certain defensive arrangements necessary for the protection of
the interests of the British subjects. The ship conveying the
FIFTY-SIXTH to Quebec had not been at anchor two hours when
Lieutenant Turner and thirty men landed at Point Levi, and were
sent forward in caleshes, with orders to proceed by forced marches
to the disputed territory, and relieve a detachment of the Eleventh
Regiment at Lake Temiscouata. This party was followed by three
companies under Major Palmer, on the 9th of May, to occupy Rivière
du Loup, Fort Ingall on Lake Temiscouata, and Degelé. The march
of the detachment from Rivière du Loup to the two latter places
by the Grand Portage, a dreary pass of thirty-six miles through a
dense forest, across an uninhabited country, by a road in the worst
possible order, consequent on the breaking up of a Canadian winter,
with mud and water frequently up to the knees, proved very trying
to soldiers just arrived from a tropical climate, and having been
fifty-six days on board of ship. The remainder of the regiment
proceeded up the river Saint Lawrence to Sorel, leaving the light
company at Three Rivers. On the third of June Lieut.-Colonel
William H. Eden arrived with a strong detachment from the depôt
companies, and assumed the command of the regiment.
[Illustration: FIFTY-SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.]
On the 27th of November, the light company, mustering one hundred
men, marched for the Madawaska settlement, under Lieut.-Colonel Wm.
H. Eden, in consequence of the Americans having offered insults to
the warden and magistrates there, and intimated a design to take
forcible possession of that part of the country. After traversing
two hundred miles of bleak country, covered with snow, in cars,
sleighs, &c., the thermometer varying from zero to twenty below,
the company arrived at its destination without a casualty.
[Sidenote: 1841]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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