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
_Ensigns._
John Brereton
Edward Jenkins
James Lyons
Archibald Wight
Joseph Baillie
William Sandys
Fiennes Jenkinson
Christopher Hales
John Woodford
_Captain-Lieutenant._
Francis Gregor
_Chaplain_, John Halsted;
_Adjutant_, John Hardy;
_Quarter-Master_, William Lamplow;
_Surgeon_, William Pitman.
[Sidenote: 1757]
[Sidenote: 1758]
[Sidenote: 1759]
In April, 1757, the regiment marched to Berwick, from whence it
afterwards continued its route to Scotland, where it was stationed
several years, occupying quarters at Aberdeen, and its vicinity,
in 1758; and in the following year at Edinburgh, from whence a
detachment proceeded to Germany, to recruit the regiments serving
in that country.
[Sidenote: 1760]
[Sidenote: 1761]
Embarking from Leith, in July, 1760, the regiment proceeded to
Hilsea barracks, where it was stationed during the year 1761.
On the 17th of December, Lord Charles Manners was succeeded in the
colonelcy by Colonel the Honorable William Keppel, fourth son of
William-Anne, second Earl of Albemarle, from the First Foot Guards.
[Sidenote: 1762]
In the mean time, France had been deprived of all her possessions
in North America, and British troops, then employed in Germany,
were opposing formidable resistance to the schemes of the court of
Versailles; but the celebrated treaty, called the “Family Compact,”
between the sovereigns of France and Spain (both Bourbon princes),
gave a new character to the war. Confiding in the prowess of his
seamen and soldiers, the British monarch did not shrink from the
unequal contest, but proclaimed war against Spain on the 4th of
January, 1762; and an expedition was afterwards prepared for the
attack of the valuable Spanish settlement of the _Havannah_, in
the island of Cuba. The FIFTY-SIXTH Regiment, being selected to
take part in this enterprise, sailed from Portsmouth on the 5th of
March, and on arriving in the West Indies, it joined the armament
under General the Earl of Albemarle: the colonel of the FIFTY-SIXTH
Regiment, the Honorable William Keppel, had the local rank of
Major-General in the expedition.
Passing through the dangerous navigation of the Straits of Bahama
without accident, the fleet arrived off the Havannah on the
6th of June, and a landing was effected on the following day.
The FIFTY-SIXTH Regiment mustered nine hundred and thirty-three
officers and soldiers, under Lieut.-Colonel James Stewart, and
were formed in brigade with four companies of the Royals, and a
battalion of the Sixtieth, under Brigadier-General Haviland.
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