Historical Record of the First, or Royal Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Origin of the Regiment in the Reign of King James VI. of Scotland, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1846Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the First, or Royal Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Origin of the Regiment in the Reign of King James VI. of Scotland, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1846
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 1st (Royal Scots)
Lieutenant Forbes, being exasperated at the death of
his companions, attacked the light-house with a few men, and put all in
it to the sword.
The capture of the Moro facilitated the attack on the Havannah; and on
the 11th of August a new series of batteries opened so well-directed a
fire that at two o'clock in the afternoon the guns of the garrison were
silenced, and flags of truce were hung out from every part of the town
and from the ships in the harbour. The capitulation was signed on the
13th, and on the following day the British troops took possession of
this valuable settlement. Three Spanish men-of-war, with a company's
ship, were found sunk at the entrance of the harbour, nine men-of-war
were delivered up to the victors, and two were found upon the stocks.
The loss sustained by the ROYAL Regiment in this important service was
Lieutenants Cook and Ashe, 1 serjeant, and 31 rank and file, killed;
Captain Balfour, Lieutenant Ruth, Ensign Keating, 2 serjeants, 1
drummer, and 75 rank and file, wounded; two rank and file missing; 3
men dead of their wounds, and 12 from diseases arising from the climate
and severe exertions in carrying on the siege.
The British government having withdrawn many troops from North America
to the West Indies, the French sent an armament across the Atlantic,
and took possession of St. John's, Newfoundland. Detachments were
immediately ordered from the British garrisons to dislodge the enemy;
and the two flank companies of the second battalion of the ROYAL
Regiment, having been left in North America, were employed in this
service, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel William Amherst. A landing
was effected, on the 13th of September, at Torbay, and the troops
gained possession of the strong post of Kitty Vittiy. A detachment was
sent to the top of a high rock which commanded the ford, and under
cover of the fire of these men the light companies of the ROYAL and
Montgomery's Highlanders passed the river. The grenadiers of the ROYAL
and 77th Regiments supported the attack; and the French were driven
from their post on a hill beyond the river. Two other heights were
afterwards carried; and on the 17th, a battery being ready to open its
fire on the fort, the French commander surrendered.
In November of this year General the Hon. James St. Clair died at
Dysart; and the Colonelcy of the ROYAL Regiment was conferred on his
cousin, Sir Henry Erskine, from the Twenty-fifth Regiment.
[Sidenote: 1763]
[Sidenote: 1764]
At the peace in 1763 the Havannah was restored to Spain; and the
several companies of the second battalion were withdrawn from North
America and the West Indies, and sailed for England. In 1764 this
battalion proceeded to Scotland, where it remained four years.
[Sidenote: 1765]
Sir Henry Erskine died in August, 1765, and was succeeded in the
Colonelcy of the ROYAL Regiment by John Marquis of Lorne, afterwards
Duke of Argyle.
[Sidenote: 1768]
[Sidenote: 1st Batt.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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