42nd Highland Unit Complete

Kin ye spell "Shock Infantry"? 

 

I finished what I consider my "main" unit for my initial British Force for Rebels and Patriots (paid link). My Highland unit will be a Shock Infantry unit that is Big (18 figures) and Aggressive (+1) in Fighting. But more on that later when I post the entire, initial British Force.

 

History of the 42nd in North America for the French and Indian War:

1756

42nd Regiment comes to America, spends remainder of 1756 inactive in Albany.  

Winter/Spring 1757

Regiment drilled for bush fighting and sharpshooting. 

 

July-August 1757

Regiment sent to Halifax with 22nd, 44th, 48th, and 2 battalions of the 60th and 600 rangers to participate in planned attack on Louisbourg. The force was to be met by Fraser's and Montgomery's Highlanders and the 43rd, 45th, and 55th, which recently arrived from England. Returned to Albany after the attack was aborted due to a superior French naval presence.

5 July, 1758

Force of 15,000 men (6,000 regulars) in nine hundred small boats and one hundred and thirty-five whale-boats, with artillery mounted on rafts, embarked on Lake George.

6 July, 1758

Army advances on forward positions at Ticonderoga

 Notice th' guy in th' rear rank ah knocked ower? Re-shoot! 

 8 July, 1758

British forces engage Montcalm's French at Ticonderoga. 42nd participates in legendary charge on French lines and attempt to storm the breastwork, with the following losses: 8 officers, 9 sergeants and 297 killed; and 17 officers, 10 sergeants and 306 soldiers wounded. The officers killed were Major Duncan Campbell of Inveraw, Captain John Campbell, Lieutenants George Farquharson, Hugh MacPherson, William Baillie, and John Sutherland; Ensigns Patrick Stewart of Bonskied and George Rattray. The wounded were Captains Gordon Graham, Thomas Graham of Duchray, John Campbell of Strachur, James Stewart of Urrad, James Murray; Lieutenants James Grant, Robert Gray, John Campbell of Melford, William Grant, John Graham, brother of Duchray, Alexander Campbell, Alexander Mackintosh, Archibald Campbell, David Miller, Patrick Balneaves; and Ensigns John Smith and Peter Grant.

"The battle was not regarded as a disaster, but as a triumphant display of Highland gallantry. Though it achieved nothing, it showed a heroic temper, and without a heroic temper, an army is worth very little."

Eric and Andro Linklater, "The Black Watch" (London: 1977)

 

 Okay. A' body is standing up noo. 

 22 July, 1758

42nd given 'Royal' designation. While the warrant was issued on July 22, it was planned and issued before London had received word of the battle at Ticonderoga, rather than in response to Ticonderoga as is sometimes said.
View the text of the Warrant that gave the Regiment its Royal distinction.

October 1758

2nd battalion raised. So successful were the recruiting officers that within three months, seven companies, each one hundred and twenty men strong were embodied at Perth. Although Highlanders only were admitted, yet two officers, anxious to obtain commissions, enlisted eighteen Irishmen, several of whom were O'Donnels, O'Lachlans, O'Briens, &c. The O was changed to Mac, and the Milesians passed muster as true Macdonels, Maclachlans, and Macbriars, without being questioned.

 

 

Winter 1758

           Spend winter rebuilding ranks on Long Island.

January - 2 July 1759

2nd Bn. sent to West Indies, where it fought at Martinique and Guadaloupe. 193 of 700 men lost, as well as 25% of the battalion's officers, many to ilness from the tropical weather.

12 January, 1759

5 companies of 2nd Bn. sails with fleet from Barbados to Martinique.

16 January, 1759

2nd Bn. and fleet arrive in Fort Royal bay. Forces land and spend several days on the island.

20 January, 1759

British forces re-embark and sail for Guadeloupe.

23 January, 1759

British fleet bombards Fort Royale, setting portions of it on fire.

24 January, 1759

2nd Bn. guards artillery camp north of town.

14 February, 1759

2 companies of the 2nd Bn. - Late to campaign in West Indies after being separated at sea - land at and take Fort Louis, Guadeloupe.

Guadeloupe, 1759
(John Fortescue's History
of the British Army Volume 2)

11 March, 1759

5 companies of 2nd Bn. with main fleet joins other 2 companies at Fort Louis.

12 April, 1759

All 7 companies of the 2nd Bn., together for the first time, engage the French at the river Licorne. The Highlanders attack with swords, driving away the French and taking 70 prisoners.

19 April, 1759

Army marched to Capesterre district, where the inhabitants surrendered the island.

11 May, 1759

Part of 1st Bn. encamped above Albany.

12 May, 1759

Amherst notes in his journal that he deployed one company of the 1st Bn to Scorticock to guard oxen being sent off to graze.

20 May, 1759

200 of the 42nd escorts batteux up the Hudson.

Lake Champlain

23 May, 1759

Amherst records that 2 companies of 1st Bn. up river to encamp at Stillwater.

1 June, 1759

Amherst orders remainder of 42nd, among others, to Fort Edward.

7 June, 1759

42nd arrived at Fort Edward "half drowned", according to Amherst.

19 June 1759

42nd, Montgomery's Highlanders assembled at Fort Edward.

22 June, 1759

1st Bn. encamped on southern edge of Lake George.

15 July, 1759

2nd Bn. arrives at New York from West Indies.

22 July, 1759

Amherst's army arrives at Ticonderoga.

26 July, 1759

French forces withdrew from Ticonderoga and set fire to the fort.

August/Sept 1759

1st Bn. reconstructing Fort Crown Point.

Fortifications at the
mouth of the Oswego River

1 August, 1759

Amherst sends Major Graham to Oswego to command 2nd Bn.

3 August, 1759

2nd Bn. marches along the Hudson from Albany to join the rest of the army. Graham meets the Bn. and turns them back to Albany, up the Mohawk towards Oswego.

Late August, 1759

2nd Bn. arrives at Oswego, and put to work building Fort Ontario.

Winter, 1759

2nd Bn. brought in together with the 1st Bn. in Albany for the winter, primarily at Fort Edward, with companies at Halfway Brook, Fort Miller, Saratoga, Stillwater, and Half Moon. (Sons of the Mountain, vol 1, p 164)

7 August, 1760

1st Bn., Grenadiers, Light Infantry take post at La Galette.

10 August, 1760

Army embarks up the St Lawrence towards Montreal.

September, 1760

Both battalions served in the army under Amherst, which moved down the St. Lawrence. Recieved the surrender of Montreal, together with that of the French Governor-General and the French army.

Winter 1760-61

Both battalions remained in Montreal for the winter.

4 April - 5 August, 1761

Moved from Montreal to Staten Island, to set out for West Indies. 

 

 

October, 1762

Regiment returns to New York.

1763

Regiment selected to force led by Colonel Henry Bouquet protecting North American colonies, with a detachment of Montgomery's Highlanders, and the 60th.

July 1763

42nd sent to the relief of Fort Pitt. 

 

Light Company

 

5 August, 1763

Light and grenadier companies, along with Henry Bouquet's Royal Americans, ambushed by Indians at Bushy Run. The 42nd suffered losses of Lieutenants John Graham and James Mackintosh, 1 sergeant, and 26 rank and file killed; and Captain John Graham, Lieutenant Duncan Campbell, 2 sergeants, 2 drummers, and 30 rank and file wounded. Bouquet confuses the enemy the next day and traps them in a double envelopment killing many of the enemy.

28 November, 1763

Arrived at Fort Pitt. 

 

Th' 42nd Hielan regiment light company

 

1 December, 1763

3 companies of the 42nd stayed at Fort Pitt. Bouquet notes in a letter to Gage that for the winter, the rest of the regiment sent to other posts in the area: 1 company to Fort Ligonier, 1 to Fort Bedford, and 3 companies to Carlisle.

Winter 1763-1764

Spent winter at Fort Pitt.

Summer 1764

8 companies sent with a force under Col. Bouquet against Ohio Indians, along with 60th regiments's Light co., 600 Virginia Marksmen, and a detatchment from Maryland and Pennsylvania dressed in the manner of the Indians.

13 October, 1764

Expedition reached Tuscarawas River in Ohio.

Late October, 1764

Expedition moved to Muskingum River.

18 November, 1764

Departed for Fort Pitt

August, 1765

Captain Thomas Stirling leads a detachment of 100 men down the Ohio, where they took possession of Fort Chartres in October. The detachment remained at Chartres for the winter.

1766

Part of the regiment leaves Fort Pitt for Philadelphia, and were joined by the Illinois expedition in June. After 10 months and 3000 miles, every man of the Illinois detachment returned in perfect health.

February 22, 1767

A letter from Gage showing the distribution of troops in North America reports that 6 companies of the 42nd were stationed in Philadelphia, and 3 were still at Fort Pitt. 

 

Th' 42nd hielan regiment is duin fur thair foremaist battle!