BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN THE WEST INDIES, 1759-1810

West Indies, 1759-1810—Guadeloupe, 1759—Martinique, 1762—Havana—St. Lucia, 1778—Martinique, 1794—St. Lucia, 1796—St. Lucia, 1803—Surinam—Dominica—Martinique, 1809—Guadeloupe, 1810.

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The battle honours conferred for services in the West Indies cover the half-century from the capture of Guadeloupe in 1759 to the third capture of the same island in the year 1810. The appended tables of casualties show that our losses in action were by no means contemptible, but these did not represent one-tenth of those we suffered from disease or from neglect of the most elementary precautions against the effects of the climate on our troops. In the event of our being at war with those nations which had possessions in the West Indies, the islands formed convenient bases for operations against our North American Colonies, as well as harbours of refuge for the innumerable privateers which preyed upon our commerce. When war unhappily broke out between our Colonies and the Mother-Country, it became more than ever a matter of paramount necessity that no Power but ourselves should hold possession of these islands. Unfortunately, at the end of each successive war England, as has ever been her custom, restored her conquests to their original holders, with the inevitable result that our soldiers and sailors were called upon to sacrifice their lives in the recapture of the islands in pursuance of the time-worn policy of English Cabinets. In the course of fifty years St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, and Martinique were thrice wrested from the French, and the two last-named islands thrice restored. Up to the year 1909 the battle honours "Martinique" and "Guadeloupe," which figured on the colours and appointments of some of our regiments, had been granted only for the capture of those islands by Sir George Beckwith in the years 1809 and 1810. Last year it was determined (and very rightly) that the previous expeditions, which dated back to 1759, were also worthy of being recorded, and an Army Order was issued in the month of November, 1909, announcing that the King had been graciously pleased to approve of the undermentioned honorary distinctions being borne on the colours and appointments of a certain number of regiments present in the following expeditions: "Havana"; "Guadeloupe, 1759"; "Guadeloupe, 1810"; "Martinique, 1762"; "Martinique, 1794 and 1809"; "St. Lucia, 1778, 1793, and 1803."

In any case where a regiment had been awarded the same distinction, but with different dates, it was to bear on its colours or appointments one distinction only, with the dates. Thus, so far as Martinique is concerned, the East Yorkshire Regiment will have on its colours "Martinique, 1762, 1794, 1809."

The services performed by our troops in the many expeditions for the reduction of the Island of Guadeloupe have been scantily recognized. So far as I have been able to ascertain, the first capture of the Island of Guadeloupe took place in the year 1702, when the Yorkshire Regiment lost 2 officers killed and 3 wounded; the 20th (Lancashire Fusiliers) 3 officers killed and 5 wounded; and the 35th (Royal Sussex), 2 killed, 3 wounded, and no less than 16 by disease.

Then came the expedition of 1759, with which I deal at length, and for which a battle honour was granted.

In the year 1794 we once more captured the island, the losses being:

For this expedition no battle honour was granted.

In the year 1814 Guadeloupe was handed over to the French, but on Napoleon's escape from Elba in 1815 it declared for him, and a fresh expedition became necessary for which no distinction has yet been awarded. Possibly, in due course of time, the dates 1702, 1794, and 1815 may be added to the name "Guadeloupe" on the colours of the regiments which participated in those long-forgotten, but by no means bloodless, expeditions.

Late in the year 1758 it was determined by the Cabinet to effect the reduction of the colonial possessions of France. With the capture of the Settlements on the West Coast of Africa I have nothing to do. For their reduction no battle honour was granted. The campaigns, which resulted in the reduction of Louisburg and Quebec are narrated on pp. 37 and 38. I now propose to deal with the expeditions which led to the honour "Guadeloupe, 1759"; "Martinique, 1762"; and "Havana" being inscribed on the colours and appointments of our regiments.

Guadeloupe, 1759.

By the Army Order of November, 1909, the above battle honour was conferred on the following regiments:

Buffs.
King's Own (Lancaster).
Gloucester.
South Staffords.
Royal Highlanders.
North Staffords.
Manchester.
York and Lancaster.

Thus, a century and a half after the event, the services of our troops at the second capture of the Island of Guadeloupe received a tardy recognition.

In November, 1758, the Buffs, King's Own, Gloucester, North Stafford, Manchester, and York and Lancaster Regiments embarked at Spithead for Barbados, where they were joined by the South Staffords and the Royal Highlanders, Lieutenant-General Peregrine Hopson assuming the command. The force was divided into four brigades, under Colonels Robert Armiger, George Haldane, Cyrus Trapaud, and John Clavering, whilst Major-General the Hon. John Barrington joined as second in command. It was also strengthened by a detachment of 500 artillerymen, under Major S. Cleveland, R.A., and a battalion of Marines, under Colonel Rycaut, making a total of about 6,800 men. On January 13, 1759, the expeditionary force sailed for Martinique, where the French were well prepared for defence, and no landing was attempted. Three days afterwards the armament stood on to Fort Royal Bay, Martinique, and, under cover of the guns of the fleet, the troops disembarked. On the following morning a sharp skirmish took place, in which the French were driven out of some entrenched buildings, our casualties amounting to 100 killed and wounded; but it was found impossible to follow up the enemy owing to the denseness of the jungle and the absence of roads.

General Hopson, who was suffering from a mortal disease, appears to have formulated no plan of operations for the reduction of Martinique, and on the following morning the troops re-embarked without opposition, and the fleet stood on to Guadeloupe, arriving before that island on January 22. Basse Terre, the capital of the southern island (for Guadeloupe practically consists of the two islands, Guadeloupe, or Basse Terre and Grande Terre), was bombarded by the fleet and utterly destroyed, the Governor withdrawing his troops to a well-entrenched and most formidable position some miles distant. The disembarkation of the troops was consequently unopposed, but our outposts were much worried day and night by incessant firing and desultory attacks from the French, who had taken refuge in the surrounding jungle. The General again seemed to have no definite plan of operations, and contented himself with strengthening his position on the inland side of the capital. Our troops suffered terribly from the climate. By the end of January 600 men had been invalided to Antigua, and 1,500 were on the sick-list.

The Commodore was a man of action, as also, indeed, was General Barrington; but the former was independent of General Hopson, the latter was not. About the middle of February Commodore Moore sailed round to Port Louis, on the northern island, where he found a good harbour. He at once bombarded its defences, forced the garrison to surrender, and disembarked a battalion of Marines, thus securing for Hopson a second base.

On February 16 the Commander-in-Chief died, and Barrington determined to put an end to the inaction which was demoralizing the troops. Leaving the 63rd (Manchester) Regiment to hold Basse Terre (the defences of which on the land side had been considerably strengthened), Barrington embarked the rest of his troops and occupied Port Louis, whence he despatched Colonel Crump, of the 4th (King's Own), who had succeeded to the command of Haldane's brigade, to effect the reduction of the French settlements in the northern island. Early in April Brigadier Clavering was detached with his brigade (reduced to 1,300 men) to destroy the French position at Arnouville, in Guadeloupe itself. In this attack the 4th (King's Own) and the 42nd (Royal Highlanders) particularly distinguished themselves, and in the middle of the month Clavering was able to join hands with Crump, who had been withdrawn from the Grande Terre, and to march southwards along the coast. Position after position was carried until Clavering finally drove the French from their entrenchments at Capesterre, in the south-west of the mainland, where the inhabitants compelled the French commander to sue for terms; and on May 1 the possession of Guadeloupe passed into our hands.

Casualties during Expedition to Guadeloupe, 1759.

Martinique, 1762.

This distinction was conferred on the following regiments by an Army Order in November, 1909:

East Yorkshire.
Leicester.
Cheshire.
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Gloucester.
Royal Sussex.
South Stafford.
South Lancashire.
Welsh.
Royal Highlanders.
Oxford Light Infantry.
Northampton.
King's Royal Rifles.

The employment of our troops on the Continent of Europe and in Canada had prevented the Cabinet from carrying out the designs for the capture of the Islands of Dominica, Martinique, and St. Lucia; but the fall of Louisburg and Quebec set sufficient forces at liberty to enable Pitt in the early part of 1762 to carry out the long-deferred expedition. Its command was entrusted to General the Hon. Robert Monckton, an officer of considerable experience, who had more recently distinguished himself in command of a brigade under Wolfe at Quebec. Carlisle Bay (Barbados) was the point selected for the mobilization of the expeditionary force, and there, at Christmas, 1761, the Commander-in-Chief arrived with eleven battalions from North America. He was joined shortly by Lord Rollo with five more battalions from Canada, and by General Ruffane with four seasoned regiments fresh from the capture of Belleisle; a couple of regiments from Guadeloupe, and two from Antigua, brought the force at Monckton's disposal to some 12,000 men, distributed in five brigades, under Brigadier W. Havilland, W. Ruffane, F. Grant, Lord Rollo, and Hunt Walsh.

On January 5, 1762, escorted by a powerful fleet under Lord Rodney, the expeditionary force left Barbados, and on the 7th had arrived at St. Ann's Bay, the southernmost harbour in Martinique. Our knowledge of the island was very defective. More than one attempt at disembarkation proved ineffective, owing to the want of roads by which the troops might advance, and it was not until the 16th of the month that the entire force was landed at Case Navire, a little to the north of the capital, Port Royal. A series of works, dominated by powerful entrenchments on the hills, Morne Tortenson and Morne Grenier, had been thrown up for the defence of Port Royal. On January 24 the first-named position was carried by Brigadiers Havilland and Walsh, with a loss of 33 officers and 357 men killed and wounded, and three days later the Morne Grenier was taken, with a loss of about 100 of all ranks. On February 12, finding further resistance useless, the French commander capitulated, and Monckton, in conjunction with Lord Rodney, who was in command of the fleet, despatched detachments for the capture of St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent, which fell into our hands without offering any resistance. Our casualties during the operations in Martinique were as follows:

It will be seen from the above list, copied from the London Gazette (in which the 42nd are styled "Royal Hunters"!), that many regiments suffered casualties which have not been authorized to assume the honour "Martinique, 1762."

Havana.

The regiments authorized by the Army Order of November, 1909, to bear this battle honour are:

Royal Scots.
Norfolk.
East Yorkshire.
Leicester.
Cheshire.
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Gloucester.
Border.
Royal Sussex.
South Lancashire.
Royal Highlanders.
Oxford Light Infantry.
Essex.
Northampton.
King's Royal Rifles.

A perusal of the following brief account of the campaign will show that, if the ruling holds good under which the 5th Lancers, 18th, 19th, and 20th Hussars, together with many infantry regiments, are permitted to bear the battle honours won by their predecessors, there are other regiments equally entitled to inscribe "Havana" on their colours and appointments than the fifteen above mentioned, and three at least which have more claim to the battle honour "Moro" than the Essex.

The campaign was decided on by the Ministry in the early spring of 1762, General the Earl of Albemarle being nominated to the chief command, with orders to co-operate with Admiral of the Blue, Sir George Pocock, who was at the time commanding the fleet in the West Indies. The troops were composed of 4,000 men despatched from England with the Commander-in-Chief; 8,000 were furnished by the large forces then garrisoning the West India Islands, and 4,000 were detached by Sir Jeffrey Amherst from the forces in North America. For transport service on shore, the Governor of Jamaica raised a body of 1,500 negroes. These were augmented on the arrival in Martinique of Lord Albemarle by the purchase of 500 more! A small force of cavalry was improvised by the Commander-in-Chief, and placed under the orders of Captain Suttie, of the 9th Foot. The whole force assembled at Martinique on May 5, 1762. It would appear that Lord Albemarle, following the custom of the day, formed a couple of Light Infantry Battalions from the light companies, and a couple of Grenadier battalions from the grenadier companies of the regiments under his command, the Light Infantry being placed at the disposal of Colonel Guy Carleton, afterwards Lord Dorchester. The entire force was brigaded as under:

Of these, Brigadiers Havilland, Hunt-Walsh, and Lord Rollo had been employed in the reduction of the island of Martinique, and it will be noticed that a large proportion of the regiments had fought under Wolfe at Quebec, or Studholme Hodgson at the capture of Belleisle, or under Monckton at Martinique. Owing to the nature of the ground, considerable difficulty was experienced in constructing the siege batteries, which were armed with heavy guns from the fleet, the stores and ammunition being conveyed to the front by the corps of negroes purchased in Martinique by the General. In consequence of the scarcity and badness of the water, the troops suffered terribly. The seamen and Marines escaped the sickness which more than decimated the army, and the Admiral landed a body of 800 Marines to lighten the labours of the army.

On July 1 a heavy bombardment commenced, the fleet standing in to aid. In this the Dragon, Cambridge, and Marlborough suffered severely. For a time the fire of the defence slackened, only to be renewed with increased vigour in a couple of days. On the 21st the garrison made a gallant sortie, which was repelled with equal gallantry by the 90th Light Infantry, under Colonel Stuart. From this date the defence gradually slackened, and on July 30 the General determined to assault the Moro, which was the key of the situation. The storming-party, which was under the command of Colonel Stuart, of the 90th, was composed as follows:

the 35th Regiment in support. The assault was admirably planned, and carried out with dashing gallantry.

Casualties during the Expedition to Havana, from Date of Landing to Capitulation on August 13, 1762.

With the Moro in our possession, the capitulation of the island was a mere matter of time, and on August 14 the Captain-General signed the articles of surrender of the Island of Cuba to the British forces. Ninety-one officers and 29,700 of other ranks surrendered as prisoners of war, and Admiral Pocock had the satisfaction of taking possession of thirteen Spanish line-of-battle ships.

Our losses during the forty-four days' campaign had been considerable, as the table of casualties on page 107 proves.

Hitherto the old 56th Regiment (now the Essex) has been the only regiment entitled to carry the battle honour "Moro." The Royal Scots have always, but as yet unsuccessfully, advanced their claim to this distinction. The above facts show that the Scottish Rifles and the Royal Sussex have an equal claim with the Royals to the double distinction.

In conformity with our usual custom, the island was restored to the Spaniards on the conclusion of the war, to be conquered by our American cousins 130 years subsequently.

In those days the ardour of our sailors and soldiers was whetted by the prospects of prize-money, and the capture of Havana, whilst it brought wealth to the senior officers, brought consolation also to all ranks in the shape of a rich distribution of doubloons.

Distribution of Prize-Money for the Capture of Havana.

St. Lucia, 1778.

This honour was awarded in 1909 to the following regiments—

King's Own (Lancaster).
Northumberland Fusiliers.
East Yorkshire.
Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Gloucester.
Cornwall Light Infantry.
Border Regiment.
Royal Sussex.
South Lancashire.
Royal Berkshire.

—for their services at the capture of the island from the French, and for its gallant defence a few days later against a vastly superior force.

On the outbreak of war between France and England in 1778 the French at once assumed the offensive in the West Indies by the capture of Dominica on September 8, that island, with a garrison of barely 500 men, being compelled to surrender to the Marquis de BouillÉ, who landed some 8,000 troops, drawn from the large forces massed in Martinique and Guadeloupe, which, in pursuance of our time-honoured custom, had been restored to France at the end of the previous war in 1763. In the month of November a combined naval and military expedition under Admiral Barrington and Major-General James Grant left Barbados for the reduction of St. Lucia. It numbered some 6,000 men, composed as under:

First Brigade—Brigadier Robert Prescott: 15th (East Yorkshire), 28th (Gloucester), 46th (Cornwall Light Infantry), and 54th (Border Regiment).

Second Brigade—Brigadier Sir H. Calder: 27th (Inniskilling Fusiliers), 35th (Sussex), 40th (South Lancashire), and 49th (Royal Berkshire).

Third Brigade—Brigadier W. Meadows: 5th (Northumberland Fusiliers), Grenadier Battalion and Light Infantry Battalion, made up of the flank companies of all regiments present.