The Royal Highlanders remained in North America until the
close of the year 1761, when they were embarked along with ten other regiments, among whom
was Montgomery's Highlanders, for Barbadoes, there to join an armament against Martinique
and the Havannah. The land forces consisted altogether of eighteen regiments, under the
command of Major-general Monckton. The naval part of the expedition, which was commanded
by the expedition, which was commanded by Rear-admiral Rodney, consisted of eighteen sail
of the line, besides frigates, bomb-vessels, and fire-ships.
The fleet anchored in St Anne's Bat, Martinique, on the 8th of January 1762, when the bulk
of the army immediately landed. A detachment, under Brigadiers Grant (Ballindalloch) and
Haviland, made a descent without opposition in the bat of Ance Darlet. Re-embarking his
troops, General Moncjton landed his whole army on the 16th near Cas de Navire, under Morne
Tortueson and Morne Garnier. As these two eminences commanded the town and citadel of Fort
Royal, and were their chief defense, great care had been taken to improve by art their
natural strength, which, from the very deep ravines which protected them, was great. The
general having resolved to attack Morne Tortueson first, he ordered a body of troops and
800 marines to advance on the right along the sea-side towards the town, for the purpose
of attacking two redoubts near the beach; and to support this movement, he at the same
time directed some flat-bottomed boats, each carrying a gun, and manned with sailors, to
follow close along the shore. A corps of light infantry was to get round the enemy's left,
whilst, under cover of the fire of some batteries which had been raised on the opposite
ridges by the perseverance of some sailors from the fleet, the attack on the center was to
be made by the grenadiers and Highlanders, supported by the main body of the army. After
an arduous contest, the enemy were driven from the Morne Tortueson; but a more difficult
operation still remained to be performed. This was to gain possession of the other
eminence, from which, owing to its greater height, the enemy annoyed the British troops.
Preparations were made for carrying this post; but before they were completed, the enemy
descended from the hill, and attacked the advanced posts of the British. This attempt was
fatal to the assailants, who were instantly repulsed. "When they began to retire, the
Highlanders, drawing their swords, rushed forward like furies, and being supported by the
grenadiers under Colonel Grant (Ballindalloch), and a party of Lord Rollo's brigade, the
hills were mounted, and the batteries seized, and numbers of the enemy, unable to escape
from the rapidity of the attack, were taken". The militia dispersed themselves over
the country, but the regulars retired into the town, which surrendered on the 7th of
February. The whole island immediately submitted, and in terms of the capitulation all the
Windward Islands were delivered up to the British.
In this enterprise the Royal Highlanders had 2 officers, viz, Captain William Cockburn and
Lieutenant David Barclay, 1 sergeant, and 12 rank and file killed; Major John Reid,
Captains James Murray and Thomas Stirling; Lieutenants Alexander Mackintosh, David Milne,
Patrick Balneaves, Alexander Turnbull, John Robertson, William Brown, and George Leslie; 3
sergeants, 1 drummer, and 72 rank and file, were wounded.
The Royal and Montgomery's Highlanders were employed the following year in the important
conquest of the Havannah, under Lieutenant-general the Earl of Albemarle, in which they
sustained very little loss. That of the two battalions of the 42d consisted only of 2
drummers and 6 privates killed, and 4 privates wounded; but they lost by disease Major
Macneil, Captain Robert Manzies (brother of Sir John Menzies), and A. Macdonald;
Lieutenants Farquharson, Grant, Lapsley, Cunnison, Hill, and Blair, and 2 drummers and 71
rank and file.
Shortly after the surrender of the Havannah, all the available forces in Cuba were removed
from the island. The first battalion of the 42d and Montgomery's regiment embarked for New
York, which they reached in the end of October. Before leaving Cuba all the men of the
second battalion of the Royal Highlanders fit for service were drafted into the first. The
remainder with the officers returned to Scotland, where they were reduced the following
year. The junior officers were placed on half pay. |
