Battles of the 42nd, 77th and 78th Highland Regiments with Lists of the “Killed and Wounded”
Thanks goes to Deborah for this series of articles, which she generously donated to The Canadian Military Heritage Project and which is used here with consent. After years of warlike activity with France, England officially declared war on May 18, 1756, beginning the Seven Year’s War in Europe. But the focus of the war soon shifted away from the continent to the colonies. Echoeing the conflicts in Europe, the final struggle for the empire was to take place in North America and in the West Indies. British regulars and American militia joined forces against France and her Indian allies in a campaign commonly known as the French and Indian Wars. After suffering numerous defeats and disappointments, England and her colonies successfully reversed the course of events and conquered the Canadian and regular armies of France. Peace between Britain and France was proclaimed with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on February 10, 1763; however, warfare against the Indians endured for sometime after. The following accounts of the French-Indian Wars focus mainly on the involvement of the Highland Regiments in the battles and expeditions listed below. However, a list of other regiments involved, and the field officers in general command during these battles, have been noted in order to facilitate further research.
Battle at Louisbourg, June 8-July 26, 1758
Source:“Sketches of the Character, Manners and Present State of the Highlanders of Scotland; with details of The Military Service of The Highland Regiments”, by Major-General David Stewart, Vol I & II, (1825), Edinburgh.
- Highland Regiment: Fraser’s Highlanders (78th)
- Other Regiments: the Royals, 15th, 17th, 22nd, 28th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 47th, 58th, the 2nd & 3rd battalions of the 60th, and the New England Rangers
- Battle Under General Command of: Admiral Boscawen and Major-General Amherst; Brigadier-Generals Wolfe, Lawrence, Monckton and Whitmore.
Abridged text: On the 2nd of June, the troopships anchored in Garbarus Bay, seven miles from Louisbourg, Cape Breton. The fleet was six days on the coast before a landing could be attempted; a heavy surf continually rolling with such violence that no boat could approach the shore. On the accessible parts of the coast, a chain of posts had been established, extending more than seven miles along the beach, with entrenchments and batteries. On the 8th of June, when the violence of the surf had somewhat abated, a landing was effected.
The troops were disposed for landing in three divisions. That on the left, which was destined for the real attack, was commanded by Brigadier-General Wolfe. It was composed of the grenadiers and light infantry of the army, and Fraser’s Highlanders. Reserving their fire til the boats were near the beach, the enemy opened a discharge of canon and musquetry. The surf aided their fire. Many of the boats were upset or dashed to pieces on the rocks, and numbers of men were killed or drowned before they could reach the land. At this time Captain Baillie and Lieutenant Cuthbert of the Highlanders were killed. Some of the light infantry and Highlanders got first ashore, and drove all before them. The rest followed; and, being encouraged by the example of their heroic commander, soon pursued the enemy to the distance of two miles, when they were checked by a canonnading from the town.
The continued violence of the weather retarded the landing of the stores and provisions, and the nature of the ground, in some places very rocky, and in others a morass, presented many serious obstacles. These difficulties, however, yielded to the perseverance and exertions of the troops. The first operation was to secure a point called Light House Battery. On June 12th, General Wolfe, with “Highlanders and flankers”, took possession of this and all other posts in that quarter, with very trifling loss. On the 25th, the fire from this post silenced the island battery immediately opposite. On the 9th of July, the enemy made a sortie on Brigadier-General Lawrence’s brigade, but were quickly repulsed. On the 16th, Brigadier General Wolfe pushed forward some grenadiers and Highlanders, and took possession of the hills in front of the battery, under fire from the town and the ships. On the 21st, one of the enemy’s line-of-battle ships caught fire and blew up, communicating the fire to two others, which burned to the water’s edge. This loss nearly decided the fate of the town. To effect the possession of the harbour, one decisive blow remained yet to be struck. A detachment of 600 seamen was sent to take or burn the two ships of the line which remained, determining, if the attempt should succeed, to send in some of the large ships to batter the town on the side of the harbour. This enterprise was gallantly executed, and the town surrendered on the 26th July. Thus the British obtained possession of Cape Breton and the strong town of Louisbourg, and destroyed a powerful fleet.
78th Highland Officers Killed (plus 17 soldiers):
- Captain: David Baillie
- Lieutenants: John Cuthbert; James Murray; and Alexander Fraser
78th Highland Officers Wounded (plus 41 soldiers):
- Captain: Donald McDonald
- Lieutenants: Alexander Campbell (Barcaldine); and John McDonald
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