Battle of Fort Pitt & Indian Warfare, 1764-1765: Royal Highlanders (42nd)
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.
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.
Fort Pitt & Indian Warfare, Jul 1764-Jan 1765
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 Regiments: Royal Highlanders (42nd)
Other Regiments: Light infantry of the 60th; Virgina marksman;
detachments from Maryland and Pennsylvania, having their faces painted,
and their clothes made in Indian fashion.
Battle Under General Command of: Brigadier-General Henri Bouquet; Sir William Johnson.
Abridged text: The Royal Highland Regiment passed the winter in Fort Pitt; and early in the summer of 1764 was again employed under Colonel Bouquet, now appointed Brigadier-General. Continued encroachments on the territories of the Indians increased their irritation to a high degree, and they retaliated with great fury on the back settlers. To repress their attacks two expeditions were ordered; one from Niagara, under Sir William Johnson, and another under Brigadier-General Bouquet. In this service the troops traversed many hundred miles, cutting their way through thick forests, and frequently attacked by, and attacking, skirmishing parties of the Indians, who were at length so harassed with this constant state of warfare, that they sued for a cessation of hostilities. This was granted, and was followed by a peace, which was not interrupted for many years. If this species of warfare was harassing to the Indians, it must have been no less so to the troops, who were allowed no rest from the month of July 1764 to Janurary 1765, when they returned to Fort Pitt, two months after the winter had commenced with great severity. Although forced to march through woods of immense extent, where the snow had attained a depth unknown in Europe, it is remarkable fact, that, in these six months, three of which they were exposed to extreme heat, and two to an equal excess of cold, with very little shelter from either extreme, and frequently disturbed by an active, though not a formidable enemy, the Highlanders did not leave a man behind from fatigue or exhaustion. Three men died of sickness; and when they returned to Fort Pitt, there were only nineteen men under charge of the surgeon.
The regiment was now in better quarters than they had been for several years. They were much reduced in numbers, as might have been expected from the extent, nature, and variety of service in which, amidst the torrid heats of the West Indies, and the rigorous winters of North America, they had been for so many years engaged. During the following year they remained in Pennsylavania; and in the month of July 1767, embarked at Philadelphia for Ireland. Such of the men as chose to remain in America, rather than return home, were permitted to volunteer into other regiments. The second battalion had been reduced in 1763, and 1 captain, 12 lietuenants, and 2 ensigns of the first battalion, were placed on half-pay. Captain Small, who was reduced to half-pay, but immediately put on the full pay of the Scotch Fusileers, being deservedly popular among the men, drew along with him into that regiment a great proportion of those who volunteered for America. The volunteers were so numerous, that, along with those who had been previously discharged and sent home as disabled, and others who were discharged in America, where they settled, they reduced the number of the regiment to a very small proportion of that which had left Scotland.
42nd Highland Officers Killed (only 7 soldiers; plus 3 died of sickness):
Nil recorded 42nd Highland Officers Wounded (only 1 sergeant, and 19 soldiers):
Nil recorded
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