The World Turned Upside Down - His Majesty's 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot.

In the aftermath of the 1st Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, Independent Companies of militia were raised from loyalist Highland clans for policing and peacekeeping duties. These companies were commonly known in Gaelic as 'Am Freiceadan Dubh', or 'The Black Watch', due to their unpopular nature and their dark green government-issue tartan.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate Scottish rebels, with the only recognisable emblem being the Jacobite white cockade. Figure 5 shows a grenadier of a Scottish regiment circa 1715, Figure 6 a grenadier of the 'Cameronians', circa 1709, a Covenanter regiment raised by William in 1689, and Figure 7 representing a soldier of an independent company in 1730, wearing the dark-green government tartan.
British Infantry Uniforms - Liliane and Fred Funcken.

In 1739 King George II ordered that all the independent companies be merged into a single line infantry regiment, and the ten Independent Highland Companies of "Black Watch" were officially formed into the "43rd Highland Regiment of Foot", a regiment of the line in 1739 under Colonel John Lindsay, 20th Earl of Crawford and Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Robert Munro, 6th Baronet, and was first mustered in 1740, at Aberfeldy, Scotland. 

Colonel John Lindsay, 20th Earl of Crawford

During the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748), the regiment impressed the Duke of Cumberland with its ferocious Highland style of fighting that surprised the French at Fontenoy in 1745, and later that year it was sent back to guard southern England against invasion, with one company being sent north to fight the Jacobites at Culloden. In 1747 it was given a numerical ranking as the 43rd Foot, rising to the 42nd two years later when the previous 42nd, Oglethorpe's Regiment was disbanded.

Figure 1 illustrates an officer of the 43rd Regiment nicknamed 'Am Freiceadan Dubh', or 'The Black Watch', and Figure 2 shows an officer of the same regiment in 1745. Figure 3 is a soldier of the Black Watch in 1740, and Figure 4 a soldier in the uniform of 1742. Figure 5 shows a corporal, identified by the white shoulder-knot, circa 1743.
British Infantry Uniforms - Liliane and Fred Funcken.

From early 1747 to the end of 1748, it was in Flanders but otherwise was stationed in Ireland until 1756, and in 1756 it was formally titled the 42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot and was sent to North America on the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, and what became known as the French and Indian War.

The 42nd Royal Highland Regiment saw action at the first battle of Ticonderoga, also known as the Battle of Carillon, where it lost over half of its men in the assault in July 1758. 

The 42nd Royal Highland Regiment in action at the first battle of Ticonderoga, July 8th, 1758 - Patrice Courcelle.

The second battalion of the Black Watch was sent to the Caribbean but after the losses of Ticonderoga, the two battalions were consolidated in New York, and the regiment would be present at the second battle of Ticonderoga in July 1759 and the surrender of Montreal in September 1760, following which they were sent to the West Indies again where they saw action at Havana, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“The Battle Of Bushy Run: August 16th, 1763” by Don Troiani.
An account of the battle in the history of the 42nd Highlanders Regiment says that the Colonel of the regiment called in his posts as if about to retreat and the Indians believing that they had victory rushed forward from behind their cover becoming fully exposed. They were then instantly charged in the front and in the flank, by two companies of the 42nd Highlanders, and were thrown into confusion and routed.

In August 1763, the regiment fought in the Battle of Bushy Run while trying to relieve Fort Pitt, modern Pittsburgh, during Pontiac's Rebellion, and in 1767 the regiment left North America, and went to Cork, Ireland later returning to Scotland in 1775.

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Thomas Stirling,
42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot.

Thomas Stirling was born on 8th Oct 1733, the second son of Sir Henry Stirling, bart. (1688-1753) of Ardoch, Perthshire, by Anne, third daughter of Thomas Gordon, admiral of the Russian fleet and governor of Cronstadt. 

He received a commission from the Prince of Orange on 11th Oct 1747, and served ten years in the Scots brigade (afterwards the 94th), which was then in the Dutch service. On 24th March 1757 he was made captain in the 42nd highlanders, having raised a company for that regiment, and he served with it in the conquest of Canada, the capture of Martinique in 1759, and of Havana in 1762. In 1765 he was sent to take possession of the Illinois country ceded to Great Britain by the peace of 1763.

Stirling had become major on 12th Dec 1770, and lieutenant-colonel on 7th Sept 1771, in the regiment; and he raised its strength from 350 to 1,200 men in five months in 1775.

Forbes's history says that;

 'he was indefatigable in training his men to the manner of fighting practiced in the former war with the Indians and French bushmen, which experience had shown to be so well suited for a closely wooded country. Well versed himself in this mode of warfare, Colonel Stirling imparted it to his troops by first training the non-commissioned officers himself, and then superintending their instructions given to the soldiers.'

The 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot in America, 1776-1783.

On the 10th April 1776 the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment was inspected by General Oughton and reported a total strength of 921 Highlanders, 74 Scotch Lowlanders, 3 English, 1 Welsh, and 2 Irish soldiers, following which the regiment sailed for America (Boston) on the 1st of May with Frasers (71st Highland Regiment) in a fleet of 33 ships. 

The British Army in North America - Gerry Embleton (Osprey)
The illustration shows the likely look of the 42nd in America in Plates 2 and 3, with the regiment forced to adapt to conditions and the situation on arrival at Halifax in Nova Scotia in July 1776, with Plate 1 showing a soldier in uniform conforming to the 1768 regulations, with his kilted plaid in 'government sett'. An inspection return referred to the difficulty in getting plaids, and the need to adopt 'more commodious dress for the American service'. Contemporary reports speak of shortages or broadswords, with the soldiers preferring just carrying the bayonet.

However the convoy was scattered in the Atlantic early into the voyage, that would later see two transports captured by the Continental Navy brig Andrea Doria, that would reduce the strength of the 42nd by 42 men, who would not rejoin the regiment until 1778, and leaving the balance to finally catch up with Howe's main army at Staten Island, landing on 5th August 1776 via Halifax, Nova Scotia, once the convoy was informed of the evacuation of Boston.

Once landed, the Grenadiers of the 42nd and 71st formed into 4th Grenadier Battalion, whilst the Light company joined those of the 7th 22nd 33rd 37th 54th 63rd 70th and 74th composing the 1st Light Battalion under Lt. Col. Robert Abercromby, of the 37th Foot. 

The Bonnet companies of the regiment, under Lt. Col. Stirling, were assigned to the reserve brigade under Earl Cornwallis, with 33rd, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grenadier Battalions, and Royal Artillery, and the regiment was not heavily engaged in the fighting for Long Island with losses of Lieutenant Crammond and nine rank and file wounded.

The 42nd were among the British contingent of 4,000 British and Hessian soldiers that landed at Kips Bay at 10 a.m. on the 15th September, in a first landing wave of over eighty flatboats.

David Stewart of Garth tells the following story of the night of the 15th:

"This night Major Murray was nearly carried off by the enemy, but saved himself by his strength of arm and presence of mind. As he was crossing to his regiment from the battalion which he commanded, he was attacked by an American officer and two soldiers, against whom he defended himself for some time with his fusil, keeping them at a respectful distance. At last, however, they closed upon him, when unluckily his dirk slipped behind, and he could not, owing to his corpulence, reach it. Observing that the rebel (American) officer had a sword in his hand, he snatched it from him, and made so good use of it, that he compelled them to fly, before some men of the regiment, who had heard the noise, could come up to his assistance. He wore the sword as a trophy during the campaign."

The British landing at Kip's Bay, New York Island, 15th September 1776 - Robert Cleveley.

The operation was a British success, forcing the Continental Army to withdraw to Harlem Heights, and ceding control of New York City on the lower half of the island. However, Washington established strong positions on Harlem Heights, which he defended in a fierce skirmish between the two armies the following day; with elements of the 2nd and 3rd Light Infantry Battalions, along with the 42nd Highlanders ordered forward as reinforcements in support of a skirmish in the Hollow Way, an area of lower ground between two plateaus and in which two or three companies of British light infantry were subjected to a surprise American counterattack.

The fighting continued for an hour until the imminent arrival of more British forces caused Washington to call his troops back, however the number of troops grew to nearly 5,000 on each side as the British were pushed back, before Washington called off the attack after 6 hours because the Americans were not ready for a general engagement with the full British army.

Stewart of Garth records the 42nd losing one sergeant and three privates killed, and Captains Duncan Macpherson and John Mackintosh, Ensign Alexander Mackenzie (who died of his wounds), and three sergeants, one piper, two drummers, and forty-seven privates wounded.

The Battle of Fort Washington was fought in New York on November 16th, 1776, and was a British victory that gained the surrender of the remnant of the garrison of Fort Washington near the north end of Manhattan, being one of the worst Patriot defeats of the war.

Contemporaneous view drawn by British officer Thomas Davies of the attack against Fort Washington on November 16, 1776. Shows artillery fire on the fort and redoubts as well as several boats of soldiers (likely the 42nd) in the river. The New Jersey Palisades and the Hudson River are also shown in the background.

Howe's plan of attack was to storm the fort from three directions while a fourth force feinted; by then it had received reinforcements and was garrisoned by 3,000 men. Hessian troops under the command of Wilhelm von Knyphausen would attack the fort from the north, Percy was to lead a brigade of Hessians and several British battalions from the south, and Lord Cornwallis with the 33rd Regiment of Foot and General Edward Mathew with the light infantry were to attack from the east. The feint was to be by the 42nd Highlanders under Colonel Stirling, who were to land on the east side of Manhattan, south of the fort.

American casualties were 59 dead, 96 wounded and 2,837 prisoners from a total American garrison of about 3,000 men. In addition between Forts Washington and Lee across the Hudson, some 146 cannon were captured by the British.

Whilst the Crown forces of some 8,000 men lost 84 killed, and 374 wounded.

The Battle of Fort Washington - Don Troiani.
Hessians storm Colonel Rawling’s Redoubt of Pennsylvania Riflemen and three cannon. Margaret Corbin, who manned a cannon after her husband was killed, is featured.

Despite being intended as a feint, rather than the main attack, the 42nd climbed the cliff-face and overran the American defenders. Losses, according to Stewart of Garth were 1 sergeant and 10 privates killed, and Lieutenants Patrick Graeme, Norman Macleod, and Alexander Grant, and 4 sergeants and 66 rank and file, wounded. Stirling and his men were thanked in general orders.

A piper was killed at Fort Washington: 

"One of the pipers, who began to play when he reached the point of a rock on the summit of the hill, was immediately shot, and tumbled from one piece of rock to another til he reached the bottom."

In the winter of 1776 General Howe set up a chain of outposts stretching from Perth Amboy to Bordentown, the latter manned by the 42nd and Hessians, that saw a series of minor skirmishes that took place on December 22nd and 23rd, 1776; with the fighting taking place in Mount Holly, New Jersey, between an American force mostly composed of colonial militia under Colonel Samuel Griffin and a force of 2,000 Hessians and British regulars under Carl von Donop.

Colonel Count Carl Emil Ulrich von Donop

Col. Carl von Donop had placed Colonel Johann Rall at Trenton in command of about fifteen hundred Hessians and a small mixture of British regulars, while he sought a spot further south to station the bulk his forces, an estimated twenty-four hundred troops, a number far too many to fit in the small town of Trenton. 

Donop first stopped at Bordentown, about eight miles south of Trenton, but due to the size of his force was soon forced to divide his troops among other villages close by to adequately quarter his force.

Captain Johann Ewald, an officer of Jagers.
Ewald left a first hand account of events in his diary.

One of Donop’s officers in the jaeger corps, Capt. Johann Ewald, recorded what has become an invaluable source of information for the events that followed, keeping a diary of the daily movements and skirmishes. Ewald wrote:

'On the 19th Colonel Donop ordered me to accompany him to Black Horse to inspect the cordon of the left wing. The colonel took along Captain Lorey with twelve mounted jaegers, an officer and thirty Scots, and Colonel [Thomas] Stirling to reconnoiter the area of Mount Holly. We arrived at the village unhindered, where we obtained information that Colonel Griffin with two thousand men was stationed at Eayrestown, seven miles from Mount Holly. At eight o’clock in the evening we arrived back in Bordentown.'

On December 21st, about 600 of Griffin's troops overwhelmed a guard outpost of the 42nd located about one mile south of Blackhorse at Petticoat Bridge. 

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Reed,
Adjutant to General Washington.

On the evening of December 22nd, Washington's adjutant, Joseph Reed, went to Mount Holly and met with Griffin, who had written to Reed, requesting small field pieces to assist in their actions, and Reed, who had been discussing a planned attack on Rall's men in Trenton with Washington, wanted to see if Griffin's company could participate in some sort of diversionary attack. Griffin was ill, and his men poorly equipped for significant action, but they apparently agreed to some sort of actions the next day.

On the morning of December 23rd, von Donop brought about 3,000 troops (the 42nd British (Highland) Regiment and the Hessian Grenadier battalions Block and Linsing) to Petticoat Bridge where they overwhelmed Griffin's men. 

Petticoat Bridge is just north of the village of Slab Town
There is an excellent account of the Battle of Iron Works Hill in the link below and where these maps come from.
The Engagement at Woodlane: Precursor to the Battle of Iron Works Hill, a Key to the American Victory at Trenton - Journal of the American Revolution

Griffin's troops retreated to Mount Holly where von Donop reported scattering about 1,000 men near the town's meeting house. Jäger Captain Johann Ewald reported that "some 100 men" were posted on a hill "near the church", who "retired quickly" after a few rounds of artillery were fired. Griffin, whose troops had occupied Mount Holly, slowly retreated to their fortified position on the hill, following which the two sides engaged in ineffectual long-range fire.

Von Donop's forces bivouacked in Mount Holly on the night of December 23rd, where, according to Ewald, they plundered the town, breaking into alcohol stores of abandoned houses and getting drunk.

John Hills’s 1778 map - Library of Congress
The Engagement at Woodlane: Precursor to the Battle of Iron Works Hill, a Key to the American Victory at Trenton - Journal of the American Revolution

The next day, December 24th, they moved in force to drive the militia from the hill, but Griffin and his men had retreated to Moorestown during the night, and for whatever reason, von Donop and his contingents remained in Mount Holly, eighteen miles and a full day's march from Trenton, until a messenger arrived on December 26th, bringing the news of Rall's defeat by Washington that morning.

The Battle of Trenton - Hugh Charles McBarron, Jr

From late 1776 to early 1777 elements of the regiment, were involved in the Forage War, a series of skirmishes and raids conducted by the Continental Army and local militias against British and Hessian forces in New Jersey, with the objective of disrupting British foraging parties, denying them supplies, and weakening their hold on the region. This guerrilla warfare tactic effectively harassed British troops and contributed to the American strategy of attrition.

On February 23rd, 1777 at Spanktown, New Jersey Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood was sent with a reinforced brigade to destroy any rebel forces he could catch, setting out with a battalion each of light infantry and grenadiers, plus the 3rd Brigade, the latter formation consisting of the 10th, 37th, 38th and 52nd Foot, recently transferred from the Rhode Island garrison. 

British Army Uniforms 1751 - 1783, Carl Franklin

Near Spanktown, now Rahway, New Jersey, Mawhood found a group of militia herding some livestock covered by a larger body of Americans waiting on a nearby hill. The British officer sent the grenadier company of the 42nd Foot on a wide flanking manoeuvre, but just as the grenadiers prepared to launch their assault, they were fired on from ambush and routed with the loss of 26 men. 

At this moment, Maxwell sent his superior force forward to envelop Mawhood's force, the American force including the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th New Jersey Regiments, the 1st and 8th Pennsylvania Regiments, and the German Battalion. Mawhood's surprised men were hounded all the way back to Amboy, which they reached at 8:00 PM., the Americans claiming to have inflicted 100 casualties, and Mawhood admitting to losing 69 killed and wounded and six missing.

On May 10th, 1777 at Piscataway, New Jersey, Maj. Gen. Adam Stephen, with about 150 men, hoping to surprise the British 42nd Highlanders that was posted at Piscataway, attacked them. The Americans were driven off, with the British pursuing them for almost three miles to the American camp at Metuchen.

General George Washington investigated the engagement, causing him to write a strong letter to Stephen expressing how displeased he was with his conduct.

British Army Uniforms 1751 - 1783, Carl Franklin

The 42nd fought bravely in this battle, receiving a special commendation from Lord Cornwallis, and their losses are recorded as "3 sergeants and 9 privates killed; and Captain Duncan Macpherson, Lieutenant William Stewart, 3 sergeants, and 35 privates wounded. 

Stewart of Garth tells the story of Serjeant Macgregor:

"On this occasion, Sergeant Macgregor, whose company was immediately in the rear of the picquet, rushed forward to their support, with a few men who happened to have their arms in their hands, when the enemy commenced the attack. Being severely wounded, he was left insensible on the ground. When the picquet was overpowered, and the few survivors forced to retire, Macgregor, who had that day put on a new jacket with silver lace, having besides, large silver buckles in his shoes, and a watch, attracted the notice of an American soldier, who deemed him a good prize. The retreat of his friends not allowing him time to strip the sergeant on the spot, he thought the shortest way was to take him on his back to a more convenient distance. By this time Macgregor began to recover; and, perceiving whither the man was carrying him, drew his dirk, and, grasping him by the throat, swore that he would run him through the breast, if he did not turn back and carry him to the camp. The American, finding this argument irresistible, complied with the request, and, meeting Lord Cornwallis (who had come up to the support of the regiment when he heard the firing) and Colonel Stirling, was thanked for his care of the sergeant; but he honestly told him, that he only conveyed him thither to save his own life. Lord Cornwallis gave him liberty to go whithersoever he chose."

On the 24th August 1777 the regiment disembarked at the Elk River, Maryland with the 28th, 49th, 5th, 10th, 27th,40th, 55th, and 15th Foot as part of General Howe's campaign to take Philadelphia and deal a severe blow to the main American army under General Washington defending the city.

The 42nd with a strength of 597 all ranks, would be part of Major General Grey's third brigade at the Brandywine, alongside the 15th, 17th and 44th Foot, but would not see action as it was held in reserve throughout the day, but the flank companies lost 4 privates killed, and 2 sergeants and 15 privates wounded.

Likewise the bulk of the regiment would miss the action at Germantown on the 5th October 1777 with only the light company involved that day.

Washington's counterattack at Monmouth showing the attempted flanking attack by Cornwallis and third brigade's and the 42nd's position at Sutfin Orchard, before being forced back and failing to stop the American pursuit at the Spotwood Middle Branch Creek.

In May 1778 General Clinton replaced Howe as commander in chief and prepared plans to evacuate Philadelphia for a return march to New York, that would see the 42nd with a strength of around 650 men part of third brigade that fought at Monmouth Courthouse on 28th June 1778.

The 42nd Foot defending the Sutfin Orchard, Battle of Monmouth (June 28, 1778)

The 42nd would experience the drill and training program that Major General Friedrich von Steuben had implemented at Valley Forge over the winter of 1777/78 as they were hard pressed by Major General Lafayette's counterattack in the Sutfin Orchard, eventually forced to give ground, by which time Clinton had secured the withdrawal of his army to Sandy Hook for onward transport back to New York, but giving the Americans a moral and propaganda victory by displaying their ability to go toe to toe with British regulars.

After the Philadelphia Campaign the 42nd became part of the New York garrison, participating in several raids into New Jersey and Virginia, to attack shipping and stores.

On 26th January 1780, the regiment boarded transports off Brooklyn, bound for the south and in time to participate in the Siege of Charleston between March 29th and May 12th, 1780. Losses were lieutenant Macleod and 9 privates killed, and Lieutenant Alexander Grant and 14 privates wounded.

A British map of the siege of Charleston in 1780

A 2nd Battalion was formed in March 1780, with eight officers from the 1st Battalion being detached to help raise the new battalion.

On the 4th June 1780, the regiment boarded transports for Staten Island returning as part of the British garrison until the ed of the war, with the Light Company participating in the siege of Yorktown between September 28th to its fall on October 19th 1781.

A pen and ink drawing with graywash of Mangalore fort after it was taken by the British in 1783.
The artist was seated on the sand across the river.
By George Goddard, 4th December 1783. British Library.

The 2nd battalion was sent to India in January 1781 and took part in the siege of Mangalore in autumn 1783 during the Second Anglo-Mysore War.

On the 22nd October 1783 the 1/42nd left New York bound for Haliax, Nova Scotia, not returning home until May 1790 when it arrived in Glasgow. 

My 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot are composed of the metal centre company men from Perrys miniatures and are modelled as a very strong 24 figure regiment given the unit regularly fielded in excess of 500 men, and I have plans to add another eight figures including extra command to allow me to bring two units of 16 figures for certain scenarios I have in mind.

The regiment is finished off with a set of Colours from GMB and some marvellous metal finials from Warlord Games, this after finding the Front Rank offerings are just too large to look right on the Perry command figures. Finally they are based using the equally marvellous low profile sabot bases from Supreme Littleness Designs.

I'm busy this weekend performing my duties as father of the bridegroom, as my younger son Will is marrying my soon to be daughter-in-law Olivia, hence this post has gone up a day earlier than my usual schedule; however the project continues with the showcasing of the 7th Virginia Continental Regiment in my next TWTUD post.

As always, more anon.

JJ