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 end 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

All at Sea - Fourth Rate Ships of the Line

Spithead Anchorage - Geoff Hunt
The Fourth-Rate Ship of the Line, Leopard 50-gun in the foreground of the vessels commanded by Patrick O'Brian's character, Captain Jack Aubrey, left to right Ariel 18-gun sloop, Polycrest experimental 24-gun sloop, and on Leopard's starboard side Boadicea 38-guns, with the Baltimore built armed-schooner, Ringle, extreme right. Fiction mixed with historical fact can be a good source for scenarios for this most inadequate of warships from the age of sail era. 

The Fourth-Rate ship of the line is an interesting class of ship in the age of sail as despite its obvious inadequacies of performing a role in the line of battle, it suffered from others to perform the role of scout, commerce raider and patrol ship, and I think the comment from 'The Line of Battle, The Sailing Warship 1650 - 1840' sums up the role of the fourth-rate pretty well, from its conception, referring to the English concern about attacks against their trade in the early 1690's and the decision to revive the class since its previous fall from grace in the 1650's;

'The two-decker Fourth Rate of 50-guns, largely neglected since the 1650's, was revived. There was no great discussion about this, but it seems that it was seen as the ideal ship, able to serve in the line of battle or as a cruising and patrol vessel as required.

In fact it was inadequate in either role, a typical attempt to reconcile impossible differences, but more than thirty were ordered in the 1690's.'

Fast-forward to the 1790's and the inadequacies of the fourth-rate were only exacerbated by the developments in naval ship design seen in the Seven Years War and later American War of Independence with the 74-gun and later 80-gun third rates, pushing the previously dominant 64-gun variety into rapid obsolescence thus making the role of a 50-gunner even more of an impossibility in the line of battle amid such powerful opponents, and also in that time seeing the role of the frigate and its powerful improvements in armament and capability come to dominate the role of cruising and patrol.

That said when the various wars were concluded and the sea-going nations went back to peace-time fleets, the cost effectiveness of the fourth-rate as a policing, power projecting alternative to their more expensive line of battle third-rates was enough to cement their survival, often found amid the ranks of the minor sea powers and sent out to act as flagships to support the patrol forces in the colonial possessions, by the larger powers such as Spain and Great Britain, in areas of the world where they were less likely to run into many larger opponents and thus be the biggest fish in a much smaller pond.

So these recent additions to the Warlord Games Black Seas range very much facilitate the building and fielding of those forces seen in the early war when the large powers were still building up their main fleets and thus these smaller ships of the line still appear in some of the small ship, light squadron engagements, and for those fleet engagements in the 'quieter' parts of the world where the opponents could get away with these ships taking their place in the line of battle, or when needs demanded, with the Battles of Camperdown 1797 and the Nile 1798 two classic examples with Fourth Rates appearing on both sides in the former.

The three models showcased here, two British and one in Dutch colours make a welcome addition to the collection with the latter model a bit of a proof-of-concept build, designed to see if the conversion to an earlier rigging layout with a lateen rigged mizzen would be a painless build and the good news is it was and is.

 

At the time of writing I have just composed three scenarios based on accounts by William James in his Naval History of Great Britain and thought I would use those to illustrate the kind of scenarios I plan to use these models in along with some of the larger fleet actions I'm planning to do.

William James is one of the great sources of scenarios 
for this period of naval history and with his works freely available
on the net provides a superb resource for the age of sail gamer
interested in playing historical encounters from this era.

The first of James' accounts deals with the action between the British fourth-rate, Romney 50-guns and the French frigate, La Sibylle 40-guns, fought off the island of Miconi, modern day Myknos, on the 17th June 1794;

'On the 17th of June, while the British 50-gun ship Romney, Captain the Honourable William Paget, having under her charge one British and seven Dutch merchant vessels, bound from Naples to Smyrna, was passing between the small islands of Tino and Miconi in the Archipelago, a frigate, with French national colours and a broad pendant, accompanied by three merchantmen, was discovered at anchor in-shore of Miconi.

The Eastern Mediterranean - Romney 50-guns versus La Sibylle 40-guns, off the island of Miconi, modern day Myknos on the 17th June 1794.

The British frigates Inconstant, Leda, and Tartar, from whom the Romney had, on the preceding day, been detached, being still in sight from the mast-head, Captain Paget directed the convoy to join them; and the Romney, hauling to the wind, was presently at anchor in Miconi road, within a little more than a cable's length of the French 40-gun frigate Sibylle, chef de division, or commodore, Jacques-Melanie Rondeau.

In the hope to save the effusion of blood. Captain Paget sent a message to the French commander, desiring him to surrender his ship. This Commodore Rondeau refused, alleging that he was well acquainted with the Romney's force, that he was fully prepared, both with men and ammunition, and that he had made oath never to strike his colours. By the time the Romney’s officer had returned to his ship the Sibylle had placed herself between the Romney and the town of Miconi, which obliged Captain Paget to carry out another anchor, and warp the Romney farther ahead, in order that her guns might point clear of the town.

At 1 p.m. the Romney, being abreast of the French frigate, and secured with springs on her cables, fired a broadside, which the Sibylle instantly returned. The action thus commenced lasted, without a moment's intermission, for one hour and ten minutes, when the Sibylle, being quite in a defenceless state, hauled down her colours, and, with the three merchantmen, was taken possession of by the Romney.

The Romney, when she commenced action, was 74 working men short of her established complement; consequently she had on board only 266 men and boys. Of these the Romney lost eight seamen killed and 30 (including two mortally) wounded.

The Sibylle commenced action, as deposed to by three of her surviving officers, with a crew of 380; of which number she lost her second-lieutenant, captain of marines, and 44 seamen killed, and 112 officers, seamen, and marines (including nine mortally) wounded.

The fact of the Romney’s being so short of complement had, it appears, reached the ears of M. Rondeau; who, knowing, on the other hand, that his own ship could muster at quarters upwards of 100 men, and those effective hands, more than his adversary, was sanguine enough to hope for that success which his bravery so well merited.

Action of the Romney and La Sybille and three armed vessels, June 17th 1794 off Miconi - J. Livesay (NMM)

The Sibylle, although she mounted but 26, had, like other 40-gun frigates, ports for 28 guns on her main deck, and actually fought through her aftmost port one of her guns from the opposite side, a measure which, from her stationary position, was not at all inconvenient. The force of that shifting-gun will accordingly be computed. On her quarter-deck and forecastle the Sibylle mounted 16 long 8-pounders and two brass carronades, 36-pounders, making her total number of guns 44. In the official letter the 8s and the carronades are called 9 and 42 pounders, but no such pounders are known in the French service. The mistake, which is a very frequent one, arises from adopting the denomination assigned to an English gun of the nearest apparent calibre in preference to that used by the French.

The Romney, as I have her for this scenario using Kiss Me, Hardy, 'not, in reality, a very decided overmatch for a French 40-gun frigate' as James would have it, and I would agree up to a point, but as I always say, 'it's not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, but rather the size of the fight in the dog' and a Jolly Jack Tar crew represents that factor.

The Romney does not appear to have been supplied with carronades; consequently her 50 long guns, as particularised in the first annual abstract, were all that she mounted. From this statement it appears, that a British 50-gun ship of those days was not, in reality, a very decided overmatch for a French 40-gun frigate. Some allowance, however, is to be made for the advantage which a two-decker possesses over a one-decker in the power of concentrating her fire. . . . '

The next action recounted took place thirty miles south-west of Round Island or Ile Ronde, Mauritius on the 22nd October 1794 between the two British fourth-rates Centurion 50-guns and Diomede 44-guns and a French squadron composed of the frigates Cybele 36-guns and Prudente 32-guns together with the corvette Jean Bart 18-guns and Courier, a brig of 16-guns;

'On the 22nd of October, at 11 a.m., Isle-Ronde, off the northeast extremity of the Isle of France, bearing north-west by west nine or ten leagues, the British 50-gun ship Centurion, Captain Samuel Osborne, and 44-gun ship Diomede, Captain Matthew Smith, descried and gave chase to four strange sail in the west, steering to the northward with the wind easterly.

 

These proved to be a French squadron, composed of the 40-gun frigate Cybele, 36-gun frigate Prudente, 20-gun corvette Jean-Bart, and 14-gun brig-corvette Courier, under the orders of Commodore Jean-Marie Renaud, in the Prudente. This officer, having put to sea from Port-Louis purposely, as was stated, to fight the two British ships, of whose names as well as force he was already apprised, suffered no long chase ere he hove to in line ahead; his own ship, the Prudente, leading, followed, at little more than a cable's length, by the Cybele, Jean-Bart, and Courier.

The British ships now edged down to take their stations; the Centurion placing herself abreast of the two frigates, with the greater part of her broadside bearing on the Prudente, while the Diomede took a similar position between the Cybele and Jean-Bart, directing her chief attention to the Cybele.

The Indian Ocean - Thirty miles south-west of Round Island or Ile Ronde, Mauritius, 22nd October 1794,  British fourth-rates Centurion 50-guns and Diomede 44-guns versus a French squadron composed of the frigates Cybele 36-guns and Prudente 32-guns together with the corvette Jean Bart 18-guns and Courier, a brig of 16-guns.

At 3 h. 29 m. p.m. the French commodore, having hoisted his broad pendant, and all his ships their colours, opened a fire within half musket-shot; and the cannonade presently became general. Having, from her close position, bore the brunt of this firing, the Centurion soon became very much damaged in her sails and rigging; whereupon the Prudente, at 4 p.m., with every spar standing, and with her sails and rigging not materially injured, bore up and ran to leeward out of gun-shot, signalling her comrades to do the same.

According to the French commodore's account, this was, in order that the squadron might repair damages and be able to obtain the weather gage, an excuse, a contradiction in itself, for had his object been that which is stated, he would have fore-reached upon the disabled Centurion and then tacked; it certainly is something new in naval tactics, to bear up in order to get to windward. 

The Cybele made sail ahead, and, firing at the Centurion in passing, brought down the latter's mizen topmast and fore topgallant mast; but being herself much cut up in sails and rigging, and being also retarded in her flight by the calm that, as usual, had succeeded the heavy firing, was compelled to sustain an action, broadside to broadside, with the British 50.

The Diomede, whose signal to carry all possible sail was about this time ordered to be made, but the flags for which " could not be found," lay at some distance to windward, firing occasionally at the Cybele, as well as at the Jean-Bart and Courier; but these ships, in obedience to their commodore's signal, soon bore up and joined the Prudente.

The Centurion and Cybele continued closely engaged; and at about 5 h. 15 m. p.m., the latter's main topgallant mast was shot away. Just at this moment a light air sprang up, and the Cybele, taking advantage of it, edged down towards the Prudente; who, with the corvette and brig, had wore, and was fast approaching to her support. At 5 h. 45 m. p.m., just before she joined the Prudente, the Cybele's wounded foretopmast fell.

Both the Diomede and Centurion had wore in pursuit; but the latter had suffered so much in her masts, that Captain Osborne was compelled to put her head to the sea, to prevent them from falling overboard.

The Prudente, as soon as the Cybele joined, took her in tow; and all four vessels, carrying as much sail as they could set, steered to the westward, followed and fired at, until dark, by the Diomede; whose shot, however, in reference to any visible effect produced by them, appear to have fallen short.

The Centurion lost three seamen killed, or mortally wounded the gunner and six seamen severely, and 17 seamen slightly wounded. The Diomede does not appear to have sustained any loss.

The Prudent*) lost 15 men killed, and 20 wounded; the commodore among the latter, and his first and second lieutenants among the former. The Cybele lost her first-lieutenant and 21 petty officers and seamen killed, and 62 wounded, 37 of them dangerously. The Jean-Bart had one man killed, and five men wounded. The Courier appears to have shared the good fortune of the Diomede. . . .'

H.M.S. Leander - Geoff Hunt
The Portland Class 50-gun Leander took part in the Nile Campaign of 1798 that saw Nelson's dramatic victory over the French fleet, during which Leander raked the Peuple Souverain and Franklin in the battle.

The third and final scenario taken from James is that covering the action between the Leander 50-guns and the French 74-gun Genereux fought in the wake of the Battle of the Nile at which both antagonists participated.

The Battle of the Nile 2nd August 1798 showing the positions of Leander and Genereux during the battle at which the latter would make her escape. Both vessels started the battle in the rear of the opposing lines.

William James set the scene and depicts the account of this action fought five miles south west of Crete in the Mediterranean on the 18th August 1798;

'At the close of our account of the Battle of the Nile, it was stated that the British 50-gun ship Leander, Captain Thomas Boulden Thompson, had sailed on the 6th of August, from before Alexandria, with Rear-admiral Sir Horatio Nelson's despatches, addressed to the commander-in-chief on the Mediterranean station.

On the 18th, at daybreak, being within five or six miles of the west end of Goza di Candia, the Leander discovered in the south-east quarter, standing directly for her, a large sail, evidently a ship of the line; and which, although the Leander lay becalmed, was bringing up a fine breeze from the southward. The Leander being upwards of 80 men short of complement and having on board several that were wounded in the Nile action, Captain Thompson did not feel himself justified in seeking a contest with a ship so superior in point of size and force; and therefore took every practicable means to avoid it. The Leander's inferiority of sailing, however, rendered an action inevitable; and it was only left to steer such a course, as would enable her to receive her powerful adversary to the best advantage.

Eastern Mediterranean - Leander v Genereux 18th August 1798

That adversary was the French 74-gun ship Généreux, chef de division Lejoille, bound to Corfu, and armed with the addition of two brass 36-pounder carronades on the forecastle, making 80 guns in all, while the Leander's force consisted of only 22 long 24-pounders on the lower deck, the same number of 12-pounders on the second deck, six long 6-pounders, on the quarterdeck and forecastle, and two, or rather one, for the other had been dismounted at the Battle of the Nile, 12-pounder carronade on the poop, total 51 guns.

At 8 a.m. the Généreux, still retaining exclusive possession of the breeze, and having by way of deception hoisted Neapolitan colours, approached within random-shot of the Leander, then steering, under every stitch of canvass she could spread, with the wind on the larboard beam. The French 74 now changed her colours to Turkish; but, from the first, her national character had been known. At 9 a.m. the Généreux ranged up, within half gun-shot, on the Leander's larboard and weather quarter. Finding that an action was inevitable, the Leander shortened sail, and hauled up until her broadside could be brought to bear. The Généreux now fired a shot ahead of the Leander and the latter immediately replied to it by a broadside.

A vigorous cannonade thus commenced on both sides; and the two ships continued nearing each other, keeping up a constant and heavy fire, until 10 h. 30 m. a.m., when the Généreux evinced a disposition to run her opponent on board. Such was the shattered state of the latter's rigging, sails, and yards, and so light the breeze, that the latter could make no movement to evade the shock. The French 74, accordingly, struck the British 50 on the larboard bow, and, dropping alongside, with a crash that bent double several of the Leander's lower deck ports, continued there for some time.

The Leander was now totally ungovernable, having her lower yards on the booms, and no stick standing, save the bowsprit and the shattered remains of the fore and main masts

A spirited and well-directed fire, however, from the Leander's remnant of marines, stationed on the poop, and commanded by the sergeant (no officer having arrived on board to succeed Lieutenant Robinson killed at Tenerife), and from the small-arm men on the quarterdeck, prevented the crew of the Généreux, numerous as they were, from taking advantage of the juxtaposition of the ships; and the Frenchmen every time they attempted to board, were driven back with loss. Meanwhile such of the great guns of both ships, as would bear, continued in full activity.

HMS Leander weighs in at just under 1,053 tons BM equating to the 46 hull/damage points and was armed with 22 x 24-pounder long guns on her main gundeck, 22 x 12-pdrs on her upper deck and 4 and 2 x 6-pdrs on her quarterdeck and forecastle respectively. 

After an interval of calm, a light air sprang up, still from the southward; and the Généreux, being from her lofty sails the first to feel its effects, forged ahead, and disentangled herself from the Leander, now lying with her mizenmast over the starboard quarter, her fore topmast over the larboard bow, and both her lower yards on the booms. The Généreux, soon afterwards, coming up in the wind on the starboard tack, the Leander, who by the aid of her sprit-sail had succeeded in wearing, was enabled to luff under the stern of her antagonist. The opportunity was not lost, and the Leander deliberately discharged into the Généreux every gun upon her starboard broadside, which the wreck of her spars did not cover.

The breeze again died away, and the sea became as smooth as glass ; but no intermission took place in the mutual cannonade : it continued with unabated fury, until 3 h. 30 m. p.m. By this time the Généreux having, by the aid of a light breeze, paid round off upon her heel, stood athwart the hawse of the Leander, and stationed herself on the latter's larboard bow. Here, unfortunately, the greater part of the guns, the foremost ones in particular, lay disabled with the wreck of the fallen spars. This gave a check to the Leander's firing, and the Généreux took that opportunity of hailing, to know if the British ship surrendered.

The Leander was now totally ungovernable, having her lower yards on the booms, and no stick standing, save the bowsprit and the shattered remains of the fore and main masts: the ship's hull was also cut to pieces, and her decks were strewed on every side with killed and wounded. The Généreux, on the other hand, having lost only her mizen topmast, was gradually passing along the Leander's larboard beam, as if intending to take up a position across her stern. In the defenceless state of the British ship, what other reply to the question of surrender could be given, than an affirmative? It was given, by holding out a pike with a French jack at the end of it, and the Généreux took possession of 

her comparatively insignificant, but far from easily-won prize: not, however, by a boat, for the Leander had left the Généreux no boat in a situation to take the water, but by the French ship's boatswain, and one of her enseignes, or midshipmen, after they had swum on board.

An action so celebrated, and so truly creditable to the weaker party, we are happy to be able to illustrate with a diagram.

In this six hours' close and bloody conflict, the Leander lost three midshipmen (Peter Downs, -------- Gibson, and Edward Haddon), 24 seamen, one sergeant (Dair), and seven private marines killed, her commander (badly, in three places), Captain Berry (slightly *), two lieutenants (Watkinson Bridges Taylor and William Swiney), her master (Michael Lee), boatswain (Mr. Mathias, badly), one master's mate (John Leckey), one midshipman (Mr. Nailor), 41 seamen, and nine private marines wounded-total, 35 killed and 57 wounded. This was a full third of her gallant crew; for, having left one lieutenant, one midshipman, and fifty men on board the prizes of Aboukir bay, and been originally short of her complement, the Leander had commenced the action with only 282 men and boys, including her 14 wounded in the Nile battle, and, we believe, her two passengers, Captain Edward Berry and a Mr. William Hill.

The Généreux, having received on board a portion of the Timoléon's crew, † as well as, on the day previous, when she parted company with the Guillaume-Tell, a number of men from her, had commenced the action with 936 men and boys. Of these, according to the information given by some of her officers to the late officers of the Leander, the Généreux sustained a loss of about 100, including her first lieutenant, killed, and 188 wounded; sufficient in amount, even admitting it to be slightly overrated, to prove that the 74's thick sides were not impenetrable to the 50-gun ship's comparatively light, but liberally bestowed, and well-directed shot. Some of the crew of the Généreux were even killed upon her orlop deck ; and nothing but the smoothness of the water saved the French ship's foremast, which had been struck by 23 of the Leander's shot and was left at last with only one shroud of a side to support it. 

COMPARATIVE FORCE OF THE COMBATANTS.
		LEANDER	GENEREUX
Broadside-guns	No.	26	40
	lbs.	432	1024
Crew	No.	282	936
Size	tons.	1052	1926

Where is there a single-ship action which has conferred greater honour upon the conqueror than in this instance lights upon the conquered? Such a defence is unparalleled, even in the British navy, where to be brave is scarcely a merit. Nothing, however, is without its alloy. Captain Thompson had the misfortune to be compelled to yield up his brave crew and himself to, we are sorry to say, a man who, by his subsequent treatment of his prisoners, disgraced both the profession he served in, and the country that employed him.

* By "part of a man's skull, which was driven through his arm."- Naval Chronicle, vol. xv., p. 180.'

These three examples of British fourth-rates in action illustrate that these 'black-sheep' of the ship of the line ratings played their role during the French Revolutionary War, when they were still to be found serving on station around the globe, and if you are looking for further inspiration for getting these models out on the table, look no further than the collected novels of the fictional characters portrayed by the likes of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester, with the former having his key character Captain Jack Aubrey commanding the 50-gun HMS Leopard, as illustrated superbly by Geoff Hunt in the header to the post.

Captain Horatio Hornblower played by Gregory Peck in the 1951
Warner Brothers film 'Captain Horatio Hornblower, RN'.

Likewise no less a personage than the legendary Captain Horatio Hornblower, ends up in action with the Spanish 50-gun fourth-rate, Natividad, when, in 1807 whilst in command of the 36-gun frigate HMS Lydia, he is sent to the Pacific to aid a Spanish grandee, a certain Don Julian Alvarado, who calls himself, 'El Supremo', in his bid to overthrow the Spanish authorities, with Spain now in alliance with Napoleon.

The ever so slightly 'bonkers', El Supremo played magnificently by Alec Mango

To aid the mad El Supremo, Hornblower has to capture the Spanish 50-gun Natividad and to hand over command of it to the rebel leader, which he does, only to discover that the situation has changed during his voyage to the other side of the world and the British government is now in alliance with Spain against Napoleon, and thus to set matters right he must either capture or destroy the most powerful vessel in the area, El Supremo's Natividad; commanded in the film by a young Sir Christopher Lee, in the role of Admiral Don Cristobal de Crespo, 'a ruthless acolyte of El Supremo who will fight to the bitter end', the quote coming from Nick Skinner's scenario based on the action from Forester's book, The Happy Return, first published in 1937.

The 50-gun Natividad and 36-gun Lydia prepare to fire as she bears

The full version of Nick's scenario for this fun little action is to be found in the 2006 Christmas Lardy Special, in the link below.

Too Fat Lardies - 2006 Christmas Special

Needless to say I will be showcasing some Spanish fourth rates in time and, I think, my own version of El Supremo's Natividad.

A First Edition of The Happy Return published in 1937 

My third fourth-rate has been composed very much with a fleet action in mind and the building of my Dutch Camperdown collection, which has started with a couple of frigates and a brig as covered in my post back in July 2021

JJ's Wargames - All at Sea, Revolutionary War Batavian Dutch

The Batavian-Dutch were one of the minor naval powers who still used fourth-rates at the time of the French Revolutionary War of which they employed four and a 44-gun razee at the Battle of Camperdown.

A chart of the coast of Holland illustrating the position of the Battle of Camperdown fought 11th October 1797 in the shallows off the coast of North Holland.

Somewhat anachronistically for the period, the Dutch ships of the line were still rigged out with lateen mizzens, laced and hooped to the mizzen mast, whilst the frigates appear to have been modernised with the gaff arrangement more typical for the period. I should thank fellow DWG clubmate Steve W. a.k.a. Capt. Steve for highlighting this fact to me, which has saved me not incorporating this look for my collection.

The Dutch 56-gun Deflt depicted in action during the Battle of Camperdown, illustrating her lateen mizzen to good effect.

The inspiration for this particular model came from several illustrations depicting the 56-gun Delft, commanded by Kapitein ter Zee Gerrit Verdooren van Asperen at Camperdown, during which she put up very stiff resistance at the back of the Batavian-Dutch line.

She along with the Dutch third-rate Hercules were captured at the battle, but the Delft would sink whilst being towed back to Britain and as a mark of the respect held for the fight put up by the Delft, the Hercules was renamed HMS Delft in her honour.

The Delft is shown here in this depiction of the Battle of Camperdown bringing up the rear of the line

I spent a bit of time thinking about the best and easiest way to model the look of my Batavian-Dutch and incorporating their lateen mizzens, ranging from using plastic sprue to cocktail sticks, which all meant more messing about than was required.

In the end the solution was obvious and relatively simple, keeping the look of the yard to the scale of the model by simply taking the two gaff sections provided with the plastic frigate's mast set, removing the mast brackets and welding them together with liquid cement to produce a very robust yard that you can see here.

To make sure the pattern of the mizzen lateen sail was the right shape, I printed out paper versions of the sail set and cut that to shape to use as a master before trimming the card sails that comes with the kit.

Finally, as with the merchantmen that I worked on previously back in July 2021, see link below, I resorted to the dressmaker pin, suitably shortened to act as my flag staff, which completes the look of the rig.

JJ's Wargames - All at Sea, John Company's Indiamen and Packet Ships

As well as facilitating the build of my Dutch ships for this particular project, I aim to use this modification to convert the Warlord range of third, fourth and fifth rate models to build my Hughes v Suffren collection of models which I plan to be the last project to complete my All at Sea collections.

Delft was a 56-gun fourth-rate of some 1,048 tons BM, with a length of 144 feet, 7 inches and a beam of 40 feet 10 inches.

Her armament consisted of 22 x 24-pounder long guns on her main gun deck, 24 x 12-pounder guns on her upper deck and 8 x 6-pounder guns on her forecastle and quarterdeck.

I have the Deflt ship card showing her here as an Average Sans Coulotte rating, but given her battle performance will be revising that to Elite, as she and several others of her Dutch sisters gave Duncan's British fleet a hard fight that should be modelled in their stat-lines, particularly with their gunnery abilities.

The Warlord resin model combined with the plastic mast set from the fifth-rate frigate work really well to produce a nice looking model that compliments the rest of the range.

The metal parts, which include a range of stern galleries and figureheads require a bit of filing and filling to get them to fit snuggly to the hull, but if you have a modicum of modelling skill I don't think that is any real problem to overcome.

Next Up on JJ's - Lots to come, with my work progressing on my 'Bantry Bay - 1796' scenario to be run at Clotted Lard next month, plus the final batch of models, for now, completing as I write for Jack's collection with the rigging of his Spanish squadron and more adventures in Australia and Dartmoor to update you on.

More anon

JJ