British Regiments and the Men Who Led Them 1793-1815

British Regiments and the Men Who Led Them 1793-1815: 71st Regiment of Foot

Secondary Titles:

1793 - Highland; June 1808 – Glasgow Highland; March 1809 – Glasgow Highland Light Infantry; 1811 – Highland Light Infantry

Regimental History

1777:	19 December – raised by Lord John McLeod as 73rd Regiment of Foot
1786:	Renumbered 71st Regiment of Foot
1804:	October – 2nd Battalion formed at Dumbarton
1809:	20 March – became light infantry
1815:	24 December – 2nd Battalion disbanded at Glasgow

Colonels

1789:	9 April	Hon. William Gordon
1803:	6 August	Sir John Francis Cradock, G.C.B.
1809:	7 January	Francis Dundas (until 1824)

Stations and Combats – 1st Battalion

1793:	India – 8 companies at Warriore, 2 companies at Dindigul; March – 8 compnaies to Secundermally; July – flank companies to Pondicherry, battalion companies followed later; Secundermally; Dindigul
1794:	Wallajohabad; June – Tanjore; 2 companies at Vellum
1795:	Flank companies at Negapatam, then to Ceylon; August – Trincomalee; Batticoloa; Manaar; October – flank companies returned to India; Tanjore
1796:	Wallajohabad
1797:	Wallajohabad; October – 500 men to 73rd & 74th Foot, cadre to Madras, then to England
1798:	January – Cape of Good Hope; February – St Helena; July – Cork; August – Woolwich; to Scotland – Leith; Stirling
1799:	Stirling
1800:	Stirling; Paisley; June – Portpatrick; to Ireland – Donaghadee; Newry; Dundalk; July – received 600 volunteers from various Scots Fencibles regiments
1801:	Dundalk; Dublin
1802:	Dublin; March – Wicklow
1803:	Wicklow; March – Ballinasloe; Loughrea; light company at Limerick
1804:	Loughrea; May – Limerick; Newcastle; Rathkeale; Tarbet
1805:	Limerick; March – Bandon; July – Cork; August – engaged on particulat service; September – Madeira; November – San Salvador
1806:	January – Cape of Good Hope; Blauberg; Cape Town; Wynberg; April – to South America; May – St Helena; June – Rio de la Plata; Beunos Ayres; entire battalion taken POW
1807:	Interior of Argentina; August – paroled; September – Buenos Ayres; to England; December – Cork; Middleton
1808:	Middleton; March – Cork; April – draft of 200 men from 2nd Battalion; received new colours at Cork; June – to Portugal; August – Mondego Bay; Rolica; Vimiero
1809:	Retreat to Corunna; CORUNNA; to England - Ramsgate; Ashford; March – became Light Infantry; April – Brabourne Lees; July – Portsmouth; to Walcheren; Flushing; December – to England; Deal; Brabourne Lees
1810:	Brabourne Lees; May – Deal; September – 6 companies to Peninsula; Lisbon; to Field Army; Sobral; Alquintrinha
1811:	Alquintrinha; March – 2 companies arrived; July – last 2 companies arrived; FUENTES D’ONORO; June – draft of 350 men from 2nd Battalion; Arroyo dos Molinos; Portalegre
1812:	Portalegre; Badajoz; Almarez; Fort Napoleon; Salamanca; December – draft of 150 men from 2nd Battalion
1813:	VITTORIA; Elizondo; Maya; Eguaros; Doña Maria; Altobispo; Nivelle; St Pierre
1814:	Sauveterre; ORTHEZ; Tarbes; Toulouse; July – Blanchfort; Pauillac; to Ireland – Cork; Mallow; Limerick
1815:	Limerick; Cork; received draft from 2nd Battalion; to England – Downs; Ostend; Ghent; Leuze; Quatre Bras; WATERLOO; Paris; Army of Occupation
1818:	October – Calais; to England; Dover.

Stations and Combats – 2nd Battalion

1804:	October – formed at Dumbarton under Additional Forces Act
1805:	Glasgow
1806:	Glasgow; August – to Ireland; Belfast
1807:	January – to Scotland; Glasgow; June – Greenock; to Ireland - Londonderry
1808:	Londonderry; April – to Scotland – Greenock; Glasgow; draft of 200 men to 1st Battalion
1809:	Glasgow; Kilmarnock
1810:	Glasgow
1811:	Glasgow; May – Leith; to England – Ramsgate; Deal; Canterbury; draft to 350 men to 1st Battalion in Portugal; October - Cowes
1812:	Cowes? Deal?
1813:	March – Gravesend; to Scotland – Leith; November – Dumfries
1814:	Glasgow; December – sent draft to 1st Battalion at Cork
1815:	Glasgow; April – draft of 70 men to 1st Battalion in Belgium; May – Edinburgh Castle; July – Glasgow; 24 December – disbanded at Glasgow.

Careers of Senior Officers (shown as highest rank attained in regiment in the period)

Lt Col David Baird

Born Haddington Scotland 1757; served in India 1780, POW 1780 to 1784; Major in 25th Foot 5 June 1787; Lieutenant-Colonel 8 December 1790; commanded brigade at Pondicherry 1793; brevet Colonel 21 August 1795; served at Seringapatam 1799; Brigadier-General at Cape of Good Hope 1797; subsequently Major-General 18 June 1798; commanded division in Egypt 1801; Lieutenant-General 30 October 1805; served at Copenhagen 1807; commanded 1st Division in Peninsula October 1808 to January 1809; General 4 June 1813; Commander-in-Chief in Ireland 1820 to 1822; died Scotland 1829.

Lt Col Stair Park Dalrymple

Born Scotland 1753; Major in 71st Foot 8 December 1790; commanded 71st Foot in India 1793; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 1 March 1794; Lieutenant-Colonel 1 September 1795; brevet Colonel 1 January 1798; subsequently Major-General 1 January 1805; died Ireland 1808.

Major James Robertson

Major in 71st Foot 1 September 1795; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel and Deputy Adjutant-General in East Indies May 1796; to Major in 72nd Foot 29 April 1797.

Lt Col Hon. John Lindsay

Born Scotland 1762; served in India 1780, POW with Baird 1780 to 1784; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 1 January 1798; Lieutenant-Colonel 16 May 1800; retired 1801; died 1826.

Major John French

Major in 71st Foot 29 April 1797 (on transfer from 73rd Foot); brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 1 January 1798; retired to half-pay 121st Foot December 1802.

Lt Col Denis Pack, K.C.B.

Born Kilkenny Ireland 1772; served in Flanders 1794 to 1795; served at Quiberon 1795; Major in 4th Dragoon Guards 25 August 1798; served in Irish Rebellion 1798; Lieutenant-Colonel in 71st Foot 6 December 1800 (on transfer from 4th Dragoon Guards); commanded 1/71st Foot 1800 to 1810; served at Cape of Good Hope 1805; served in South America 1806, taken POW at Buenos Aires but escaped; wounded and POW again at Buenos Aires 1807; served in Peninsula with 71st Foot August 1808 to January 1809; Brigadier-General in Peninsula 7 July 1810; brevet Colonel 25 July 1810; commanded Portuguese brigade July 1810 to August 1813; subsequently Major-General 4 June 1813; wounded at Sorauren; wounded at Toulouse; commanded brigade and wounded at Waterloo 1815; Colonel of York Chasseurs 1815; died London 1823.

Major John Borthwick

Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 1 January 1800; Major in 71st Foot 16 May 1800; retired April 1803.

Major Henry-Dunbar Tolley

Major in 71st Foot 5 February 1803 (on transfer from 24th Foot); Lieutenant-Colonel in 1st West India Regiment 25 February 1808; subsequently Major-General 27 May 1825; died 1837.

Major William Erskine

Major in 71st Foot (?) August 1804 (on transfer from 16th Foot); died April 1805.

Lt Col George, Lord Beresford

Born Ireland 1781, half brother of William Carr Beresford; served in West Indies 1796 to 1798; Major in 6th Dragoon Guards 3 December 1800; Lieutenant-Colonel in Dillon’s Regiment 24 September 1803; Lieutenant-Colonel in 71st Foot 16 August 1804; commanded 2/71st Foot 1804 to 1807; exchanged to 2nd Dragoon Guards 30 July 1807; subsequently Major-General 4 June 1814; died 1839.

Lt Col Hon. William de Blaquiere

Born Ireland 1778; Major in 25th Light Dragoons 1 February 1798; Lieutenant-Colonel in 25th Light Dragoons 22 January 1801; exchanged to Lieutenant-Colonel in 2nd Dragoon Guards; exchanged to Lieutenant-Colonel in 71st Foot 30 July 1807; to half-pay Birmingham Fencibles 7 July 1808; brevet Colonel 25 July 1810; subsequently Major-General 4 June 1813; Lieutenant-General 27 May 1825; General 28 November 1841; died 1851.

Major Robert Campbell

Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 25 September 1803; Major in 71st Foot 1 August 1804 (on transfer from 42nd Foot); served at Cape of Good Hope 1806; served in South America 1806 – taken POW; to half-pay 108th Foot 22 September 1808; brevet Colonel 1 January 1812; subsequently Major-General 4 June 1814.

Major Roderick McKenzie

Major in 71st Foot 2 August 1804; retired June 1806.

Major Archibald Campbell

Born Perthshire 1769; served in India 1792 to 1795; Major in 6th Battalion of Reserve 14 September 1804; Major in 71st Foot 18 April 1805; served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot August 1808 to January 1809; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 16 February 1809; Lieutenant-Colonel in Portuguese service 16 February 1809; served in Peninsula with Portuguese Army March 1809 to January 1814; brevet Colonel 4 June 1814; ADC to King George 1814; Lieutenant-Colonel in 38th Foot 1821; subsequently Major-General 25 July 1825; Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick 1831 to 1837; Lieutenant-General 28 June 1838; died 1843.

Major Henry le Blanc

Born Suffolk 1776; Major in 71st Foot 12 June 1806; served in South America 1806, lost leg at Buenos Aires; to Lieutenant-Colonel 5th Royal Veteran Battalion 5 February 1807; reduced 1815; died London 1855.

Major Nathaniel Levett Peacocke, Bt.

Born Ireland 1769; Major in 48th Foot 14 December 1796; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 29 April 1802; Major in 71st Foot 25 June 1807; served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot September to November 1810; commanded 2/71st Foot 1810 to 1813; brevet Colonel 4 June 1811; Lieutenant-Colonel 4 June 1813; commanded 1/71st Foot in Peninsula June 1813 to March 1814; wounded at Nive at sent home ‘quietly’ afterwards.

Major Duncan McKenzie

Major in 25 February 1808; retired March 1809.

Lt Col Hon. Henry Cadogan

Born 1770; Major in 53rd Foot 8 December 1804; Lieutenant-Colonel in 18th Foot 22 August 1805; to half-pay Birmingham Fencibles 5 March 1807; Lieutenant-Colonel in 71st Foot 7 January 1808; commanded 2/71st Foot 1808 to 1810; ADC to Wellington in June 1809; commanded 1/71st Foot in Peninsula September 1810 to November 1812; commanded brigade in 2nd Division November 1812 to June 1813; killed at Vittoria June 1813.

Lt Col Thomas Reynell, C.B.

Born New York 1777; served in Flanders 1793 to 1794; served in West Indies 1796 to 1799; served at Helder 1799; served in Egypt 1801; served in India 1804 to 1808; Major in 40th Foot 18 August 1804; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 10 March 1805; Major in 96th Foot 7 May 1808; Major in 71st Foot 22 September 1808; served in Peninsula on staff January 1809 to April 1811; Military Secretary to Wellington January to May 1809; Assistant Adjutant-General 4th Division October 1810 to February 1811; Assistant Adjutant-General Portuguese Army March to April 1811; brevet Colonel 4 June 1813; Lieutenant-Colonel 5 August 1813; commanded 1/71st Foot at Waterloo; subsequently Major-General 12 August 1819; served in India 1821 to 1826; Lieutenant-General 10 January 1837; died 1848.

Lt Col Charles Cother, C.B.

Born 1786; served at Cape of Good Hope 1806; served in South America 1806 to 1807; served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot August 1808 to January 1809; Major in 71st Foot 9 March 1809; again in Peninsula July 1811 to September 1813; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 19 June 1812; Lieutenant-Colonel 13 October 1813; commanded 2/71st Foot 1813 to 1815; to Lieutenant-Colonel 83rd Foot 24 October 1816; on half-pay 1820; died Gloucestershire 1855.

Major Arthur Jones, C.B.

Served at Cape of Good Hope 1806; served in South America 1807; served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot August 1808 to January 1809, wounded at Vimiero; Major in 71st Foot 22 June 1809; served in Walcheren 1809; again in Peninsula March to April 1814; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 4 June 1814; served at Waterloo; Lieutenant-Colonel 2 June 1825; died Canada November 1837.

Lt Col George Thomas Napier, C.B.

Born London 1784; served in Sicily 1806; served in Baltic 1808; served in Peninsula August 1808 to January 1809; again in Peninsula July 1809 to April 1812; Major in 52nd Foot 27 June 1811; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 6 February 1812; again in Peninsula January to February 1814; Lieutenant-Colonel in 71st Foot 24 March 1814; to Captain & Lieutenant-Colonel in 3rd Foot Guards 25 July 1814; subsequently Major-General January 1837; Lieutenant-General 1846; died Geneva September 1855.

Major Maxwell McKenzie

Served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot August 1808 to January 1809; served at Walcheren 1809; again in Peninsula May 1811 to December 1813; Major in 71st Foot 4 June 1813; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 21 June 1813; killed in action at Nive December 1813;

Major Leslie Walker, C.B.

Served in West Indies 1798 to 1799; served at Helder 1799; served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot August 1808 to January 1809; commanded 2nd Battalion of Detachments 1809; again in Peninsula September 1810 to April 1814; Major in 71st Foot 2 September 1813; wounded at Pyrenees 1813; served at Waterloo; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 31 August 1815; Lieutenant-Colonel in 59th Foot 1819.

Major Robert Barclay

Served in Walcheren 1809; served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot July 1811 to March 1814, wounded at Nive 1813; Major in 71s Foot 20 January 1814; retired March 1814.

Major George Spottiswoode

Served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot August 1808 to January 1809; ADC to General Colville October 1810 to June 1812, wounded at Badajoz; again in Peninsula November 1812 to August 1813; Major in 71st Foot 31 March 1814; on half-pay 1820.

Major Charles M Graham

Served in Peninsula with 1/71st Foot July 1811 to December 1812; Major in 71st Foot 13 October 1814; to Major in 88th Foot 28 November 1816.

Sources:

War Office. Army Lists 1796 to 1815. London: various years.

Cannon, Richard. Historical Record of the Seventy-First Regiment, Highland Light Infantry: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment, and of its Subsequent Services to 1852. London: Parker, Furnivall & Parker, 1852.

Chichester, Henry Manners, and Burges-Short, Henry. The Records and Badges of Every Regiment and Corps in the British Army. London: William Clowes & Sons, 1895.

Westlake, Ray. English & Welsh Infantry Regiments - An Illustrated Record of Service 1662-1994. Staplehurst: Spellmount, 2002.

McKenna, Michael G. The British Army – And Its Regiments and Battalions. West Chester, Ohio: The Nafziger Collection. 2004.

Reid, Stuart. Wellington’s Officers, Volume 1. Leigh-On-Sea: Patrizan Press, 2008.

Reid, Stuart. Wellington’s Officers, Volume 2. Leigh-On-Sea: Patrizan Press, 2009.

Park, S.J. and Nafziger, G.F. The British Miltary – Its System and Organization 1803-1815. Cambridge, Ontario: Rafm Co. Inc. 1983.

Hall, John A. A History of the Peninsular War: Volume VIII – The Biographical Dictionary of British Officers Killed and Wounded 1808-1814. London: Greenhill Books, 1998.

Philippart, John. The Royal Military Calendar, or Army Service and Commission Book. London: A.J. Valpy, 1820.

London Gazette Website. August 2010.

The Napoleon Series – Peninsula Roll Call. August 2010.

Placed on the Napoleon Series: December 2010

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