76th Regiment of Foot
Encyclopedia
The 76th Regiment of Foot was originally raised as Lord Harcourt's Regiment on 17 November 1745 and disbanded in June 1746. Following the loss of Minorca
to the French, it was raised again in November 1756 as the 61st Regiment, but renumbered to 76th, by General Order in 1758, and again disbanded in 1763. A second battalion raised by that regiment in October 1758, for service in Africa, was renumbered as the 86th Regiment and also disbanded in 1763. On 25 December 1777 the 76th was again re-raised as the 76th Regiment of Foot (Macdonald's Highlanders) by Colonel John MacDonell of Lochgarry, in the West of Scotland and Western Isles, as a Scottish Light Infantry regiment. It was disbanded at Stirling Castle
in March 1784. The regiment was again raised for service in India by the Honorable East India Company
in 1787.
In 1881 the 76th Regiment, which shared the same Depot in Halifax
as the 33rd (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment
, was linked to the 33rd, under the Childers Reforms
, to become the regiment's 2nd Battalion. Although retitled as the Halifax Regiment (Duke of Wellington's) this title only lasted six months until it was changed on 30 June 1881, in a revised appendix to General order 41, to: The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), or 'W Rid R' for short. In January 1921 it was again retitled The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding), or 'DWR' for short. On 6 June 2006 The 'Dukes' were amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire
and The Green Howards
, all Yorkshire
-based regiments in the King's Division, to form the Yorkshire Regiment
.
During 1745 13 provincial 'foot regiments and two horse regiments, the 67th to the 79th, were raised by the nobility of England for service in the Jacobite Rebellions in Scotland
. Lord Harcourt
raised the 76th and as was the custom at that time named it Lord Harcourt's Regiment. Despite initial resistance by senior regular
officers he and the other members of the nobility who raised the regiments each received regular commissions as colonels in the army. The 76th, along with 10 others, was disbanded on 10 June 1746, when their services were no longer required. The soldiers were given a bounty of only six days pay, to encourage them to enlist into other regular regiments.
and again disbanded in 1763. Though little is known about this period in the regiments history.
Light Infantry
regiment raised in the west of Scotland
and western isles of Scotland on 25 December 1777, by the Clan Macdonald. It consisted of seven companies of Highlander
s: two of Lowlander
s plus one Irish
company.
It was presented with its colours at Inverness
in March 1778 and moved into barracks
at Fort George. In March 1779 it moved to Perth
where, following a dispute over their pay and bounty payment, soldiers from the regiment took part in the Burntisland
mutiny of March 1779, whilst under the command of Major John Sinclair, 11th Earl of Caithness
(Lord Berridale), after which it was transferred to Jersey
in the Channel Islands
and embarked for New York
in August 1779.
The regiment campaigned from March 1781, under the command of Major Francis Needham, 1st Earl of Kilmorey
(who was also the regimental Colonel of the 86th Foot) in the American Revolutionary War
at Petersburgh
, Portsmouth
and Osborne's Hill in the Battle of Brandywine
. The regiment was captured in the Siege of Yorktown
seven months later in October. It was split up and the troops were interned at various locations throughout Virginia
. Following the end of the war, in 1783, it returned to Scotland and was commanded by Sir Robert Stuart. The regiment was finally disbanded at Stirling Castle in March 1784.
by the East India Company
in 1787, due to fears that war with France was imminent. The threat however soon dissipated and the East India Company subsequently refused to support, or embark, the regiment. Because of this, Parliament
passed the East India Declaratory Act which required that troops that were deemed necessary for the security of overseas territories be funded and supported by those territories. The Royal Warrant for their raising was issued on 12 October 1787 and read:
GEORGE R.
Whereas We have thought fit to order a Regt of Foot to be
forthwith raised under your Command, which is to consist of ten
Companies, with 3 Sergts, 4 Corpls, 2 Drumrs & 71 private Men
in each, with two Fifers to the Grenadier Compy and one
Compy, of 8 Sergts, 8 Corpls, 4 Drumrs & 30 private Men with
the usuals Comd. Officers, these are to authorise you by Beat of
Drum or otherwise to raise so many Men in any Country or part
of our Kingdom of Great Britain as shall be wanted to complete
the said Regt, to the above mentioned numbers. And all above
Given the 12th October. 1787 in the 27th Year of Our Reign.
By H.M.'s Command (Sd.) Geo. Yonge
The majority of recruits were raised from Nottingham
and Leicestershire
, but many of them came from the Musgrave family estates around Hayton Castle, near Aspatria
, Cumbria
. The Colonel of the Regiment was General Sir Thomas Musgrave, 7th Baronet (1737-1812) of Hayton Castle.
, including the Battle of Ally Ghur
, when British forces besieged it. At the time it was one of the strongest forts in all of India, and was commanded by General Perron, a Frenchman. The 76th fought stoutly during that battle, against astonishing resistance by the enemy forces, receiving a number of dead and wounded, in no large part due to the fierce hand-to-hand fighting that took place during the action. The regiment also took part in the capture of Delhi
and Agra
, as well as the Battle of Leswaree, where they performed with great courage in one of the bloodiest of battles.
For their distinguished service in these actions, King George III
gave his authorisation to the 76th, allowing them to have the word "Hindoostan" emblazoned upon the regimental colours, along with an elephant badge with a howdah
atop the elephant, also inscribed with the word "Hindoostan". They were also presented with a stand of honorary colours, making the regiment the only one to carry four colours on parade. The names inscribed upon the colours were "Ally Ghur", "Delhi", "Agra" and "Leswaree".
. The following year, the regiment was deployed to Jersey
for garrison duty. They were stationed there until 1808, when the 76th were deployed to Spain
to take part in the Peninsular War
.
In that campaign, the regiment fought at the Battle of La Corunna in January 1809, as part of the 2nd Division, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope. The 76th fought with distinction in a battle that caused 800 casualties for the British and 1,500 for the French.
In that same year, the 76th were then involved in the disastrous expedition to the Low Countries
. Some 39,000 troops landed at Walcheren
, with the objectives of destroying the French fleet, believed to be at Flushing
, and of assisting the Austrians who were now at war with France. Unfortunately, by the time the British forces had actually landed, the Austrians had been defeated. The British did capture their objective of Flushing, but the French fleet had already escaped, making their way to Antwerp. During the expedition the 76th were part of the 3rd Division, which landed on Walcheren Island while other divisions landed on South Beveland Island. Over 4,000 died in the expedition: only 106 of these in combat; the rest died of Walcheren Fever. Many thousands who took part in the expedition were still weakened by the illness despite returning to Britain. It was a truly disastrous campaign.
In 1813 the 76th returned to Spain, taking part in a number of actions in the closing months of the campaign. The Peninsular War was soon over though. The 76th were not to get any respite from war however and were soon dispatched to take part in the British–American War: a war that had begun just a year before, in 1812.
, were part of the force that took part in the failed Battle of Plattsburgh
at Lake Champlain
in September 1814. The regiment then served thirteen years in Canada
, defending Canada's border with the USA against any further aggression by Canada's neighbours. The regiment did this duty professionally, despite the boredom that was ever-present in doing these duties. The 76th finally returned home in 1827, their job done.
The 76th then, due to peace that would not be shattered until the 1850s, had garrison duties as their main role. They went to the West Indies and to the Mediterranean; in 1834 they returned to Canada. They were then stationed in Bermuda
for just a year, from 1840–1841, before returning once again to Canada where they remained until 1843. In 1850 they were deployed to Malta
, the only British possession in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea
; and they were deployed to Corfu
. In 1853, the regiment was again sent to Canada, staying there until 1857, performing numerous duties including putting out the fires that occasionally occurred. In 1858, the regiment was stationed in Dublin. In 1861, the 76th arrived in Glasgow
, with a few companies being dispatched to Ayr
and Paisley
. The following year, the regiment was moved to Aldershot
: first by sea to Liverpool
, then by rail to their final destination. In 1865 the 76th returned to the country they had been created for: India. They remained there until 1868, being deployed to Burma and remaining there for a further three years.
The 76th was linked in 1881 with the regiment at that time titled 33rd (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment
, whose training depot they shared in Halifax
, in the West Riding of Yorkshire
, due to the Childers Reforms
(a continuation of the Cardwell's Reforms
of the armed forces) to form the 2nd Battalion of the regiment.
On 6 June 2006 The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire
and the Green Howards
- all Yorkshire
-based regiments in the King's Division
- to form the Yorkshire Regiment
.
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
to the French, it was raised again in November 1756 as the 61st Regiment, but renumbered to 76th, by General Order in 1758, and again disbanded in 1763. A second battalion raised by that regiment in October 1758, for service in Africa, was renumbered as the 86th Regiment and also disbanded in 1763. On 25 December 1777 the 76th was again re-raised as the 76th Regiment of Foot (Macdonald's Highlanders) by Colonel John MacDonell of Lochgarry, in the West of Scotland and Western Isles, as a Scottish Light Infantry regiment. It was disbanded at Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
in March 1784. The regiment was again raised for service in India by the Honorable East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in 1787.
In 1881 the 76th Regiment, which shared the same Depot in Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
as the 33rd (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
, was linked to the 33rd, under the Childers Reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
, to become the regiment's 2nd Battalion. Although retitled as the Halifax Regiment (Duke of Wellington's) this title only lasted six months until it was changed on 30 June 1881, in a revised appendix to General order 41, to: The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), or 'W Rid R' for short. In January 1921 it was again retitled The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding), or 'DWR' for short. On 6 June 2006 The 'Dukes' were amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire
Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire
The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division. It was created in 1958 by the amalgamation of The West Yorkshire Regiment and The East Yorkshire Regiment...
and The Green Howards
The Green Howards
The Green Howards was an infantry regiment of the British Army, in the King's Division...
, all Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
-based regiments in the King's Division, to form the Yorkshire Regiment
Yorkshire Regiment
The Yorkshire Regiment is one of the largest infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is currently the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas...
.
Lord Harcourt's Regiment
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Lord Harcourt
Simon Harcourt, 1st Earl Harcourt
Simon Harcourt, 1st Earl Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, PC, FRS, Viceroy of Ireland , known as 2nd Viscount Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, between 1727 and 1749, was a British diplomat and general....
raised the 76th and as was the custom at that time named it Lord Harcourt's Regiment. Despite initial resistance by senior regular
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
officers he and the other members of the nobility who raised the regiments each received regular commissions as colonels in the army. The 76th, along with 10 others, was disbanded on 10 June 1746, when their services were no longer required. The soldiers were given a bounty of only six days pay, to encourage them to enlist into other regular regiments.
76th Regiment of Foot
The regiment was raised again in 1756 for service in the Seven Years' WarSeven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
and again disbanded in 1763. Though little is known about this period in the regiments history.
Macdonalds Highlanders
The 76th Regiment of Foot (Macdonald's Highlanders), sometimes referred to as 'McDonnell's Highlanders' after its colonel, John MacDonell of Lochgarry, was a ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Light Infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
regiment raised in the west of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and western isles of Scotland on 25 December 1777, by the Clan Macdonald. It consisted of seven companies of Highlander
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
s: two of Lowlander
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
s plus one Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
company.
It was presented with its colours at Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
in March 1778 and moved into barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
at Fort George. In March 1779 it moved to Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
where, following a dispute over their pay and bounty payment, soldiers from the regiment took part in the Burntisland
Burntisland
Burntisland is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland on the Firth of Forth. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 5,940....
mutiny of March 1779, whilst under the command of Major John Sinclair, 11th Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have taken place in favor of Maol Íosa V, Earl of...
(Lord Berridale), after which it was transferred to Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
in the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
and embarked for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in August 1779.
The regiment campaigned from March 1781, under the command of Major Francis Needham, 1st Earl of Kilmorey
Francis Needham, 1st Earl of Kilmorey
Francis Needham, 1st Earl of Kilmorey , known as Francis Needham until 1818 and as The Viscount Kilmorey from 1818 to 1822, was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Member of Parliament....
(who was also the regimental Colonel of the 86th Foot) in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
at Petersburgh
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
and Osborne's Hill in the Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
. The regiment was captured in the Siege of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
seven months later in October. It was split up and the troops were interned at various locations throughout Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Following the end of the war, in 1783, it returned to Scotland and was commanded by Sir Robert Stuart. The regiment was finally disbanded at Stirling Castle in March 1784.
76th Foot - East India Company
The 76th Regiment of Foot was again raised for service in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
by the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in 1787, due to fears that war with France was imminent. The threat however soon dissipated and the East India Company subsequently refused to support, or embark, the regiment. Because of this, Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
passed the East India Declaratory Act which required that troops that were deemed necessary for the security of overseas territories be funded and supported by those territories. The Royal Warrant for their raising was issued on 12 October 1787 and read:
GEORGE R.
Whereas We have thought fit to order a Regt of Foot to be
forthwith raised under your Command, which is to consist of ten
Companies, with 3 Sergts, 4 Corpls, 2 Drumrs & 71 private Men
in each, with two Fifers to the Grenadier Compy and one
Compy, of 8 Sergts, 8 Corpls, 4 Drumrs & 30 private Men with
the usuals Comd. Officers, these are to authorise you by Beat of
Drum or otherwise to raise so many Men in any Country or part
of our Kingdom of Great Britain as shall be wanted to complete
the said Regt, to the above mentioned numbers. And all above
Given the 12th October. 1787 in the 27th Year of Our Reign.
By H.M.'s Command (Sd.) Geo. Yonge
The majority of recruits were raised from Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, but many of them came from the Musgrave family estates around Hayton Castle, near Aspatria
Aspatria
Aspatria is a small town and civil parish in Cumbria, England, and lies half way between Maryport and Wigton, on the A596. Historically within Cumberland, it is about away from the coast. It is approximately seven miles from the northern boundary of the Lake District, and located to the south east...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. The Colonel of the Regiment was General Sir Thomas Musgrave, 7th Baronet (1737-1812) of Hayton Castle.
India
The regiment took part in a number of battles of the Second Anglo-Maratha WarSecond Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
, including the Battle of Ally Ghur
Battle of Ally Ghur
The Battle of Aligarh pronounced by British Colonialists as Battle of Ally Ghur was fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company during the Second Anglo-Maratha War at Aligarh, India....
, when British forces besieged it. At the time it was one of the strongest forts in all of India, and was commanded by General Perron, a Frenchman. The 76th fought stoutly during that battle, against astonishing resistance by the enemy forces, receiving a number of dead and wounded, in no large part due to the fierce hand-to-hand fighting that took place during the action. The regiment also took part in the capture of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, as well as the Battle of Leswaree, where they performed with great courage in one of the bloodiest of battles.
For their distinguished service in these actions, King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
gave his authorisation to the 76th, allowing them to have the word "Hindoostan" emblazoned upon the regimental colours, along with an elephant badge with a howdah
Howdah
A howdah, or houdah, also known as hathi howdah, is a carriage which is positioned on the back of an elephant, or occasionally some other animal, used most often in the past to carry wealthy people or for use in hunting or warfare...
atop the elephant, also inscribed with the word "Hindoostan". They were also presented with a stand of honorary colours, making the regiment the only one to carry four colours on parade. The names inscribed upon the colours were "Ally Ghur", "Delhi", "Agra" and "Leswaree".
Europe
In 1806 the regiment returned to the UKUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
. The following year, the regiment was deployed to Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
for garrison duty. They were stationed there until 1808, when the 76th were deployed to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to take part in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
.
In that campaign, the regiment fought at the Battle of La Corunna in January 1809, as part of the 2nd Division, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope. The 76th fought with distinction in a battle that caused 800 casualties for the British and 1,500 for the French.
In that same year, the 76th were then involved in the disastrous expedition to the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. Some 39,000 troops landed at Walcheren
Walcheren
thumb|right|250px|Campveer Tower in Veere, built in 1500Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Oosterschelde in the north and the Westerschelde in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus...
, with the objectives of destroying the French fleet, believed to be at Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
, and of assisting the Austrians who were now at war with France. Unfortunately, by the time the British forces had actually landed, the Austrians had been defeated. The British did capture their objective of Flushing, but the French fleet had already escaped, making their way to Antwerp. During the expedition the 76th were part of the 3rd Division, which landed on Walcheren Island while other divisions landed on South Beveland Island. Over 4,000 died in the expedition: only 106 of these in combat; the rest died of Walcheren Fever. Many thousands who took part in the expedition were still weakened by the illness despite returning to Britain. It was a truly disastrous campaign.
In 1813 the 76th returned to Spain, taking part in a number of actions in the closing months of the campaign. The Peninsular War was soon over though. The 76th were not to get any respite from war however and were soon dispatched to take part in the British–American War: a war that had begun just a year before, in 1812.
Garrison Duties
The 76th, now in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, were part of the force that took part in the failed Battle of Plattsburgh
Battle of Plattsburgh
The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final invasion of the northern states during the War of 1812...
at Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
in September 1814. The regiment then served thirteen years in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, defending Canada's border with the USA against any further aggression by Canada's neighbours. The regiment did this duty professionally, despite the boredom that was ever-present in doing these duties. The 76th finally returned home in 1827, their job done.
The 76th then, due to peace that would not be shattered until the 1850s, had garrison duties as their main role. They went to the West Indies and to the Mediterranean; in 1834 they returned to Canada. They were then stationed in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
for just a year, from 1840–1841, before returning once again to Canada where they remained until 1843. In 1850 they were deployed to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, the only British possession in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
; and they were deployed to Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. In 1853, the regiment was again sent to Canada, staying there until 1857, performing numerous duties including putting out the fires that occasionally occurred. In 1858, the regiment was stationed in Dublin. In 1861, the 76th arrived in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, with a few companies being dispatched to Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
and Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
. The following year, the regiment was moved to Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
: first by sea to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, then by rail to their final destination. In 1865 the 76th returned to the country they had been created for: India. They remained there until 1868, being deployed to Burma and remaining there for a further three years.
The 76th was linked in 1881 with the regiment at that time titled 33rd (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
, whose training depot they shared in Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, in the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, due to the Childers Reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
(a continuation of the Cardwell's Reforms
Cardwell Reforms
The Cardwell Reforms refer to a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874.-Background:...
of the armed forces) to form the 2nd Battalion of the regiment.
On 6 June 2006 The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire
Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire
The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division. It was created in 1958 by the amalgamation of The West Yorkshire Regiment and The East Yorkshire Regiment...
and the Green Howards
The Green Howards
The Green Howards was an infantry regiment of the British Army, in the King's Division...
- all Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
-based regiments in the King's Division
King's Division
The King's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for infantry regiments in the North of England. The King's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Lancastrian Brigade, Yorkshire Brigade and North Irish Brigade...
- to form the Yorkshire Regiment
Yorkshire Regiment
The Yorkshire Regiment is one of the largest infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is currently the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas...
.