Kenneth MacKenzie, having previously repurchased from the Government the property lost by his grandfather after the Rising of 1715, was named Baron Ardelve, in the Irish Peerage, in 1764. Two years later he became Viscount Fortrose, and in 1771 regained the family title Earl of Seaforth. As an expression of his gratitude, he offered in 1778 to raise a Highland regiment in the family lands. The offer was gratefully accepted and in May of that year, some 1,130 men were embodied at Elgin as the 78th Seaforth Highlanders. In 1786, while on service in India, the regiment was renumbered the 72nd. 1790 India. 1,000 men strong. December, 1797 The majority of the regiment is drafted into others remaining in India, while the officers and others return to England. August, 1798 - 1802 Recruiting in Scotland. 1802 - August, 1805 Ireland, 900 men strong. 1804 2nd battalion raised in Aberdeenshire. August, 1805 1st battalion joins the expedition to South Africa. March, 1809 The regiment is deprived of its Highland designation and of the kilt. More Highland Regiments Napoleonic Highland Regts: Introduction Napoleonic Highland Regts: 42nd (Black Watch) Napoleonic Highland Regts: 71st (McLeod) Napoleonic Highland Regts: 72nd (Seaforth) Napoleonic Highland Regts: 73rd (Perthshire) Napoleonic Highland Regts: 74th Napoleonic Highland Regts: 75th Napoleonic Highland Regts: 78th (Ross-Shire Buffs) Back to Empire, Eagles, & Lions Table of Contents Vol. 1 No. 48 Back to EEL List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1980 by Jean Lochet This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com