The Highland Regiments
and the Wars with France

1789-1815

Introduction

by Robert A. Mosher

In 1738, Lord President Forbes of Culloden proposed to Lord Milton, the Lord Justice-clerk responsible for Scottish affairs under Lord Islay, "that the Government should raise four or five regiments of Highlanders" to be commanded by Scottish loyalists and officered by "the chiefs and chieftains of the disaffected clans," as identified by Culloden. He contended that by thus "preengaging" the Highlanders, they would not only serve against the enemy abroad but would be hostage for the good behaviour of their "kith and kin" at home, making it "absolutely impossible to raise a rebellion against England" in the Scottish Highlands. However, Cullodden's proposal was vetoed by the cabinet, and it was left to William Pitt (the Elder) to persuade the Government to try the scheme in 1757, though the Black Watch was incorporated as a regiment of the line in 1739.

The Black Watch (or Am Freiceadan Dubh) consisted of six independent companies of Highlanders raised by the Government in 1725 - and owed much to the traditional anti-cattle lifting watches of the Highland chieftains. Three of these companies, 114 men each, were commanded by Lord Lovat, Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell, and Colonel Grant of Ballindalloch, with the rank of captain. The other companies, each of 70 men, were led by Colonel Alexander Campbell, John Campbell of Carrick, and George Munro of Culcairn, with the rank of captain- lieutenant. Care was taken at first to enlist only Highlanders loyal to the House of Hanover, though with time this restriction was relaxed for the rank and file.

In 1739 the Government ordered the raising of four additional companies, which with the original six were to be formed into a 1,000 man regiment of foot. Thus, in May, 1740 the Black Watch was embodied as the 43rd Regiment. From this small beginning, the Highland corps grew to include some 40 different formations (and shrank as well following each conflict) until in 1789 the British Army included six Highland regiments:

    The 42nd Royal Highland Regiment
    The 71st MacLeod's Highlanders
    The 72nd Seaforth Highlanders
    The 73rd Perthshire Highlanders
    The 74th Highland Regiment
    The 75th Highland Regiment
These were joined in the succeeding years by [1]:
    The 78th Highlanders - The Ross-shire Buffs
    The 79th Cameronian Volunteers
    The 97th Strathspey Regiment
    The 98th Argyllshire Regiment
    The 100th Gordon Highlanders
    The 116th "Perthshire" Regiment
    The 132nd Regiment
    The 133rd Highland Regiment
    The 93rd Sutherland Highlanders

More Highland Regiments

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© Copyright 1980 by Jean Lochet

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