The Royals were shortly after engaged in a successful descent upon the island of Corsica. Associated with the Fifty-first Foot, under the command of our gallant countryman, the future hero of Corunna, Lieutenant-Colonel Moore, they were largely instrumental in the reduction of the island, which soon after acknowledged the British sway. The fortified town of Calvi, refusing to submit, was besieged, captured, and garrisoned by the Royals, where they remained until removed to the island of Elba, in 1796—Corsica being abandoned. In 1797 the corps was stationed at Cascaes, in Portugal, and in the following year returned to England.
Meanwhile the disorders which prevailed in France had induced a spirit of rebellion amongst the coloured population of her most valuable colony—the island of St Domingo—which, bursting forth in 1793, resulted in the establishment of the Black Empire of Hayti. The French colonists having no faith in, or doubting the ability to help of their home Government, had solicited the protection of Britain. Accordingly a British force, including the first battalion of the Royals from Jamaica (where for the past three years it had been stationed), was sent to their assistance. The expedition proved one of extreme difficulty and exceeding danger, and is replete with interesting incidents. On every occasion the good conduct of the Royals was most conspicuous, especially so in the defence of Fort Bizzeton, where Lieutenant Clunes, with 120 men, repulsed 2000 of the enemy. Major-General Sir Adam Williamson, in his despatch, stated—“Captain Grant and his two Lieutenants, Clunes, of the Royals, and Hamilton, of the Twenty-second Regiment, merit every attention that can be shown them. They were all three severely wounded early in the attack, but tied up their wounds, and continued to defend their posts. It has been a very gallant defence, and does them great honour.” But the sword was not the only or the worst enemy our brave countrymen had to encounter in this sultry and unhealthy clime. A malignant fever, invading the quarters of our men, slew in two months about 640. The remains of the battalion returned home in 1797.
Scarcely had our gallant Royals recruited their ranks, when the sound of war called them to win new glories on the field. In 1799 the second battalion, brigaded with the Ninety-second Gordon Highlanders, formed part of the British army, which, under that famous chieftain, Sir Ralph Abercromby, landed in the Netherlands, and strove to expel the French. The triumph of “Egmont-op-Zee” illustrated “the gallantry of these brave troops,” which “cannot have been surpassed by any former instance of British valour.” The Dutch, for whom these efforts had been made, unheeding to be free, were at length abandoned to their own infatuation, in which they soon experienced those bitter fruits which sprang from the military despotism of Napoleon to curse the land. On the withdrawal of the army, the second battalion was successfully employed in several descents upon the coast of Portugal. In brigade with their old comrades of the Ninety-second, and two battalions of the Fifty-fourth Foot, they were included in the British army which, landing at Aboukir, from one victory to another, vanquished the boasted “Invincibles” of Napoleon’s grand “Army of the East,” and were at length hailed as the deliverers of Egypt—having driven out the French. Whilst these desirable ends were being accomplished upon the African continent, the first battalion of the Royals, having embarked for the West Indies, was reaping a harvest of glory in the reduction of the enemy’s possessions in that quarter of the world. The most illustrious of these conquests was that of “St Lucia,” which, inscribed upon the colours of the regiment, remains to perpetuate the record of these brave deeds.
CHAPTER XI.
“His signal deeds and prowess high
Demand no pompous eulogy,—
Ye saw his deeds!
Why should their praise in verse be sung?
The name, that dwells on every tongue,
No minstrel needs.”