[CHAPTER XXIII]
BATTLE HONOURS FOR MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS
Jersey, 1781—Rodney's Victory of April 12, 1782—The Glorious First of June, 1794—St. Vincent—Fishguard—Copenhagen—New Zealand—Abyssinia—Ashantee.
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Jersey, 1781.
This distinction is borne on the colours of the
1st Royal Jersey Light Infantry.
2nd Royal Jersey Light Infantry.
3rd Royal Jersey Light Infantry.
It commemorates the gallant conduct of these three regiments in repelling the French attack on that island in the year 1781. In the early dawn of January 6 a French force, under the command of the Baron de Rullecourt, made a sudden descent on the island of Jersey, landing a short distance to the east of St. Helier, the capital. Entering the town, they occupied the central square, and surrounded the house of the Lieutenant-Governor, who was at once made a prisoner. He was compelled to sign a capitulation of the island, although he explained to the French commander that such an act would, of course, be ignored by the next senior officer. However, under cover of a flag of truce, the French commander, accompanied by the unfortunate Governor, approached Elizabeth Castle, which dominates the town of St. Helier, and demanded the surrender of the garrison.
The troops at that time in the island, detachments of which were in the castle, consisted of the 78th Highlanders, 83rd Glasgow Volunteers (now the 71st Highland Light Infantry), and the 95th Regiment (the forerunners of the Rifle Brigade), together with the three regiments of Militia named above. The senior officer was Major Pierson, of the 95th. So far from obeying the orders of the Lieutenant-Governor, who, of course, being a prisoner, was deprived of all vestige of authority, Major Pierson replied to the French commander that unless the Governor was released and the French troops laid down their arms within ten minutes he would open fire on them. Rullecourt retorted that unless the castle accepted his terms he would hang the Governor. It is said that Pierson's reply was brief and to the point: "Hang, and be damned!" said he. The French officer was allowed to rejoin his troops, then Pierson, moving a couple of companies of the 78th to a hill on the opposite side of St. Helier, which had not been occupied by the French, descended into the square. The French made a brave resistance, but at the end of an hour Rullecourt, who had been shot through the jaw, surrendered. Our losses were by no means small, the most serious being the death of the gallant Pierson, who fell at the head of his men, and whose gallant conduct and heroic death are commemorated by a monument in the square of St. Helier.