By the Treaty of Amiens Martinique was handed over to the French, but on Napoleon's escape from Elba it declared for the Emperor, and General Leith was despatched with a strong force to recapture the island. Fortunately, the Governor, recognizing the hopelessness of resistance, surrendered without attempting a useless defence, and so for a few months Martinique again became a British possession, only to be handed back when Napoleon was safe under restraint.
Guadeloupe, 1810.
The regiments which are authorized to bear this honour are the
East Yorkshire.
Scottish Rifles.
East Surrey.
Manchester.
West India.
The island on three previous occasions had been captured, and thrice restored to the French. Once again it became necessary to take measures for its reduction. Sir George Beckwith, who had so successfully carried out the conquest of Martinique in the previous year, was selected for the command of the expedition, with Generals Hyslop and Harcourt as Divisional Generals under him. The force was distributed as under:
First Division: Major-General Hyslop.
Third Brigade—Brigadier-General McLean: 90th Light Infantry (2nd Scottish Rifles), 8th West India Regiment, and a battalion composed of the light companies of all the regiments present in the West Indies.
Fourth Brigade—Brigadier-General Skinner: 13th (Somerset Light Infantry), 63rd (Manchesters), and the York Rangers (a colonial corps).
Second Division: Major-General Harcourt, who also commanded the Third Brigade, which consisted of the 15th (East Yorkshire), 3rd West India Regiment, and a second light infantry battalion.
Third Brigade—Brigadier-General Barrow: 25th (King's Own Scottish Borderers), 2nd West India Regiment, and a battalion composed of the grenadier companies of the regiments present.