Captain James Grant, of the Thirteenth regiment, commanded the garrison of Fort Bizzeton, which consisted of one hundred and twenty men. Between four and five o’clock on the morning of the 5th of December, three columns of the enemy, amounting to about two thousand men, approached the fort with great silence, and arrived under the works before they were discovered; but the garrison was under arms; it repulsed the assailants, and drove them from before the works with great loss. Major-General Sir Adam Williamson stated in his public despatch,—‘Captain Grant (Thirteenth), 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 post. It has been a very gallant defence and does them great honor.’
1795
1796
The regiment continued actively employed in St. Domingo in the year 1795; but the climate proved particularly injurious to the health of the officers and soldiers, and its losses from disease were so severe that, in 1796, it returned to England a skeleton.
1797
After remaining in England a few months, the regiment embarked for Ireland in 1797, and arrived in that part of the kingdom at the period when the Roman Catholics were combining against the British government, and preparing for open rebellion, in the expectation of receiving aid from France.
1798
In May, 1798, the rebellion broke out, and the passions of the misguided peasantry having been excited into a state of fury, by all the motives which bigotry and vengeance could inspire, their conduct was marked by actions of a most atrocious and cruel character. The Thirteenth regiment was, however, weak in numbers, and it was not called in very active service on this occasion. The rebellion was suppressed towards the end of July; and in August, when a body of French troops arrived, they were surrounded and made prisoners.
1799
The regiment remained in Ireland recruiting its numbers during the year 1799.
1800